System transfers have been a thing for a goodly amount of time now for Nintendo consoles. Gone are the days when all your lovely gubbins was held on a game cartridge or (gasp) memory card. Now when you get a new version of a console — be a regular Switch, a handy Switch Lite or a Switch OLED model — you've got to ferry all that data over from your old system to your new one. Show
Fortunately, it's relatively easy to transfer everything from one Switch to another Switch, and to prove that fact we're going to tell you how in the article you lucky, lucky beggars. In this Switch system transfer guide we'll take you through all the steps to transfer all your data over to your new Switch OLED, Switch Lite, or regular Switch from another Switch console. Looking to transfer your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island to your new Switch too? You'll want to check out our guide on just that topic, too:
Nintendo Switch System Transfer Guide - Switch to Switch OLED, Switch Lite, or standard SwitchThe instructions below should work for transferring between any two Switch systems, whether it's from a regular Switch to a Switch OLED model, a Switch Lite to a regular Switch, or any combination of the three available Switch models. Getting StartedThe first thing you'll want to do is make sure both your new and old console are fully set up. You can perform a system transfer when setting up a new console, but it's a bit more straightforward to do it after you've put in your WiFi information and all that good stuff. As long as you can see the Home Screen and you've got an active internet connection, you're ready to transfer between Switch systems. Unlike the 3DS, the Switch does not require any tools to complete the transfer, it's all handled in software and is a much more straightforward process, so let's dive right into things. The Actual System Transfer Bit
The system transfer is complete. Your profile, all your save data, and eShop purchases have been transferred to your new console. Woohoo! Where Are All My Games?Whilst your save data has been sent over, your games themselves haven't, because Switch games are mighty massive and if you've ever done a system transfer for the 3DS or Wii U you can understand why Nintendo thought "nuts to that" with the Switch. Instead you're going to have to re-download them from the eShop, but thankfully it's not as painful a process as you might think. Getting Those Games Back
That's it! Once they're finished you can dive right back in as though you never left, thanks to all your save data being transferred over earlier. Frequently Asked QuestionsCan I just move my Micro SD Card with all my games on it to my new console rather than downloading them all again? Sadly not, due to the particular jiggery pokery Nintendo has opted for, this just doesn't work. Can I perform a System Transfer for more than one User Profile? Absolutely! Simply repeat the steps listed above for every user you wish to transfer. Do I need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to do all this? Mercifully, no. You do not need any kind of subscription to transfer any of this info, even your precious Breath of the Wild save data. What about all the screenshots and videos that I've captured? As long as you take the Micro SD Card out of your old console and slip it into your new one, you should be able to keep all your old screenshots and videos. Just follow the onscreen prompts and you'll be golden. Can I transfer between two Switch OLEDs or two Switch Lites? As long as they're Nintendo Switches, you can transfer between two Lites, two OLEDs or two regulars, no problem. Can I not just transfer my profile by rubbing both consoles together and chanting? If you try it, please send us a video. How do I transfer my Animal Crossing: New Horizons island over to my new Switch? Glad you asked — we've got a guide for that:
We hope you found this guide helpful. Let us know below if you've got any questions and we'll do our best to answer them. How do I transfer data from one SD card to another without a computer?Insert SD card to the SD card reader, and connect the SD card reader with the USB OTG cable, then connect your Android phone via USB OTG cable, and make sure your SD card can be detected by Android phone. 3. Go to Files -> Local -> SD card (the old one), and select the files or folders you would like to move.
Can I transfer my Switch data from one SD card to another?Eject the first microSD card, then insert the second microSD card into the slot or reader/writer. Using Windows Explorer access the microSD card again. Drag the data from the desktop to the new microSD card, then insert the new microSD card into the Nintendo Switch console.
Can you transfer Switch data without another Switch?You'll need both the old and new Switch consoles to perform the transfer. Both the old and new Switch need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
How do I transfer data from a broken Switch to a new Switch?From the HOME Menu, select System Settings, then Data Management, and then Transfer Your Save Data. Select Send Save Data to Another Console, then select the user whose save data file you wish to transfer. Select the save data file for the software title you want to send to another system. Select Send Save Data.
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