I'm fairly new to the Switch (just bought one a few months ago), and a friend of mine has been playing BOTW using my console. I have a separate profile (User 1) for my BOTW gaming, and I set up another user for her (User 2) so we each have our own save data going on. (I also have some games I purchased digitally on her profile that I've been playing).
She recently got her own Switch, and I'm wondering...is it possible to transfer ONLY the BOTW saved data? As I mentioned, I did (without thinking) start playing some digitally downloaded games under the same profile that has her BOTW saved data. I'd like to move just her BOTW saves to this new Switch that she has, while keeping my digital downloads (which are under the same profile as her BOTW saves). Is this in any way possible? I'm willing to subscribe to Nintendo Online for the cloud feature as well if that makes things more feasible/easy.
Hope this makes sense, and apologies is this is somewhat of a newbie question!
Yes, it is as long as she has her own account setup you need to go to Nintendo site and follow their FAQ on doing data migration to do it correctly. She might have to redownload the game onto her Switch from her account again but her data should transfer over. So check with Nintendo Support FAQ on data transfer. Games downloaded on her account will move to her account but you can't access them if the other player is using them.
@Darko_Giac I think SwitchForce missed the part of about you wanting to transfer only one game's save data, BOTW. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think the Nintendo system allows that?
As far as I've seen, you can't transfer save data for just one game. You can only transfer a user's save data collection, as a whole. Nintendo support for US/Canada is pretty good, though(usually), for asking questions, if you wanted to ask there. You can use their phone, or chat messenger. (I've had great experiences, impressive actually, with them in recent years, but over christmas, I got a newb/temp that had to look everything up before answering. If you get someone like that, try calling back, or ask nicely for someone more experienced)
Yes, I suspected single game save transfers might be an issue. I did try calling Nintendo about this and yeah, I believe I got a temp as well. I'll try calling them back.
But my understanding is, like no matter what, the first step is logging in to my account on HER Switch, and it would just be like, having to Switch consoles?
Again, details about how to choose primary/non-primary consoles was/is a bit fuzzy. But it seems like linking the two Switch consoles is kinda the only way to do it? I was told by someone at GameStop that I could then just choose the game file for which I would want to sent the save file. Does that make sense? Would that be a feasible alternative?
@Darko_Giac Yes, if you do a user save data transfer you have two options:
1. She'd end up having two consoles(a primary and non-primary),
2. Or, you do the transfer, and the everything on the source Switch gets deleted after the transfer - which removes her from the source Switch. (Nintendo support has a page for setting Primary console, and another one for deregistering Primary console. The first console you set up, is by default, the Primary console)
Regarding transferring one game's save data - I can't confirm that. I've never seen anyone here discuss that here. I wont' claim to know everything, so I can't exclude it as a possiblity. If anyone knows different, or knows directions for transferring one one game's save data, by all means share. (Animal Crossing might be the exception? That game requires an app/download-tool to perform a save data transfer)
There are issues that come up if you have an account on more than one console. It's a pain in the butt. The primar/non-primary console system is designed for one owner who only uses one console at a time. There will be conflicts if you try to use both consoles at the same time. Many people have made accounts here to complain, or voice disappointment, about having more than one console.
@Darko_Giac Also, dang, you got a seemingly inexperienced rep at Nintendo Support? Shoot. I hoped that was just for holiday volume. Before this christmas, I always got very knowledgeable reps - not outsourced baloney or temps. Their customer support was impressive. Nintendo placed a high priority on quality support, and it showed. It was refreshingly pleasant. Can't help wonder if the pandemic has lead to needing temps.
@WoomyNNYes, thanks again for taking the time to provide feedback! I know there are other work-arounds for moving files, but uuuhhh, they're terrifying to say the least lol.
Yeah the rep just sent me the page about transferring save data from one Switch to another (like an old switch and YOUR new Switch), so it didn't really address the issue of, can I just transfer my save data to someone else. I really feel like this should be easier, but, first world problems.
The other option I was looking into was Cloud Data Transfer, but, again, it seems like no matter what, I'd have to link the two Switch consoles, whichever route I decide to go. I've actually been watching some Wulff Den content, but not this vid specifically. Checking it out now. Thanks again for all the help. I'll keep trying to troubleshoot.
I'm surprised that this hasn't already been resolved.
If your friend has her NNID registered across both consoles, then all you have to do is wirelessly transfer the save data from one console to another via the Save Data Transfer option in Settings. Easy peasy. You will also need an internet connection to do this, however.
I guess there would be no way to do this if we want to keep our Switch consoles separate? I'm just thinking about some of the issues that @WoomyNNYes having those Switch consoles now linked by one account.
@Darko_Giac To my knowledge, you cannot transfer save data to another user. All your purchases, dlc, and game saves, are tied to your Nintendo account & your email address. No wiggle room, unfortunately.
Many people have made threads, like, a family had one switch for a while, and they got another switch for one of the kids/wife, and they couldn't single out game save data to transfer to the new switch. The new Switch with a new Nintendo account had to start a whole new game, because their game progress was on their dad's Switch user profile/Nintendo account.
It's a shame, because having one Switch and wanting another one later for another member of the household, is kind of a natural thing people would want.
@WoomyNNYes Man, I was so excited to see what I thought was a neat/useful feature.
It should be a relatively easy feature to implement. Maybe Nintendo figures if they include that as a feature, it would then create the possibility for game copying/sharing/lending. I'm getting a little out of my depth here, but, I guess the short answer is, what. I'm looking to do could potentially create more problems than it would solve.
@Budda, ha! Unfortunately it doesn't sound like it will
I have two save data files under the same account. I've been playing with User 1, and she's been playing with User 2. We've just shared my Switch console.
@Darko_Giac : You've worded that wrong. Each user has a separate account. If User 2 has made a new NNID on their own console, then that is technically a THIRD account, and save data cannot be transferred to it, but if User 2 has the same NNID linked to both consoles, then you can transfer save data between consoles with ease.
@SIlly_G, thanks for clarifying. Again I'm new to the Switch-scape, so still figuring out terminology; thanks for the correction!
If I'm not mistaken, I need to link both consoles with one account, and would then have to make one the primary, and the other non-primary yes? If that's the case, would the gaming experience be prone to the issues that @WoomyNNYes alluded to earlier?
@Darko_Giac : That's right. The problem that @WoomyNNYes cited shouldn't apply to you as you had two separate user accounts on your Switch.
What @WoomyNNYes was referring to is when multiple users share a single user profile. For example, Super Mario 3D World contains three save slots within the game itself (effectively giving each user three save slots), but if you and your friend were to share the same user profile, and your friend used one of those three slots after having launched the game under your profile, then there would be no way of transferring that save data to their own console, as what they should have done was use their own user account to launch the software instead. I hope that made sense.
"Gee, that's really persuasive. Do you have any actual points to make other than to essentially say 'me Tarzan, physical bad, digital good'?"
@Silly_G, I actually have one account on my Switch (if we're talking about an "account" as what I used my email address for to log in to the eshop and make purchases), but the Switch itself has two profiles. Both profiles on my Switch are under the same account.
@Darko_Giac I wasn't aware you could have 2 users linked to the same account - are you sure that's the case and that the second isn't just a local user (with no account linked)?
You can only link 1 user profile with a Nintendo account. The second user profile has either no Nintemdo account or it has.
You said you have bought games on her profile, so it has an account.
Use that account on her Switch and you are good to go. You can transfer a single save file. I did this already with Splatoon and Pokemon because it doesn't have cloud save.
@Budda, I have my own Switch with a hardcopy BOTW, and I do have an account. She has her own Switch, also has a hardcopy of BOTW, but has not created an account. So she's playing with no account.
@dmcc0, sorry I should have clarified, she bought her OWN copy of BOTW, and I've got mine. As for your point about only being able to link 1 user profile with a Nintendo account...I see, I hadn't thought of that. I just assumed that whenever I created a user profile on my Switch, it would just be lumped under my Nintendo account.
The more we talk through this, the more I think it's probably going to cause more problems than it solves :S
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