• Guide

How to transfer save data - Nintendo Switch

Here's how you can transfer your data from one Nintendo Switch to another.

Donovan Erskine

October 8, 2021 10:35 AM

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The Nintendo Switch stores player data from games on the console itself, rather than in the cloud. That means if you buy a new Switch console, your save data will not automatically transfer over, you’ll have to do it yourself. Let’s look at how you can transfer save data from one Nintendo Switch to another.

How to transfer save data - Nintendo Switch

In order to transfer your Nintendo Switch save data, you will need two consoles - one to send the data, and one to receive it. Here are the steps, as shared on the Nintendo website:

On Console 1:

• Open System Settings
• Select Users
• Select Transfer User Data
• Press Next twice
• Select Source Console
• Select Continue

On Console 2:

• Open System Settings and navigate to Transfer User Data again
• Select Next twice
• Select Target Console
• Sign in using your Nintendo Account email or ID

On Console 1:

• Once the target system is found, select Transfer
• Wait for the transfer to complete and then select End

Once complete, your selected profile and the save game data associated with it will be on your new Nintendo Switch. It’s a good idea to boot up a couple of your games and confirm that the transfer was successful and that your data is there. The process can be used again if you have more than one account to transfer. The account and save data will be removed from the original console when the transfer is finished.

That is how you can transfer save data from your old Nintendo Switch to a new one. If you’re upgrading to a new model, or are replacing a damaged console, this will be necessary in order to retain your profile and all of the information associated with it. For more helpful Nintendo Switch guides, stick with us here on Shacknews.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a young journalist from Maryland, who likes to game. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge Scream nerd and film fanatic that will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_