Nintendo Switch · Storage & Backup

Back up save data to the cloud with a Nintendo Switch Online membership

An active Nintendo Switch Online membership enables automatic cloud backup of most game save data, protecting progress if the console is lost, damaged, or replaced, and allowing save data to carry over to a new Switch.

What you should know

  • Confirm membership status under System Settings > Users > [profile] > Nintendo Switch Online, or by opening the Nintendo Switch Online app.
  • Enable automatic backup for a title under System Settings > Data Management > Save Data/Screenshots and Videos > Save Data > select a game > Upload to Nintendo Switch Online Cloud Save Data.
  • Restore save data on a new or replacement console from the same Save Data menu by selecting Download instead of Upload.
  • A small number of titles — mainly ones with strict anti-cheat or competitive save requirements — opt out of cloud backup entirely; the game's save data screen will indicate this.

If a Nintendo Switch Online membership lapses, existing cloud backups are kept for a period but new saves stop uploading until membership is renewed — don't rely on it as your only backup if the subscription is about to expire.

Why it matters

Save data lost to a damaged, lost, or stolen console is usually unrecoverable without a cloud backup, and dozens or hundreds of hours of progress in a single title can be gone permanently otherwise.

Best practices

  • Manually trigger a backup before any risky action, like formatting storage, deleting the console user, or sending the console in for repair.
  • Check each new game's cloud save eligibility soon after starting it, since opted-out titles need a different manual backup approach.
  • Verify a successful download on the new console before wiping or repurposing the old one.

Common problems and fixes

Save data upload keeps failing
Confirm the Nintendo Switch Online membership is active and the console has a stable internet connection, then retry from Data Management > Save Data.
A specific game's save data doesn't show an upload option
That title has opted out of cloud saves, typically for competitive integrity reasons — check the game's own in-app backup or transfer options instead.

Tips and tricks

  • Nintendo Switch Online's system-to-system Data Transfer tool (via a local Wi-Fi connection between two consoles) can move save data directly and doesn't require cloud backup to be enabled.

Frequently asked questions

Does cloud save backup happen automatically once turned on?

Yes, for enrolled titles — the console periodically uploads save data in the background whenever it's connected to the internet with an active membership.