How do I transfer my games and save data from Switch to Switch 2?

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Moving to the Switch 2? Here's how to bring everything with you.

Your Digital Games Are Already There

Digital purchases are tied to your Nintendo Account, not your console. Sign into your account on Switch 2 and your whole library appears. Download what you want to play. Easy.

Saves Are Trickier

This is where people sometimes get tripped up.

If you have Nintendo Switch Online: Most of your saves are already backed up to the cloud. Sign into Switch 2 and download them. Done.

But watch out: Some games don't support cloud saves. Pokémon, Splatoon 3, and a few others. Those saves live only on your original Switch. You'll need to transfer them manually.

Manual transfer works like this: Get both consoles on the same Wi-Fi. Go to Settings, then Data Management, then Transfer Your Save Data on each one. Pick the saves you want to move. Takes a few minutes depending on how much data you have.

Cartridges Just Work

Pop your old Switch cartridges into the Switch 2. They play fine. The cartridge slot accepts both Switch 1 and Switch 2 game cards.

One thing though: save data for cartridge games is stored on the console, not the cart. So you still need to transfer those saves separately.

Screenshots and Clips

If you have screenshots or videos on a microSD card from your old Switch, you can copy them to Switch 2. Just insert the card and there's an import option.

Can't use that microSD for games though. Switch 2 needs the faster microSD Express format.

What Happens Automatically

When you sign in with your Nintendo Account, your friend list, profile, online membership, and digital library all come with you. The manual work is just the save data for specific games.