Moving to Switch 2? Read this before transferring your saves

Moving from a Nintendo Switch to Switch 2 sounds like a straightforward upgrade. It mostly is—but the difference between Nintendo's two transfer methods matters, especially if the original console belongs to a family or has saves you can't replace.

Local transfer versus server transfer

Local communication is Nintendo's recommended option when you already have both systems nearby. It moves users, settings and compatible content during the Switch 2 setup process. Depending on the account and game, some save data stays on the original Switch while other saves are removed after the transfer.

Server transfer is intended for situations where you won't have both consoles together, such as trading in the old one. Nintendo says uploading the transfer package to its server restores the source Switch to factory settings. That means its local data is deleted. Nintendo's documented server storage window is up to one year, with the actual deadline shown in the account.

What transfers?

Nintendo lists user accounts, eligible saves, digital software entitlements, screenshots and videos, certain parental-control information and other console settings among transferable items. Digital games are downloaded again, so you'll need internet access and enough storage on the new system.

What needs setting up again?

Bluetooth audio pairings and custom controller button mappings aren't transferred. Region, time zone and language are set during initial setup. Nintendo also notes that original microSD cards used for Switch game data aren't interchangeable with the microSD Express storage used by Switch 2.

Three checks before starting

1. Identify any local-only saves, profiles without linked Nintendo Accounts and titles that don't support cloud saves. The treatment of these saves is especially important.
2. Tell everyone who uses the old Switch. A system transfer can affect all users on that console, not only the person performing it.
3. Follow Nintendo's current instructions for your chosen transfer method. Don't factory-reset the original console yourself until you've confirmed the data is where you expect it.

A special case: Nintendo warns that games with shared save files, such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons, aren't necessarily moved through the general system-transfer flow. Check that game's separate transfer procedure before doing anything irreversible.

This guide summarises Nintendo's documented behaviour; it isn't a guarantee that every game or save moves identically.

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