Is your Nintendo Switch home screen a chaotic mosaic of game icons? Do you find yourself scrolling endlessly to find the title you actually want to play?

Perhaps the dreaded “Not Enough Free Space” message has thwarted your latest gaming acquisition. Fear not, fellow gamer, for this guide will illuminate the simple yet crucial process of how to delete games on Nintendo Switch. Freeing up precious storage space not only makes way for new adventures but also helps in managing your ever-growing backlog.

This in-depth guide will walk you through the various methods of deleting games, explain the critical difference between archiving and deleting, and provide step-by-step instructions to ensure a smooth and stress-free cleanup of your console’s internal memory or microSD card.

Archiving vs. Deleting Games on Your Nintendo Switch

Before we dive into the “how to delete games on Nintendo Switch,” it’s essential to understand the two primary options Nintendo provides for removing game software: archiving and deleting. While both will free up significant storage space, they have one key difference that could impact your future gaming.

Archiving Games on Nintendo Switch

Think of archiving as a temporary farewell. When you archive a game, you are removing the main game data, which is the largest consumer of storage. However, the game’s icon will remain on your home screen, acting as a convenient shortcut. Most importantly, your save data remains untouched on the console. This is the ideal option for best games you plan to revisit in the future.

Deleting Games on Nintendo Switch

Deleting a game takes things a step further. This action removes the game’s software data and its icon from your home screen. Just like archiving, deleting a game does not erase your save data.  This method is best suited for games you are confident you won’t play again or for demos that you’ve completed.

To re-download a deleted game, you’ll need to navigate to the Nintendo eShop, access your profile, and find it in the “Redownload” section.

How to Delete Games on Nintendo Switch: Step-by-Step Instructions

Now that you understand the difference between archiving and deleting, let’s get down to the practical steps. There are two primary ways to access the options for managing your software.

Method 1

You can Delete Games on Nintendo Switch from the mail menu. This is the most direct way to manage a specific game you have in your sights.

• On your Nintendo Switch HOME Menu, highlight the icon of the game you wish to remove.
• Press the “+” or “–” button on your controller. This will open a menu with various options for that software.
• Scroll down and select Manage Software option.
• You will now see and select the options to either “Archive Software” or “Delete Software.”
• A confirmation screen will appear. Select “Archive” or “Delete” to complete the process.

This straightforward method is perfect for quickly freeing up space when you know exactly which game you want to target. Knowing how to delete games on Nintendo Switch using this method is a fundamental skill for any Switch owner.

Method 2

If you’re looking to do a more thorough cleanup and see which games are taking up the most space, heading into the System Settings is your best bet.

• From the HOME Menu, select the gear icon to open System Settings.
• On the left-hand menu, scroll down and select “Data Management.”
• Select “Manage Software“: This will display a list of all your installed games, conveniently sorted by file size from largest to smallest.
• Select the game you want to remove.
• You’ll be presented with the same “Archive Software” and “Delete Software” options.
• A final confirmation pop-up will appear. Confirm your choice to free up the storage.

This method is particularly useful for identifying the biggest storage hogs on your system. It provides a clear overview that helps you make informed decisions about what to keep and what to remove, making the process of how to delete games on Nintendo Switch much more efficient.

What About My Save Data?

This is a common point of anxiety for gamers. You’ve poured countless hours into building your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons or conquering every shrine in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The good news is, as mentioned earlier, both archiving and deleting software will not affect your saved game data.

Where Your Save Data Lives

Your game progress is stored separately in the console’s system memory. This is a deliberate design choice by Nintendo to protect your valuable playtime. So, whether you archive a game you might play again next month or delete a demo you’ll never touch again, your save files remain safe and sound.

How to Manage Your Save Data

If you do wish to remove save data—for instance, to start a game completely fresh—you must do so through a separate process.

• Go to System Settings > Data Management.
• Scroll down and select “Delete Save Data.”
• Choose the game whose save data you want to remove.
• Select the user profile associated with the saved data.
• Confirm the deletion. Be certain, as this action is irreversible!

It’s important to distinguish this process from learning how to delete games on Nintendo Switch, as they serve very different purposes. Deleting save data is permanent, while deleting game software is easily reversible by redownloading.

How to Re-download Deleted or Archived Titles

So, you’ve cleared out some space, but now you’re feeling nostalgic for an old favorite. Getting your games back is just as easy as removing them.

Re-downloading an Archived Game

This is the simplest method. Since the game’s icon is still on your HOME Menu, you just need to select it.

• Find the game icon on your HOME Menu. It will have a small cloud symbol next to it.
• Select the icon and press “A”.
• Choose “Download.” The game will begin downloading from the Nintendo eShop. You don’t even need to go to the store!

Re-downloading a Deleted Game

If you completely deleted the game, the icon won’t be on your HOME Menu. You’ll need to take a quick trip to the eShop.

• Open the Nintendo eShop from your HOME Menu.
• Select your user profile icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
• Navigate to “Redownload” on the left-hand menu.
• Find the game in the list of your purchased software.
• Click the cloud icon to begin the download.

This process ensures that any game you’ve purchased is always available to you, even if it’s not currently installed on your console. This is a key feature that makes understanding how to delete games on Nintendo Switch a worry-free experience.

FAQs

Q: If I follow the steps on how to delete games on Nintendo Switch, will I lose my save data?

No, you will not. Both archiving and deleting a game on the Nintendo Switch remove the game’s software data but leave your personal save data untouched.

Q: How to delete save data on Switch? To delete saved data on a Nintendo Switch

• Go to System Settings from the HOME Menu
• Select Data Management
• Then click Delete Save Data.
• Now select the game, choose the user profile, and confirm to delete the save data.

Q: Can I get my game back after I delete it?

Yes, any game you have purchased from the Nintendo eShop is permanently tied to your Nintendo Account.