How to insert an SD card into a Nintendo Switch to save game data and screenshots, or remove a card that's already in
- To insert an SD card into your Nintendo Switch, you'll need to lift up the Switch's kickstand.
- Underneath the kickstand is a small slot that you can insert a microSD card into.
- The kickstand is located on the Switch itself, not the dock, so you'll need to have it in handheld mode to insert an SD card.
- Once you've inserted a microSD card into your Switch, you can save game data and screenshots onto it.
As time goes on, video games are becoming larger and larger. This means that if you play a lot of new games, you're going to run out of storage space on your console pretty quickly.
Like Nintendo's past consoles, you can insert a microSD card (and only a microSD card) into the Nintendo Switch to save games and screenshots. This is a cheap and easy way to expand your storage space.
However, it's not so easy to find the Switch's SD card slot. It's hidden away underneath another part of the console — not nearly as obvious as the Wii, which had the slot right on the front.
Here's where you can find the Switch's SD card slot, how to insert a microSD card, and what you can do with it.
How to insert an SD card into the Nintendo Switch
Before you do anything, make sure the console is turned off.
1. Take your Switch out of its dock, and turn it over. Look for the kickstand — this is a rectangular bit of plastic on the left side of the console.
2. Get underneath the lip on the bottom of the kickstand, either with your fingernail or something similar, like a flathead screwdriver. Then pull it up, away from the body of the Switch, to open it.
3. Underneath the stand, you'll see the SD card slot. If there's a card already in there, gently push it in and then release — it should pop out, and you can remove it from the slot.
4. To insert a new SD card, or to reinsert the old one, first make sure it's correctly lined up with the port where it belongs. The part with the exposed metal material should be the end that goes in first, and it should be facing down.
5. When you are certain that your SD card is positioned correctly, simply slide it back into the port until you feel or hear it click into place.
6. Once the SD card is in, you can push the kickstand back down and click it back into place.
Once your microSD card is in, you can turn your Switch back on. Through the System Settings menu's "Data Management" screen, you can transfer data between the system and the microSD card.
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