How much storage does the Switch 2 have?
By Daniel del Moral Hernández · Updated October 7, 2026
The Nintendo Switch 2 has 256 GB of internal storage, eight times the 32 GB of the original Switch. You can add up to 2 TB more with a microSD Express card.
Not all 256 GB are free for games: the system software and your save data use part of it.
How many games fit
It depends entirely on which games. Sizes on Switch 2 range from under 1 GB to more than 70 GB:
Every game page shows the current download size from the official eShop listing, and the share of the internal storage it uses.
To add up your own library, use the storage calculator.
Physical games still use storage
Buying a physical copy does not always save space:
- A cartridge with the full game runs from the card. Only updates and save data go to the console.
- A Game-Key Card downloads the whole game, so it needs as much free space as a digital copy.
Check which games have the full game on the cartridge before you buy.
Sizes change
Updates and downloadable content make games grow after launch, and some shrink when they are optimised. Mario Kart World, for example, was listed at 23.4 GB before launch and at 22.2 GB now. Each game page shows when its size was last checked.
Switch 2 game sizes in numbers
We track the official eShop size of every game in the GameSpecsDB database. In October 2026, across 208 games:
| Download size | Games |
|---|---|
| Under 5 GB | 47 |
| 5 to 10 GB | 37 |
| 10 to 20 GB | 42 |
| 20 to 40 GB | 49 |
| 40 to 70 GB | 24 |
| Over 70 GB | 9 |
The median game takes about 12.9 GB, so the typical Switch 2 game is much smaller than the headline figures suggest. The problem is the top of the list: the games over 70 GB are mostly yearly sports games and big role-playing games, such as WWE 2K26 (89.7 GB), NBA 2K27 (81 GB), EA SPORTS FC 26 (74.8 GB) and the Final Fantasy VII remakes, which go up to 130.1 GB.
What that means for 256 GB
Some rough examples using real sizes, before counting the space the system itself uses:
- A Nintendo-heavy library (Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong, Kirby, Zelda and similar) with games mostly between 5 and 25 GB: you can keep ten or more installed without a card.
- A mixed library with two or three big third-party games of 50 to 75 GB: those alone fill more than half the internal storage.
- A sports fan who keeps one football, one basketball and one wrestling game installed: around 245 GB with the games above, which is more than the free space on the console.
The storage calculator does this for your own list of games.
Do you need a microSD Express card?
You probably do if any of these apply:
- You keep more than two games of over 40 GB installed at the same time.
- You buy mostly third-party games, which are usually digital or Game-Key Cards and always use storage.
- You do not want to archive and download games again, for example because your internet connection is slow or capped.
You probably do not if you buy mostly Nintendo games on cartridge, because full-cartridge games only store their updates and save data. Our guide to microSD Express cards explains what to buy.
Switch 1 vs Switch 2 storage
| Switch 1 | Switch 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Internal storage | 32 GB (64 GB on the OLED model) | 256 GB |
| Expansion | microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC | microSD Express only, up to 2 TB |
The jump is large, but so are the games: many Switch 2 Editions take two or three times the space of the Switch 1 version. Super Mario Bros. Wonder goes from 3.7 GB to 8.9 GB, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land from 5.8 GB to 16.7 GB.
Common questions
Do save files take much space? No. Save data is usually small, and it always stays on the internal storage.
Can I use an external hard drive? No. The Switch 2 only installs games on its internal storage or a microSD Express card.
Does archiving a game delete my progress? No. Archiving removes the game data and keeps the save data, so you can download it again later and continue. See how to free up space.
Sources: Nintendo Switch 2 hardware (Wikipedia), Mario Kart World on the Nintendo eShop.