How to Copy or Move Data between Two External Storage Devices

Wii U

In this article, you'll learn how to transfer data between two USB storage devices.

This feature was introduced with the system update released April 25th, 2013.
Ensure that the Wii U console is powered down before connecting or disconnecting a USB storage device.
Each drive will need to be formatted to work with the Wii U console before you will be able to copy or move data. If you have already formatted a drive to work with the Wii U console, you should not need to do so again.

If you copy save data from your system memory to a USB storage device, the USB storage device will become the default location for all new saves for that title.
If you copy save data from a USB storage device to system memory, the USB storage device data will remain the default location and all new saves will continue to be saved to the USB storage device. This cannot be changed unless the USB storage device is removed.
If you copy data between two USB storage devices, whichever device remains connected to the Wii U after the transfer will become the default location for all new saves.

Complete these steps

Connect the USB storage devices to the Wii U console, and then power on the Wii U.
After the Wii U Menu loads, you will be prompted to enter Data Management to move or copy data.
Using the Left Stick, scroll to the Data Management icon and press the A Button.
Select Copy/Move/Delete Data.
Select the location from which you'd like to copy or move data.
Press the X or Y Button to move or copy data.
Tap the items you'd like to copy or move to select them. Once selected, a green box with a white checkmark will show next to the item.
Once the items have been selected, press the Y Button to copy the item or the X Button to move the item.
Choose the location where you would like to copy or move the selected items.
At this point you will be prompted to move or copy the data. Select Move or Copy to confirm the transfer.
- If the data you are transferring already exists on the location you are copying to, you will be prompted with a message asking you to confirm the overwrite.
- Depending on the amount of data, this process can take more than an hour to complete. If your system is up to date, you may cancel this process at any time; however, if you still have an older menu version, the option to cancel this process will not be available.