Skip to main content

How to upgrade to Switch Online + Expansion Pack

With the launch of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, players have the ability to upgrade from the standard Nintendo Switch Online membership. However, the upgrade path isn’t the most apparent thing, especially since there are numerous situations that change what you need to do. While many players might be diving into the new Expansion Pack membership outright, others might want to upgrade from an existing basic membership. Or perhaps you’re considering getting a family Switch Online + Expansion Pack plan.

Whatever situation you’re in, we’ve got all the details for upgrading to the new Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership — for individual or family plans. Here’s everything you need to know about upgrading.

Recommended reading:

How to upgrade from the basic Nintendo Switch Online membership to the + Expansion Pack

Games for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion.

It is possible to upgrade from the standard individual Nintendo Switch Online membership to an individual + Expansion Pack plan. The + Expansion Pack is normally $50 but Nintendo will allow you to pay the difference, using a pricing model of $0.05 per day. In other words, if you have 20 days left of your basic membership, Nintendo will knock $1 off the price to upgrade. If you have six months left, you’ll only have to pay around $41 to upgrade. All of this math is automated, so you don’t have to worry about doing the calculations yourself.

To upgrade, head to the eShop and select the account you’d like to use. Once you do, navigate to Nintendo Switch Online from the options on the left. Pick Membership Options and you’ll be presented with the ability to upgrade based on the prorated amount described above. Select Proceed to Purchase, and then confirm the auto-renewal options. You can also use your Gold Points towards your purchase, which is nifty.

Click Agree and then Confirm, and you’ll have access to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack for 365 days.

How to upgrade from basic Nintendo Switch Online membership to family + Expansion Pack

Logo and icons for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

Much like the previous step, you can upgrade from the basic individual Nintendo Switch Online membership to a family + Expansion Pack membership by following the same steps. The family + Expansion Pack costs $80 but is much less expensive individually if all members split it. Once you reach the Membership Options section on the eShop, make sure you select Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Family membership. From here, follow the same steps as above to make the purchase.

The admin of the family plan can add up to seven other members (eight total) to the plan by visiting the Nintendo website. From here, choose Nintendo Account in the upper-left corner, and then select Family Group. You can then add members to the group. After they’re added, each member will receive an email to confirm their family membership, and upon doing so, they’ll all have access to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription. The more members added to the plan, the more you save (assuming everyone splits the cost evenly). $80 divided by eight members is only $10 apiece, which is much better than the $50 option for individual plans.

It seems only the admin has the ability to pay the difference if they already have a basic membership — any basic membership the additional members may have isn’t taken into consideration.

How to upgrade from basic Nintendo Switch Online family membership to individual + Expansion Pack

There isn’t a way to migrate from a basic Nintendo Switch Online family membership to an individual + Expansion Pack membership — at least, not with the ability to pay the difference. You can leave the family group if you aren’t the admin and then purchase the individual + Expansion Pack membership for yourself. If you are the admin, you’ll need to wait for it to expire before you can purchase an individual membership of any kind. Alternatively, an admin can upgrade from the standard family plan to the + Expansion Pack plan by paying the difference of $.09 per day.

Editors' Recommendations

Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden is a freelance journalist who covers loves Nintendo, shooters, and horror games. He mostly covers game guides…
Where to find all Great Fairies in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
A great fairy leans over a small man.

The Great Fairies have been in most Zelda titles since the very beginning, so it should come as no surprise that they once again appear in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. These friendly spirits have offered many different types of aid to the hero of time in his adventures, such as teaching him new magic, upgrading his equipment, and unlocking new abilities. With the world of Hyrule now bigger than ever, the Great Fairies are more difficult to find than ever.

If you need help tracking down all the Great Fairies in Tears of the Kingdom and want to know what they do, we've got you covered.
What Great Fairies do

Read more
How to get into the Lost Woods in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
zelda tears of the kingdom lost woods

The Lost Woods return in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, though the strategy for getting through them is much different than in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Instead of using the wind to guide you, you'll have to utilize a different approach this time around. In this guide, we'll show you exactly how to get into the Lost Woods in Tears of the Kingdom.
How to get through the Lost Woods

Unfortunately, you can't walk through the Lost Woods from the main entrance -- or any entrance on the surface, for that matter. Instead, you must head to the Minishi Woods Chasm, which is located just southeast of the Lost Woods. Here, you'll need to drop down below into the depths, using your paraglider.

Read more
How to upgrade weapon and shield slots in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Master Sword in Tears of the Kingdom.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is full of weapons, shields, and bows to discover, but Link can only hold so many at any given time. To make the most out of your items, you'll want to increase your inventory space, allowing you to carry more weapons, shields, and bows. But doing so is a little complex, with multiple steps involved. In this guide, we'll show you everything you need to know to upgrade your inventory slots in Tears of the Kingdom.
Find Korok Seeds

To upgrade your inventory slots, you'll need to trade Korok Seeds with an NPC named Hestu (more on that below). Korok Seeds are scattered around the map and serve as collectibles, just like in Breath of the Wild. In the previous game, there were 900 of them, so there will likely be that many in Tears of the Kingdom.
Trade with Hestu

Read more