Minecraft Switch 2 World Transfer: How to Move Your Worlds

A Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer lets you bring existing Minecraft worlds, builds and progress from the original Nintendo Switch game into the native Switch 2 edition. Mojang confirms that you can carry your saves over, so you will not have to start a new survival game just because you have upgraded.

You need to get the original Switch save data onto Switch 2 first. From there, the new Minecraft edition can migrate detected worlds automatically on its first launch. There is also a Sync Old Worlds option for moving individual worlds afterward. Here are the exact steps and what to try if a world does not appear.

Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer: move your old save data first

Before starting the Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer, check whether the original Minecraft save data is already on your Switch 2. If you have been playing the original Switch game through backward compatibility on Switch 2 and can see your worlds there, the first stage is already complete.

If your saves are still on the old console, use Nintendo’s System Transfer feature. During Switch 2 setup, keep both consoles close together, connected to the internet and updated. On your original Switch, choose System Settings > System > System Transfer to Nintendo Switch 2, then follow the instructions on both screens. That full system transfer is different from moving just one Minecraft save. If your Switch 2 is already set up, use the individual save-transfer steps below.

Mojang also lists the option to move an individual user under System Settings > Users > Transfer Your User Data. Connect both systems to the same Wi-Fi, select the old Switch as the Source and Switch 2 as the Target, then follow the prompts. If you have already set up an account on Switch 2, check Nintendo’s individual save-transfer choices before attempting to move the whole profile.

Read Nintendo’s warnings carefully. Some transfer methods remove save data from the original console. Do not sell or reset the old Switch until you have confirmed your Minecraft worlds are accessible on Switch 2.

How to transfer Minecraft saves if Switch 2 is already set up

You do not need to factory-reset your Switch 2 just to move a Minecraft save. Nintendo supports transferring individual game saves between nearby consoles when the relevant profile on each is linked to the same Nintendo Account. For a Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer after setup, this is usually the easiest option.

1. Update both consoles, connect them to the internet and keep them nearby.
2. On the original Switch, go to System Settings > Data Management > Transfer Your Save Data.
3. Choose Send Save Data to Another Console, select the correct user, and choose your Minecraft save.
4. On Switch 2, go to System Settings > Data Management > Transfer Your Save Data and choose Receive Save Data.
5. Complete the transfer, then launch the native Minecraft for Switch 2 game.

Important: Nintendo says this moves the save rather than copying it. The save is deleted from the original Switch after it is sent. If Switch 2 already has a save for that same game, choosing Overwrite Save Data permanently replaces it. Check the account and the world’s current progress before confirming a Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer.

Mojang also lists System Settings > Users > Transfer Your User Data for transferring a whole profile. That is different from moving one game’s save, and is not necessary if your Switch 2 profile is already set up. This Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer method keeps the focus on the existing save.

How to migrate all Minecraft worlds automatically

The quickest Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer happens the first time you open the native Minecraft for Nintendo Switch 2 game. When Minecraft detects save data from the original Switch version on that console, Mojang says it performs a one-time migration of the worlds.

1. Make sure the old Minecraft for Nintendo Switch save data is already present on Switch 2.
2. Install and open Minecraft for Nintendo Switch 2, rather than only using the older game through backward compatibility.
3. Allow the automatic migration to complete when the game detects old save data.
4. Open the world list and load a transferred world to check your builds and progress.

Mojang says the automatic Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer does not run again after successful completion. If another world is missing or you want to bring over an additional save, follow the manual method below.

Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer: Sync Old Worlds steps

Sync Old Worlds is the official alternative for transferring individual Minecraft worlds. It works within the native Switch 2 game and is useful if you have already completed the one-time migration.

1. Start Minecraft for Nintendo Switch 2.
2. Open Settings.
3. Select Storage.
4. Scroll down and select Sync Old Worlds.
5. After syncing, select Manage to find old worlds and convert the ones you want.

Check the world list after conversion before deleting older data. This Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer option is explicitly included in Mojang’s new Switch 2 migration instructions. It is not restricted to the older Nintendo Switch Edition.

What if you played Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition?

Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition is the older, pre-Bedrock release. If your world is still in that version, Mojang says you must first transfer it into the modern Minecraft Bedrock game on the original Switch. Once it is in Bedrock, move that save data to Switch 2 and follow the new-edition migration steps.

If you already use the modern Minecraft for Nintendo Switch, you can skip that older conversion and continue with the Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer described above.

Minecraft Switch 2 worlds missing: what to check

If your Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer is complete but some worlds are missing, start with Settings > Storage > Sync Old Worlds and select Manage. Mojang points players to this route when they need to find more old worlds after the one-time transfer.

If only some worlds were migrated successfully, Minecraft may show a Retry button to finish the rest. If the game warns that you do not have enough storage, clear the amount of space requested and try again. For any other displayed error, address the issue and then select Retry.

Each Minecraft world is associated with a Nintendo Account profile. If more than one person uses your console, the Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer must be performed for each relevant account. Check the selected user before deciding that a world has disappeared.

Marketplace content, missing profiles and Realms

Not every missing item is a failed world transfer. Mojang directs players who cannot see Marketplace purchases to its Marketplace-content help. If your profile is missing, the problem may involve Microsoft account linking, Xbox privacy settings or the way you signed in. A missing Realm may also require Nintendo account troubleshooting.

Check those account issues separately from your Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer. Repeating a local save conversion will not necessarily restore a Realm or an incorrectly linked Microsoft account.

Do you need Nintendo Switch Online?

Nintendo’s local console transfer does not require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription simply to move local user and save data. You do need an internet connection, the consoles and the appropriate Nintendo Account setup. Online Minecraft features and Realms can have separate requirements.

Will your original Minecraft worlds work on Switch 2?

Yes. Once the Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer is finished, you can open those saves in the native game, with Vibrant Visuals available in supported gameplay. Do not remove original save data until you have checked the new copy. Our Minecraft Switch 2 release and upgrade guide covers the available editions and January 31, 2027 offer deadline.

Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer: do different Nintendo Accounts work?

No. Nintendo’s individual save-transfer feature works only when both consoles use a profile linked to the same Nintendo Account. Minecraft worlds are part of the original user’s save data. A different account on Switch 2 does not inherit that user’s worlds just because the console or game is shared.

For a Minecraft Switch 2 world transfer that leaves worlds missing, check the original user profile on both consoles, make sure the old Minecraft save data is present, then open the native game and use Settings > Storage > Sync Old Worlds > Manage to convert any remaining saves. Nintendo warns that some individual save transfers delete the original data and can overwrite destination saves, so check your backups before retrying.

Official source: Minecraft Help Center: Minecraft Migration from Switch 1 to Switch 2.