Technologies

How to Share Games on Nintendo Switch 2 (Spoiler: It’s Easier Than You Think)

There are two methods to share your games between multiple Switch 2 consoles using Virtual Game Cards. And neither one is called GameShare.

If your household has more than one Nintendo Switch 2, you don’t have to purchase the same game again and again for every console. Instead, Nintendo offers two ways to share a single copy of a game you’ve purchased between multiple Switch 2s, using a new feature called Virtual Game Cards. I’ll walk you through both.

Before we get started however, you may have heard of a feature called GameShare, which is also found on the bottom row of the home screen. I’m not talking about GameShare here.

Confusingly, GameShare doesn’t mean sharing or lending full games with other systems. It’s for when you want to play a multiplayer game using more than one Switch 2 to play. You could use it to play Mario Kart with additional Switch 2s all racing one another on the same track, for example, all from one copy of the game. If you had a Nintendo DS, it is very similar to DS Download Play.

The two sharing features I’m walking you through below, and in the video above, are different. They’re both ways to share games between more than one Switch 2 without having to purchase multiple copies of the game. Let’s get started.

Method 1: Load the game on another Switch 2

The first method we’ll go through is loading a game on a second, separate Switch 2 system. Both consoles will be able to play the game on their own, but not at the same time. Also, save files will transfer between the two as long as each system is able to connect to the internet. That way, each system will stay up-to-date with progress made on the other.

To start, you’ll need to have your Nintendo account signed in on both Switch 2 systems. On the secondary device (the one without the game) go to Virtual Game Cards, and select your account. Here you’ll be able to see all the games tied to that account, and any game with an empty cartridge icon is currently not loaded onto this system. Select the game you want to share and then Load on This System.

You’ll then be prompted to link the two Switch 2s together if you haven’t already done so. If this is the first time doing this, you may need to unlink your account from an original Switch, like I had to with my old Switch OLED (pictured above).

Select «Link on the Primary» console and wait for them to connect. Make sure both are on the same Wi-Fi network.

Over on the secondary console, you’ll see that they’re now successfully linked together. You can then proceed to Load on This System. Once loaded, the game will automatically begin to download.

To stop sharing, go to Virtual Game Cards on the Primary system, select the game, and Load on This System. This will remove access to it on the secondary system.

Method 2: Lending to a family member

Now let’s look at the second way to share your game library. This is called Lending to a Family Group Member and it works kind of like lending a library book. But don’t be confused by the wording – we’re not talking about Nintendo Switch Online family. This is a method to use if you don’t want your personal Nintendo Account connected to multiple Switch 2 consoles.

The first thing you’ll need to do is add the other member, in this case my SeanTest account, to your Family Group using accounts.nintendo.com/family. After following the instructions and adding the new member, return to the primary Switch 2. Go to Virtual Game Cards, select the game, then Lend to Family Group Member.

The Switch 2 will mention here that these lent games can only go out for up to 14 days at a time, before they automatically come back (just like a library book). Choose Select a User to Lend To, you’ll then need to bring both Switch 2s near each other.

On the secondary device, hit continue. Go to Virtual Game Cards and select Borrow. Once transferred, the game will begin to download.

On the Primary Switch 2, you won’t be able to play that game while it’s lent out. You’ll also be able to see which of your Family Group Members have which games.

It’s also worth noting that each member can only borrow one game at a time. If you want your game back, select the game and then choose Collect from Family Group Member. The secondary device won’t get a warning. Once it’s loaded, the Secondary Switch 2 will automatically be unable to play the game anymore.

There you have both ways to share games across multiple Switch 2s. Hopefully this helps you figure out which option will work best for your gaming setup.

Technologies

Judge Blocks Texas App Store Age-Check Law

A preliminary injunction found the Texas law, set to begin Jan. 1, is «more likely than not unconstitutional.»

A new Texas state law set to take effect on Jan. 1 would have required app stores to implement age verification processes. But the law has been put on hold, at least temporarily, by a federal court judge.

As reported by the Texas Tribune, Senate Bill 2420, also known as the Texas App Store Accountability Act, is the subject of a temporary injunction issued by US District Judge Robert Pitman.

Pitman said in his decision that the law as written is broad, vague and «more likely than not unconstitutional.» However, he also wrote the court «recognizes the importance of ongoing efforts to better safeguard children when they are on their devices.»

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The Texas law, signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in May, requires app store operators — including Apple, Google, Nintendo, Steam and more — to build age verification processes for the storefronts and to only allow downloads to minors who obtain parental consent. The injunction is a ruling in an October lawsuit filed by the Computer & Communication Industry Association.

CCIA senior vice president Stephanie Joyce said in a statement, «This Order stops the Texas App Store Accountability Act from taking effect in order to preserve the First Amendment rights of app stores, app developers, parents, and younger internet users. It also protects parents’ inviolate right to use their own judgment in safeguarding their children online using the myriad tools our members provide.»

Other individuals and the advocacy group Students Engaged in Advancing Texas also filed suits over the law, the Texas Tribune reported.

App Store Accountability Act

The bill author, State Senator Angela Paxton, said the bill was meant to give parents «common sense tools to protect their kids and to survive court challenges by those who may have lesser priorities.»

The language of Texas Senate Bill 2420 does not only include mobile app stores from Apple or Google, but any «website, software application, or other electronic service that distributes software applications from the owner or developer of a software application to the user of a mobile device.»

By that definition, websites with links to browser games or mobile game consoles with download options would fall under the Texas law as written. The law also defines mobile devices as including phones and tablets, as well as any other handheld device capable of transmitting or storing information wirelessly.

The parental consent aspect of the law requires those under 18 to have an app store account affiliated with a parent or guardian to purchase or download applications.

Age verification elsewhere

In an effort to keep adult materials out of reach of minors and to protect children from potentially harmful content and interactions, tech companies have been compelled by law or through legal action to verify the age of users.

Roblox, which has a huge audience of minors, began rolling out stricter age verification after investigations and lawsuits hurt its reputation as a safe gaming space. Australia is perhaps the most large-scale example of a government restricting access to online content. In December, Australia began restricting social media access to those 16 and older. Reddit recently challenged that law.

In the US, age verification laws have primarily targeted adult sites. Texas already has a law on the books that requires adult sites to age-block their content. The Supreme Court upheld that law in a June ruling. The UK has also enacted age restriction rules for adult sites as have other US states.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, Dec. 25

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 25.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Of course, there’s a very Christmassy clue involved. And once you solve the entire puzzle, look at the letters used in all the answers and see what they have in common. (5-Across will tell you!) Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: ___ King Cole, singer with the album «The Magic of Christmas»
Answer: NAT

4A clue: Body drawings, informally
Answer: TATS

5A clue: Letters to ___ (what this Mini was made with)
Answer: SANTA

6A clue: Huge fan, in slang
Answer: STAN

7A clue: «Illmatic» rapper
Answer: NAS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Grandmothers, by another name
Answer: NANAS

2D clue: Abbr. before a name on a memo
Answer: ATTN

3D clue: Org. with long lines around the holidays
Answer: TSA

4D clue: «See ya later!»
Answer: TATA

5D clue: Govt.-issued ID
Answer: SSN

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Technologies

Don’t Let a Border Agent Ruin Your Holiday Trip. Travel With a Burner Phone

Yes, you should leave your main phone at home and take a cheap burner this winter.

Prepare for a whole new level of border-crossing anxiety this holiday season: the high-probability of a phone search. New figures from US Customs and Border Protection say agents aren’t just glancing at your lock screen anymore — they are aggressively ramping up device inspections, even for citizens coming home. We aren’t just talking about a quick scroll through your photos, either. Agents are increasingly using forensic tools to clone and analyze everything on your device.

The stats are genuinely alarming. In just a three-month window this year, nearly 15,000 devices were flagged for searches, with over a thousand subjected to deep-dive data copying. If you’re traveling with your primary phone, you are essentially carrying your entire digital existence into a legal gray zone where privacy is optional.

The smartest defensive play is remarkably low-tech: the burner phone. By traveling with a secondary, stripped-down device, you ensure your private data stays safe at home while you stay connected abroad. But privacy isn’t the only perk. Moving to a «dumb» phone is the ultimate digital detox, helping you escape the notification trap that usually ruins a vacation.

Even figures like Conan O’Brien have ditched the smartphone to cut through the noise. Whether you’re dodging invasive border searches or just trying to enjoy your trip without being glued to a screen, a burner might be the best travel investment you make this year.

Read more: Best Prepaid Phone of 2025

Although carriers have offered prepaid phones since the ’90s, «burner phones» or «burners» became popular in the 2000s following the celebrated HBO series The Wire, where they helped characters avoid getting caught by the police. Although often portrayed in that light, burners aren’t only used by criminals; they’re also used anyone concerned with surveillance or privacy infringement.

What is a burner phone, and how does it work? Here’s everything you need to know about burners and how to get one.

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What is a burner phone?

A burner phone is a cheap prepaid phone with no commitments. It comes with a set number of prepaid call minutes, text messages or data, and it’s designed to be disposed of after use.

Burner phones are typically used when you need a phone quickly, without intentions of long-term use. They’re contract-free, and you can grab them off the counter. They’re called burner phones because you can «burn» them (trash them) after use, and the phone can’t be traced back to you, which makes them appealing to criminals. Of course, those committed to illicit activities often do more than just throw these phones in the trash, and often completely obliterate the SIM cards and other materials by smashing them with a hammer or melting them away.

Burners are different from getting a regular, contract-bound cellphone plan that requires your information to be on file.

Why should you use a burner phone?

Burner phones are an easy way to avoid cellphone contracts or spam that you get on your primary phone number. Burners aren’t linked to your identity, so you can avoid being tracked down or contacted.

You don’t have to dispose of a burner phone after use. You can add more minutes and continue using it. Burner phones can still function as regular phones, minus the hassle of a contract.

You can also get a burner phone as a secondary phone for a specific purpose, like having a spare phone number for two-factor authentication texts, for business or to avoid roaming charges while traveling. Burner phones are often used by anyone concerned with privacy.

Burner phones, prepaid phones, smartphones and burner SIMs: What’s the difference?

Burner phones are cheap phones with simple designs that lack the bells and whistles of a smartphone. Because they’re designed to be disposable, you only get the essentials, as seen by the most common version, the flip phone.

All burner phones are prepaid phones, but not all prepaid phones are burners. What sets a burner apart is that you won’t have to give away any personal information to get one, and it won’t be traceable back to you. Again, a burner phone is cheap enough to be destroyed after use.

Prepaid smartphones are generally low-end models. You can use any unlocked smartphone with prepaid SIM cards, essentially making it a prepaid phone.

If you want a burner, you don’t necessarily have to buy a new phone. You can get a burner SIM and use it with an existing phone. Burner SIMs are prepaid SIMs you can get without a contract or giving away personal information.

Where can you buy a burner phone?

Burner phones are available at all major retail outlets, including Best Buy, Target and Walmart. They’re also often available at convenience stores like 7-Eleven, local supermarkets, gas stations and retail phone outlets like Cricket and Metro.

You can get a burner phone with cash, and it should cost between $10 and $50, although it may cost more if you get more minutes and data. If you’re getting a burner phone specifically to avoid having the phone traced back to you, it makes sense to pay with cash instead of a credit card.

If you just want a prepaid secondary phone, you can use a credit card. Just keep in mind that credit cards leave a trail that leads back to you.

There are also many apps that let you get secondary phone numbers, including Google Fi and the Burner app. However, these aren’t burners necessarily because the providers typically have at least some of your personal information. Additionally, apps like Google Talk require a phone number that’s already in use for you to choose a number with the service.

If you’re just looking to get a solid prepaid phone without anonymity, check out our full guide for the best prepaid phone plans available. We also have a guide for the best cheap phone plans.