How to create or restore a full system backup

It is highly recommended to create a full backup of sysMMC before you start using your CFW setup. The most convenient time to do this is right after you've followed one of the CFW setup guides.
Here you have two methods for creating and restoring a full backup:

Switch Method
- This is the recommended method.
PC Method
- This method is recommended for those who have a small SD card and are unable to create a full backup due to their SD card storage size.

Notes

Launching payloads: Before you begin, please ensure that you know how to launch payloads on your device by reading the launching payloads page.
No SD card reader: Remember you can copy files directly over USB, and should do that instead of removing the micro SD card from the Switch.
- You should avoid taking out the micro SD card from the Switch unless necessary.
Game saves: Game saves are stored in the system memory, so they are included when making a full backup. If you want to backup saves separately see this page here

Switch Method

You need

Hekate - Get Hekate here

Creating a backup of sysMMC

Extract hekate_ctcaer_x.x.x_Nyx_x.x.x.zip into your SD card.
Boot into Hekate.
Press on the Tools tab.
Pick the Backup eMMC option.
Pick the eMMC RAW GPP option. Once done, press Close
Pick the eMMC BOOT0 & BOOT1 option. Once done, press Close.
Press Close again to exit out back to Tools menu.

Your backup will now be in your backup folder inside of your SD card.
It is recommended that you move your backup folder somewhere on your PC, or on a cloud storage.

Restoring a backup of sysMMC

Make sure your backup folder is in the root of your SD card with your sysMMC backup inside of it.

Move all the files and folders inside of your /backup/xxxxxxxx/ folder to your /backup/xxxxxxxx/restore/ folder.
Boot into Hekate.
Press on the Tools tab.
Pick the Restore eMMC option.
Pick the eMMC RAW GPP option. Once done, press Close
Pick the eMMC BOOT0 & BOOT1 option. Once done, press Close.
Press Close again to exit out back to Tools menu.

PC Method

You need

Hekate - Get Hekate here
NxNandManager - Get NxNandManager here

Creating a backup of sysMMC

Create a folder on your PC named Backup.
Extract NXNandManager.**.*.*.zip to a folder of your choice.
Extract hekate_ctcaer_x.x.x_Nyx_x.x.x.zip to your SD card.
Boot into Hekate.
Connect your Switch to your PC.
Select the Tools tab.
Select USB Tools.
Select eMMC RAW GPP.
Launch NxNandManager.exe from.the folder you extracted it to.
Select File and select Open drive.
Select eMMC GPP hekate.
Select FULL DUMP select the Backup folder you made as the target folder.
Once the progress bar says RAWNAND dumped & verified close the window and disconnect your Switch.
In Hekate, select Close and select Backup eMMC.
Select eMMC BOOT0 & BOOT1.
Once done, select Close and go back to the Tools tab.

Restoring a sysMMC backup

Launch into Hekate.
Connect your Switch to your PC.
Select the Tools tab.
Select USB Tools.
Ensure that the Read-Only option is set to OFF.
Select eMMC RAW GPP.
Launch NxNandManager.
Select File and select Open drive.
Select eMMC GPP hekate.
Select FULL or PARTIAL RESTORE.
Select RAWNAND.bin from your Backup folder on your PC.
Select Yes.
Once done, select File and select close file/drive and disconnect your Switch.
Select USB Tools and select SD card.
- You will now have access to your SD card on your PC. See also the USB transfer info page.
Copy BOOT0 & BOOT1 from /backup/xxxxxxxx/ in your backup folder, to your /backup/xxxxxxxx/restore/ folder on our micro SD card.
Eject and disconnect your Switch, select Close ➔ Close to go back to the Tools tab.
Select Restore eMMCM and select eMMC BOOT0 & BOOT1.
Once done, you may boot back into your Switch.