PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe safest way to move to another Nintendo Switch is Nintendo’s built-in transfer tool. With both consoles available, it moves a user profile and its save data over the internet without requiring Nintendo Switch Online, but the transferred profile and saves are removed from the original console in the standard Switch workflow. Digital games are different: purchases belong to the Nintendo Account that bought them, so you sign into that account on the new console and redownload the software.
If the old console is unavailable, you can still redownload digital purchases and, for compatible games, restore cloud saves with an active Nintendo Switch Online membership. A Switch-to-Switch 2 move has additional local and server-transfer rules, including a one-year retrieval window for server-uploaded data.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Choose the right transfer method
Your best method depends on whether the old console works, whether you are moving to another original Switch-family console or to Switch 2, and whether you need every profile or only one game’s save.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
| Situation | Recommended method | What moves | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Both original Switch-family consoles are available | Transfer Your User and Save Data | A selected user profile, associated Nintendo Account, and that profile’s saves | The moved profile and saves are removed from the source console |
| Only one game’s save needs to move | Transfer Your Save Data | The selected game’s save between consoles | It is a save transfer, not a complete user migration |
| Old console is unavailable | Sign in and redownload purchases; use Save Data Cloud where supported | Digital software and compatible cloud backups | Games without cloud support cannot be restored from a cloud backup |
| Switch to Switch 2, consoles together | Local communication transfer | System data, profiles, saves and settings covered by Nintendo’s Switch 2 procedure | Retention of source saves depends on cloud compatibility and whether the user is linked |
| Switch to Switch 2, old console being traded in or unavailable later | Server transfer | Uploaded transfer data retrieved during Switch 2’s initial setup | The source is initialized after upload; server data is retained for up to one year |
Prepare both consoles before transferring
Preparation prevents the most common interruptions and makes it clear which data will remain on the old system.
#1 Best Overall
- Nintendo Switch 2 uses a new standard of expandable memory card called microSD Express (sold separately). This kind of memory card is needed for faster access speeds and to ensure games will run smoothly.
- Please note: Nintendo Switch 2 is only compatible with microSD Express cards. If the microSD cards you have used for Nintendo Switch do not support microSD Express standards, you cannot use them with Nintendo Switch 2.
- Update both consoles to their current system software.
- Connect both systems to the internet. A direct transfer does not require Nintendo Switch Online.
- Charge both consoles or connect them to power for the entire operation.
- Make sure the target console has enough internal or compatible storage for software you intend to download later.
- Confirm the Nintendo Account credentials for every profile that will move. Digital purchases are tied to the purchasing Nintendo Account, not to a microSD card or the physical console.
- Check whether each game supports Save Data Cloud if you are considering a cloud-only recovery. Compatibility varies by game.
- Do not attempt to copy save files by moving an ordinary microSD card. Nintendo’s supported process is user/system transfer or cloud backup.
If several people use the source console, decide whether each profile should move. The standard transfer is performed per profile, so a family can move selected users rather than treating the console as one indivisible account.
Move a profile and its saves when both consoles are available
Use the full user-and-save transfer
- On the original console, open System Settings.
- Choose Users, then select Transfer Your User and Save Data. Nintendo’s wording can vary slightly by system version, but the transfer option is in System Settings.
- Follow the prompts to identify the source console and the target console. Keep both systems nearby, powered on and connected to the internet.
- On the target console, accept the incoming transfer when prompted and sign in or confirm the Nintendo Account associated with the profile.
- Wait for the transfer to finish before closing the settings screen or powering down either system.
- On the new console, open the HOME Menu and confirm that the user profile and expected save data are present.
Nintendo documents this workflow as retaining saves, including saves for games that do not support Save Data Cloud backup. That is why it is the preferred route when the original console is working.
Understand the source-console removal
In the standard Switch-to-Switch transfer, the associated Nintendo Account, user profile and transferred save data are removed from the original console after completion. This is a move, not a duplicate. The source console will not retain a playable copy of that user’s transferred saves.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Do not start the process if you intend to keep using the same profile and its local saves on both consoles. For that situation, rely on Nintendo’s supported multi-console features and compatible cloud backups instead of treating a direct transfer as a copy operation.
Transfer only one game’s save
If you are leaving most profiles where they are and only need one game’s progress, use Nintendo’s separate Transfer Your Save Data option in System Settings.
- Open System Settings on the source console.
- Choose Data Management, then the save-data transfer option.
- Select the game and the user whose save should move.
- Choose whether the console is sending or receiving the save, then follow the prompts on the other system.
- Verify the save on the target console before deleting or changing anything on the source.
A one-game save transfer does not move the user’s entire profile or digital library. You still need to sign into the purchasing Nintendo Account and download the game on the target console.
Rank #2
- NEXT GEN GAMING: Works with Nintendo Switch 2.
- READY FOR TOMORROW. Ready for future products with a PCIe-NVMe interface; performs at UHS-I speeds with microSD UHS-I and UHS-II devices.
- EXPONENTIALLY FASTER PERFORMANCE. Up to 4.4 times faster transfer speeds than our fastest microSD UHS-I cards [9]. Transfer a 2-hour HD movie in less than 3.5 seconds [1]; save up to 2.8 minutes transferring 60 minutes of 4K UHD video [4] shot at 30 fps when paired with the SanDisk PRO-READER SD Express Dual Card (sold separately) [9]
- DURABILITY YOU CAN COUNT ON: Cards are waterproof, temperature-proof, humidity-proof, drop-proof, shock-proof, magnetic-proof, x-ray proof, and wear-out proof [5].
- HEAT MANAGEMENT REIMAGINED. SanDisk ThermAdapt helps keep devices from overheating with a specially designed enclosure and controller that uses dynamic adaptive thermal management.
Redownload digital games and downloadable content
Nintendo’s rule is straightforward: “Game save data and your digital games and downloadable content are tied to your Nintendo Account.” The account that purchased a title is therefore the key to recovering it.
- Add or sign in to the purchasing Nintendo Account on the new console.
- Open the Nintendo eShop using that account.
- Open the account menu and choose the option for previously purchased software or redownloadable content.
- Select each game or DLC item and start the download.
- Leave the console connected to the internet until downloads and any required updates finish.
The transfer process may place software icons on the target HOME Menu, but the game itself can still need to be downloaded. A digital purchase is not converted into a save file and is not stored solely on the old console’s microSD card.
Other users on the target console can play a downloaded title subject to Nintendo’s account and license rules. They do not become owners of the purchase; ownership remains with the Nintendo Account that bought it.
If the old console is unavailable
Recover digital purchases
You do not need the old hardware to redownload games. On the replacement console, create or select a user, sign in with the Nintendo Account that made the purchases, open Nintendo eShop and redownload the account’s software and DLC.
This recovers the licenses and the software download, but it does not automatically recreate local save data. Save recovery depends on whether a compatible cloud backup exists.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Restore compatible cloud saves
With an active Nintendo Switch Online membership, open the target console’s save-data management options and download the available Save Data Cloud backup for the relevant user and game. The service is game-dependent: Nintendo does not support cloud backup for every title.
Rank #3
- Ultra-Fast Read Speeds — Experience read speeds up to 900 MB/s and write speeds up to 620 MB/s, delivering rapid file transfers and smooth performance for gaming, photography, and 4K video recording.
- Optimized for Gaming & Devices – Tested with Switch 2 and compatible with laptops, tablets, cameras, and Android devices that support microSD Express or UHS-I. Ideal for expanding storage without lag.
- 4K Video & High-Resolution Support – Capture and store 4K UHD videos and high-res photos seamlessly thanks to Class 10, U3, V30, and A2 performance ratings.
- Reliable & Durable Design – Built for long-term use with shockproof, temperature-resistant, waterproof, and X-ray-resistant protection, keeping your data safe wherever you go.
- Multiple Capacity Options – Available in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB options to suit your storage needs. Note that actual usable storage may be slightly less due to system formatting and a portion reserved for card management functions, which is a standard industry practice to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
A cloud backup cannot restore a game that does not support Save Data Cloud, and it cannot recover progress that was never uploaded. When the old console is available, direct user-and-save transfer is the safer option for non-cloud games.
Use digital games on more than one console
Virtual Game Cards
Nintendo ties digital games and DLC to the purchasing Nintendo Account. On supported consoles, open the Virtual Game Cards menu to load a purchased title onto the console where you want to play it. Once the virtual game card is loaded and the software is downloaded, all users on that console can play it under Nintendo’s rules.
This menu is useful when you own two consoles and want to control which system has a particular digital title loaded. Moving a virtual game card is separate from moving a profile’s save data.
Online License
If you have only one console available, or a title is not loaded as a virtual game card, Nintendo documents an Online License setting for playing while the console is connected to the internet. The console must be online when the license check is required.
License access and save access are separate. A console can be authorized to download and play a purchase while the save remains associated with a particular user and console. A direct save transfer removes the source copy; a compatible cloud backup is the alternative when you need supported progress on another system.
Move from Nintendo Switch to Switch 2
Switch 2 has two distinct system-transfer routes. Choose local communication when both systems are together and working. Choose server transfer when the old console is about to be traded in or will not be available for the target’s setup.
Rank #4
- EPIC WORLDS, LOADED INSTANTLY. From the Mushroom Kingdom to Hyrule, your card delivers read speeds up to 880 MB/s[2] and write speeds up to 650 MB/s[2].
- OFFICIALLY READY FOR NINTENDO SWITCH 2. Officially licensed for Nintendo Switch 2, this microSD Express card offers dependable, high-performance storage.
- CAPTURE IN STUNNING CLARITY. Capture screenshots and record short video clips of your gameplay in Full HD.
- ROOM FOR YOUR ADVENTURES. With capacities up to 512GB[1], your card gives you the freedom to store your digital games in one place.
Local communication transfer
- Update the original Switch and the Switch 2, then connect both to the internet and power.
- Start the Switch 2 system-transfer process during the console’s setup or from the relevant System Settings option.
- Place the two consoles near each other and follow the on-screen pairing and transfer prompts.
- Allow the Switch 2 to copy the requested profiles, saves, settings and other system data.
- After setup, sign into the purchasing Nintendo Accounts and let the Switch 2 download digital software.
Nintendo’s local-transfer rules have exceptions to source-data removal. Cloud-compatible saves for linked Nintendo Accounts can remain on the original console while being copied to Switch 2. Saves for unlinked users and games without cloud support are deleted from the source after transfer. Check the user and game conditions shown on screen before confirming.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Server transfer
Server transfer is intended for a handoff in which the old console will not remain available. The source uploads its transfer data, then the source console is initialized. Nintendo stores the uploaded data on its server for up to one year and displays a download deadline.
- On the original Switch, begin the Switch 2 server-transfer procedure and complete the upload.
- Do not rely on the old console afterward: initialization removes its local system state as part of this process.
- Turn on the Switch 2 and retrieve the transfer during the console’s initial setup.
- Keep the Switch 2 online while it downloads the transferred data and digital software.
The server route must be retrieved during initial Switch 2 setup. If setup has already been completed, Nintendo says the target must be initialized before that server-transfer path can be used. Initializing the target erases its local data, so do not choose this route casually.
Digital software on Switch 2
Switch 2 downloads digital software after setup rather than transporting a playable copy of every game from the old system. Internet access is therefore required. Sign in with each purchasing Nintendo Account and allow the console to complete the downloads and updates.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Storage and microSD card rules
Do not assume that a card used in an original Switch can be moved to Switch 2. Nintendo states that ordinary microSD cards are incompatible with Switch 2. Expanded Switch 2 storage requires a microSD Express card that meets the console’s compatibility requirements.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsMicroSD Express storage is not required for the core account and save-transfer steps. It is an optional expansion choice for downloaded software, subject to the exact console model and card requirements. During a Switch 2 transfer, the system may temporarily request a card for screenshots and videos. Follow the on-screen instruction rather than inserting an ordinary card and expecting it to hold transferable saves.
Best Value
- NEXT GEN GAMING: Works with Nintendo Switch 2.
- READY FOR TOMORROW. Ready for future products with a PCIe-NVMe interface; performs at UHS-I speeds with microSD UHS-I and UHS-II devices.
- EXPONENTIALLY FASTER PERFORMANCE. Up to 4.4 times faster transfer speeds than our fastest microSD UHS-I cards [9]. Transfer a 2-hour HD movie in less than 3.5 seconds [1]; save up to 2.8 minutes transferring 60 minutes of 4K UHD video [4] shot at 30 fps when paired with the SanDisk PRO-READER SD Express Dual Card (sold separately) [9]
- DURABILITY YOU CAN COUNT ON: Cards are waterproof, temperature-proof, humidity-proof, drop-proof, shock-proof, magnetic-proof, x-ray proof, and wear-out proof [5].
- HEAT MANAGEMENT REIMAGINED. SanDisk ThermAdapt helps keep devices from overheating with a specially designed enclosure and controller that uses dynamic adaptive thermal management.
Save data should be handled through Nintendo’s transfer and cloud systems. Copying folders between cards is not a supported substitute and can leave the target without a usable profile or save.
Troubleshooting and recovery decisions
The target shows the game icon but the game will not start
Sign into the Nintendo Account that purchased the title, open Nintendo eShop and redownload the software. A transferred profile does not automatically prove that the target has downloaded every digital purchase.
A save is missing after redownloading
Check whether the game supports Save Data Cloud and whether a backup exists for the correct Nintendo Account. If the old console is still available, stop and use the direct save-transfer procedure. If the game does not support cloud backup and the source was initialized or its save was removed, a cloud restore is not available.
The transfer will not connect
- Install pending system updates on both consoles.
- Connect both systems to the same reliable internet environment and keep them close together for local communication.
- Connect both to power and prevent sleep or shutdown during the transfer.
- Restart both consoles and begin the transfer again from System Settings.
- Confirm that the Nintendo Account and user selected on each screen are the intended ones.
You need the old console to keep a profile
Cancel before confirming a standard transfer. That workflow removes the moved profile and saves from the source. Consider using compatible cloud backups and Nintendo’s multi-console license features instead, recognizing that cloud support is not universal.
You missed the Switch 2 server-transfer deadline
Nintendo states that server-uploaded data is retained for up to one year and that the Switch 2 displays the download deadline. Retrieve it before that deadline. Once the server data expires, use the purchasing account to redownload software and whatever save-recovery method remains available for each game.
Quick Recap
Quick decision checklist
- Both consoles working and you want the whole profile: use Transfer Your User and Save Data.
- Only one game’s progress needs to move: use Transfer Your Save Data.
- Old console unavailable: sign in to the purchasing Nintendo Account and redownload; use Save Data Cloud only for compatible games with an existing backup.
- Moving to Switch 2 with both systems together: use local communication and review which source saves are retained.
- Old console being traded in: use server transfer, then retrieve it during Switch 2’s initial setup and before the displayed one-year deadline.
- Need extra Switch 2 storage: use a compatible microSD Express card; ordinary microSD cards do not work.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
