Does My Nintendo account keep my games?

You can play digital games you've purchased on any Nintendo Switch console that has been linked to your Nintendo Account. Please note that you can register one primary console per Nintendo Account. Once you've registered a primary console, your digital purchases can be played by anyone that uses the primary console.

Will I lose my games if I change My Nintendo account?

Deleting a user account from a Nintendo Switch console will also delete any save data that is associated with that account and saved to the console. Data deleted from a console cannot be restored unless it is first backed up using the Save Data Cloud backup feature.

Do games stay on Switch accounts?

Your game licenses and Nintendo eShop balance will be available on the new console when you change the primary console for your Nintendo Account. You can play digital games that you've purchased with your Nintendo Account on any Nintendo Switch console.

Can I transfer my games to a new Switch?

If you do not have access to the original console, you can still transfer your Nintendo Account and digital games to a different Nintendo Switch console and make that console your account's primary console. Follow these steps to complete this process.

Do I have to buy games again if I get a new Switch?

The good news is that those games are tied to your Nintendo Account, and you'll be able to redownload them on the new system as long as it's linked to the same account.

Game Sharing With Multiple Nintendo Switches

Will I lose everything if I put my Switch game in another Switch?

Your save data will be deleted on the source console. *Save data is stored on the console you're currently using. In order to play games with your latest save data on multiple systems, you'll need to transfer the save data each time you use a different console.

Will I lose my games if I reset my Switch?

This deletes all personal data in your console's internal memory, including game data, save data, screenshots/videos and user information.

Can I have the same account on 2 switches?

You can link your Nintendo Account to multiple Nintendo Switch consoles and play your games on any of them using your Nintendo Account. Only one of the consoles can act as the primary console. On the primary console, any other users can play the games you downloaded with your Nintendo Account.

Can you redownload purchased games on Switch to another Switch?

Additonal information. Purchases made using a Nintendo Account can be redownloaded and played on any Nintendo Switch console it is linked to. You can link your Nintendo Account to user profiles on multiple consoles. Only one Nintendo Switch console can be the primary console for your Nintendo Account at any given time.

Can you share games between two Nintendo switches?

You can link your Nintendo Account to multiple consoles. You can play digital games you've purchased on any Nintendo Switch console that has been linked to your Nintendo Account. Please note that you can register one primary console per Nintendo Account.

Do Switch games save to console or account?

On Nintendo Switch, game save data is stored on the console's System Memory. This will not change whether downloadable software or software from a game card is being played.

How do I transfer my digital games to a new Switch?

Go to Settings > Data Management > Save Data Cloud

Make sure both Automatic Save-Data Backup and Automatic Save-Data Download are on. Go to the Nintendo eShop and tap on your icon in the upper-right corner. On the subsequent account page, tap Redownload to see a list of games you can download to the new Switch.

Will I lose my Animal Crossing Island if I get a new Switch?

What is transferred to the new console with a full island transfer? When a full island transfer is completed, all island save data, progress, animal neighbours, residents, residents' inventories and homes are transferred to the new console. No Animal Crossing: New Horizons save data will remain on the original console.

Will you lose everything if you make a new Nintendo Account?

Any Nintendo Accounts linked to the console will not be deleted, but they will be unlinked from the system. After initializing the console, you can create a new user and link to it your Nintendo Account. Your Nintendo Account contains your Nintendo eShop purchase history and balance.

Why can't I redownload games on my Switch?

You can only redownload games using the Nintendo Account that was used to purchase the game. If a specific game or DLC item shows "Purchased" in Nintendo eShop but you are unable to redownload it, you may find our information on Software Displays "Purchased" in the Nintendo Switch eShop helpful.

Will I lose everything if I delete software on Nintendo Switch?

Deleting or archiving software will not impact your save data. Once deleted, software can be redownloaded using the same Nintendo Account with which it was purchased. If a microSD card is inserted, the save location will default to the microSD card when downloading or redownloading software.

Can you redownload purchased games on Switch to a new SD card?

Drag the data from the desktop to the new microSD card, then insert the new microSD card into the Nintendo Switch console. Any software that cannot be read on the system using the new microSD card can simply be redownloaded from the Nintendo eShop.

How many Nintendo Accounts can you link to a Switch?

Please note that you can link up to 8 Nintendo Accounts to a single Nintendo Switch console. Games that you've purchased are playable by everyone on the active Nintendo Switch console for your Nintendo Account. You may find information about moving your Nintendo Account (and purchases) between consoles, helpful.

What does linking a Nintendo Account do?

Linking a Nintendo Account with a user account on Nintendo Switch makes more features accessible, for example: Friend-related features. Posting screenshots/videos on social media networks.

Do I need separate Nintendo Account for each user?

You'll need a user account in order to play on Nintendo Switch. And if you'd like to use online features, a Nintendo Account must be linked to a user account on your console.

How to start a new island on Animal Crossing without losing everything?

Visit their island and drop off any items that you want to keep there. Now when you start your new game, just re-add them as a friend and take a trip to their island to get all your stuff back!

Does Animal Crossing save to your Nintendo Account?

Animal Crossing: New Horizons allows you and up to 7 others on your Nintendo Switch system to live on one shared island. The save data for the island or for the individual residents of the island can be transferred to a new Nintendo Switch system after updating the game software to the latest version.

How do I get my data back on Animal Crossing?

Select the island you wish to restore on your Nintendo Switch system, then select Recover Data. Select Yes, please to confirm you are ready to restore the selected island backup. If you started a new island on your Nintendo Switch, it will be lost and replaced with your island backup.

What is Nintendo family membership?

Purchasing a Nintendo Switch Online Family or Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Family membership provides the Nintendo Switch Online service to everyone in the purchaser's Nintendo Account family group (up to 8 Nintendo Account users). Family memberships can be purchased by anyone aged 18+.