Nintendo Switch Data Recovery: Recover & Repair Game Data

The Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular gaming consoles, known for its versatility, portability, and extensive game library. Whether you're a casual gamer or a dedicated Nintendo fan, losing your game progress or encountering corrupted save data can be a frustrating experience.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll show you how to perform Nintendo Switch data recovery in 3 effective ways and repair game data on your Nintendo Switch so you can get back to playing without losing your precious achievements.

Why You Need Nintendo Switch Data Recovery

Before jumping into the recovery methods, it's important to understand why your data might be lost. Here are some common scenarios where Nintendo Switch data recovery could be necessary:

🐱‍🏍Accidental Deletion: Maybe you accidentally deleted a game or a saved file while managing your games.

🎆 Corrupt SD Card: If you're storing your game data on an SD card, physical damage or corruption can cause your data to become inaccessible.

🎊 Nintendo System Errors: Sometimes, a system update or software malfunction can result in lost data.

🎏 Broken Nintendo Switch: In rare cases, physical damage to your Nintendo Switch can cause data loss.

No matter the reason, the good news is that Nintendo Switch data recovery is possible. Below are four proven methods to restore your lost or deleted data.

How to Recover Game Data on Nintendo Switch

If you've lost your game data, don’t panic. You have several options to recover it. Below, we'll outline the main recovery methods for Nintendo Switch players.

Way 1. Perform Nintendo Switch Data Recovery on a Windows PC

If you've stored some of your game data, screenshots, or downloadable content (DLC) on a microSD card, you may be able to recover those files. However, game save data is stored in the system memory, not on the SD card, so you won't be able to recover saved game progress this way. But if you’ve lost other files, MyRecover is a reliable data recovery software that can help you retrieve them.

Steps to Recover Nintendo Switch Data from MicroSD Card:

Step 1: Connect microSD card to the Computer

Connect your microSD card to your computer using a memory card reader. Open MyRecover, hover over the microSD card containing lost or deleted files and click Scan.

Step 2: Scan the microSD card

The software will automatically start a quick scan and deep scan to find all of your deleted or lost files from memory card. Once the scan is finished, you'll be able to preview recoverable files.

Step 3: Recover Your Files

Select the ones you need and click “Recover X Files”. Be sure to save the recovered files to a different storage device to avoid overwriting existing data on the microSD card.

Way 2. Recover Nintendo Switch Data from Cloud Backup

If you're a Nintendo Switch Online member, your game save data is automatically backed up to the cloud. Cloud backups ensure that your save data is securely stored online, even if your console or SD card is damaged. This makes it easy to restore your lost or deleted game data.

How to Recover Game Data from the Cloud Backup:

Step 1: On your Nintendo Switch, go to the Home Menu and open System Settings. From there, navigate to Data Management, then select Save Data Cloud.

Step 2: Under Save Data Cloud, you’ll see the games whose data is backed up. Choose the game from which you’ve lost data and select Download Save Data. This will restore your lost game data from the cloud backup to your console.

Step 3: Once the download is complete, check your game to confirm that the lost data has been restored. If successful, you’re back in business!

Way 3. Recover Deleted Games from Nintendo eShop

If you accidentally deleted a game, you can still recover the purchased game files from the Nintendo eShop. The best part is that your saved data will be restored automatically when you re-download the game.

Steps to Recover Deleted Game Data from Nintendo eShop:

Step 1: Open the Nintendo eShop and log into your account.

Step 2: Tap your profile icon in the top right corner and select Redownload.

Step 3: Find the game you wish to recover in the Redownload section and click the cloud icon to re-download it. Once the game is reinstalled, your save data will be restored, and you can continue from where you left off.

How to Repair Corrupted Save Data on Nintendo Switch

If you encounter corrupted save data, there are a few steps you can take to repair it and get back to gaming.

Fix 1. Update the Game Software

Updating the software is often the simplest fix for data corruption. Nintendo frequently releases patches to fix bugs or glitches that might cause data issues.

Step 1: From the HOME menu, select the game.

Step 2: Press the + button and choose Software Update > Via the Internet.

Fix 2. Check for Corrupted Data

If you receive a notification about corrupted data, use the Check for Corrupted Data feature:

Step 1: From the HOME menu, go to System Settings > Data Management > Manage Software.

Step 2: Select the affected game and click Check for Corrupted Data.

If the system detects corruption, you can choose to download the saved data from the cloud to replace the corrupted files.

Fix 3. Initialize the Switch Without Deleting Data

If the above methods don't work, you can try initializing your Nintendo Switch without deleting saved data. This can resolve many system-related issues without affecting your game progress.

Step 1: Power off your Nintendo Switch. Hold both the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons while pressing the Power button to enter Maintenance Mode.

Step 2: Select Initialize Console Without Deleting Save Data and follow the on-screen instructions.

How to Transfer Game Data to MicroSD Card

If you're running out of space on your Nintendo Switch's system memory, you can move game-related data to a microSD card. This is a great way to free up internal storage while keeping your games and data easily accessible. Here are the steps to transfer game data:

Step 1: Insert a microSD card into your Nintendo Switch.

Step 2: Go to System Settings > Data Management > Move Data Between System / microSD Card.

Step 3: Select Move to microSD Card or Move to System Memory, depending on where the data is currently stored.

Final Words: Prevent Future Data Loss

To avoid future data loss or corruption, consider these tips:

• Regularly back up your game save data to the cloud with a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
• Use a high-quality microSD card to ensure the safety of your game-related data.
• Always update your games and system software to prevent bugs and glitches.

By following these steps, you can minimize the risk of losing your game data and ensure a smoother gaming experience on your Nintendo Switch.

If you're still having trouble recovering or repairing your game data, don't hesitate to reach out to Nintendo support or use third-party recovery tools like MyRecover to recover lost game data in no time.

FAQs on Nintendo Switch Data Recovery

1. Can I recover lost game data from a microSD card?

Yes, you can recover other types of game-related data like downloadable content, screenshots, and DLC, but saved game data is stored in system memory and cannot be retrieved from the microSD card.

2. How can I repair corrupted save data on Nintendo Switch?

You can try updating your game, checking for corrupted data, or initializing the system without deleting save data to repair corrupted files.

3. Can I recover game data from Nintendo eShop?

Yes, if you accidentally deleted a game, you can re-download it from the eShop, and your saved game data will automatically be restored.

4. Is there a way to back up Nintendo Switch game data?

Yes, Nintendo Switch Online users have the option to back up game save data to the cloud.

5. What should I do if my Nintendo Switch isn't reading my microSD card?

If your Switch isn’t recognizing the microSD card, try removing and reinserting it, ensuring it's properly formatted, or testing it with another device. You can also try troubleshooting with system settings.