How do I transfer data from Animal Crossing to a new Switch?

Update your game

To check, please select the game's icon on the HOME Menu, press the + Button, and select Software Update (internet connection required). This option lets you transfer all of your Animal Crossing: New Horizons data to a new Nintendo Switch system (and don't plan on using your previous system anymore).

Can you transfer Animal Crossing data to another Switch?

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 restore my Animal Crossing save data to a new Switch?

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.

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.

Can I transfer Happy Home Paradise to a new Switch?

Yes, the save data for Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise will be stored together and can be transferred to another Nintendo Switch console regardless of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.

How to Transfer Your Animal Crossing Island to a New Switch Console Easily & Safely

Can I have the same island on two switches?

You can only create one island per Nintendo Switch system, even if you use multiple games. A different system is required to create a different island.

Is Animal Crossing cloud save?

As of the 1.4. 0 Update you can now back up your island via Cloud Saves. Here's how to make sure you never lose your Animal Crossing: New Horizons Island. Island Backups require a subscription to Nintendo Online.

Why did my Animal Crossing data not transfer to my new Switch?

Researching what may be the cause, I discovered that Nintendo had said in the past that because Animal Crossing save files are per-Switch and not per-account, the user data profile transfer would not work, and that a special tool needed to be downloaded from the eShop to do it.

Will I lose my game progress if I get a new 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.

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!

Where is my Animal Crossing save data?

Your island save data will now be backed up to the cloud. To make sure your island backup was successful, open Animal Crossing: New Horizons. In the bottom left-hand corner of the title screen, the message should now give the date and time that your island data was last uploaded.

Why is island transfer tool not working?

The communication error is likely due to the fact you can't run the same software on two devices signed in to the same account at once.

What happens if you put a Switch game into a different Switch?

You can play digital games that you've purchased with your Nintendo Account on any Nintendo Switch console. Once you've registered a primary console, your digital purchases can also be played by anyone that uses the primary console. Other players will not be able to access your digital games on a non-primary console.

Does Switch cloud save game progress?

The vast majority of Nintendo Switch titles support Save Data Cloud backup for players with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Online features (such as Nintendo Switch Online app and Save Data Cloud compatibility) are always identified in the Nintendo eShop and in the game's product information on www.nintendo.com.

Is my game progress saved on my Nintendo Account?

Save data is linked to your Nintendo Account, so you can access it by signing in. If you move to a new system, you can pick up right where you left off in your game by downloading your data. Automatic backup is enabled by default. You can change this in the Nintendo Switch system settings.

Is Animal Crossing data saved on the game card?

The Nintendo Switch saves all game save data to the system's internal storage, and never to the physical game cartridge or connected SD Card. This means you cannot use any SD Cards or different forms of game copies to bypass this restriction.

Does archiving Animal Crossing save data?

What happens to my game progress if I archive or delete my downloaded software? The game save data is unaffected in either option, so you can resume your game progress once the software is redownloaded.

Will I lose everything if I delete Animal Crossing save data?

The only way to delete your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is to delete your save data. Once your data has been cleared, your island will be deleted, along with everything on it. It's a pretty drastic measure to take, but it's the most direct way to begin a new island.

How do I use the same Nintendo Account on two switches?

Do I have to buy 2 copies of Animal Crossing?

Animal Crossing: New Horizons supports the registering of up to 8 users on a single Nintendo Switch™ console with a single copy of the game, all of whom can share a single island. How many people can play together? Up to 4 inhabitants can play on the same island (but each player needs a controller).

How do I save data on two switches?

Just make sure you toggle on Automatic Save-Data Download in Settings > Data Management > Save Data Cloud > Settings. This makes sure that the save file is always updated to the newest data no matter which Switch is being used, meaning you can pick up where you left off on any of your consoles.

How to transfer Switch data to new Switch without old Switch?

Download save data from the cloud

Once again, go to System Settings, Data Management and Save Data Cloud. Navigate to Save Data Not on This Console, and you should see all of your cloud saves from the first Switch. Simply click on the save data you want to transfer, then select Download Save Data.

Can you transfer Switch games from one SD card to another?

Eject the first microSD card, then insert the second microSD card into the slot or reader/writer. Using Windows Explorer access the microSD card again. Drag the data from the desktop to the new microSD card, then insert the new microSD card into the Nintendo Switch console.

How many times can you change primary Switch?

Set your new Switch as the primary console

A single Switch can be the primary console for as many accounts as you want, but each account can only set one Switch as its primary.

Do I need the island transfer tool?

You will have to download the Island Transfer Tool on both your original and new Nintendo Switch consoles.