(Credit: Nintendo)
Yes, I'm the guy who said he wasn't getting a Switch 2. Well, that was before Santa loaded up his sleigh, so now I have one. I knew it would be nice, but I didn't think it would be this nice. It's got a bigger screen, sharper graphics, and smarter Joy-Con controllers, but do you know what I've noticed? How easy it is to share screenshots and videos.
Remember when Nintendo's solution was to set up some weird system with multiple QR codes you had to scan just to get a photo onto your phone? That's gone. Instead, Nintendo has embraced its Nintendo Account platform to give users a seamless method for sending content from one device to another. Just like the Switch 1, you can take a screenshot by tapping the Capture button on the left Joy-Con or hold it down to take video. After that, you'll need to segue to your phone, but I swear it's so much easier now.
Set Up the Nintendo Switch App
(Credit: PCMag / Nintendo)In order to get content off your Switch 2, you'll need Nintendo's mobile app—but which one? The company has several different apps now. There's the Nintendo Today app for news, the Nintendo Store app for purchases, Nintendo Music for listening to your favorite songs, and Parental Controls for child safety. For this, you'll need to install the Nintendo Switch app (iOS and Android) and sign into the same Nintendo Account you use on the Switch 2.
Send Photos to the App
On your Switch 2, select Album, choose a picture, and go to Menu (hit A) > Upload to Smart Device. Choose the profile for the account you'll be connecting to on your phone, then press Upload. The console will then say that the photo or video is being uploaded, though it may take a few seconds. You can even navigate away from the screen and the transfer will continue.
(Credit: PCMag / Nintendo)If you have more than one thing to upload, you can instead do it in bulk. Go to Quick Actions on the left-hand side and select Upload to Smart Device. Now, you'll be able to choose your profile, pick up to 20 items, and hit Upload. All content sent to the app will remain there for 30 days—or until you upload 100 files—before being deleted.
(Credit: Nintendo)You'll be able to view your uploads in the app by tapping the blue Uploaded Data icon on the bottom nav bar. (Try pulling down on the screen to reload if a new upload isn't showing.) Now, you can select an item and tap Share to send it to another app or Save to download it to your phone's local storage.
(Credit: PCMag / Nintendo)Once you have the Nintendo Switch app set up, this should be an easy process, but if you want something even more seamless, you can automate uploads. To set this up, go to Album, choose Upload Settings, and pick your profile. From here, select Automatic Uploads and enable the feature. Once this is set up, you'll no longer need to perform the manual upload dance described above—just capture what you want and find it in the Nintendo Switch app.
Nintendo Could Still Stand to Improve Things Here
Unfortunately, uploading items to a computer remains unchanged from the Switch 1 and is still a bit complex. To do this, you have to connect your console via USB, then go into System Settings > Data Management > Manage Screenshots and Videos and choose Copy to PC over USB on your Switch 2 before you can transfer anything.
My biggest complaint? Trying to find a USB cable that actually works. You need a wire that is capable of transferring data, so not just any charging cable will do. I had to dig through my box of stray cables at the bottom of my closet before I found something that worked. You know what a much simpler solution would be? Allowing you to access the Nintendo Switch app, and your shared content, on the web. If Nintendo can add something like that, we'd really be cooking.
(Credit: PCMag / Nintendo)