#Swap save data between Switches?

75 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

pliant schooner
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Hey everyone,

So my brother and i both have Nintendo Switches. I have a V1 Switch which i bought in 2018, and my brother has a V2 Switch which he bought in 2021. My Switch is starting to get old, and he never uses his Switch, so we've agreed to trade Switches.

However, we would both like to keep our save data for games and screenshots. I understand it's possible to transfer save data from one Switch to another, but i was wondering if its possible to swap save data between Switches, so that we both still have our save data on our new Switches?

Thanks in advance for the help!

civic narwhal
brittle impBOT
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save

SAVE DATA AND YOU

※ Note: Save data is stored on the internal memory and not the microSD card.

• How to transfer a profile's data - Copy an entire profile and its save data from Switch A then move it to Switch B, then delete the profile from Switch A.

• How to transfer individual games' save data - Copy an individual game's save data to another Switch, then delete the save data from the original source.

• How to download save data from cloud backup - Requires Nintendo Switch Online subscription. You can keep multiple copies of save data on multiple Switch consoles this way. Make sure to let them sync/update before playing.
※ Note: If your subscription expired, the cloud save backup will be kept for 6 months before deletion.

￮ Exception: Animal Crossing: New Horizon's save data is different and have unique backup and transfer process.

⚠︎ Warning: If you have issue transferring data between Switch consoles (error 2216-5000 with the message "Unable to communicate with the other console."):
• Try connecting both Switch consoles to a different network and attempt the transfer again. (Hotspot will work)
• Delete the Wifi network from both Switch consoles, reconnect them and do it again.

Requested by bladespringsun
civic narwhal
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when it asks you if you want to keep using the old Switch, you can choose no, it will delete the data on the old Switch and even deregister primary console for you

pliant schooner
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So let's say I use the account transfer method and transfer my data from my Switch to my brother's Switch, won't that mean his data is gone?

glossy island
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I think you misunderstood

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it will overwrite the data only if one of the games u transfer the save data is on the other switch

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like

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both switches have lets say.. hollow knight

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you want to transfer your save file to the other switch

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it will either ask you to cancel the save data transfer or overwrite

pliant schooner
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Ohh

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So if I transfer games A, B, and X and my brother transfers games C, D and Y we both keep our save data?

glossy island
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if i understood correctly then yes

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if the games support cloud save and you both have online then that will help you alot

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incase the saves do get overwritten

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and deleted

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games like pokemon do not support cloud saves just incase

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you can check what games have cloud saves in your cloud

pliant schooner
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He doesn't have online

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Im still confused tho

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Sooo if my transfer my data onto his Switch, that means his account and save data will temporarily be in sort of a limbo, right?

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Until he transfers them to my Switch

civic narwhal
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That's a good clarification @glossy island

civic narwhal
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Ok let me put it this way

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one Switch can contain multiple profiles

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Let say you have a Switch with only 1 account/profile in it

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and you transfer a new, different account into it

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Guess what? Now that Switch has 2 accounts, the old and the new one

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In your case, if you transfer your account into his Switch first, after you have done so, his Switch will have both your account and his account. Both of them will be usuable, and perfectly fine, at the same time.

pliant schooner
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Hmm

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Okay i think understand

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So after that

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Then he will have to remove his account from his Switch (which i transferred my account to) to my old Switch (which i transferred my account from)

civic narwhal
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Yep

pliant schooner
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Can he remove his account from his Switch without taking my account down as well?

civic narwhal
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You can actually "Transfer" without the transfer process using cloud save data, like @glossy island mentioned

pliant schooner
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He doesn't have online lol

civic narwhal
pliant schooner
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And also only has 1 Pokemon game

civic narwhal
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Then use the account transfer method

pliant schooner
civic narwhal
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Of course, that would make sense if they want one system having multiple accounts, right?

pliant schooner
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Yeah

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You're right

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Hmm

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I think i get it now

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My brother told me he wants to reset his Switch into factory settings before the transfer

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Is that okay?

civic narwhal
pliant schooner
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Okay

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Should i do a factory reset at one point too?

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Or is that not neccesary?

civic narwhal
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I don't see a reason for it.

pliant schooner
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Okay

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Thanks

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Oh one more thing

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Does the account transfer method transfer screenshots too?

civic narwhal
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No it doesn't

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As for that... there is a method but I really fricking hate it.

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It works 100% of half the times I've tested lol

pliant schooner
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What is it?

civic narwhal
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The screenshot/video is stored in the microSD card

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and due to how the Switch handles the microSD card, you will need to do this.

brittle impBOT
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sdt

TRANSFER DATA ON MICROSD CARD

§ These are instructions on how to deal with data on microSD card, transferring them between different cards or between Switch consoles.

※ Note
● MicroSD card only contain screenshot/gameplay capture video and games' install data. Save data is stored on the Switch's internal memory and cannot be moved to microSD card.
● You can move data between the microSD card and the Switch's internal memory by going into System Setting ⚙️ > Data Management.

■ Transfer a microSD card to a different Switch
1. Make sure you have transferred the profiles that own games to the new Switch. Otherwise the console will not recognize the data. Type !tag save for more info.
2. Simply plug the old microSD card into the new Switch and check your content in System Setting ⚙️ > Data Management. Games' data and screenshot/gameplay capture should be present.
※ If it doesn't work, backup the data on your computer, format the card with the Switch, then put the data back on the card.

■ Transfer data between microSD card
You will need a device that can read and format microSD card. Either PC/MAC computer or smartphone/tablet.
1. Determine the File System of the old microSD card.
2. Format the new microSD card to the same File System.
3. Use the Switch to format the new microSD card one more time.
4. Copy and paste the files from the old microSD card over to the new one. Following the correct folder's location.

Requested by bladespringsun
pliant schooner
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Thanks!

civic narwhal
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Good luck, let me know if it worked for you.

pliant schooner
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I will

glossy island
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what have i missed

glossy island
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and here i went clarifying to make it understandable as much as possible without all the gibberish and they still didnt understand

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oh well

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glad you made them understand i was away for a few 😂