On an original Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, or Switch OLED, you can move downloaded game software from system memory to a compatible microSD card by opening System Settings → Data Management → Move Data Between System / microSD Card. Your save data and game progress stay in the console’s internal memory; they are not moved to the card.
These instructions are for the original Switch family—not Nintendo Switch 2, which requires a microSD Express card and uses different menus.
Before you start
- Use a genuine, compatible microSD or microSDXC card from a reputable seller.
- Insert the card into the Switch before opening the transfer menu.
- Close any game or application currently running.
- Make sure the card has enough free space.
- Back up screenshots and videos before formatting any card.
The Switch uses a microSD card. A full-size SD adapter can be used with a computer, but it does not go directly into the console.
Nintendo’s official transfer instructions cover the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch OLED Model.
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How to move a downloaded game to a microSD card
- Insert the microSD card into the console.
- From the HOME Menu, open System Settings.
- Select Data Management.
- Select Move Data Between System / microSD Card. Some regions may label this Move Data Between Console/microSD Card.
- Choose Move to microSD Card.
- Select the game or other software data you want to move.
- Select Move, OK, or the equivalent confirmation shown on screen.
- Wait for the transfer to finish before removing the card or turning off the console.
Return to the HOME Menu and launch the game to confirm that it works. The installed software data is now stored on the microSD card, while the save file remains in system memory.
What moves to the microSD card?
| Data | Can it move? |
|---|---|
| Downloaded digital games | Generally yes |
| Downloadable content | Generally yes |
| Update data | Some can move; some cannot |
| Save data and progress | No; it remains in system memory |
| Screenshots and videos | Managed separately through Data Management |
| Physical game cartridge | No; the cartridge remains physical |
Not every file associated with a game is necessarily movable. Nintendo also warns that some update data cannot be migrated and that later updates may be stored in a different location.
Will moving a game delete its save?
No. Moving installed software does not delete the game’s save data. Your progress remains in the Switch’s system memory and continues to be associated with the same user profile.
Do not select Delete Save Data to free storage. That is a separate, potentially irreversible operation. Nintendo explains the distinction in its save-data support guide.
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- EXPAND YOUR STORAGE. Insert your card to add massive storage up to 1.5TB[1] to your Android smartphones and tablets, digital cameras, and laptops.
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- MOVE FILES FAST. Use your card with the SANDISK QuickFlow microSD UHS-I Card USB-A Reader[6] to achieve up to 195MB/s[2] read speeds [128GB-1.5TB models] and offload your content fast.
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- EASY CONTENT MANAGEMENT. Easily back up, organize, and transfer your photos and videos with the SANDISK Memory Zone desktop or Android mobile app[5].
How to move a game back to system memory
Use the same menu path:
HOME Menu → System Settings → Data Management → Move Data Between System / microSD Card
Choose Move to System Memory, select the software, and confirm the move. Some data may remain in its original location if it is not eligible for transfer.
What happens to future downloads?
When a microSD card is inserted, the Switch normally prefers it for downloaded or redownloaded software. However, this is not a permanent “install everything here” setting. If the card is full, new data may be stored in system memory, and some update data may be saved somewhere different from the location you selected.
The move menu relocates existing eligible software; it does not permanently force every future file onto the card. Nintendo’s software-management guidance explains archiving, redownloading, and storage behavior.
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- 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.
What about physical Nintendo Switch games?
You cannot transfer the physical cartridge itself to a microSD card. The main game data is read from the cartridge, which must remain inserted when you play that physical copy.
However, patches, downloadable content, and additional data required by some physical releases may use system memory or the microSD card. Your save data still remains in system memory. Check the game packaging when a physical title requires extra storage.
If “Move Data Between System / microSD Card” is missing
- Confirm that the microSD card is fully inserted.
- Check whether the console recognizes it under System Settings → Data Management.
- Restart the Switch.
- Install the latest available system update.
- Try a compatible, genuine card if the current card is corrupted or unsupported.
The transfer option is unavailable when no microSD card is inserted. If the card is new or unusable, you can format it through the console, but formatting permanently deletes its contents. Copy any screenshots, videos, or other files you need first. See Nintendo’s microSD formatting instructions.
If the microSD card is full
- Archive software: removes downloaded software data while keeping the HOME Menu icon and save data. You can redownload the title later.
- Delete software: removes the installed software and icon but does not normally delete its save data. The purchasing Nintendo Account can redownload it.
- Remove screenshots and videos: media can consume substantial space and is managed separately.
- Replace the card: use a larger card if you regularly run out of space.
Archiving is usually the safer temporary choice when you want to preserve the title’s icon and save data. Nintendo documents these options in its downloadable-software management guide.
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- [Ultra HD] Read/Write up to 100/60 MB/s. UltraHD video displaying/recording
- [Compatibility] Storage for Laptop, Tablet, PC, Smartphones, Camera, e-Reader. Files, Videos, Music [Notice] Compatible with Nintendo Switch 1; not compatible for gaming with Nintendo Switch 2
- [Environment] Waterproof, shockproof, temperature-proof and X-Ray proof
- [Support] Gigastone 5-year limited warranty
How to replace a Switch microSD card with a larger one
Replacing a card is different from moving one installed game. Nintendo recommends copying the complete contents of the old card rather than selecting individual game folders.
What you need
- The original microSD card.
- The replacement card.
- A Windows computer.
- An SD-card slot or microSD card reader/writer.
Safe migration procedure
- Keep the original card untouched until the replacement has been tested.
- Insert the new card into the Switch and format it through the console.
- Turn off the Switch completely and remove the newly formatted card.
- On a Windows PC, copy the entire contents of the original card to the computer.
- Safely eject the original card.
- Copy the complete contents to the newly formatted card.
- Safely eject the new card and insert it into the same Switch.
- Test several games before reusing or deleting the original card.
Do not copy only one game folder, modify the Nintendo folder, merge data from multiple cards, or erase the old card prematurely. Nintendo warns that copying may not work correctly in environments other than Windows, including some Mac workflows. Its microSD-card replacement guide contains the official procedure.
Card data is tied to the original console. Copying it does not make the installed games playable on another Switch.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choosing a microSD card
Prioritize a genuine card from a reputable manufacturer and seller, a capacity that matches your library, and a clear warranty. Suspiciously cheap cards with unverifiable capacities are a common risk. Format the card with the Switch rather than relying on a computer’s default format.
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- Compatible with Nintendo Switch (NOT Nintendo Switch 2). Always check your device's max supported capacity.
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A smaller card costs less but requires more archiving and management. A larger card is more convenient for a substantial digital library, but there is no universal “best” capacity. Compare the total cost of a genuine card against the amount of storage you actually need.
Licensed Nintendo-branded cards are not automatically faster in real-world use than every standard card. Avoid paying for Switch 2 microSD Express hardware unless you also need it for a Switch 2; the original Switch uses ordinary compatible microSD storage.
Can save data be backed up to the card?
No. A microSD card is not a save-data backup device. Save data remains in system memory and cannot be moved to or saved on the card.
Depending on the game, alternatives may include Nintendo Switch Online Save Data Cloud, the Switch’s Transfer Your Save Data feature when moving to another console, or a game-specific transfer tool. Cloud support is not available for every title, and Nintendo Switch Online is not required merely to move installed software locally.
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These instructions apply to the original Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED. Nintendo Switch 2 uses microSD Express cards and has a different storage-transfer menu. Ordinary Switch microSD cards should not be treated as interchangeable Switch 2 storage. Use Nintendo’s separate Switch 2 transfer instructions instead.
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