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Before you move to Nintendo Switch 2, make sure every person who uses the original Switch has a user linked to the correct Nintendo Account, update the old console, and connect both consoles to the internet. During Switch 2’s initial setup, choose Start System Transfer and sign in on the new console with the same Nintendo Account used by the source user. Signing in alone does not move save data or downloaded games.
If both consoles are available, Nintendo recommends a local transfer, particularly when you plan to keep using the old Switch. If you do not have Switch 2 yet, you can use a server transfer, but uploading initializes the source console. The right choice depends on when you have the new console and whether you are ready for that reset.
What should I do before upgrading to Switch 2?
Prepare the source Switch before starting the transfer. The most important step is to match each person’s console user to the Nintendo Account they will use on Switch 2. A transfer is about moving users and console data; an account sign-in by itself is not a substitute for that process.
- Check the user-to-account link on the original Switch. Make sure the user who owns a person’s purchases and saves is linked to that person’s Nintendo Account. The destination user must sign in with the same account used by the source user.
- Update the source console. Nintendo’s guidance for System Transfer calls for an updated source Switch. Do this before beginning rather than interrupting setup to troubleshoot an update.
- Arrange internet access for both consoles. Keep both connected to the internet for the transfer process. If you plan to transfer locally, have the consoles available together.
- Choose the transfer method before starting. Use local communication when both consoles are on hand. Consider server transfer only if Switch 2 is not yet available and you accept that uploading initializes the old Switch.
- Identify saves that may not be in Save Data Cloud. Some games do not support Nintendo Switch Online cloud saves. If a title is in that category, plan to move its save through System Transfer rather than assuming a cloud download will restore it.
- Plan for storage on Switch 2. Downloadable software, content, screenshots and videos can be stored on a microSD Express card. Save data is stored in Switch 2 system memory, so a card is not a save-data backup.
Nintendo Support’s instruction is direct: “You will need to have both the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2 consoles on hand.” That applies to the local-console process. If the new console is not available, the server-transfer route is the alternative described below.
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Which should I use: local transfer or server transfer?
Choose local communication if you have both consoles and want to preserve the old Switch for continued use. Choose server transfer if Switch 2 is not yet available and you are prepared to initialize the source console when uploading.
| Consideration | Local communication | Server transfer |
|---|---|---|
| When it fits | Both the original Switch and Switch 2 are available. | Switch 2 is not yet available. |
| What happens to the source console? | Nintendo recommends this when the old Switch will remain in use; source data remains available during the process. Nintendo warns that some data can be deleted from the old console after a local transfer. | Uploading initializes the source Switch, so it is not the option to choose if you need the old console to remain set up with its existing data. |
| How long the uploaded data is retained | Not applicable to the local method. | Nintendo Support says uploaded data is retained for approximately 364 days (2026). Receive it on Switch 2 before that retention period ends. |
| What you need to complete the move | Both consoles, the correct account sign-in, and internet access. | The source console to upload; then Switch 2 and the same Nintendo Account to receive the transfer before the retention period ends. |
What should I know about local communication?
Local communication is the sensible choice when the old Switch will stay in use, because Nintendo recommends it for that situation and the source data remains available during the process. Still, do not interpret that as a promise that every item remains on the old console afterward. Nintendo warns that unlinked users and save data for some titles that do not support Save Data Cloud can be deleted from the source Switch after a local transfer. Resolve account links and any title-specific save concerns before beginning.
What should I know about server transfer?
Server transfer lets you upload from the original Switch before Switch 2 is in hand. Its trade-off is significant: uploading initializes the source console. Nintendo Support says the uploaded data is retained for approximately 364 days, so the transfer needs to be received on Switch 2 within that period. Treat the deadline as a limit, not as a reason to postpone receiving the data until the last moment.
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What does Nintendo Account sign-in move—and what does it not move?
Signing in with the same Nintendo Account makes account information available across consoles, but it does not automatically copy the source console’s local data. Use System Transfer for the broader move, and use cloud-save download, software redownload, or a game-specific method where appropriate.
| Available through the Nintendo Account | Not automatically copied by signing in alone |
|---|---|
| Profile settings and friend settings | Downloaded software data |
| Nintendo Switch Online status | Save data |
| eShop funds, payment information and purchase history | Screenshots and videos |
| Wish list and followed news channels | Other console data that requires System Transfer or a separate method |
This distinction matters if the new console appears to have the right account but is missing games, saves, or captures. Those absences do not necessarily mean you signed in with the wrong account: account information and console-stored data are separate. A sign-in alone will not restore those items. Downloadable software can be obtained again as appropriate, saves may be restored through cloud save for supported games, and the System Transfer process moves the listed console categories.
What transfers from the original Switch?
Nintendo’s System Transfer documentation lists the following categories as transferable. This is broader than a profile-only sign-in and includes both personal settings and console content.
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- Linked users and Nintendo Account sign-in
- Friends and play activity
- User settings
- All save data
- Registered access points
- Parental-control settings and parental-control app linkage
- Mii data
- Screenshots and videos
- Downloadable software and update data
- Virtual-game-card registration status
- Pass-enabled-console status
- HOME Menu organization
Transfer categories do not eliminate the need to check the source console first. In particular, Nintendo’s warning about unlinked users and some non-cloud-save titles means you should not assume that a local transfer leaves every item untouched on the old Switch. If a user is not linked to the intended account, fix that before transferring.
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No. Nintendo Switch Online Save Data Cloud can restore supported game saves for a user linked to the same Nintendo Account, but some games do not support the service. Nintendo’s System Transfer FAQ gives Splatoon 2 and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet as examples of titles without Save Data Cloud support; use System Transfer for those cases.
Cloud-save restoration versus System Transfer
| Question | Save Data Cloud | System Transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Does it work for every game? | No. It applies to supported games; some titles do not support it. | Nintendo lists all save data among the transferable categories, and directs users to System Transfer for titles without cloud-save support. |
| What is the scope? | Restores supported saves for a user linked to the same Nintendo Account. | Moves a wider set of listed console data, including users, settings, software data, captures and saves. |
| Does every Switch 2 save download without action? | Not necessarily. Automatic Save-Data Download is enabled by default on Switch 2, but first-time downloads may still require a manual download for each title. | Started during Switch 2 initial setup by selecting Start System Transfer. |
| What if a game has special save handling? | A cloud restore is not available for titles that do not support Save Data Cloud. | Use System Transfer for unsupported cloud-save titles; check title-specific handling rather than treating cloud support as universal. |
Automatic Save-Data Download being enabled by default does not guarantee that every save appears without a user action. Nintendo says a first-time download can still require a manual download per title. If a supported game’s save is absent after setup, check that title’s save-data download rather than assuming the console account sign-in copied it.
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How do I start System Transfer on Switch 2?
Start the transfer as part of Switch 2 initial setup. The essential selection is Start System Transfer; use the same Nintendo Account as the corresponding source user and follow the on-screen instructions on both consoles.
- Confirm that the original Switch is updated, its users are linked to the intended accounts, and both consoles can connect to the internet.
- If using local communication, have both consoles available. If using server transfer, first upload the source data and note the approximate 364-day retention period stated by Nintendo Support in 2026.
- Begin Switch 2 initial setup and select Start System Transfer.
- On Switch 2, sign in with the same Nintendo Account linked to the source user whose data is being transferred.
- Follow the instructions shown by the consoles to complete the selected transfer method. Do not substitute account sign-in or a cloud-save download for the full System Transfer.
- After setup, check the users and relevant game saves. For supported cloud-save titles, remember that first-time save downloads may require a manual download for each title.
The exact sequence beyond the documented initial-setup selection can depend on the chosen transfer path and on-screen prompts. Follow the prompts shown for the consoles rather than relying on instructions for a different method.
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Nintendo’s storage guidance separates save data from downloadable content and media. Switch 2 saves are stored in system memory. Downloadable software and content, along with screenshots and videos, can be stored on a microSD Express card.
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If you expect to keep a substantial library of downloaded software or media, a microSD Express card for Nintendo Switch 2 is the relevant storage accessory. It does not serve as a save-data backup or move saves off system memory. Do not buy a card expecting it to solve a missing-save problem; use the supported save-transfer or cloud-save route for that.
What are the most common transfer mistakes?
- Signing into a different account. The destination user needs the same Nintendo Account used by the source user. Confirm the link before setup rather than trying accounts at random afterward.
- Assuming account sign-in copies the console. It shares account information, not downloaded software data, saves, screenshots or videos. Start System Transfer for the broad console move.
- Assuming cloud saves cover every title. Some games, including Nintendo’s cited examples Splatoon 2 and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, do not support Save Data Cloud. Plan on System Transfer for those saves.
- Uploading before considering the source reset. Server upload initializes the original Switch. Do not use it casually if you still need the source console set up with its existing data.
- Leaving an uploaded transfer unreceived too long. Nintendo Support gives an approximate retention period of 364 days for uploaded server-transfer data (2026). Complete receipt on Switch 2 before that period ends.
- Expecting every item to remain on the old console after local transfer. Nintendo warns that unlinked users and some saves for games without cloud-save support can be deleted from the source console.
- Buying a storage card to protect saves. A microSD Express card can hold software/content and screenshots/videos; Switch 2 save data remains in system memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the old Switch after a server transfer upload?
Nintendo says uploading initializes the source Switch, so it will no longer be in its previous configured state. If keeping the old console set up for ongoing use is important, choose the local method when both consoles are available.
Does Automatic Save-Data Download mean every save appears as soon as setup ends?
No. Nintendo documents the feature as enabled by default on Switch 2, but says first-time downloads may still require a manual download for each title. Automatic download also does not make an unsupported game compatible with Save Data Cloud.
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Can I move my screenshots to a microSD Express card instead of transferring them?
Nintendo’s storage guidance says screenshots and videos can be stored on a microSD Express card, and its System Transfer documentation also lists screenshots and videos among transferable categories. The card is a storage destination, not a save-data backup.
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