It’s finally time to upgrade your Nintendo Switch! But what does that mean for all your game save data you’ve worked so hard to accumulate over the years? And what about your screenshots and saved videos you love to look back on?

There are quite a few ways you can transfer Switch save data from your old console to your new console, depending on which specific data you want to move over and which options are available to you. Let’s check out each method!

Important Notes Before You Start Moving Switch Save Data

There are multiple ways to move Switch save data from one console to another. If you have a Nintendo Switch Online membership, the process is a bit easier. But you can also transfer data locally as long as you still have your old Switch and they’re both charging, fully updated, and connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

You can only transfer save data between users linked to the same Nintendo account, but make sure you don’t log in to that account on your new Switch until instructed to do so. Otherwise, you might have to log out and then log in again later. Also, the Switch you’re transferring game save data to needs to have no more than seven users and plenty of internal storage space to support the new data.

Nintendo Switch Warning

Some titles, like Pokémon or Animal Crossing: New Horizons, don’t back up to the cloud even if you have a Nintendo Switch online membership. This doesn’t mean you can’t transfer your save data from these games, but they do require their own unique processes.

It’s important to make sure you know which method of transfer you can or want to use before starting and, just like when cooking a recipe, read through all the steps before starting to make sure you don’t miss anything. No matter which method you use, know that once your save data has been transferred to the new Switch, it’s deleted from your old Switch and no longer available.

How to Transfer Existing SD Card Data to a New Switch

If you’re looking to completely move all of your old Switch data to a brand new Switch—game save data, screenshots, saved videos—you’ll want to go the route of transferring via microSD. To do this, you’ll need your original Switch with its original microSD card, a Windows computer with a microSD card reader (or a separate reader device), and your new Switch paired with a new microSD card.

hand inserting a Samsung Pro Plus SD card into a Nintendo Switch

Nintendo specifically states that this process may not be able to carry out correctly in operating systems other than Windows. The company also warns that you should use a single microSD with one system and be careful not to swap microSD cards between systems.

To start, remove the original microSD card from your Switch console and insert it into your computer’s microSD card slot or a microSD card reader device connected to your computer. If your Windows computer or laptop has an SD card slot but no microSD card slot, you’ll need to purchase a microSD to SD card adapter before starting.

Using Windows Explorer, find and access the microSD card, highlight the entire folder with your data, and drag it to the desktop. Don’t delete or alter any data on the original microSD card until you’ve ensured the transfer was successful and the new microSD card is working perfectly. Then, properly eject the microSD card from your old Switch and insert the second microSD card for your new Switch.

Find and access the new microSD card through Windows Explorer, and drag the data from your desktop to the new microSD card. Properly eject the second microSD card and insert it into your new Switch console. Some software update data may not transfer, but those can be redownloaded from the Nintendo eShop.

How to Move Save Data Via Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo Switch Online logo with Mario characters
Image Credit: Nintendo/YouTube

If you pay for a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, your games are automatically set to back up data to the cloud. So, if you're upgrading from the Switch Lite to the original Nintendo Switch or to the Nintendo Switch (OLED), moving game data is a super easy process.

As long as you haven’t changed any settings, your old Nintendo Switch Online account likely automatically backs up your save data. However, you can double-check this by going to Settings > Data Management > Save Data Cloud > Settings and ensuring the Automatically Back Up Save Data is selected.

On your new Switch console, log into your Nintendo account and make sure Automatically Back Up Save Data is toggled on. You can also carry out this process manually by going to Settings > Data Management > Save Data Cloud > All Save Data, selecting the game you want data from, and clicking Download Save Data.

If you plan to keep both consoles and play games on both, just be sure each console has Automatically Back Up Save Data toggled on. Then, you can pick up where you left off on either console.

If you’re on the fence about paying for a subscription, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch Online.

This method only moves game save data from one Switch to another but will not move screenshots or videos.

How to Transfer Game Data From One Switch to Another Over Wi-Fi

Transferring save data and user info can be done locally, but you can only transfer data from one user at a time. So if you need to transfer your entire family’s data consisting of four profiles, you’ll need to repeat this process four times.

To start, you’ll need to have both your old and new Switch consoles in front of you and have both charged, updated, and hooked up to your Wi-Fi network.

On your old Switch, navigate to the home menu and select System Settings > Users > Transfer Your User Data. Follow the prompts, and when asked, select Source Console to indicate that this is the console you want to transfer data from.

sharing games on nintendo switch

Once you’ve clicked through all available prompts on your old Switch, it’s time to move to your new Switch. However, keep your old Switch close by because you’re not done with it yet.

From your new Switch console’s home menu, select System Settings > Users > Transfer Your User Data and follow the prompts just like you did before. When asked which console this is, select Target Console, which indicates this is the console you want data transferred to.

From there, sign into your Nintendo Account on the new Switch and then head over to your old Switch to complete the process. On your old Switch, you’ll select Transfer once it detects your new Switch (your Target Console). This starts the transfer process, which could take a while, depending on how much game save data needs to be moved. Once it’s finished, you’ll need to press End to complete the process officially.

This method of moving your Switch data from an old console to a new one will only transfer your game save data and not any screenshots or saved videos.

How to Move Animal Crossing: New Horizons Game Save Data

Nintendo Switch at the new horizons homescreen sitting on table

If you played Animal Crossing: New Horizons at any point and want to transfer that save data to a new Switch, there’s a separate process to follow. You'll need to download the Island Transfer Tool from the eShop and follow its instructions.

Luckily, we've got you covered with a detailed guide on how to transfer your Animal Crossing: New Horizons save data to a new Switch.

Start Gaming With Your New Switch

Now that all your treasured game save data is available on your new Switch console, there's nothing left to do but play your games and check out your new system! And if you get a newer Switch model, you'll know exactly how to transfer your data with no issue.