How to transfer your Pokémon Scarlet and Violet save data between two Switches

If you’re getting a new Nintendo Switch or you want to play your Pokémon Scarlet and Violet save file on a different console, you’ll need to transfer the save data (the same way you do for most Nintendo Switch games).

Here’s how to transfer your save data for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet:

1. Press X on the Pokémon game from the Nintendo Switch home screen on both consoles.
2. Select “Manage Software” on both consoles.
3. Select “Transfer Your Save Data” on both consoles.
4. Select “Send Save Data to Another Console” on the console that you’re moving the save data off of and select “Receive Save Data” on the Switch that you’re moving the save data to.
5. On the Switch with the save data, select the user that has the save, and select the respective game. Then hit “Send Save Data.”
6. Keep the two Nintendo Switch consoles next to each other while the save data transfers.
7. You’re done!

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet does not support cloud saves. (In fact, none of the Nintendo Switch Pokémon games do.) This means you can only have your save on one console at a time, so if you like to play on a Switch Lite when you’re away from home and an OLED Switch on the TV, you will have to keep transferring the data back and forth between the consoles using the above method.