If you’re an avid gamer, you might be wondering whether Nintendo Switch games automatically download to the SD card or not. It’s a valid question, as the Switch has limited internal storage space and many gamers opt for an SD card to expand their storage capacity. In this article, we’ll explore this topic in-depth.
Understanding Nintendo Switch Storage Options
Before we dive into the question at hand, it’s important to understand the storage options available on the Nintendo Switch. The console has two types of storage: internal and external.
The internal storage can range from 32GB to 64GB depending on the model of your console. The external storage option is an SD card that can be inserted into the console’s card slot.
Do Games Automatically Download to SD Cards
The answer is both yes and no. When you first purchase a Nintendo Switch game from the eShop or insert a physical cartridge, it will automatically download onto your internal storage by default. However, if you have an SD card inserted in your console and have set it as your preferred download location, games will automatically download onto your SD card instead of your internal storage.
If you haven’t set up your preferred download location yet or if your SD card is full, games will continue to download onto your internal storage until it becomes full as well. At this point, you’ll need to manually move games from internal storage to your SD card.
How to Move Games Between Internal Storage and SD Card
Moving games between internal storage and an SD card is a straightforward process on the Nintendo Switch. Here are the steps:
- Go to System Settings on your console.
- Select Data Management.
- Select Move Data Between Console/MicroSD Card.
- Select which data you want to move (game data or saved data).
- Select the specific game you want to move.
- Select Move Data from System / MicroSD Card to move the data.
It’s important to note that while game data can be moved between internal storage and an SD card, saved data cannot. Saved data is stored on your console’s internal storage and cannot be moved to an SD card.
Conclusion
In conclusion, whether Nintendo Switch games automatically download to an SD card or not depends on your preferred download location. If you have set your SD card as your preferred download location, games will automatically download onto it.
However, if you haven’t set it up or if your SD card is full, games will continue to download onto your internal storage until it becomes full as well. Regardless of where the game is downloaded, moving games between internal storage and an SD card is a simple process that can be done through the console’s settings.