How to Turn Off Parental Controls on Nintendo 3DS

Manage 3DS settings using your unique PIN

By
Nadia Oxford
Nadia Oxford
Writer
  • William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute
Nadia Oxford is a former Lifewire writer with 10+ years' experience. Her articles have appeared in Pocket Games Magazine, Play Magazine, Game Pro, IGN and others.
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Updated on October 21, 2021

What to Know

  • Go to System Settings > Parental Controls > Change. Enter your PIN and select Clear Settings to remove all parental controls at once.
  • Forgot your PIN? Select I Forgot. Answer the security question, or select I Forgot again to get an inquiry number for Nintendo's customer service.
  • Nintendo's Technical Support hotline number is 1-800-255-3700. You need the Inquiry Number before you call.

The Nintendo 3DS can access the internet, play video clips, and download games from the Nintendo Game Store. But not all of this content is kid-appropriate. That's what 3DS parental controls are for. Parents who have set up the Nintendo 3DS parental controls have the option to turn them off at any time.

How to Turn off Nintendo 3DS Parental Controls

  1. Turn on the Nintendo 3DS.

  2. Select the System Settings menu indicated by a wrench on the bottom touch-screen menu.

  3. Select Parental Controls.

  4. To change the settings, select Change.

  5. Enter the PIN you used when you set up the parental controls, then select OK.

  6. If you want to turn off one Parental Control setting at a time, select Set Restrictions and browse each category of interest. After you switch off each setting, select OK to save the changes.

  7. If you want to delete all of the Parental Control settings at once, select Clear Settings on the main menu of Parental Controls. Make sure you want to wipe all the settings at once, then select Delete.

  8. After you wipe the Parental Controls, you are returned to the Nintendo 3DS System Settings menu.

What to Do If You Forgot Your PIN

If you've forgotten the PIN you used to set up Parental Controls, follow these instructions:

  1. When you are asked for the PIN that you've forgotten, select I Forgot.

  2. Enter the answer to the question you set up along with your PIN when you first set up Parental Controls. If you enter it correctly, you can change the Parental Controls.

  3. If you forgot the answer to your secret question, select I Forgot at the bottom of the screen.

  4. Write down the Inquiry Number that the system gives you.

  5. Go to Nintendo's Customer Service site.

  6. Make sure your 3DS displays the correct time on its screen. If not, correct it before proceeding.

  7. Enter the Inquiry Number. When you correctly enter the number on Nintendo's Customer Service site, you are given the option to join a live chat with Customer Service, where you are given a primary password key you can use to access the Parental Controls.

    If you prefer, you can call Nintendo's Technical Support hotline at 1-800-255-3700. You will still need the Inquiry Number.

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