The release of Nintendo Switch update 11.0.0 brings with it various tweaks and additional functionality to the Switch and Switch Lite's base firmware, including the power to transfer screenshots from your console to a smartphone or PC. Previously, it was possible to upload up to four screenshots at a fourth dimension to Twitter or save them to your internal Micro SD card, power off your Switch and move the card to a PC to re-create your precious captured gaming memories.

More than convenient options for transferring screenshots and videos from your Nintendo Switch to another device — be it a smart device, PC, or Mac — are now available and nosotros'll testify you how in this guide.

Skip to the method you want from the contents beneath and we'll take you through the Switch image and video transfer procedure.

Nintendo Switch Screenshot Transfer Guide

For the smart device option it doesn't matter if it's a phone or a tablet, or an Android or iOS-based device — the process is the aforementioned. With that in mind, let's smart with those devices, shall we?...

Send Images and Videos to Smart Devices from a Nintendo Switch

You can transfer up to ten images and 1 video capture to your smart device at in one case using the in-congenital system that came with update 11.0.0., and obviously yous'll demand to have downloaded that update.

  • To bank check which version you're running, tap 'Arrangement Settings', scroll down to 'System' at the bottom and look at the version number beneath 'Organization Update' on the top right — if it's information technology's lower than version 11.0.0, download the latest firmware.

You volition demand:

  • A Nintendo Switch or Switch Light with some images or videos captured
  • A smart device (a telephone or tablet, or a flashy fridge perhaps...)

1. From your Switch'southward Home Card — in docked or handheld mode — simply navigate to the Album icon underneath your games collection and press the 'A' Button. Navigate to the screenshot or video that you want to transfer and printing the 'A' Button. We've gone for this rather fetching example from Breath of the Wild, because why not?

2. Press 'A' once again to bring upwardly a menu on the left hand side with additional options. Highlight 'Send to Smart Device' option and press 'A'. You lot'll be prompted as to whether y'all desire to transport an individual screenshot or multiple (or 'Mutliple' in the initial release — version eleven.0.1 is waiting in the wings, nosotros're sure). We'll embrace an individual screenshot starting time and so motility onto multiple screenshots, and finally videos.

3. Select 'Send Individually' and you'll be presented with a QR lawmaking that you demand to scan using your smart device's camera. Depending on your device, you lot may be able to scan this with your stock photographic camera/QR app or you lot may have to download a QR Scanner App from your appropriate app store. At that place's plenty about and they all exercise pretty much the aforementioned thing, and so just become with a well-rated one.

5. Switch QR Code To Scan
Paradigm: Nintendo Life

4. Scan the QR code with your device'due south camera and you lot'll be prompted to connect to a hotspot Wi-Fi network broadcast by your Switch console named "switch_something". Don't worry, this is what's supposed to happen and it's perfectly safe; further information virtually what this ways is bachelor at the bottom of the screen should you wish to know more than.

5. Join the network and your Switch will then present a 2nd QR lawmaking for you to scan. Do so and you lot'll exist taken to a webpage within your default browser, such as Safari or Chrome. If y'all can't scan information technology for whatever reason, you tin too but type in '192.168.0.1/alphabetize.html' in your device's web browser.

6. From here you should meet your screenshot on your device, simply tap it, then tap and hold to present the selection to download it, although this step may differ slightly depending on your specific device (as noted on the screen itself).

7. When you're done, simply highlight 'End' on your Nintendo Switch to finish the process. Your smart device volition be disconnected from the network your Switch created, and your Switch will return to its Anthology. You can now press the Home Push to return to the Home Carte.

For multiple screenshots the process is identical, except that when you load the folio upward to ten screenshots volition be present for you to download, which you volition need to exercise 1 at a time.

For videos the process is besides identical up until yous view the webpage. This time y'all will exist presented with the unmarried video with the ability to watch it. Below the embedded video volition be the option to download it; simply tap that link and the download will brainstorm. Easy!

Transport Images and Videos to a PC or Mac from a Nintendo Switch

If yous're champing at the bit to transfer more x screenshots and/or videos, you can ship them directly to your figurer via a simple (if slightly subconscious) process.

You lot volition need:

  • A Nintendo Switch or Switch Lite with some images or videos captured
  • A PC or Mac
  • A USB-A to USB-C or USB-C to USB-C cable

1. From your Switch's Home Menu, navigate to the System Settings icon underneath your games drove and press the 'A' push button. From this carte you need to scroll the left hand carte down until you highlight the 'Information Management' option. Navigate right and scroll down until y'all highlight 'Manage Screenshots and Videos', then press 'A'.

2. From here, navigate down to the 'Re-create to PC via USB Connexion' option and select it with 'A'. Your Switch will prompt you to connect your Switch to your PC (or Mac) using a USB cablevision. It'south good advice, do it.

3. You'll demand a cable to connect the two machines. If you have a Pro Controller, the cable that came with that is absolutely ideal, although any standard USB-A to USB-C should be up to the chore (Nintendo itself has the following to say: A USB charging cable [model HAC-010] or a USB-IF certified USB cable that supports information transfer is required to connect to a estimator). Some more modernistic machines may not fifty-fifty have a USB-A port, and then in this instance you lot'll need a USB-C to USB-C cable, or an appropriate adapter.

Whatever your situation, a cable must get from your PC or Mac to this port on your Switch — and just the port on the Switch itself. Every bit noted in the 'Troubleshoot' department, this transfer won't work by connecting to your docked Switch to your computer via the dock.

18. Troubleshooting Switch Image And Video Transfer
Image: Nintendo Life

four. If you're using a PC, your Switch should show up in Explorer as a 'Nintendo Switch' or a camera within 'This PC'. Navigate through it similar it were whatever other removable drive, and now yous're free to view and copy as many images or videos as y'all like using Windows' native systems.

19. Nintendo Switch Images And Videos
Paradigm: Nintendo Life

5. Once you're washed, simply highlight the option on your Switch proverb 'Disconnect' and press the 'A' button to, well, disconnect. You lot can tap information technology on the touchscreen if yous adopt. That's it — you're done!

Note for Mac Users

If yous're more Mac-orientated, yous're going to need additional software because information technology'south 1997, apparently. There is an official Android File Transfer app that you lot can download from the Android website, and whilst this does work and will permit you view and download all old your screenshots and videos, it does not provide previews of any kind, so it can exist very tough to know exactly what file is what.

In this instance we used the costless version of an app called MacDroid, which allows you to view the files on your Switch using the native Finder system of MacOS. Information technology is unofficial, and so download and use it at your own risk, just we suffered no bug and plant it to be significantly more straightforward than the official selection.

Whichever machine you're using, make certain you disconnect via that 'Disconnect' option on your Switch.

And so, yous should have everything you demand to know right there, just we do have some additional notes to hopefully provide answers to your burning questions.

Can I connect my Switch direct to my Smartphone or Smart device?

It appears not. Nosotros did endeavor connecting the Switch to several Android phones via a USB-C to USB-C cable, but none of them would recognise it properly. One fifty-fifty had the gall to charge its battery via our delicious Nintendo console. Rude.

Tin can I connect my docked Switch to my PC or Mac?

As nosotros mentioned to a higher place, this is not possible. We did endeavor to connect a docked Switch to a computer using both a USB-A to USB-C cable and a USB-A to USB-A cable, which is a matter that actually exists that nosotros have zero employ for these days. This sadly does non piece of work — the Switch simply didn't recognise that it had been connected to another motorcar.

Does this Switch transfer work with Linux?

We thought about Linux besides, and then we baked up a Raspberry Bone Micro SD Card, slapped it in a Raspberry Pi Zip and it worked without issue! We weren't able to view the images straight, we had to copy them over to the Pi in order to view them or do annihilation with them, only that wasn't an consequence, and moreover we were impressed at how well the videos played back on what is literally a £v computer running a GUI. The audio... well, let'south not talk about the audio. Otherwise, nosotros were impressed.

Do I need to scan the QR code every time, or tin can I just connect to the same Switch hotspot network?

Using our brains and noticing that the Switch was substantially creating its own WiFi hotspot connection for the smart device transfer, we wondered if nosotros needed to carp with the starting time QR lawmaking and could instead but reconnect to the network on our phones. Annoyingly (although probably sensibly from a security perspective) the Switch generates a new WPA password each fourth dimension, so no die on that front.

Call up, if you lot run into any bug, Nintendo's Back up website is always bachelor.

Nintendo
Prototype: Nintendo

And that almost sums it upwards! Once you've done either of the processes once it'due south super easy to repeat and you'll never over again have apply for this lovingly-created guide. That's okay — that's the destiny of whatever practiced guide. Don't look back, lovely people!