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If you have an original Nintendo Switch, and you intend to utilize yourNintendo Switch 2moving forward - and why wouldn’t you! - then you’ll want to use the Switch 2’sSystem Transferfunction in order to most efficiently port over your games and data.
The process isn’t particularly convoluted, thankfully. But that doesn’t mean you won’tpotentiallyhit some minor hurdles. Plus, it’s worth knowing how precisely to get a System Transfer started. We’ve gone through with the procedure, so here’s what you need to know about a Switch 2 System Transfer.
Get Your Switch And Switch 2 Ready For System Transfer
You need to select the option for a System Transfer when you’re first setting up your Nintendo Switch 2. you may’t do so afterward. If youdoskip this, you can eitherfactory reset your Switch 2to receive the prompt again, or you can at leastconvert your Switch games into Switch 2 ‘Virtual Cards’ when re-downloading owned software on your Switch 2. You can accesssaved data from the cloud, too, butnot every game supports cloud save functionality, and you’ll need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
This part’s easier than it might sound. The key here is toensure that both your Nintendo Switch and your Nintendo Switch 2 have the latest firmware updates installed. You’ll also need to be signed in toyour Nintendo Account on both devices, of course.
The Switch 2 should be fine almost out-of-the-box, since it will automatically install a system update the first time you connect to the internet with it.
For the original Switch,check to ensure that, at the bottom of its System Settings menu, you have the ‘System Transfer to Nintendo Switch 2’ option. If you see it, you’re set; if not, there should be at least one system update in need of installing.
Your Switch and Switch 2 need to bewithin a few feet/a couple of meters of each other. It’s presumably easiest to simply place them side-by-side on a flat surface.
The System Transfer Procedure
This will takearound ten or so minutesto complete, although it may require longer if your internet connection is especially spotty, or if many other players are engaging in this process. Suffice it to say, that latter part’s likelier to happen near launch!
Select that aforementioned ‘System Transfer to Nintendo Switch 2’ button. You’ll be notified ahead of time thatyour save data for certain games will be transferred over in full, so you’ll not be able to continue those save files on your Switch 1, moving forward.
