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The steps depend on your handheld: Nintendo Switch 2 and the original Switch family have built-in software-move commands, while Windows handhelds such as the ASUS ROG Ally use storage controls that vary by game launcher. On Nintendo systems, moving software does not move saved progress.

Before you move anything, identify the handheld and card

Check the exact model and the expansion-card standard it supports before inserting a card or following a menu path. Nintendo Switch 2 uses microSD Express; Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED use microSD. ASUS says the ROG Ally supports a UHS-II or backward-compatible microSD card reader. These standards and instructions are not interchangeable: Nintendo Switch 2 card and move guidance, Nintendo Switch-family guidance, and ASUS ROG Ally FAQ.

  • Move installed software: use the device’s move command or the game launcher’s storage controls.
  • Move saved progress: this is a separate operation. Nintendo’s software-data move commands do not migrate save data.
  • Replace or transfer a card: this is different from moving a game between locations on one handheld; see the card-transfer section below.

Move software on Nintendo Switch 2

  1. From the HOME Menu, open System Settings.
  2. Choose Data Management.
  3. Select Move System / microSD Express Card Data.
  4. Choose the data you want to move, then confirm.

Nintendo states that “Save data and some update data cannot be migrated.” It also says the command is “not a feature to specify where data is installed to.” That means a move is not a permanent preference for where future downloads or updates go; after you resume playing, update data may be stored at the location you did not choose. Use a microSD Express card for Switch 2, not a standard microSD card. Nintendo’s Switch 2 instructions.

Move software on Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, or Switch OLED

  1. From the HOME Menu, open System Settings.
  2. Choose Data Management.
  3. Select Move Data Between System / microSD Card.
  4. Choose the data, then confirm.

Save data and some update data cannot be moved with this command. Updates added later may be stored in a location other than the one you selected, so this does not set a permanent destination for new data. The original Switch family uses microSD cards; consult the Nintendo support instructions for Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED if your console’s regional support page or menu differs.

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Nintendo Australia describes a different workflow on its support page: delete or archive downloadable software, then redownload it with a microSD card inserted; it says save data cannot be copied to that card. Because regional guidance can differ, follow the instructions and labels shown for your console and region rather than combining the two procedures. Nintendo Australia’s guidance.

Move games on a Windows handheld such as ASUS ROG Ally

On a Windows handheld, the launcher matters. ASUS confirms that the ROG Ally supports a UHS-II or backward-compatible microSD card reader and that games can be installed to that storage. Its FAQ discusses multiple supported launchers, but does not establish one universal sequence for moving an already-installed game. Use the current storage or installation controls in the launcher that manages the game, and check that launcher’s own instructions for its current interface. ASUS ROG Ally FAQ.

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Steam Deck: format the card, then use Steam’s current storage controls

Steam’s support guide documents formatting a microSD card from Steam > Settings > System > Format SD Card. That format step is not the same as moving an installed game. For moving an existing game, use the current Steam library storage controls and verify the labels on your SteamOS version; the available support guidance does not establish a current step-by-step move path. Steam Deck – Basic Use & Troubleshooting Guide.

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Replacing a Nintendo Switch microSD card is a separate process

Moving software between system memory and a card on one console is not the same as transferring playable card contents between consoles. Nintendo says software on a Switch microSD card is not playable on a different system and recommends using one card per system. For replacing a card, Nintendo’s guidance is to copy the entire folder, keep the original card until the new one works, and use Windows as the recommended environment for its procedure. Follow the full Nintendo microSD-card transfer instructions; do not treat a card swap as a way to move games between devices.

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