How to browse SD card contents via USB

There are multiple methods that you may use to access your SD card via USB. Using one of these is much preferred over removing the micro SD card because of how easily the micro SD card reader breaks with regular use.

Notes

• Launching payloads: If you're unsure on how to launch payloads, please read the How to launch a payload page.
• MacOS users: Have OpenMTP to enable MTP functionality on your PC. Get OpenMTP from their website or the Github and install it.
• MacOS & Linux users: Always use Fix Archive Bit in Hekate after transferring files from your PC.
• Homebrew menu: There are two methods you can use to access the homebrew menu.
  • Title override: Hold R while starting a working title in your home menu (recommended; could affect speed, but is usually not required for these homebrew).
  • Applet mode: Pressing the album icon

Alternatives on this page

• Haze - Atmosphère's USB File Transfer homebrew | MTP
  • This method won't allow you to update Atmosphère via USB; however, it can be used from the homebrew menu.
• DBI | MTP
  • This method won't allow you to update Atmosphère via USB; however, it can be used from the homebrew menu.
• Hekate
  • This method allows you to update Atmosphère via USB; however, it requires you to boot into Hekate.
• TegraRcmGUI
  • This method allows you to update Atmosphère via USB; however, it requires an unpatched console (RCM exploitable) and Windows.
• UMS-loader
  • Minimal payload which can be used to mount SD and/or EMMC via USB.

Haze - Atmosphère's USB File Transfer homebrew

You need

• Atmosphère - "Haze" is included with Atmosphère since version 1.5.2.
• If you are on macOS, then please install OpenMTP to enable MTP functionality on your PC.

Steps

1. Access the homebrew menu and launch USB File Transfer.
2. Connect your Switch to your PC.
3. A drive labelled Nintendo Switch should pop up now in your file explorer.
4. Access the drive, and you may now browse your SD card.

DBI

You need

• DBI - Get either (or multiple) of these DBI versions:
  • DBI version 874 translated to English and more. Requires dumping devices keys to dump games with MTP and avoid the nag about the keys.
  • DBI version 849 translated to English and more. The last version that does not require having dumped keys before you dump games with MTP.
  • Latest translated* version, but translation *may not work. Requires both the patched DBI.nro and translation.bin
• If you are on macOS, then please install OpenMTP to enable MTP functionality on your PC.

1. On your Switch micro SD card, open the /switch/ folder.
2. Create a folder for DBI if one does not exist.
3. Copy your I nro to this folder.
4. If you got the latest version, get translation_en.bin and rename it to translation.bin and copy that to the same folder.

Steps

1. Access the Homebrew menu and launch DBI.
2. Press X or scroll down and select Start MTP connection from the menu.
3. Connect your Switch to your PC.
4. A drive labelled DBI should pop up now in your file explorer.
5. Access the drive, and you may now browse your SD card.

Hekate

You need

• Hekate - Download Hekate from its GitHub.

Steps

1. Extract hekate_ctcaer_x.x.x_Nyx_x.x.x.zip onto your SD card.
2. Launch Hekate by injecting the hekate_ctcaer_x.x.x.bin payload.
   - Or by restarting from the power menu if you already set up CFW following this guide.
3. Select the Tools tab.
4. Select USB Tools.
5. Select SD Card.
6. Connect your Switch to your PC.
7. A drive labelled with your SD card name should pop up now in your file explorer.
   ⚠️ If you get asked to format your SD card, make sure to press "Cancel".
8. Access the drive, and you may now browse your SD card.
9. When you're done, eject the Switch in Windows.

TegraRcmGUI

You need

• TegraRcmGUI - Download TegraRcmGUI from its GitHub

Steps

1. Start TegraRcmGUI.
2. Connect your Switch to your PC.
3. Select the Tools tab in TegraRcmGUI.
4. Use Memloader V3, and from the drop-down menu, select MMC - SD CARD
5. Access the drive, and you may now browse your SD card.
6. When you're done, eject the drive in Windows and then hold the power button on the Switch for 5 seconds.

UMS-loader

This minimal payload only uses IRAM. This makes it useful for someone who can't use Hekate because of broken RAM but wants to mount their eMMC (or an SD card).

You need

• UMS-loader - Download ums-loader.bin from its GitHub.

Steps

1. Connect your Switch to your PC with a USB-C to A cable.
2. Inject ums-loader.bin.
   A, unpatched Switch: Start TegraRcmGUI (or another payload injector of choice and select ums-loader.bin from where you saved it, and inject payload.
   B, Switch with modchip: Rename ums-loader.bin and copy to the root of your micro SD card.
3. Follow on-screen instructions to mount SD or eMMC.

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