Switch Informations by serial number - READ THE FIRST POST before asking questions (2024)

TL;DR. Compare your serial here to know if your Switch is patched or not:

Serials beginning with XAW1:
Serials between XAW10000000000 - XAW10065000000 are safe to buy
Serials between XAW10066000000 - XAW10120000000 are possibly patched
Serials above XAW10120000000 are definitely patched

F.A.Q:

Q: The Serial of my Switch begins with four or more zeros, what does it mean?
A: Those Switches are all unpatched and can be bought without hesitation. Leading zeros just
mean that actual serial number that follows is very small, so the switch is rather old.

Q: My Serial is in the orange region, which says that it is possibly patched, what does that mean for me?
A: This means that it is not possible to tell from your serials number if your Switch is patched or not. It has
to do with the fact that after patched units were first produced, Nintendo also produced unpatched units. That
leads to an overlap.

Q: I've already bought a Switch in the orange region, what should I do?
A: It depends. If it is still sealed and you have the possibility to return it, you should probably try to get a Switch
in the green region. If you can't return it, just try and see for you self if it is patched or not. It is not possible
to brick/harm/destroy the Switch with this method:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/a-defin...atched-or-not-purchases-after-07-2018.512018/

Q: My Switch is definitely patched, what should I do now?
A: You have two options:
1) Wait till a hacker finds a way to hack a patched Switch unit. We don't know when or if they'll find a solution. You need to be patient.
2) Sell the Switch and get an unpatched one

Q: I found a Switch with serial XYZ and it is really close to the XYZ+1 one I found in the spreadsheet, which was unpatched. Should I buy it?
A: This is missleading. Yes, it might be unpatched, but serial XYZ could also be in the orange region. That would mean the guy on the spreadsheet got an
unpatched one, while yours could be patched. Always compare the serials to the colour regions above, never to a single serials in isolation.

Q: I have read this guide and I know that the guide said my switch is unpatched/possibly patched/patched. Should I still ask a question about if anyone has information
about my Switch?
A: No. The guide is up-to-date and the borders are trusted. You can post it of course, but don't expect any new informations.

Q: I have seen other guide similar to this guide with slightly different borders, what's the deal with that?
A: Basically, other sites copied the informations and posted them on their side without giving credit. I don't care. What
I do know is that this guide is the most accurate one out there. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

Q: I found a bundle XYZ. Is it patched or unpatched?
A: Bundles don't play any role whether a Switch is patched or unpatched. Always go after serials number.

Q: I read everything and I am still confused about the guide. Please help?
A: If you have read everything twice you have my permission to ask in this thread. Beware of snarky comments.

Q: What about XAW9, XAK and other serials numbers not in the guide?
A: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I don't know. I don't work for Nintendo, nor do I have any insider knowledge. I just gather that the people have collected in this thread
and the spreadsheet. There is to little information about those to make good predictions.

Q: Where can I find the serial number on the Box?
A: Have a look in the spoiler. The box has a little cut-out where the serial should be visable.

Q: I want Switch with a specific firmware preinstalled, can you help me out?
A: Compare the serial to the list inside this spoiler.

Q: I want to help, what can I do?
A: If you have all informations about your Switch, fill out the form below and post it here.

Serial:
Serial on device matches serial on box:
Region:
Firmware:
Color option:
Store:
Was a bundle (if yes, which):
Purchase date:
Fusée Gelée works:

If you know with which Firmware your switch came out of the box, please fill in those fields.

According to CTCear, here are some information about the Switch serial numbers:

X: From NX. It's actually the platform code.
A: It's the hardware code. A: Switch, B: Joy-Con (L), C: Joy-Con (R). And I assume D for Pro (check the plastic sliver that came with, if it exists).
J/W: West or Japan? Probably the region that was supposed to reach. Maybe with all the pre-orders and the after-launch demand, they just sent them everywhere to keep people happy. Or, at some point they weren't Region-free.
10/14/40/70: Factory made or assembled?

Click to expand...

For example: XAJ70002712345

X: Product of NX line
A: Switch Hardware
J70: Assembly line
The following numbers are probably a consecutive number. So the Switch in the example is Switch number 2712345.

Here is a quick guide on how to check the Firmware without going through the initial setup.

Serpentarius said:

Yes, you push and hold both volume keys while powering on, and keep holding them until the recovery menu loads. It will display the firmware version immediately, then you do nothing and just press the power button to power off (this also clears any pending updates).

Click to expand...

Xplic1T created a spreadsheet that contains all information that we gathered in this thread in more detail then the OP.
You can view it here
Feel free to edit the spreadsheet with more informations