Can I use an SD card on Nintendo Switch?
As reported on the Nintendo Switch Reddit, proclaimed Switch owner ‘NefariousZhen’ claims that his brand-new SanDisk Extreme PLUS 1GB microSD has burned a hole in his Switch. “I thought that I was. At the moment, the best way to add more storage to the Nintendo Switch is by simply buying an MicroSD Card. The location of the slot of the MicroSD card on the Nintendo Switch is found under the kickstand on the back of the tablet. There’s a pretty good chance you already have a spare MicroSD Card if you own a digital camera or similar device. Hi guys, Tech James here,In this video, I’ll show you guys how to upgrade your Nintendo Switch’s micro SD card!This video is for educational purposes only. The Nintendo Switch is compatible with SDXC format cards. This means that the largest SD card it can theoretically use is 2TB. However, there are no 2TB cards readily available on the market yet. There are microSD cards that come in a range of storage capacities. The Nintendo Switch can accommodate these cards up to 2TB in size! It sounds amazing, but it turns out that normal microSD cards don’t go up to 2TB. It might be available in the future, but the best you can do right now is a 1TB card.
Only microSD cards can be used on the Nintendo Switch console. Due to the slot size, SD cards and miniSD cards are not compatible with Nintendo Switch.
Are microSD cards included with the Nintendo Switch system?
No, microSD cards are sold separately.
Which microSD cards are supported?
The following types of microSD cards are supported on Nintendo Switch:
- microSD (up to 2 GB)
- microSDHC (4 GB - 32 GB)
- microSDXC (64 GB and above)
Important:In order to use a microSDXC card on the Nintendo Switch console, a system update is required.
In order to improve your gameplay experience, using a microSD card with a higher transfer speed is recommended.
High-speed microSD card recommendations:
- UHS-I (Ultra High Speed Phase I) compatible
- Transfer speed 60 - 95 MB/sec (the higher the transfer speed, the better gameplay experience on Nintendo Switch)
What information can be saved to a microSD card on Nintendo Switch?
- Downloadable software
- Software update data
- Downloadable content (DLC)
- Screenshots and captured videos
Important: Game save data is stored to the System Memory and cannot be copied or saved to a microSD card.
Can I move data from the system memory to a microSD card?
Screenshots and captured gameplay videos can be moved from the system memory to a microSD card, and vice versa. You can also transfer downloadable software if the system is updated to Version 10.0.0 or higher.
- When a microSD card is inserted in the console, it becomes the default save location for downloadable software.
Game save data cannot be copied to a microSD card.
Can I use multiple microSD cards with my system?
We recommend using a single microSD card with your Nintendo Switch console. If you run out of space, you can copy over all the data to a larger microSD card.
- Keep in mind that downloadable software saved to multiple microSD cards cannot be combined later into a single microSD card.
Microsd Switch Lite
The Nintendo Switch only comes with 32 GB of internal storage. If you plan to buy physical copies of your games that should be enough for at least a little while. However, if you plan to buy your games digitally or pick up a lot of DLC, you’re going to want to add more storage space to the Nintendo Switch. By adding more memory to the Nintendo Switch you can be free to download as much as you like (just don’t lose the MicroSD Card). This article covers how to add more storage and memory to the Nintendo Switch and where the MicroSD slot is located on the Switch.
At the moment, the best way to add more storage to the Nintendo Switch is by simply buying an MicroSD Card. The location of the slot of the MicroSD card on the Nintendo Switch is found under the kickstand on the back of the tablet. There’s a pretty good chance you already have a spare MicroSD Card if you own a digital camera or similar device. However, if you need to buy a new one you have a couple of different choices.
MicroSD Card memory is fairly cheap these days. You can get a 128 GB card for 40 dollars without looking very hard. If you put a bit more effort into your search or wait for a sale, you can find a 128 GB MicroSD Card for 30 dollars or less. While a 128 GB should hold you over for awhile, if you’ve got the extra money to burn, a 256 GB MicroSD Card runs about 130 dollars on the low end, with sale prices dropping to about under 100 dollars. The advantage of going with a larger MicroSD Card is that you won’t have to worry about carrying around multiple MicroSD Cards for a much longer time.
There are differences in the data transfer speeds of these cards. Most MicroSD Cards will have a number printed on them that reads 2, 4, 6 or 10. The higher the number, the faster the data transfer speed. For example, a 2 indicates a transfer speed of 2MB/s, while a 10 equates to a 10MB/s transfer speed. Ideally you want the fastest transfer speed, but we don't have any confirmed reports that this has a significant impact on load times if you have a game downloaded to your MicroSD Card.
Nintendo released the download sizes for a few of the launch window Switch games, which you can see below. For the most part, you can fit 20 or more games onto a 128 GB MicroSD Card if we assume some DLC will be going along with that. Keep in mind you still have the 32 GB of internal storage that you can use to save games, DLC and even screenshots. Some Switch games will clock in right around 1 GB, but the larger games will be 32 GB or more, as seen by the size of Dragon Quest Heroes 1 and 2.
Nintendo Switch Game Download Sizes
- Puyo Puyo Tetris - 1.09 GB
- I Am Setsuna - 1.4 GB
- Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together - 1.6 GB
- Nobunaga’s Ambition - 5 GB
- Disgaea 5 - 5.92 GB
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - 7 GB
- Dragon Quest Heroes 1 and 2 - 32 GB
Be sure to check out our Nintendo Switch console hub for more information on Nintendo’s latest!
Microsd Switch Gamestop
Cheap Microsd Switch
About the author
Bryan Dawson has an extensive background in the gaming industry, having worked as a journalist for various publications for nearly 20 years and participating in a multitude of competitive fighting game events. He has authored over a dozen strategy guides for Prima Games, worked as a consultant on numerous gaming-related TV and web shows and was the Operations Manager for the fighting game division of the IGN Pro League.