There is nothing more horrifying than putting hour upon hour into playing a video game and losing all of your save data. Previously if your switch was lost or stolen or if your save data became corrupt for one reason or another, you were totally out of luck. Your only option was to start over completely and that can be enough to bring one to tears.
Enter Nintendo Switch Online. With the launch of Nintendo's new online service, users now have the ability to back their saves up to the cloud. Granted, there are a few titles that don't support the functionality so it's not perfect. However, knowing that my saves are up there floating around safe from human error allows me to rest a little easier.
So let's say that for one reason or another you would like to start playing on a different Switch but you would like to continue your game where you left off. Here is how to use the cloud to move your saved games from one Switch to another.
Uploading your saves
In all likelihood, your saves are already automatically being uploaded to the cloud. But if that is not the case you can upload save files individually.
- From your home screen, select System Settings.
- Select Data Management on the left.
- Select Save Data Cloud Backup.
- Find the game you would like to transfer save data for and select it.
- Select Back Up and Save Data.
Downloading your saves onto another Switch
- First, you will have to log in with your Nintendo account on the new Switch in order to access your cloud data.
- From the home screen, select System Settings.
- Select Data Management on the left.
- Select Save Data Cloud Backup.
- Find the game you want to download the save for and select it.
- Select Download Save Data.
Congratulations! You have now moved your save data from one Switch to another. It's an easy and mostly painless process which will allow you to continue your progress on a game from one console to another.
Have you used the cloud to move save data from one Switch to another?
How did it work for you? What else have you gotten out of Nintendo Switch Online? Sound off in the comments below.
