Checkpoint 5.2.0 brings MTP transfers and an autoupdater to Switch saves

The homebrew save manager Checkpoint now supports MTP file transfers on Switch and updates itself automatically, alongside a batch of 3DS fixes.

AI-drafted from 2 sources. This story was written with AI from the outside reporting listed under Sources, and checked by automated tools before it went up. The originals have the full detail.

Checkpoint, the homebrew save management tool for Nintendo Switch and 3DS, has shipped version 5.2.0. The update adds MTP support for shifting save files over USB on Switch, brings in an autoupdater so the tool can update itself, and fixes a long list of small annoyances on 3DS, according to the release notes on GitHub.

Checkpoint has been the go-to way for hacked Switch and 3DS owners to back up and restore save data for years, sitting alongside tools like JKSV in most homebrew setups. It works by reading the raw save containers on the console and letting you copy them off, which matters because a bad update, a corrupted save or a botched cheat code can otherwise wipe hours of progress with no way back.

Why MTP support changes how you get saves off a Switch

MTP stands for Media Transfer Protocol, the same standard your phone or a digital camera uses when you plug it into a PC and it shows up as a folder rather than a proper drive. Until now, getting a save off a modded Switch generally meant an FTP client, a network connection and some fiddling with IP addresses. The release notes describe the new approach more simply: plug the console in with the charging cable, turn on MTP under Settings, Connectivity, USB, and Checkpoint appears on the PC like any other portable device.

The feature is off by default. The developer, BernardoGiordano, notes in the release notes that a status line shows whether the console is waiting for a PC, connected, or blocked because something else, usually docking, has claimed the USB port. Undocking is apparently enough to free it up again, with no restart needed. It is a small change on paper, but it removes one of the more fiddly steps in a routine that homebrew users go through often.

An eight year old feature request, finally closed

The autoupdater is the other headline addition. Checkpoint will now check for new versions in the background while its title list loads, and, per the release notes, nothing installs without the user agreeing first. Automatic checks are on by default but can be switched off in Settings. The developer points out that this was the oldest open feature request on the project's repository, filed back in June 2018, calling it, in their words, “eight years is a long time to wait, but here it is.”

What else changed, and what is still 3DS-only

Most of the remaining changes are 3DS-side. The Internet Browser's save data can be backed up again after being hidden among manuals and update titles, an empty title list now explains itself rather than showing a blank screen, and the Backup and Restore buttons finally fill their row properly when wireless transfer is off, restoring their full labels instead of truncated text. There is a new script, called notifications, for backing up the SpotPass content and notification list that sits outside any single title's save data, and another, citrahold, that syncs backups with a third party service called Citrahold, which the developer stresses is unaffiliated with the project. A new API call, sav_open_system, lets scripts reach the 3DS's own system save data, opening the door to more scripts of that kind.

None of this is Switch homebrew's biggest story of the year, but it is the sort of maintenance that keeps a widely used tool useful. The discussion thread on r/SwitchHacks is where to look for early reports on how the MTP mode behaves across different USB setups and CFW builds, since the release notes themselves are silent on compatibility beyond the basic description.

Sources

Image: Illustration: AI-generated for Gaming World