How to Upgrade Switch SD Card Effectively

User case: Nintendo Switch SD card upgrade

If you have the same demand as the user case, namely upgrade Switch SD card, then you have come to the right place!

About Nintendo Switch SD

Expanding Nintendo Switch extra memory becomes imperative with its meager 32GB internal capacity, especially if you intend to amass more than just a few games and apps on your handheld console. The remedy lies in employing a microSD card to enlarge and upgrade the Switch's storage. But how do you execute this effectively? And supposing you possess a microSD card but wish to upgrade to one with a greater capacity, how do you transfer your files? Don’t worry, we'll guide you through the entire process.

Before delving into the Nintendo Switch storage upgrade journey, it's prudent to safeguard your games by transferring them to a desktop computer via a microSD card for a good backup.

Can you add more storage to the Nintendo Switch?

Should the internal storage of your Nintendo Switch reach full capacity, hindering the download of new games, resorting to archiving data to Nintendo's cloud service becomes a viable option. Navigate to System Settings > Data Management > Quick Archive, where you can cherry-pick the games for archiving and then proceed to select Archive Data.

When you archive games acquired from the Nintendo Store, you can redownload them for free. Notably, game save data remains securely stored on the console. However, if you wish to back up your saved data online, a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online, available at a monthly fee, is a requisite.

Alternatively, a pragmatic solution involves Nintendo switch SD card upgrade by integrating a compatible microSD card. This eliminates the need for the laborious process of deleting and redownloading games.

Question: Nintendo Switch how to upgrade SD card

Method 1. Change Switch SD Card and Copy Game Files to New Card

1. Turn off the Switch by holding the Power button and extract the old SD card.

2. Insert the new SD card into the Switch, allowing it to format and undergo any necessary updates within the Switch system.

3. Power off the Switch once more and remove the newly formatted SD card.

4. Insert both the new and old SD cards into your PC. Execute the transfer by copying files from the old SD card to the freshly formatted one.

5. Place the updated SD card back into the Switch. Power up the box.

Now you can play games with the new installed SD card on Switch again.

Method 2. Upgrade Switch SD card via Clone

If you want to upgrade the original SD card storage in your Switch and at the same time seamlessly transferring all your data from the original to the target, you can use professional cloning software AOMEI Backupper Standard to help you. It will swiftly transfer speeds while maintaining the integrity of your data. Its user-friendly interface ensures seamless operation, even for those not well-versed in technical intricacies. Take the first step by downloading it and giving it a try. The intuitive design guarantees a hassle-free experience.

Before that, prepare the following things:

▶ Two SD Card Readers

▶ A Computer Running Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, or 10/11

1. Format the New SD Card

- Insert the new SD card into one of the card readers.

- Format the card and set the file system to NTFS using your computer's formatting tools.

2. Power Down the Nintendo Switch:

- Hold down the Power button until the Power options appear on the Switch screen.

- Select "Turn Off" and wait for the Switch to power down completely.

3. Unplug the Old Switch Memory SD Card:

- Once the Switch is powered off, unplug the old SD card from the Switch box.

Now you are ready to proceed with the next steps in the data transfer process.

1. Connect your 2 SD cards via the two SD card readers with your Windows computer, and ensure they can be recognized by Windows.
2. Open AOMEI Backupper Standard, select Clone -> Disk Clone. (If there only one partition on your old SD card, the partition clone is also useful to transfer data.)

   

3. Choose the original SD card as the source disk, and click Next.

   

4. Choose the larger SD card as the destination to save files from the old one, and then press Next.

   

5. Click Start Clone to transfer data from one SD card to another with data intact.

★ Tips:
✿ Edit Partitions enables you to automatically adjust the partition size while cloning to fully use the storage space on destination hard drive while cloning disk to larger disk.
✿ SSD Alignment: If you are cloning HDD to SSD, you could check this option to accelerate the reading and writing speed and its lifespan.
✿ Sector By Sector Clone: Tick this option will help you clone all sectors on the source SD card and make sure the destination SD card is larger than the source SD card.

Verdict

In this article, we have 2 ways to upgrade Switch SD card. For me, I will choose the second way to do a comprehensive card upgrade and data transfer.

As for the software I mentioned above, AOMEI Backupper is a professional backup and restore software that also gives powerful and reliable cloning and syncing functions. With the trend of enlarging storage space with cloud service, you can sync files with Google Drive or OneDrive seamlessly with this tool as well.

FQA

1. What SD Cards Are Compatible With the Switch?

Exclusive to microSD cards, the Nintendo Switch aligns itself with these diminutive storage wonders, a format ubiquitous in smartphones and digital cameras alike. Typically necessitating an adapter for PC access, microSD cards seamlessly bridge the gap between portable devices and computers. Among the top choices for the Switch are the Samsung EVO+ 256GB and the SanDisk Ultra 400GB, both renowned for their compatibility and expansive storage capacities. Elevate your Switch storage game with these reliable microSD card options.

Compatibility is broad for the Nintendo Switch, welcoming microSD, microSDHC, or microSDXC memory cards. Should you opt for a microSDXC card, ensure your system software is up-to-date by navigating to System Settings > System > System Update.

2. Can I Use Any Micro SD for Switch?

Your microSD card becomes a versatile hub for games, demos, software updates, DLC, screenshots, and videos. Unfortunately, save data storage on the card is a no-go. However, leveraging the NFC capabilities, transferring save data between Switch consoles is feasible.

While game files on the SD card can be copied to your computer for backup, playing the games on another Switch console requires a different approach. Import user data between consoles by seamlessly adding a user to your Nintendo Switch. Unlock the full potential of your gaming experience with these nuanced storage and transfer options.

3. How much storage does a Switch have?

Internally, the OLED Switch boasts a substantial 64GB of storage, surpassing the original Switch and the Switch Lite, both equipped with 32GB of internal storage. However, users can augment their storage capacity by employing SD cards, as elucidated earlier. This customizable approach ensures that users can tailor their storage solutions to meet their evolving needs.

4. Can you upgrade the storage of the Switch Lite?

Absolutely! The Switch Lite is equipped with a microSD card slot, mirroring the functionality of the original Switch. In line with its predecessor, the Lite version houses 32GB of internal storage. SD cards that are compatible with the Switch seamlessly extend their compatibility to the Switch Lite, providing users with flexible storage options for their gaming needs.