Guide: Nintendo 3DS System Update
Posted by James Newton
With Nintendo releasing stacks of new colours and the odd limited edition 3DS too, you can at last transfer data from one system to another. Here's how.
System Transfer Tool
Click into your System Settings
Tap "Other Settings"
Navigate to page three and select System Transfer
The 3DS will then attempt to connect to the Internet to make sure the transfer tool is available. After that, transfer is go.
You Cannot Transfer Between Regions
There are a number of restrictions on your system transfer ability, which Nintendo specifies as:
- Not permitted for systems with different region or country settings
- Up to 5 transfers permitted
- Waiting period between a transfer and next transfer (period duration TBA)
- Further restrictions apply
So don't get all gung-ho and try to move content between a European and an American 3DS; it just won't work.
However, any downloaded games or add-on content can be successfully moved between 3DS consoles.
In addition, the eShop balances of both consoles will be combined after transfer, so you won't lose any money.
Nintendo's Official Description
- Once a transfer has been performed, it cannot be undone.
- When performing a transfer, the data on the target system will be overwritten with that of the source system. When the transfer completes, the System Memory of the source system will be formatted, deleting all data.
Note: Your System Settings configuration and any stored credit card information will not be transferred. These will be deleted.
When overwriting data on the target system:
- Time-limited add-on content and add-on content with a limited number of uses purchased on the target system will be lost.
- Any software/add-on content present on the target system will be replaced with that of the source system, and the original target system data will no longer be usable.
Note: Any software and add-on content originally purchased/downloaded on the source system will be usable with the target system.
- SD Cards containing data created on the source system will be immediately usable with the target system after the transfer. Data created by the target system on SD Cards will no longer be usable.
Note: Nintendo 3DS Sound recordings and Nintendo 3DS Camera videos and photos will not be deleted and can continue to be used. Nintendo 3DS download software purchased on or downloaded to the target system before performing the transfer can be redownloaded to that system from the Nintendo eShop after the transfer.
- The Nintendo eShop balance of the source system will be combined with that of the target system.
Note: The transfer will not be able to be performed if the combined balance would exceed the maximum balance allowed in Nintendo eShop.
- There is a limit on the number of times that transfers can be performed. A system cannot participate in a transfer once this number is reached. The number of transfers remaining is displayed whenever you start performing a transfer.
Note: A transfer can only be performed once in a 7-day interval.
- Any pre-installed Nintendo 3DS download software will be transferred from the source system to the target system. However if you delete your Nintendo eShop account activity on the target system after the transfer, you will no longer be able to redownload this software to that system from Nintendo eShop.
- You may only use the System Transfer feature with systems you own.
- The region settings of both systems must match in order to perform a transfer.
- Data may be lost if the system runs out of power or is turned off, or if wireless communication is disabled, during the transfer. Check the battery status and signal strength icons before starting the transfer.
Next: Your 3DS update questions answered.