How To Transfer Nintendo Switch Sd Card Data

The Nintendo Switch bridges the gap between dwelling consoles and portable gaming devices, assuasive gamers to savor groovy titles anywhere. Even so, the Switch suffers from a tiny storage space, which isn't the best for big libraries. Thankfully, there's a solution to this problem built into the console.

How To Move Switch Games to an SD Card

With the aid of microSD cards, you can maximize the number of games you lot can download onto your Switch. At that place'south not much you need to do, and you can larn all about the process by reading on.

Nintendo Switch Internal Storage Capacity

The original Nintendo Switch models merely have 32GB of storage infinite, and the system reserves a part of information technology, which you tin't access. In 2021, the Nintendo Switch OLED version was released, and that variant has double the storage infinite. However, it's still non enough for serious gamers who adopt digital game copies.

Many of Nintendo'south all-time titles are big games that take up a third of the original Switch's storage space. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is i case, requiring 13.4GB of storage space. That'due south likewise without because the DLC you can become.

Another big game, Pokémon Sword and Shield, takes up x.3GB. If y'all want both digital copies of these games, your Switch will have no more space for much else – unless you own the OLED version, of class.

The Solution to Depression Storage Capacity

The easiest solution is to buy physical copies, merely that's not possible for every game you want. Some are digital-simply.

Therefore, every Switch possessor that intends to play many games should invest in a microSD card. That fashion, they tin can bring their favorite titles anywhere without lugging a heap of cartridges around.

The Nintendo Switch supports microSDHC and microSDXC cards. The onetime goes up to 32GB and is cheaper, but the microSDCX cards are much better. These monsters tin can reach 2TB and even more, just the Switch can only support a maximum of 2TB external storage.

Moving Switch Games to SD Cards

Now that you lot know what yous need to get, here's the process for transferring your installed games to a new microSD card. It may take a while for the game to download to the microSD card, but you can play the game there once the process is finished. Remember that while the game files are on the card, save data ever goes to the Switch system memory.

Turn on your Nintendo Switch.
Concord the power button downwardly until a carte du jour pops up.
Pick "Power Options."
Select "Turn Off" from the listing of choices.
Flip the Switch kickstand backside the console.
Reveal the microSD slot.
Insert a microSD card into the Switch console.
Plow your Switch on again.

If y'all already have a microSD card for your Switch and use it often, skip the steps in a higher place.

Get to the Switch dwelling screen.
Select "System Settings," which is represented by the gear icon.
Go to "Manage Software."
Choose the game you want to transfer to your microSD card.
Select "Archive Software."
Ostend by choosing "Archive."
Go back to the home screen.
Pick the game you merely archived.
Select "Download."
Wait for the game to be transferred earlier you tin can play information technology again.

Moving these games to a microSD bill of fare volition free up large amounts of memory capacity for your game salve files, as these will never get to the carte. However, when you accept too much save information, you can't transfer information technology anywhere but another Switch.

You can likewise apply these steps to transfer your games to another Switch. Transferring the save data is a dissimilar process, nevertheless.

Things to Call up While Moving Switch Games

According to the Nintendo support website, at that place are some important rules to remember when transferring data. Hither they are:

Software transferred to a microSD card won't work on other Switches

This rule means that you cannot share games between friends who all have their own Nintendo Switches. The data will only load on one Switch, which is the one you used to initiate the software motility.

One microSD carte should only be used for one Switch

It's all-time to designate only one menu for your panel, specially if you're transferring games. You can utilize another one for saving images, replays, and other data.

Close the software offset

When you want to transfer a game, it must be inactive. Therefore, you have to stop playing the game or using the software before the process can begin. Fortunately, closing a game takes simply 3 seconds.

Recommended microSD Cards for Nintendo Switch

Every bit many Switch games are getting bigger in storage size, we recommend getting a microSD card with a storage capacity of at least 64GB. That volition permit y'all concur around five big games and have more infinite for smaller games. However, the optimal size volition vary depending on individual preferences, so make a mental note of how many games you'd like.

While practically whatsoever brand will do, SanDisk manufactures UHS-I microSDXC cards that work perfectly on a Nintendo Switch. These cards are unique in their design, sporting Mario, Zelda, and other themes licensed by Nintendo. Y'all can find them online or in game stores without much trouble.

These cards should have transfer speeds of threescore-95MBps, simply going higher is also possible.

Depending on your needs, you can buy a memory card of these capacities:

64GB
128GB
256GB
512GB
1TB
2TB

Various other cards offering different capacities be, such equally 400GB, simply just get a microSD menu from a reputable visitor. Their products are more than reliable and are worth the college cost, and you wouldn't want to risk losing your games. Fortunately, y'all can always re-download them if you lose them.

Additional FAQs

Where does Switch save information get?

When you lot play Switch games, the salvage information will go to the internal retentiveness. Whether you own a physical or digital copy doesn't affair. Switch save data tin't be transferred to microSD cards, all the same.

Can I play the games on a different Switch?

Yes, only you can't access your salvage files on that Switch unless you transfer the data over. It would therefore nonetheless be improve to motion the data over earlier doing and then.

Can I transfer from one SD card to another?

Aye, you can do this if you bought a better SD card or just want to make the change. Nevertheless, the process will require a PC.

Does the Switch back up USB drives?

Unfortunately, the Switch cannot support USB drives at all. Information technology used to be possible, but Nintendo has disabled the role. The only way to use external USB drives now is by hacking your Switch.

Thus, the only solution is to use microSD cards.

Initiating Transfer

As archiving and re-downloading Switch games is a hassle, expanding the Switch's storage is the all-time course of action. The internal memory is as well small for multiple large AAA games which become across 10GB. Thus, it'southward much ameliorate to stick with microSD cards for expanded storage.

Practise you lot use a microSD carte on your Switch, and what brand is it? How big do you think a Switch microSD card should be? Allow u.s.a. know in the comments section below.