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.

Fortunately, it's relatively like shooting fish in a barrel to transfer everything from one Switch to another Switch, and to prove that fact nosotros're going to tell y'all how in the commodity you lucky, lucky beggars.

In this Switch system transfer guide we'll have yous through all the steps to transfer all your data over to your new Switch OLED, Switch Lite, or regular Switch from some other Switch console.

Looking to transfer your Animal Crossing: New Horizons isle to your new Switch too? Y'all'll want to check out our guide on just that topic, too:

  • Animal Crossing: New Horizons Isle Transfer - How To Motion Animal Crossing Relieve Information To Another Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch System Transfer Guide - Switch to Switch OLED, Switch Lite, or standard Switch

The instructions beneath should work for transferring between whatever two Switch systems, whether information technology's from a regular Switch to a Switch OLED model, a Switch Low-cal to a regular Switch, or any combination of the three available Switch models.

Switch System Transfer
Paradigm: Nintendo Life

Getting Started

The first thing you'll desire to do is make certain both your new and onetime console are fully set up. You tin perform a system transfer when setting upward a new console, but it's a bit more straightforward to do it afterwards you've put in your WiFi information and all that good stuff. Equally long equally y'all can run into the Dwelling house Screen and you lot've got an active internet connexion, you're prepare to transfer between Switch systems.

Different the 3DS, the Switch does non require whatever tools to complete the transfer, it's all handled in software and is a much more straightforward procedure, and so let's dive right into things.

The Actual System Transfer Chip

  • Connect an official Nintendo Switch Air conditioning Adapter into each of the two systems.
  • Select System Settings from the Domicile Menu on both consoles, indicated past a gear on the lower row of circular icons.
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  • Coil downward on both consoles and select User from the menu on the left hand side of the screen.
  • Select Transfer Your User and Save Information on both consoles from the right paw side of the screen.
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  • Read the information on screen and select Next on both systems.
  • In one case once again, read the information on this screen also and select Side by side on both systems.
  • If you accept Parental Controls activated on either system, enter the Pivot required. If you exercise not know the PIN, consult the individual who prepare Parental Controls.
  • If you are prompted to insert a ability supply into ane or both of your consoles, ensure the AC adapters are properly plugged in.
  • You lot volition now see a screen request you to select which unit of measurement will be the Source Console and which will be the Target Console.
  • On your old system with the User Profile(s) you wish to transfer, select Source Console.
  • On your new organisation, select Target Panel.
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  • Your onetime system will ask you which User Contour y'all wish to transfer. Select the icon of the User Profile you wish to send to your new arrangement.
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  • Your new arrangement will ask you to sign into the Nintendo Account that is associated with the User Profile yous wish to transfer. Select Sign In and then choose the method you used to initially create your account, which is usually Sign in using an email address or Sign-In ID. enter the email accost and password that you chose when you set up the User Profile y'all selected on your old console, then select Sign In.
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  • Provided yous signed in successfully, y'all will now encounter the icon of the User Contour you wish to transfer on both consoles, along with some text that will differentiations between them.
  • Select Proceed on your former console.
  • Select Next on your new console.
  • Both consoles will now attempt to find one some other, which shouldn't have longer than x seconds. Brand sure the consoles are close together to ensure a rapid discovery.
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  • Once both systems have discovered each other, select Transfer on your old panel.
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  • The systems will now begin exchanging data, which may accept upwardly to or over 30 minutes depending on the corporeality of relieve data you have. Make sure both consoles are plugged into an official ability supply for the duration of this transfer.
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  • Once the transfer is complete, your old system will tell y'all that your User Contour has been successfully transferred. Your new arrangement may take a few moments longer to also declare that the process is complete
  • One time both systems accept finished the transfer and brandish a bluish tick icon, select Cease on both consoles.
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The system transfer is complete. Your contour, all your save information, and eShop purchases have been transferred to your new console. Woohoo!

Where Are All My Games?

Whilst your relieve data has been sent over, your games themselves haven't, considering Switch games are mighty massive and if yous've ever done a system transfer for the 3DS or Wii U you tin can empathize why Nintendo thought "nuts to that" with the Switch.

Instead y'all're going to accept to re-download them from the eShop, just thankfully it'southward non equally painful a process as you might remember.

Getting Those Games Back

  • From the Home Menu on your new console, select Nintendo eShop, indicated by an orange shopping purse on the lower row of round icons.
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  • If prompted to select a User Business relationship, select the User Business relationship that made the purchases you lot wish to re-download.
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  • If prompted to sign in with your email and password for your User Profile, enter your electronic mail and password associated with your User Profile and select Sign In.
  • When the eShop has loaded, select the pocket-sized version of your User Icon in the top right hand corner of the screen.
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  • Gyre downward and select Redownload from the bill of fare on the left side of the screen.
  • From here on the right side of the screen you will be presented with a listing of the games yous have purchased on this account.
  • Select the orange cloud icon to the right of each previously purchased game you wish to download onto your new console. You will non be charged over again for whatsoever downloads from this bill of fare.
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  • Once you have selected the orange cloud icon next to all the games yous wish to redownload, press the Home Push to render to the Dwelling house Carte du jour.
  • Your games are now downloading onto your new system, which may take several hours, but volition continue fifty-fifty when the Switch is in Sleep Mode (providing y'all have the appropriate pick enabled in the System Settings menu).
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That's it! One time they're finished you can dive right back in as though you never left, thanks to all your save data existence transferred over earlier.

Oftentimes Asked Questions

Can I only motility my Micro SD Menu with all my games on information technology to my new console rather than downloading them all again?

Sadly not, due to the item jiggery pokery Nintendo has opted for, this merely doesn't work.

Can I perform a Organization Transfer for more than one User Contour?

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. Yous do not need any kind of subscription to transfer whatsoever of this info, even your precious Breath of the Wild save data.

What nearly all the screenshots and videos that I've captured?

As long as you take the Micro SD Menu out of your old console and slip it into your new one, yous should exist able to continue all your sometime screenshots and videos. Just follow the onscreen prompts and you lot'll be golden.

Can I transfer between two Switch OLEDs or 2 Switch Lites?

As long as they're Nintendo Switches, you can transfer betwixt 2 Lites, 2 OLEDs or two regulars, no problem.

Can I not just transfer my profile by rubbing both consoles together and chanting?

If you try information technology, please transport u.s.a. a video.

How practice I transfer my Animal Crossing: New Horizons isle over to my new Switch?

Glad you asked — nosotros've got a guide for that:

  • Brute Crossing: New Horizons Island Transfer - How To Motility Fauna Crossing Save Information To Another Nintendo Switch

Nosotros hope you establish this guide helpful. Let us know below if you've got any questions and we'll do our best to reply them.