Nintendo Support

How to Transfer Content from a Wii to a Wii U

Important Notes!

  • Make sure your Wii U console has the latest system update.

  • If your Wii console is currently locked with Parental Controls, ensure that you are able to unlock it. If you have forgotten the PIN, you will need to reset it before you can proceed.

  • Software and save data that may already exist on an SD card from the source Wii console cannot be transferred directly. If you have data on the SD card, perform the following:

    • For save data, transfer it from the SD card to the source Wii console before performing the transfer.

    • For software, either transfer it back to the source Wii console before performing the transfer, or redownload it after the transfer using the Wii Shop Channel on the target Wii U console's Wii Menu.

What You Need:

  • Your Wii and Wii U console (at least one Wii Remote or Wii Remote Plus is required to control the two consoles)

  • A SD or SDHC card with at least 512 MB of free space

  • A broadband Internet connection (both systems must be connected to the internet)

  • A television

  • The country settings on both consoles must match.

Important Note!

  • If both systems are not connected to a television, you will need to switch the television connection between systems in order to complete a system transfer.

  • You can either:

    • Use the input select of the TV to switch between the two systems; or

    • Plug the standard AV cable that came with your Wii console into a TV and swap the cable between the two systems during the transfer process. (Swap the cables at the same time you are swapping the SD card.)

  • Transferred data is permanently deleted from the Wii console. Once you have transferred data to the Wii U console, it cannot be transferred back to a Wii console.

  • Data cannot be transferred from your Wii U console to a Wii console.

Setup:

  1. Connect the Wii to a television.

  2. Connect the Wii U to a television.

    • If you only have a single television, you will need to connect both systems to it.

      • If your television has both HDMI and Audio/Video inputs, then connect both systems to the television and switch inputs when appropriate.

      • If your television only has Audio/Video inputs, then you will need to switch the AV Multi Out Plug on your Wii AV Cable or Wii Component Cable between consoles when appropriate.

  3. Connect the Wii to a broadband Internet connection.

  4. Connect the Wii U to a broadband Internet connection.

  5. Enter the Wii Shop Channel and download the Wii System Transfer tool onto the Wii console.

Begin with the Wii U:

  1. Insert the SD card into the Wii U console.

  2. On the Wii U system, start the Wii Menu application and select the Wii System Transfer.

    • You will need to sync a Wii Remote to the Wii U console in order to proceed.

    • If the Wii System Transfer tool is not available in the Wii Menu application, perform the latest System Update.

  3. Follow the on-screen instructions, making sure to read carefully through each before you proceed.

  4. Remove the SD card from the Wii U console and insert the same SD card into the Wii console.

Connect on the Wii:

With the SD card inserted in the Wii console, launch the transfer application to begin retrieving data.

  • You will need to sync a Wii Remote to the Wii console in order to proceed.

  1. Follow the on-screen instructions, making sure to read carefully through each before you proceed.

  2. When the data transfer is complete, remove the SD card from the Wii console and insert it into the Wii U console.

Finish on the Wii U:

  1. Confirm the message and select "Transfer."

  2. Follow the on-screen instructions, making sure to read carefully through each before you proceed.

  3. The data is saved on to the Wii U console and deleted from the SD card.