How to transfer your original Switch data to a Switch 2
1 min read
Summary
Nintendo has made it relatively simple to transfer data from an older style Nintendo Switch to a Switch 2, even if you don’t yet have the new console.
Owners of a Switch 2 can simply connect both consoles together locally and transfer the data directly to the new console.
Those who have not yet obtained a Switch 2 can backup their existing Switch’s data to a remote server which will store the data for a year.
To restore the backup to a Switch 2 at a later date, the owner must follow the on-screen prompts on the console until they reach the “Start System Transfer” option, where they will also need to be connected to the internet and signed into the same Nintendo account associated with the backup.
There are some limitations to the transfer process, for example, custom controller button mappings and Bluetooth, time, time zone, region and language settings won’t be transferred.
Also, any users on the system who aren’t linked to a Nintendo account and games without cloud save backups will transfer to the Switch 2 but cannot then be transferred back to an original Switch.