Skip to main content

How to transfer data from one Nintendo Switch to another

Here's everything you need to know to transfer data between Switch consoles

Image used with permission by copyright holder

As innovative as the Switch is, trying to do things beyond playing the best Switch games can be a bit of a hassle on Nintendo hardware. Now that we have the regular Switch, the Nintendo Switch OLED, and the Switch Lite, there are plenty of reasons you would want to transfer your data from one Switch to another. This isn't as easy as connecting your Switch to a TV or even your Pro controller to a PC, and instead takes a bit of effort and know-how. We'll walk you through this process in simple steps.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Moderate

Duration

20 minutes

What You Need

  • Nintendo Switch (more than one)

  • Wi-Fi

  • MicroSD card

  • MicroSD card reader

  • Computer

Transferring user data from one Switch to another

You can make a direct transfer of most of your key Switch data from one console to another without microSD cards or other connections. To do it, you have to have both your original Switch and the Switch receiving the transfer in the same place, and connected to the internet. Unfortunately, that means if your Switch is broken, a transfer probably won’t work.

Step 1: First off, to set up your Switches, you need both your Switches physically in the same place, connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and must be updated to firmware version 4.0.

Step 2: You also need to make sure there is space on the “target” console — the one you’re transferring user data to. Specifically, the target console has to have fewer than seven user profiles on it — the maximum you can set up on one Switch — and enough free storage space for the data you will be adding from the “source” console. You might want to have a microSD card handy, just in case.

Step 3: Sign in as the user you want to transfer on the source console.

Using the source console — the one you’re moving the user data from — sign in with the user account you want to transfer.

Step 4: Go into the Settings menu (the little icon that looks like a gear on the Switch’s home screen), and navigate down to the Users tab.

how to transfer data nintendo switch 2018013122180100 57b4628d2267231d57e0fc1078c0596d 768x432
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 5: On this menu, scroll down to the option that reads Transfer Your User.

Step 6: Now pick up the second, “target” Switch to sign in on. As in the previous steps, go to the Switch’s home screen and navigate to the Settings menu.

how to transfer data nintendo switch 2018012815503700 57b4628d2267231d57e0fc1078c0596d 768x432
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 7: Head down to the Users tab and find Transfer Your User.

how to transfer data nintendo switch user 1 768x512
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 8: Select that option and then select Target Console so the Switch knows this is the console receiving the transfer.

how to transfer data nintendo switch 2018012815510500 57b4628d2267231d57e0fc1078c0596d 768x432
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 9: From here, you have to sign in to your Nintendo account, so have your email and password handy.

Step 10: Go back to the source console. It should have detected the target console: If it has, select Transfer. A bar will appear showing the status of the transfer.

Step 11: When it’s finished, hit End on the source console, and you’re done. The user account and save data will be gone from the source Switch, and will appear on the target Switch.

It’s important to remember that some titles, such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons, actually make transferring save data much harder than this. To transfer titles such as this one, you’ll need to reach out to Nintendo Customer Service. They’ll walk you through and help you bring your save data from one system to the next. But use this sparingly.

Transfer screenshots and videos using a microSD card

While you can move save data along with your user profile between Switches, doing so makes the target Switch your “primary” console — which means it’s the only one tied to your Nintendo account, and the only one to which you can download games, for instance. You can also use a given microSD card in one Switch: If you plug your microSD card into another Switch, that Switch will format the microSD card, deleting all the data on it.

The only files you can pass between microSD cards are screenshots and videos. To do that, you need a computer and a microSD card reader to make the transfer.

Step 1: First, you need a microSD card for both the Switches you mean to transfer your images between. You can use a single microSD card to do the transfer, but only if you’re willing to delete all the data on it when you move it from one console to the other. The easier way is to use one microSD card for each console, and move the data between the two, so start by making sure your microSD card is set for each console.

Step 2: If your card is formatted and ready to go, grab the Nintendo Switch that has the images and videos you want to transfer — the “source” Switch.

Step 3: Head to the Album icon on the source Switch’s home screen. You can set where your screenshots and videos are saved in the Settings menu, but the default sends your saved images and videos to the Switch’s internal memory.

how to transfer data nintendo switch 2018013123395300 57b4628d2267231d57e0fc1078c0596d 768x432
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: If that is where your images are being saved, you need to copy them to your microSD card so you can take it out of the device.

Step 5: In the Album, select the image or video you want to transfer.

Step 6: Choose the Copy option. This will automatically send your selection to the microSD card. You have to do each image and video you want to copy individually, however.

Step 7: Once you have copied everything you want on the card, turn off the Switch and remove it from the device.

Step 8: With the microSD card out of your Switch, plug it into your microSD card reader, and that into your computer. You will now be able to access the files on the microSD card, starting with a folder marked Nintendo.

Step 9: Open that folder and look for one called Album. Inside are all the images and videos you have transferred to your microSD card, arranged in folders by date.

how to transfer data nintendo switch from one another copy computer 768x431
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 10: The easiest thing to do is to select the entire Album folder and copy it onto your computer. Pick somewhere convenient to save the file so that it’s easy to locate later.

how to transfer data nintendo switch from one another album 768x431
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 11: When the files are copied, eject the microSD card reader and take the card out of the reader.

Step 12: Insert the microSD card from the second Switch — the “target” Switch — into the microSD card reader, and plug that directly into the machine. You’ll immediately notice the identical Nintendo folder with the same Album folder located inside it.

Step 13: Open the Album folder.

how to transfer data nintendo switch from one another copy album 768x431
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 14: Then continue clicking on the date folders and opening them until you get through all the folders. If you have saved screenshots or videos, you’ll be able to see those in one of the mentioned folders.

Step 15: Locate the pictures you stored on your computer from the source Switch’s microSD card, and copy them into the folder on the target microSD card.

Step 16: After you’re done copying all the items over, remove the microSD card reader and remove the card as well.

Step 17: At this point, you’re free to insert the target microSD card back into the second “target” Switch. Because the microSD card is explicitly formatted for that Switch, it should operate instantly.

Step 18: Now, you should be able to view all the screenshots and videos you transported by selecting the target Switch’s Album icon on the home page. You’ll be pleased to see that all your new images and videos will be displayed there.

Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox has been a writer at Digital Trends for over four years and has no plans of stopping. He covers all things…
Prime Big Deal Days Nintendo Switch deals: 10% off Switch Lite
Prime Day Nintendo Switch Deals

Update 10/09/24: With the final day of Prime Day dawning on us, we've gone through this article and updated all the deals to the latest pricing, as well as added a couple of new deals that you should check out. Given that today is the last day, be sure to snag any deal you like now since a lot of these tend to be limited and will likely be gone soon.

Between getting a console itself and then a decent games collection, it can be difficult to get into gaming on a Nintendo Switch. Luckily, today is the last day of Prime Big Deal Days, so you still have a chance to grab yourself something you like, especially since we're seeing deals on everything imaginable. Whether you want to get Nintendo Switch consoles, games, and accessories (like you'll see here), a Big Deal Days TV deal to get a better view of your game, or even a Big Deal Days soundbar deal so you can finally hear everything with utmost clarity, they're all here. For Nintendo Switch, here's the best of what we've found so far.
Orzly Carry Case -- $15 $29 48% off

Read more
All cross-platform games (PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
Two squads of heroes clash in an Overwatch 2 trailer.

Cross-platform support is becoming more important in the world of video games. Multiplayer hits like Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 and Fortnite have pushed crossplay into the limelight, and now most AAA multiplayer games release with at least partial cross-platform support. Finding every cross-platform game is no easy feat, though, so we did the hard work to bring you a comprehensive list of games that support crossplay.

Unfortunately, there aren't any rules when it comes to crossplay, so each game handles the feature a little differently. To make matters more confusing, certain backward-compatible games on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X still support crossplay on the most recent hardware, even if there isn't an official release for that hardware.

Read more
How to transfer weapon stats in Throne and Liberty
A knight slashing at a monster in Throne and Liberty.

In an MMORPG like Throne and Liberty you will constantly be grinding for something. This game doesn't have classes, though, so you will mainly be leveling up your character and their equipment. That is a fun system on the surface, but it can create a problem where you don't want to upgrade to a new weapon because you've already leveled up a lower-tier weapon so much. Thankfully, there's a way to pass along all that XP you gained on one weapon into a better one. Here's how it's done.

Read more