BotW Switch save files: how to edit?

[blitzduck]

Hey!

Just registered here because while there are many threads about BotW save editing, I haven't found one that answered my particular question.

I have BotW on Switch (not modded at all) and I have the save data on the SD card (checked in Switch's Data Management and had nothing to migrate to SD).

I bought an SD card reader, powered off my Switch, and plugged it in.

I tried dragging the above Save (I gathered from the Last Modified timestamp) but get this error:

So it isn't as easy as I thought it would be, haha. Not surprising though.

Anyway, do I need a specific program?

 

[Hayato213]

You need CFW.

 

[Beseth]

As the user just above said, to modify Switch game saves you need a CFW (Custom Firmware), it's not possible to modify a save with the "base" data.

 

[blitzduck]

You need CFW.

Oh dang! I looked into that and don't think I'd be able to keep up. I'm not technology-illiterate or anything, but I don't think my Switch is even capable of hosting CFW.

 

[Hayato213]

Oh dang! I looked into that and don't think I'd be able to keep up. I'm not technology-illiterate or anything, but I don't think my Switch is even capable of hosting CFW.

Easiest method would be getting a unpatched unit and hack it to play your pirated/homebrew stuffs.

 

[blitzduck]

Easiest method would be getting a unpatched unit and hack it to play your pirated/homebrew stuffs.

Ah ok. I'm happy with just my vanilla unit, I was only curious to try out some weird Save Editors on a separate profile haha. Thanks for the info!

 

[Draxzelex]

Hey!

Just registered here because while there are many threads about BotW save editing, I haven't found one that answered my particular question.

I have BotW on Switch (not modded at all) and I have the save data on the SD card (checked in Switch's Data Management and had nothing to migrate to SD).

I bought an SD card reader, powered off my Switch, and plugged it in.

View attachment 283192

I tried dragging the above Save (I gathered from the Last Modified timestamp) but get this error:

View attachment 283194

So it isn't as easy as I thought it would be, haha. Not surprising though.

Anyway, do I need a specific program?

The save folders on your SD card don't contain save data for games. In fact, save data is never stored on the SD card for Nintendo Switch titles. Quoted directly from Nintendo's website:

On Nintendo Switch, game save data is stored on the console's System Memory. This will not change whether downloadable software or software from a game card is being played. Game save data cannot be saved or copied to a microSD card.