Nintendo Switch update adds controller remapping — but omits one key feature

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Nintendo now lets you transfer games from library to an SD card...but not saves

Nintendo Switch Ver. 10
(Image credit: Future)

The Nintendo Switch Ver. 10.0.0 update adds a few neat features, but it's a painful reminder that you can't transfer save data from your system to an SD card, as Nintendo kindly pointed out in its patch notes.

Here's everything that's in Nintendo Switch Ver. 10.0.0:

Transfer software from Nintendo Switch to an SD card

You can now transfer any downloadable software, update data or DLC from the Nintendo Switch to your designated SD card. However, Nintendo points out that some update data cannot be transferred to an SD card and, putting salt in the wound, notes that save data cannot be transferred, either.

If you're new to owning a Nintendo Switch, then this might come as a surprise to you, but the only way to back up your data on a Nintendo Switch is via cloud saving. And the only way you get access to cloud saving is by paying for the Nintendo Switch Online service.

Granted, the service is a measly $20 a year, which isn't a huge deal for most folks, but the controversy is that not every game is eligible for cloud saving. Games like Splatoon 2 are not eligible because they're seen as competitive games, and apparently, Nintendo can't figure out how to stop someone save scumming their rank apart from killing cloud saves altogether.

Apart from that little tangent, there is one awesome thing coming out of this update.

Remap the controller buttons on Nintendo Switch

One of the best features of PC games is the option to remap buttons, and now that option is on the Nintendo Switch. To remap your buttons, go to System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Change Button Mapping.

In this menu, you can remap every button on your controller, whether it's an individual Joy-Con displayed horizontally or a Joy-Con displayed vertically acting as a part of a pair.

You can only customize the buttons on the Joy-Cons, Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and the Nintendo Switch Lite. That means third-party accessories will not be compatible.

For now, you can save up to five custom configurations for each individual controller.

Animal Crossing icons and more

There are now six new icons from Animal Crossing: New Horizons you can choose for your avatar.

The options for "Display play activity to:" and "Delete Play Activity" have been moved from Friends Settings to the new Play Activity Settings.

Nintendo also added a bookmark feature to News, which lets you bookmark up to 300 news items, but if the news isn't available, it cannot be viewed even if you bookmarked it.

Rami Tabari
Rami Tabari
Editor

Rami Tabari is an Editor for Laptop Mag. He reviews every shape and form of a laptop as well as all sorts of cool tech. You can find him sitting at his desk surrounded by a hoarder's dream of laptops, and when he navigates his way out to civilization, you can catch him watching really bad anime or playing some kind of painfully difficult game. He’s the best at every game and he just doesn’t lose. That’s why you’ll occasionally catch his byline attached to the latest Souls-like challenge.