How to set up Nintendo Switch OLED

Nintendo is back with a new edition of the Switch, the Switch OLED, which boasts brighter, clearer colors, adjustable brightness, and other new features. Here is a guide to set up your new Switch OLED, whether you are a first-time Switch owner or you are upgrading with the newest model. 

First-time Switch owners

If the Switch OLED is your first Switch, the steps to set it up are very straightforward. Visual aids can be found on Nintendo’s customer support page.

• Connect the USB-C plug to the port on the bottom of the Switch OLED.
• Plug the AC adapter into the wall.
• Slide the Joy-Con controllers into their appropriate sides on the console. 
• The screen will light up and walk you through the rest of the process.

Current Switch users

Those who already have a Switch or a Switch Light can set up their new Nintendo Switch OLED through a direct system transfer. However, there are several notes to take into account.

Firstly, this process deletes all information for the selected user from the original device. And this transfer of data is technically happening between Switch users, not systems. So if there are multiple users on one Switch, and you wish to transfer all of them to your new Switch OLED, you must repeat this process with each user. Once data is transferred, you still must redownload your owned games or reinsert the game card to play them. 

One last important note is that screengrabs cannot be transferred through this process. They must be transferred via Micro SD card to another location. You cannot take the Micro SD card from your original Switch and plug it into your new OLED.

Because Animal Crossing has a separate process to transfer save data, your Animal Crossing save will not move over with the rest of your data. To transfer your game data from Animal Crossing, log in to your Nintendo account on both Switches. Redownload the game on your new Switch OLED. You will be prompted along with steps to complete the process.  

Here is how to do a direct system transfer. 

• In System Settings, select User.
• Select Transfer Your User Data. 
• Choose the device you’d like to transfer the information to.
• Select Next. 

Transferring your data this way will automatically activate your new Switch OLED. This will make it your primary Switch so that you can play games on it while offline. This will also make it possible to share your games from your Switch OLED with others.