Nintendo Switch is a popular gaming console that offers a variety of features for its users. One of the most important aspects of any gaming console is the ability to manage and delete saved data. Deleting saved data on the Nintendo Switch is a simple process, but it can confuse new users. In this article, I will explain how to delete saved data on the Nintendo Switch in five easy steps.
What is saved data on Nintendo Switch, and why you may need to delete it
Saved data on the Nintendo Switch refers to the game progress, settings, and other data stored on the console’s internal storage or a microSD card. This data is created when you play a game and save your progress, allowing you to resume where you left off the next time you play.
You may need to delete saved data on your Nintendo Switch for several reasons. Here are a few common scenarios:
- Freeing up space: As you play more games and save your progress, your saved data can take up a significant amount of space on your Nintendo Switch. Deleting old saved data can free up space for new games and applications.
- Starting fresh: Sometimes, you may want to start a game over from the beginning. Deleting saved data is necessary to erase your progress and start fresh.
- Resolving issues: In some cases, saved data can become corrupted or cause issues with a game. Deleting the saved data and starting over can sometimes resolve these issues.
- Sharing your console: If you share your Nintendo Switch with others, you may want to delete your saved data to avoid accidentally overwriting or deleting someone else’s progress.
It is also important to note that you can delete saved data for a particular game and different accounts if you do not need them anymore. Let’s take a closer look at how this works.
How to delete saved data on Nintendo Switch
Deleting saved data on Nintendo Switch is a straightforward process that can be accomplished in a few simple steps. Here’s how to do it:
- From the Home Menu, navigate to Settings by pressing the gear icon.
- In the System Settings menu, select the Data Management option.
- Under Data Management, select Delete Save Data.
- You will now see a list of all the saved data on your Nintendo Switch. Select the saved data you want to delete by highlighting it and pressing the A button.
- You will be taken to a menu where you can choose between two options: Delete for a single user or delete all data for that application. Select the appropriate case option and confirm your action with the Yes button.
- The saved data will now be permanently deleted from your Nintendo Switch.
To confirm that the saved data has been deleted, return to the Home Menu and open the game or application where the saved data was stored. If the saved data has been deleted successfully, you should see a message that says no saved data is available.
It’s important to note that it cannot be recovered once saved data has been deleted. So, make sure you delete the correct data before proceeding with the deletion process. Additionally, some games have built-in safeguards that prevent players from accidentally deleting saved data, so read any on-screen instructions before attempting to delete saved data.
How to delete games on Nintendo Switch
Deleting games on Nintendo Switch is a simple process that can be accomplished in a few easy steps. Here’s how to do it:
- From the Home Menu, navigate to the game you want to delete.
- Press the – or + buttons on your Joy-Cons.
- Select Manage Software from the menu.
- In the Manage Software menu, select Delete Software.
- You will now be asked to confirm that you want to delete the game. Select Delete to confirm.
- The game will now be deleted from your Nintendo Switch.
If the game were downloaded from the Nintendo eShop, its icon would still appear on your Home Menu, but it will be greyed out with a cloud icon. This means the game is no longer installed on your Nintendo Switch but can be re-downloaded from the Nintendo eShop anytime. If you want to remove the game from your Home Menu completely, you can select the greyed-out icon and choose “Delete” from the menu that appears.
It’s important to note that once a game is deleted, all saved data associated with it will also be deleted. So, back up any saved data you want to keep before deleting a game.
What is the Archive Software button in Nintendo Switch?
When you uninstall a game on your Nintendo Switch you may notice that there will also be an Archive Software option. This will allow you to remove the game from your device but keep all the saved data. This might be useful if you decide to continue playing it later on. You will only have to download it again and you can start where you left off last time.
If you archive the game, it will be deleted, but you will still see its icon on your home screen. If you click on it, your console will prompt you to download the game again. The same place in the vault will occupy all the saved data for all the accounts that run the game.
