Nintendo Switch Error Code 2002-2629 — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

Error 2002-2629 means your Nintendo Switch has found corrupted save data. This is a serious error — your game progress for a specific game may be damaged or unrecoverable. Act quickly and check your Nintendo Switch Online cloud backup before doing anything else.

Affected Models

Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch Lite
Nintendo Switch OLED

Common Causes

The console was powered off while the game was saving, interrupting the write process
The microSD card has a bad sector where the save file is stored
The internal storage has file system errors that corrupted the save
A sudden power loss (dead battery) during an active save operation
A software bug in the game created a corrupted save file

How to Fix It

Check your Nintendo Switch Online cloud backup immediately. Go to System Settings > Data Management > Save Data Cloud. Look for a recent backup of the affected game.

Nintendo Switch Online members get cloud save backup for most games. This is your best chance of recovering progress.
To restore from cloud backup: select the game in Save Data Cloud, then choose 'Download Save Data.' This will overwrite the corrupted local save with the cloud version.

The cloud backup may be a few hours or days old. Some recent progress may be lost, but most will be restored.
If you do not have Nintendo Switch Online, try deleting and reinstalling the game. The game software itself may be what is corrupted, not the save. Go to System Settings > Data Management > Manage Software.

Reinstalling only affects the game software, not save data. Your saves will remain untouched.
Check your microSD card. Remove it and try running the game with save data on internal storage only. If it works, your microSD card may be failing.

Replace a failing microSD card before your save data situation gets worse.
Going forward, always make sure the battery is charged before long gaming sessions. Never power off or close the game while the save icon is spinning or visible on screen.

Most save corruption happens during power loss mid-save. The save icon looks like a small floppy disk symbol in the corner of the screen.

When to Call a Professional

If your save data is truly corrupted and lost, no professional can recover it — Nintendo Switch save data is encrypted. However, if you have Nintendo Switch Online, your save may be backed up to the cloud. Contact Nintendo Support at support.nintendo.com if you need help recovering from a cloud backup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is corrupted save data always unrecoverable?

Not always. If you have Nintendo Switch Online, cloud saves can restore your progress. Without cloud saves, corrupted save data generally cannot be recovered. This is the main reason Nintendo Switch Online is worth subscribing to — cloud save backup alone can justify the cost.

Which games support cloud save backup?

Most Nintendo Switch games support cloud saves. However, a few games — notably Pokémon Sword/Shield, Animal Crossing: New Horizons (older versions), and some others — initially restricted cloud saves to prevent save scumming. Check the game's listing in the eShop to see if cloud saves are supported.

How often does Nintendo Switch Online back up my save data?

Save data is backed up to the cloud automatically and periodically while connected to the internet. You can also manually trigger a backup by going to System Settings > Data Management > Save Data Cloud. Check your backup dates so you know how recent your last good save is.