Nintendo Switch Online has turned profile customization into a small collectible hunt, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom got one of the most memorable limited-time icon promotions. Back in 2023, Nintendo let subscribers redeem character icons, backgrounds, and borders to build custom profile pictures. The TotK set arrived in five weekly waves from August 3 through September 7, 2023, and it gave Zelda fans a reason to open the Nintendo Switch Online app every week. In 2026, that original window is long closed, so the specific TotK waves are no longer live. The redemption system, however, is still the same one Nintendo uses for rotating icon rewards, which makes the old promotion a useful blueprint for anyone hoping for a rerun or a similar Zelda event.

The Short Version: Limited-Time Icons, Permanent Profile Flex

The appeal was simple. Nintendo Switch Online subscribers could claim custom icons featuring favorite Tears of the Kingdom characters, then mix them with backgrounds and borders. The catch was the schedule. The promotion rolled out in five weekly waves rather than releasing everything at once, so players had to check back to see which characters were available. That structure created a mild FOMO effect, but it also kept the event feeling fresh.

Detail	What players needed to know
Platform	Nintendo Switch Online
Promotion window	August 3 to September 7, 2023, across five weekly waves
Cost	10 Platinum Points per character icon
Full character icon set	110 Platinum Points total
Extra parts	Backgrounds and borders were also redeemable
Requirement	An active Nintendo Switch Online subscription
Access point	Nintendo Switch Online app, then Missions & Rewards

The math mattered. A single character icon was cheap, but collectors who wanted the whole set needed 110 Platinum Points. That was not a huge ask for dedicated players, especially since My Nintendo weekly missions offered a steady trickle of points. Still, anyone who ignored the event until the final week could find the earlier waves gone. Limited-time icon rewards are exactly that: limited.

Why the Five-Week Format Mattered

The weekly rollout gave the promotion a rhythm. Players could log in, browse the newest additions, and decide whether to spend Platinum Points on a favorite character or save them for the next wave. Backgrounds and borders added another layer of customization, letting fans turn a simple character portrait into a fuller profile picture. It was a small feature, but it fit the way Nintendo often blends collecting with personal expression.

For Zelda fans, the timing was also smart. Tears of the Kingdom had just launched, and the icon promotion kept the game in the conversation after the initial release hype. It rewarded subscribers with something cosmetic rather than gameplay-related, which kept the promotion simple. No quests, no skill checks, no random drops. Just points, a menu, and a deadline.

How Players Redeemed the Icons

The process was straightforward, but the app could be easy to overlook. The Nintendo Switch Online app is the red icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen, near the notifications tab. From there, players signed in with their own account and scrolled down to the Missions & Rewards tab. That was where the custom icons, backgrounds, and borders lived.

The steps were:

1. 🎮 Open the Nintendo Switch Online app.

2. 🔐 Sign in with the account tied to the NSO subscription.

3. 📜 Scroll to Missions & Rewards.

4. 🖼️ Browse the available icons, backgrounds, and borders.

5. 💰 Redeem a character icon for 10 Platinum Points.

6. ✅ Confirm the selection and customize the profile picture.

Players who needed more points could complete weekly My Nintendo missions. Those missions were the quiet engine behind the whole system. Without them, the 110-point full set would have felt much more expensive. With them, the promotion became a manageable weekly habit rather than a grind.

What 2026 Players Should Take Away

The original Tears of the Kingdom icon waves are a 2023 event, not a live 2026 giveaway. Players who see guides mentioning August and September should treat those dates as historical. The important part is the system: Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can still use the app to redeem rotating profile icons when Nintendo offers them, and the Missions & Rewards tab remains the place to look.

For anyone hoping for another Zelda icon drop, the playbook is clear. Keep an eye on the app, check the Missions & Rewards section regularly, and spend Platinum Points before they pile up and expire. Limited-time cosmetics rarely announce themselves twice, and weekly waves are designed to reward players who check in.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available on Nintendo Switch.