To move your Pokémon Legends: Z-A progress from an original Nintendo Switch to Nintendo Switch 2, use the consoles’ nearby save-data transfer feature. On the original Switch, open System Settings > Data Management > Transfer Your Save Data > Send Save Data to Another Console, then follow the prompts. Both consoles must be online and nearby, and the same Nintendo Account must be linked to a user on each. Nintendo says the save is deleted from the original console after transfer. Nintendo’s nearby-transfer instructions also say a Nintendo Switch Online membership is not required.
Before you transfer the save
- Have the original Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 nearby and connected to the internet.
- Make sure the same Nintendo Account is linked to a user on each console.
- Use the intended source user and game save when prompted; check both before confirming.
- Be aware that the save file is deleted from the original console when the nearby transfer completes, according to Nintendo Support.
The procedure is for compatible software. Nintendo describes save transfer between Switch 2 and Switch, but compatibility is a condition rather than a guarantee for every game or situation.
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Transfer the save from the original Switch
- Place both consoles near one another and connect them to the internet.
- On the original Switch, open System Settings from the HOME Menu.
- Select Data Management > Transfer Your Save Data.
- Select Send Save Data to Another Console.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to choose the source user and the Pokémon Legends: Z-A save, then select Nintendo Switch 2 as the target console when asked. Confirm only after checking the selected user and save.
- When the transfer finishes, open the game on Nintendo Switch 2 and check that the expected progress is present.
Why cloud restore is not an option
Pokémon Legends: Z-A does not support Save Data Cloud backup. Nintendo states this on its Nintendo Switch 2 Edition product page, so do not try to restore this game’s save from cloud storage.
Single-game save transfer versus whole-system transfer
The nearby save-data feature above is the targeted route for moving one game’s save. Nintendo also documents a separate system transfer to Nintendo Switch 2, whose effects on the source console depend on the method used.
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| Route | What it moves | What happens to the source |
|---|---|---|
| Nearby Transfer Your Save Data | A selected compatible game save, such as Pokémon Legends: Z-A. | Nintendo says the transferred save is deleted from the original console. |
| System transfer to Nintendo Switch 2 | System-transfer data, rather than only the selected game save. | Nintendo says a server transfer initializes the source console. With local system transfer, save data for games that do not support Save Data Cloud may be deleted from the source after transfer. |
Because Pokémon Legends: Z-A lacks cloud-save support, read Nintendo’s warnings carefully if you plan to move the whole system. See Nintendo’s system-transfer guidance for the method-specific details.
Game progress and individual Pokémon are different transfers
The console setting transfers the game’s save data—your progress. It does not move individual Pokémon through Pokémon HOME. To move Pokémon between compatible game saves, use Pokémon HOME’s console app. Nintendo says the mobile app does not support moving Pokémon with Pokémon Legends: Z-A; the stated HOME flow also does not allow Pokémon currently in your party to be transferred. See Nintendo’s Pokémon HOME transfer instructions and its explanation of the console and smart-device versions.
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Nintendo says a paid Pokémon HOME Premium Plan is not required to transfer Pokémon on Switch 2 or Switch. Some Pokémon movements have compatibility restrictions, and a Pokémon moved from an earlier main-series game into Pokémon Legends: Z-A may not be movable back to that earlier game. See Nintendo’s Pokémon HOME FAQ.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer my Pokémon Legends: Z-A save without Nintendo Switch Online?
Yes. Nintendo says a Nintendo Switch Online membership is not required for nearby save-data transfer. Both consoles still need an internet connection and must be nearby.
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Will my save stay on my old Switch after transfer?
No. Nintendo says the save file is deleted from the source console after nearby save-data transfer.
Is Pokémon HOME the same as transferring my game save?
No. The console’s Transfer Your Save Data setting moves game progress. Pokémon HOME is used to move individual Pokémon between compatible game saves.
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