Save and Backup screen showing destination path, optional notes field, and a backup summary with HOS Data and Linux partitions

How to Back Up Your SD Card with SCCM Switch Toolbox

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SCCM Switch Toolbox makes backing up your modded Switch SD card a single workflow. Pick which partitions you want, point it at a save location, and the app packs everything into one .sccmbak file you can restore from later.

This guide walks through the full backup process from start to finish.

Important: This tool backs up your SD card only, not your sysMMC. If you want a sysMMC backup included, dump it in Hekate first, then add the HOS partition in this backup so the sysMMC dump gets packed alongside everything else.

What You’ll Need

  • Your modded Switch’s SD card
  • A Windows computer with SCCM Switch Toolbox
  • An SD card reader (built-in or USB)
  • A save destination with enough free space to fit the partitions you plan to back up

How Backup File Sizes Work

Before you pick a save location, it helps to know roughly how big the backup will be. The toolbox handles each partition type differently:

  • HOS Data, Linux, and Android are backed up file-based. The backup is roughly the size of the data actually used. A 50GB Linux partition with only 20GB of files in it will produce a backup under 20GB.
  • Partition-based EmuMMC is backed up as a raw partition dump. The backup matches the partition size exactly. A full OLED EmuMMC will produce a 58GB backup regardless of how much is actually stored on it.

Add up the partitions you plan to include and make sure your save destination has room.

Backing Up Your SD Card

1. Insert Your SD Card

Plug your Switch’s microSD card into your computer using a built-in slot or a USB SD card reader.

2. Open the Backup Tab

Launch SCCM Switch Toolbox and click Backup in the left sidebar.

Switch Toolbox Backup tab showing the Select Drive step with a Samsung uSD Card Reader detected

3. Select Your Drive

Click Change Drive to open the drive picker. Only removable drives show up here, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally targeting your system disk. Pick your SD card and click Next.

Select Source Drive popup window listing the SWITCH Samsung uSD Card Reader as a removable drive option

4. Choose Which Partitions to Back Up

Check the partitions you want included in the backup file. The toolbox shows what each partition contains so you can pick exactly what matters to you. When you’re done, click Next.

Select Partitions screen with HOS Data, EmuMMC, Linux, and Android partition checkboxes

5. Set Save Location and Notes

Click Browse to choose where the .sccmbak file will be saved and give it a filename.

Add optional notes to identify what’s in this backup. These notes show up on the Restore page when you select the backup later, so a quick description like “5/6/26 HOS and Linux backup with new TOTK mod and Dolphin setup on linux” makes it much easier to find the right backup down the road.

Review the backup summary at the bottom to confirm the partitions and total size look right.

Save and Backup screen showing destination path, optional notes field, and a backup summary with HOS Data and Linux partitions

6. Start the Backup

Click Start Backup. A progress window opens showing the current file being packed, an overall percentage, and a running log.

Backing up popup showing 4 percent progress with a log of files being packed

7. Wait for It to Finish

How long the backup takes depends on how much data is included and how fast your SD card and reader are. Larger backups with EmuMMC included can take a while, so leave it alone and let it finish.

When the progress bar hits 100% and you see Complete! at the top of the window, your backup is done. Click Close to dismiss the dialog.

Backup complete dialog showing 100 percent progress and Backup saved Demo_Backup.sccmbak in the log

Tips

  • Save backups off the SD card. Store the .sccmbak file on your PC or an external drive. Saving it to the same SD card you’re backing up defeats the point.
  • Use the notes field. Future you will thank current you when there are five backups in a folder and only one of them has the right setup.
  • SD card and reader speed matter. A fast UHS-I card paired with a quality USB 3.0 reader is the difference between a 10 minute backup and a one hour backup.
  • Back up before major changes. Atmosphère updates, sigpatch swaps, or repartitioning your SD card are all good moments to grab a fresh backup first.
  • Want sysMMC included? Dump your sysMMC in Hekate, leave the dump on your SD card, then run this tool with the HOS partition checked. The sysMMC dump rides along inside the HOS backup.

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