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Use Nintendo’s built-in System Transfer when you have both consoles. During Switch 2 setup, choose a local transfer to move users, settings, eligible saves and digital purchases; the games themselves are redownloaded. If the old Switch is being sold or traded, upload its data with the server-transfer option before handing it over. For only one game, use Nintendo’s nearby-console save-data transfer instead of moving the whole system.
What actually moves to Switch 2
Most indie games bought from the Nintendo eShop are digital licenses attached to a Nintendo Account. System Transfer carries the account and purchase information to the new console, then Switch 2 downloads the software again. It does not copy a playable game installation directly from the old Switch.
Nintendo describes the package as digital games, certain save data and settings. User profiles associated with the transfer are included, along with eligible save data stored in system memory. Downloadable content and updates can be downloaded again after setup. Keep the Nintendo Account that owns each purchase available; without that account, the title will not appear as an owned download on Switch 2.
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What is not on the microSD card
Save data is kept in each console’s internal system memory. Nintendo’s microSD Express FAQ states that game save data cannot be copied or saved to a microSD Express card. Removing the old card and inserting it into Switch 2 is therefore not a save-data migration method.
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- Nintendo Switch 2 uses a new standard of expandable memory card called microSD Express (sold separately). This kind of memory card is needed for faster access speeds and to ensure games will run smoothly.
- Please note: Nintendo Switch 2 is only compatible with microSD Express cards. If the microSD cards you have used for Nintendo Switch do not support microSD Express standards, you cannot use them with Nintendo Switch 2.
Downloaded software, downloadable content, update files, screenshots and videos can use removable storage. Switch 2 uses microSD Express cards for expandable storage, with Nintendo supporting capacities up to 2 TB. A card that contains old Switch downloads should not be treated as a complete backup of your games or saves.
Choose the right transfer method
| Method | Use it when | What it moves | Source-console consequence | Connection and timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local System Transfer | Both the old Switch and Switch 2 are available during setup | Users, settings, eligible save data and digital purchase information; software is redownloaded | Affected source data can be removed, so warn other users first | Keep both consoles online, nearby and powered during setup |
| Server transfer | The old Switch is about to be sold, traded or handed to someone else | Data uploaded from the source for later retrieval on Switch 2 | The source console is initialized after the upload | Start the upload before handoff; the uploaded package remains available for up to one year |
| Nearby-console save-data transfer | You need one game or a small subset of saves | The selected game’s save data | The target’s existing save may be overwritten | Both consoles need internet access, must be near each other and use users linked to the same Nintendo Account; Nintendo Switch Online is not required |
Local transfer is the least destructive choice when both machines are in front of you because you can check the result before disposing of the old console. Server transfer is intended for a change of possession, but it is not a way to retrieve data from a console that was lost without first uploading it.
Prepare both consoles before starting
- Install the latest available system update on the old Switch and Switch 2, then connect each to the internet.
- Charge both systems or connect their power supplies. A shutdown during transfer can leave the process incomplete.
- On the old Switch, confirm that every user who owns an indie game is linked to the Nintendo Account that will be used on Switch 2.
- Have the Nintendo Account sign-in details available. A purchase belongs to the owning account, not merely to the console’s hardware.
- Check that Switch 2 has enough internal space for system software and initial downloads. Prepare a compatible microSD Express card if your library is large; it is storage for downloads and media, not saves.
- Tell other people who use the old console before starting. A local transfer can remove affected saves from the source, and a server transfer initializes the source after upload.
- Keep the systems close together. Even when the consoles use the internet, Nintendo’s transfer flow expects them to be nearby for the pairing and confirmation steps.
Move everything with a local System Transfer
Choose this path when both consoles are available and you want the broadest migration. Perform it during Switch 2’s initial setup rather than trying to recreate the transfer later.
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- READY FOR TOMORROW. Ready for future products with a PCIe-NVMe interface; performs at UHS-I speeds with microSD UHS-I and UHS-II devices.
- EXPONENTIALLY FASTER PERFORMANCE. Up to 4.4 times faster transfer speeds than our fastest microSD UHS-I cards [9]. Transfer a 2-hour HD movie in less than 3.5 seconds [1]; save up to 2.8 minutes transferring 60 minutes of 4K UHD video [4] shot at 30 fps when paired with the SanDisk PRO-READER SD Express Dual Card (sold separately) [9]
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- Turn on Switch 2 and begin the first-time setup.
- When setup asks how to bring data from another Nintendo Switch system, choose the local-transfer option.
- On the old Switch, open the transfer flow when prompted and select it as the source console. Confirm the source user linked to the Nintendo Account you intend to use.
- Keep both consoles connected to the internet and close together. Follow the pairing instructions shown on each screen.
- Review the data categories and acknowledge the warning that affected source saves may be removed. Stop now if another user still needs an untransferred save.
- Start the transfer and leave both systems powered. Do not remove a card, close the setup screens or move either console out of range while the progress indicator is active.
- Allow Switch 2 to finish setup. Digital games and other downloadable content associated with the transferred accounts may then be downloaded again.
- On Switch 2, open the eShop with each owning Nintendo Account and check the redownloadable software list. Launch a few transferred games and verify their saves before resetting or selling the old Switch.
Why the games redownload
The transfer carries entitlement and account information rather than a finished installation. A large indie library can therefore take time and bandwidth to restore. Queue the games you play first, then let the remaining titles, updates and downloadable content download in the background. Keep the account that bought each title on the console until its downloads are complete.
Use server transfer when the old Switch is leaving you
Server transfer is the safer route for a trade-in or sale because it places the source data on Nintendo’s servers before the old console is cleared. Start it while you still possess and can operate the old Switch.
- Update the old Switch and connect it to a reliable internet connection.
- Open the system-transfer feature and select the server-transfer option rather than a direct local transfer.
- Read the initialization warning. The old console will be initialized after its data is uploaded, so copy anything else you need before confirming.
- Keep the old Switch online until Nintendo confirms that the upload is complete. Do not give the console to a retailer while this step is still running.
- Complete Switch 2’s setup and sign in with the Nintendo Account used by the source user.
- Choose the option to retrieve the server-stored transfer package and follow the on-screen download instructions.
- Finish downloading your digital games and test important saves. Nintendo says the uploaded data can remain available for up to one year; retrieve it before that period expires.
Because server transfer initializes the source, it is not appropriate when several people still need to keep using that console. Make separate arrangements for any user or save that is not part of the upload before confirming.
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Transfer just one indie game’s save
A full system transfer is unnecessary when you only want progress from one title. Nintendo’s nearby-console save-data transfer works without a Nintendo Switch Online membership, but it has stricter conditions: both consoles need internet access, they must be near one another, and the source and target users must be linked to the same Nintendo Account.
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- Install the same game on Switch 2 and sign in with the Nintendo Account associated with the source user.
- On each console, open System Settings and go to Data Management.
- Choose the save-data transfer command, designate the old Switch as the sending console and Switch 2 as the receiving console.
- Select the user and the specific indie game. Confirm that the receiving account is the same Nintendo Account shown on the source.
- Read the overwrite prompt carefully. If Switch 2 already has a save for that game, the incoming save can replace it.
- Keep both consoles online and nearby until the transfer completes, then start the game on Switch 2 and check the expected progress.
This method is useful for a single-player campaign or a small subset of titles. It does not migrate system settings, other users or your entire purchase library. Repeat the process for each game you want to move.
Understand Nintendo Account ownership and virtual game cards
After setup, a purchased digital game can be managed as a virtual game card. Eject the virtual game card from one console and load it on another console associated with the owning Nintendo Account. Once loaded, the game can be played offline, and other users on that console can play it as well.
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- OFFICIALLY READY FOR NINTENDO SWITCH 2. Officially licensed for Nintendo Switch 2, this microSD Express card offers dependable, high-performance storage.
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Virtual game cards change where a license is loaded; they do not replace save-data transfer. A game may be available on Switch 2 while its old save remains on the original console until you use System Transfer or the nearby-console save command.
Put downloads on a microSD Express card after setup
Switch 2 requires microSD Express for expandable game storage. Once the card is inserted and recognized, Nintendo provides a built-in move command for downloaded data:
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- Select Data Management.
- Choose Move System / microSD Express Card Data.
- Select the downloaded games, downloadable content or update data to move, then confirm the destination.
- Wait for the move to finish before removing the card or powering off.
Nintendo notes that save data and some update data cannot be migrated with this command. Keep the card associated with the same Switch 2: software downloaded to one Switch 2 microSD Express card is not playable on another console simply by moving the card. If you change consoles, redownload the software through the Nintendo Account that owns it.
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- NEXT GEN GAMING: Works with Nintendo Switch 2.
- READY FOR TOMORROW. Ready for future products with a PCIe-NVMe interface; performs at UHS-I speeds with microSD UHS-I and UHS-II devices.
- EXPONENTIALLY FASTER PERFORMANCE. Up to 4.4 times faster transfer speeds than our fastest microSD UHS-I cards [9]. Transfer a 2-hour HD movie in less than 3.5 seconds [1]; save up to 2.8 minutes transferring 60 minutes of 4K UHD video [4] shot at 30 fps when paired with the SanDisk PRO-READER SD Express Dual Card (sold separately) [9]
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Internal storage versus microSD Express
| Content | Where it belongs | What transfer or move tools do |
|---|---|---|
| Game save data | Switch 2 system memory | Moved by System Transfer or nearby-console save-data transfer; cannot be copied to microSD Express |
| Downloaded indie games | System memory or microSD Express | Purchase information transfers, then software is redownloaded; downloaded files can be moved with Data Management |
| Downloadable content | System memory or microSD Express | Redownload through the owning account and move with the Data Management command when supported |
| Game updates | System memory or microSD Express, subject to Nintendo’s exceptions | Some update data can move; some cannot |
| Screenshots and videos | System memory or microSD Express | Can use removable storage; they are separate from save-data transfer |
Common problems and fixes
The game appears in the eShop but has no progress
Redownloading software restores the application, not automatically its save. Run a full System Transfer or the nearby-console save-data transfer for that title. Verify that the Switch 2 user is linked to the same Nintendo Account as the source user.
The transfer cannot find the other console
Update both systems, connect them to the internet, keep them close together and restart the transfer flow. Confirm that you selected the correct source and target roles. If the old console is no longer available, only a previously completed server upload can provide a package to retrieve.
The target already has a save
Nearby-console transfer can overwrite the target’s existing save. Stop at the confirmation screen if that save is valuable. Back up your decision by choosing the correct source user and game before accepting the overwrite.
The old microSD card does not solve the problem
That is expected for saves: they are stored in system memory. Use a System Transfer or save-data transfer instead. For storage expansion, use a microSD Express card supported by Switch 2, then redownload games through the owning account.
A game will not start offline after moving consoles
Load its virtual game card on Switch 2 while connected to the internet. After it is loaded, Nintendo says the title can be played offline on that console. Other users there can play it while the virtual game card remains loaded.
The server-transfer deadline is approaching
Retrieve the uploaded package before Nintendo’s stated one-year availability period ends. After retrieval, redownload the software and verify important saves rather than waiting until the final day.
Quick Recap
Which path fits your situation?
- You have both consoles and want the complete move: use local System Transfer during Switch 2 setup.
- You are selling or trading the old Switch: use server transfer before handing it over, then retrieve the package on Switch 2 within one year.
- You only need one game’s progress: use nearby-console save-data transfer; Nintendo Switch Online is not required, but the same Nintendo Account, internet access and proximity are required.
- You are trying to use an old microSD card as a backup: do not rely on it. Saves stay in system memory, and Switch 2’s expandable storage uses microSD Express.
- You need more space after migration: redownload the games, insert a compatible microSD Express card and use System Settings > Data Management > Move System / microSD Express Card Data.
Final verification checklist
- Sign in to every Nintendo Account that owns transferred indie games.
- Open the eShop redownload list and queue priority titles.
- Launch each important game and confirm its save, settings and downloadable content.
- Load virtual game cards needed for offline play.
- Move supported downloads to microSD Express if internal storage is limited.
- Only after verification, initialize, sell or trade the old Switch.
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