A Nintendo Switch game library has a funny way of getting out of control. One day, you own Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and a cozy farming game. A few sales, imp99” moments later, your console looks like the digital equivalent of a junk drawer.
Fortunately, Nintendo Switch Groups give larger game libraries a much-needed dose of organization. Instead of endlessly scanning icons and wondering where that one multiplayer game went, you can arrange software into custom collections based on genre, series, mood, player count, backlog status, or practically any system your gaming brain can invent.
Learning how to organize your Nintendo Switch games into Groups takes only a few minutes. The more interesting challenge is deciding how to use those Groups without creating an organizational system so complicated that it needs its own strategy guide.
This guide explains how the Nintendo Switch Groups feature works, how to create and manage collections, practical group ideas, troubleshooting tips, and lessons learned from actually trying to tame a crowded game library.
What Are Nintendo Switch Groups?
Nintendo Switch Groups are custom software collections available through the console’s All Software screen. Nintendo introduced the feature with system version 14.0.0, giving players a way to categorize larger game libraries without changing the main HOME Menu layout.
Think of Groups as folders with a Nintendo-flavored personality. You choose the games, arrange their order, and give the collection a name.
For example, you could create Groups named:
- Mario Games
- RPGs
- Local Multiplayer
- Cozy Games
- Backlog
- Currently Playing
- Games for Travel
- Kids’ Favorites
The same software title can belong to multiple Groups. That flexibility is one of the feature’s biggest advantages. Super Mario Bros. Wonder, for instance, might appear in both “Mario Games” and “Family Multiplayer.” No dramatic custody battle between folders is necessary.
Nintendo Switch supports up to 100 Groups, with as many as 200 software titles in each Group. For most players, that is enough organizational room to become either impressively efficient or hilariously over-specific.
Before You Create Nintendo Switch Game Groups
Update Your Nintendo Switch System
The Groups feature requires Nintendo Switch system version 14.0.0 or later. If you have kept your console connected to the internet, system updates are often downloaded automatically. However, it is worth checking manually if the Groups option is missing.
From the HOME Menu, select System Settings. Scroll down to System, then choose System Update. If an update is available, follow the onscreen instructions.
Updating first saves you from spending 20 minutes pressing random buttons and becoming convinced your Joy-Con is personally hiding the folder feature.
Make Sure You Have More Than 12 Software Titles
The All Software menu and Groups feature become available when more than 12 software titles are saved on the Nintendo Switch system. In practical terms, you need at least 13 software icons.
If your collection is smaller, you probably do not desperately need Groups yet. Twelve icons are still manageable. At 80 games, however, locating one title by staring intensely at tiny cover art becomes an unofficial minigame.
How to Organize Your Nintendo Switch Games Into Groups Step by Step
Once your system is updated and your software collection is large enough, creating a Group is straightforward.
Step 1: Open All Software
Start on the Nintendo Switch HOME Menu. Scroll all the way to the right until you reach All Software, then select it.
This screen displays your larger software collection rather than only the recently used titles shown across the main HOME Menu.
Step 2: Press the L Button to View Groups
While viewing All Software, press the L Button on your controller.
This opens the Groups view. The first time you use the feature, the console presents an option to create a new Group.
Step 3: Select Create New Group
Choose Create New Group.
After you have created your first collection, future Groups can be added by returning to the Groups screen and pressing the + Button.
Step 4: Select Games for the Group
You will see a list of software titles. Check each game or application you want to include, then select Next.
You do not need to worry about exclusivity. A game already assigned to one collection can still be placed in another Group.
Suppose you are creating a “Party Games” collection. You might select Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Nintendo Switch Sports, and other titles your friends insist they are “not competitive about” immediately before becoming extremely competitive.
Step 5: Arrange the Games
The Nintendo Switch lets you rearrange selected software titles inside the Group. Place them in whatever order makes sense to you, then choose Next.
This manual arrangement is surprisingly useful. Your favorite or most frequently played game can occupy the first position, while less important titles sit farther down the collection.
For a backlog Group, you might arrange games by priority. For a multiplayer Group, you could place four-player favorites first. The console will not judge your system, even if “Someday, Probably” becomes your largest collection.
Step 6: Name the Group
Enter a name using the onscreen keyboard and select OK.
The newly created Group will appear in your Groups list. Repeat the process whenever another useful category comes to mind.
Best Ways to Organize Nintendo Switch Games
Knowing how to create Groups is easy. Choosing useful Nintendo Switch game categories requires a little more thought.
Organize Games by Genre
Genre-based Groups are the most obvious approach and remain one of the most effective.
Possible collections include RPGs, Platformers, Racing Games, Fighting Games, Puzzle Games, Strategy Games, and Simulation Games.
This approach works particularly well for players who choose games according to mood. When you want an RPG, you probably do not need to browse past six puzzle games, three fitness applications, and something you bought during a sale in 2021 and have completely forgotten.
Create a Currently Playing Group
A “Currently Playing” Group can transform the way you handle a large backlog.
Limit this collection to a small number of active games. Five to ten titles is usually reasonable. When you finish or abandon a game, remove it from your personal active rotation and bring in another title.
The Nintendo Switch HOME Menu already emphasizes recently used software, but a custom active collection gives you intentional control over your gaming priorities.
Build a Backlog Group
Yes, we need to talk about the backlog.
A dedicated backlog Group is useful for games you purchased but genuinely intend to play. The word “genuinely” is doing heroic work in that sentence.
Arrange the titles by priority. Put your next likely game first rather than maintaining a 70-title wall of guilt with no clear starting point.
You could also split a huge backlog into shorter collections such as “Short Games,” “Long RPGs,” and “Weekend Games.” Reducing decision fatigue makes it more likely that you will actually start something.
Sort by Player Count
Player-count Groups are fantastic for shared consoles and game nights.
Create collections such as:
- Solo Games
- 2 Player Games
- 4 Player Party Games
- Online Multiplayer
- Family Games
The next time someone asks, “What can four people play?” you can open the appropriate Group instead of conducting a 15-minute committee meeting in front of the television.
Create Groups for Specific Nintendo Series
Collectors may prefer franchise-based organization.
You could build Groups for Mario, Zelda, Pokémon, Kirby, Metroid, Fire Emblem, or other favorite series. This is particularly satisfying when you own multiple entries, remakes, spin-offs, and classic game applications.
A series Group also makes your digital library feel more like a curated collection rather than a random field of icons.
Organize Games by Mood
Mood-based game Groups are less traditional but remarkably practical.
Consider names such as “Relaxing,” “Quick Sessions,” “Need a Challenge,” “Story Night,” or “Turn Brain Off.”
A title does not have to fit a strict genre definition. The purpose of Groups is to help you find software more easily.
If DOOM is somehow your relaxing game, that is between you and your extremely energetic definition of self-care.
Make a Travel Games Group
The portable nature of Nintendo Switch makes a travel collection especially useful.
Add games that work well during flights, train rides, hotel stays, or short breaks. You might prioritize titles with comfortable handheld controls, flexible save points, and gameplay that works in short sessions.
A travel Group can also remind you which games should remain downloaded before leaving home.
Use Groups Together With the All Software Sorting Options
Groups are not the only way to organize Nintendo Switch games. The All Software screen also includes sorting options.
From All Software, press the R Button to sort software by time last played, total play time, title, or developer.
These sorting options apply to the All Software view and do not permanently rearrange icons on the main HOME Menu.
Sorting and Groups solve slightly different problems. Sorting is useful when you need a quick alternative view. Groups are better for permanent custom categories.
For example, sort by total play time when curiosity demands evidence of exactly how many hours disappeared into one farming game. Use a Group when you want a reliable collection of all your farming and simulation titles.
Should You Archive Games Before Organizing Them?
Organizing a Nintendo Switch library can expose another problem: storage space.
If you have downloaded dozens of games, consider archiving software you are not actively playing. Nintendo Switch allows downloadable software to be archived to free storage space, and archiving does not remove the associated save data.
An archived game’s software icon remains available, allowing the title to be redownloaded later.
This makes archiving useful for maintaining a cleaner active collection without treating every old game like it has been banished from the kingdom forever.
You can archive an individual title through its software options or use Data Management and Quick Archive to select multiple games.
Just remember that downloadable game files and save data are different things. Save data is stored in the console’s system memory. It is not stored on a Nintendo Switch microSD card.
Groups Do Not Change the Main HOME Menu
One of the most important limitations of Nintendo Switch Groups is that they do not replace the console’s main HOME Menu organization.
Your HOME Menu continues to emphasize recently used software. Creating a “Favorites” Group will not permanently pin those games to the beginning of the main software row.
To access Groups, you still travel through All Software and enter the Groups view.
Some players initially expect traditional folders directly on the HOME Menu. That is not how the feature works. Think of Groups as a custom library view rather than a complete HOME Menu redesign.
Once you understand that distinction, the feature becomes considerably less confusing.
Common Nintendo Switch Groups Problems and Fixes
The Groups Option Does Not Appear
First, check your system software version. Groups require system version 14.0.0 or later.
Next, confirm that more than 12 software titles are saved on the system. All Software and Groups are designed for larger libraries and do not appear with a smaller software collection.
I Pressed R but Did Not Open Groups
On the original Nintendo Switch family of systems, the Groups view is accessed by pressing the L Button while in All Software.
The R Button is used for software sorting in the All Software view. Mixing up those buttons is an extremely easy mistake, especially when instructions begin to resemble a fighting-game combo list.
Can One Game Be Added to Several Groups?
Yes. Nintendo allows the same software title to appear in multiple Groups.
This means you can organize by overlapping characteristics. A Pokémon title might fit in “RPGs,” “Pokémon,” “Favorites,” and “Travel Games” at the same time.
Will Creating a Group Move or Delete My Games?
No. A Group is an organizational collection. Adding software to a Group does not move its game data, delete saves, or change its storage location.
Storage management is handled separately through the Data Management options.
Tips for Maintaining an Organized Nintendo Switch Library
Use Broad Categories First
Start with five to ten useful Groups rather than immediately creating 47 incredibly specific collections.
Broad categories are easier to maintain. You can always add more Groups later after noticing a repeated need.
Put Your Most Important Games First
Take advantage of manual title arrangement within each Group.
The first few icons should be games you are most likely to choose. This reduces scrolling and makes Groups genuinely faster than searching through All Software.
Review Your Groups Every Few Months
Gaming habits change. Your “Currently Playing” collection from six months ago may now resemble an archaeological site.
Periodically review active Groups, remove irrelevant titles, and promote games you actually intend to play.
Do Not Overthink Group Names
Clear names usually work better than clever names.
“Local Multiplayer” immediately explains its purpose. “The Gathering of Champions” may sound magnificent, but three months later you might have no idea whether it contains fighting games, RPGs, or bowling.
My Experience Organizing a Large Nintendo Switch Game Library
The first time I seriously organized a Nintendo Switch library into Groups, I made the classic mistake of believing more categories automatically meant better organization.
I started sensibly. There was an RPG Group, a Multiplayer Group, and a Backlog Group. Excellent. Responsible. Almost adult.
Then I created “Short Games.” After that came “Relaxing Games,” “Games for Handheld Mode,” “Games I Should Finish,” and “Games I Started but Forgot the Controls.” The last collection was surprisingly well populated.
Within 20 minutes, I had built a filing system that looked like it had been designed by a librarian experiencing a minor gaming crisis.
The biggest lesson was simple: Nintendo Switch Groups work best when each collection answers a real question.
When I sit down to play, what do I actually ask myself?
Sometimes the question is, “What am I currently playing?” A Currently Playing Group solves that immediately.
Sometimes friends are visiting and the question is, “What can four people play on one system?” A Local Multiplayer Group is much faster than opening individual software pages or relying on memory.
Other times, I have only 20 minutes and do not want to start an enormous RPG conversation with a fictional king who apparently has 14 errands for me. A Quick Sessions Group becomes useful there.
The most effective change I made was limiting my Currently Playing collection. At first, I added every game I considered “active,” which somehow produced more than 20 titles. That was not a currently playing list. It was a smaller backlog wearing a fake mustache.
I eventually cut the Group down to approximately six games. One long story-driven title, one multiplayer game, a relaxing option, and several games suitable for shorter sessions gave me enough variety without producing decision paralysis.
I also found that ordering software inside Groups matters more than expected. My first collections contained the right games but used a completely random sequence. I still spent time scanning icons.
After moving high-priority titles to the beginning of each Group, navigation became much quicker. My main backlog collection now acts almost like a personal queue. The first game is the one I plan to start next, followed by several alternatives.
Another useful discovery was allowing games to live in several Groups. Initially, I tried to assign every title one perfect category, as though the Nintendo Switch were asking me to construct a scientifically accurate taxonomy of video games.
That approach was unnecessarily rigid.
A game can be an RPG and a favorite. It can be relaxing and suitable for travel. It can be multiplayer and part of a specific franchise. Because the same software can appear in multiple Groups, overlapping collections make the feature more convenient rather than less organized.
Storage management also became part of my organization routine. While reviewing the library, I noticed several enormous downloaded games I had not played in months. Archiving them freed space while preserving save data. Their icons remained available for redownloading, which made the decision feel less permanent.
That said, I learned not to confuse Groups with storage folders. Adding a game to “Travel Games” does not magically guarantee it is fully downloaded and ready before a flight. Before traveling, I still check that important software is available locally and updated.
Shared-console organization presented another interesting challenge. My preferred Groups focused on genre and backlog status, while other household players cared more about family games and multiplayer options.
The solution was not to invent one perfect universal structure. It was to create several straightforward collections that reflected actual use cases. A “Family Games” Group turned out to be far more useful than attempting to explain why a particular platformer belonged in my extremely sophisticated “Comfort Games, Tier Two” category.
Over time, I also became ruthless about deleting pointless Groups. If I had not opened a collection in several months, I asked whether it served any practical purpose. Often, it did not.
The best Nintendo Switch organization system is surprisingly small. My personal sweet spot is a handful of broad genre collections plus several purpose-driven Groups: Currently Playing, Backlog, Quick Sessions, Local Multiplayer, and Favorites.
That setup lets me find games according to both what they are and why I might want to play them.
Perhaps the funniest effect of organizing the library was discovering games I had genuinely forgotten purchasing. Digital sales make this dangerously easy. One obscure indie title appeared during my first cleanup, and I stared at its icon with absolutely no memory of the transaction that brought us together.
I added it to the backlog.
Naturally.
But Groups at least turned a chaotic software collection into something I could navigate intentionally. I played several overlooked games simply because they became visible in smaller, relevant collections instead of disappearing among dozens of icons.
My advice from experience is to treat Groups as a gaming tool, not an organizational hobby. Create collections that help you decide what to play. Keep the names obvious. Put high-priority titles first. Review the system occasionally.
And when your “Backlog” Group reaches an alarming size, remember: organizing the games counts as progress.
Probably.
Conclusion: Turn Your Nintendo Switch Library Into Something Usable
Learning how to organize your Nintendo Switch games into Groups is one of the easiest ways to manage a growing digital and physical game collection. Open All Software, press the L Button, create a Group, select your titles, arrange them, and give the collection a useful name.
The feature is flexible enough for genre folders, franchise collections, multiplayer libraries, travel games, active rotations, and the legendary backlog that definitely will be completed someday.
The secret is not creating the maximum possible number of Groups. It is building a small organizational system that matches how you choose games. Combine custom Groups with All Software sorting and sensible storage management, and finding your next game becomes considerably faster.
Note: Nintendo may adjust menu features through future system updates. Keep your Nintendo Switch system software current and check the labels shown on your console if a menu option differs.
