Hands down Nintendo Switch is the best portable gaming console. What set’s it apart from other gaming consoles is its portable design which allows you to play games on your big screen TV as well as on the go.
Another thing that distinguishes Nintendo from other consoles like Xbox and PlayStation is that it uses cartridges (microSD cards) instead of blu-ray discs to store games. Since it makes use of SD cards it is very common to lose your games and game data since SD cards getting corrupted is no big deal.
If you want to find lost Switch games or looking to recover deleted Nintendo Switch data then this article is for you. Here, I will tell you how to restore game data on Nintendo Switch. In case you can’t access your games because your account is deleted then here’s the guide on how to recover deleted Nintendo account.
Quick links
- Is It Possible To Recover Deleted Games On Nintendo Switch?
- What Are The Reasons For Nintendo Games Getting Deleted?
- How To Recover Deleted Games & Game Files From Nintendo?
- Recover Deleted Nintendo Data: Final Verdict
- FAQs
Is It Possible To Recover Deleted Games On Nintendo Switch?
Yes, it is quite possible to recover the deleted Nintendo Switch games files. You have two options for it; either you recover it through cloud backup or from the game cartridge using an SD card data recovery software.
For the best chances of recovery, you should make sure that you stop saving new data to the Nintendo SD card because it may overwrite the existing Nintendo game files. Once the data is overwritten, no software can recover it for you.
What Are The Reasons For Nintendo Games Getting Deleted?
There are various reasons why you may lose your Nintendo game files. Most commonly it is due to a mistake or accident. The other obvious reason behind losing game and game files is factory resetting Nintendo Switch without taking a backup.
Also, since Nintendo Switch games come in Micro SD cards they are prone to get corrupted or damaged. Virus attacks can also result in deleting the Nintendo game data.
How To Recover Deleted Games & Game Files From Nintendo?
1. Recover From Cloud Backup
If you have been playing Nintendo Switch for some time then you must know that Nintendo allows you to backup your game files like saved games, videos, and screenshots to its cloud server. So that you can access your game on another Switch device in case you lose your data or your Nintendo Switch is damaged or lost.
Here’s how you can recover deleted Nintendo game data from the cloud.
- Go to System Settings from Home Menu.
- Next, Data Management and then choose Save Data Cloud.
- Now Choose your account and then select the game backup file that you wish to download.
- Lastly, click on Download Save Data to restore deleted Nintendo games data.
2. Restore Save Data From Nintendo Switch Using Local Backup
Apart from the cloud, Nintendo also allows you to backup your data on your PC. In case you have created a local backup then you can easily recover and find the lost Switch game files from your local storage. Just follow these steps.
- Connect a new SD card to your computer. Never use a Nintendo Switch SD card that is already in use because this will overwrite the existing files.
- Now open the SD card on your PC and copy the backup folder in it.
- Next, remove the SD card from the computer and insert it into your console.
- Now simply turn on the Nintendo Switch device and start playing your favorite games
3. Recover Nintendo Switch Games By Redownloading Them
There are two ways to play games on the Nintendo Switch console; either you buy cartridges (physical copy) or you buy a digital copy of the game from the eShop. If you have purchased the digital copy of the game through eShop then don’t worry your games are safe. Because even if your games are deleted from your Nintendo account you can easily recover them.
- Go to your Nintendo eShop account then select your profile from the top right corner.
- Select the Redownload option from the left side panel. As you do that a list of your purchased games will appear.
- Just select the game that you want to recover and redownload it.
- Once it is downloaded you will see its icon on your home screen and you will be able to play it again from where you left it.
4. Retrieve Nintendo Game Files From Corrupted SD card
If you have bought a physical copy of your game then it must have come in the form of a cartridge (SD card). Now since the SD card gets easily corrupted or formatted you can easily lose your game from them. Here’s how to retrieve deleted Nintendo games from a corrupt SD card.
In order to get back your Nintendo game data, you will need an SD card data recovery software that can scan and recover data from a corrupted SD card for example Stellar Data Recovery software.
- Remove the SD card from the Nintendo Switch and place it inside a card reader. After that connect the card reader to your computer.
- Next, run the data recovery software and choose the SD card for scanning.
- Now, wait for the data recovery process to complete. Once it is done you will be able to recover your game from the corrupted SD card. Learn more about Stellar Data Recovery software here.
5. Repair Corrupted Nintendo Switch SD Card
SD cards getting corrupted is no new thing due to which the SD card data becomes inaccessible. However, you can repair the corrupted SD card without any technical knowledge with the help of the CHKDSK command.
All you have to do is connect your SD card to your PC and open the command prompt program on it. Next, you need to run the following command on it.
- Type chkdsk /r /f X: and then hit on the Enter button.
- Next, replace the letter X with your SD card drive letter and then run the command.
Wait for a while till the command is running. Once the command is complete try inserting the SD card into Nintendo Switch and see if it’s fixed or not. There are high chances of recovering game data this way.
Recover Deleted Nintendo Data: Final Verdict
Recovering lost game data from Nintendo is quite possible if you already have a backup. However, if you don’t then there is hardly anything you could do. In case of lost games, you can get them back by redownloading them from the eShop. However, it is only applicable for digital games which were bought from eShop and not from anywhere else.
FAQs
Can You Restore Deleted Games On Nintendo Switch?
Yes, if you have downloaded the game from eShop then you can restore the deleted Nintendo games by redownloading them.
Where Are Switch Games Saved?
Switch games are saved in the internal storage of the Nintendo Switch device.
Are Games Saved On The Switch Or The Cartridge?
Switch game saved data is not stored on cartridge rather it is saved on the Switch system memory.
