Tomodachi Life Has Harsh Restrictions On Sharing Screenshots & Mii Designs Online

3 days ago Justin 3 Comments

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is shaping up to be a great game, especially with the fantastic new island customization features, but unfortunately carries some significant restrictions on sharing.

Shortly after the game’s Nintendo Direct aired, Nintendo published a somewhat mysterious statement on their official support website detailing how there will be restrictions on certain sharing features — here are the most relevant portions:

Nintendo is committed to creating experiences that are welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.

To support this commitment, and in consideration of the unique gameplay in Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, we have decided to place restrictions on certain image sharing features. These limits help to make the worlds players create in Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream remain fun and safe, and that the game can be enjoyed comfortably by all players.

We understand that some players may find these restrictions limiting. However, they reflect Nintendo’s ongoing philosophy of creating experiences that bring smiles to everyone who plays.

But what exactly are these restrictions? Many have found this statement to be confusing and wonder precisely what is restricted, so let’s clarify the details.

Screenshot Sharing Features Disabled

Thankfully, the Japanese website for Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream has provided some deeper insight into the restrictions Nintendo will be imposing.

Specifically, these Nintendo Switch system features will NOT be available with media from the game and are disabled:

• Transferring images to smartphones
• Posting directly to social media
• Automatically uploading images (Nintendo Switch 2 only)

Note that Nintendo does not mention the actual capturing of screenshots and videos, only the integrated system features that help you share them with others online.

It seems likely that you can work around this by physically removing an SD card from your Nintendo Switch with screenshots and then transferring the files to a PC or other device — assuming you use an SD card in your Switch.

So, Nintendo won’t stop you from taking screenshots, but they’re going to make sure it’s as much of a hassle as possible to share them online. And if you don’t have an SD card (or external capture device), then you might not be able to at all — besides taking a photo of your screen with a camera.

No Online Sharing of Miis & Custom Design Items

Unfortunately, the restrictions placed on sharing by Nintendo in Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream go even further than just screenshots.

In addition to those screenshot limits, the Japanese website confirms that the game does not have any online communication features for sharing. Specifically, you cannot share Mii characters or designed items to other players through the internet.

Mii characters and items cannot be shared via internet communication.

To clarify further, GameXplain was able to confirm this in an English statement from Nintendo of America:

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream does not feature any online communication features. In terms of the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 system features, the image transfer function to smart devices, direct posting to social media, and automatic image upload function (only on Nintendo Switch 2) are not enabled for Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream.

This is in sharp contrast to a game like Animal Crossing: New Horizons that features the Custom Design Portal, which freely allows you to upload custom designs online for other players to download using Custom Design codes over the internet.

QR Codes don’t appear to be available as an option for online sharing either, as the Japanese website highlights a specific new feature used with local communication to share Mii characters and items.

Unfortunately, that actually marks a major downgrade from Tomodachi Life on Nintendo 3DS as that game did feature QR Codes you could upload online or scan in your game to receive other players’ Mii characters! You could find thousands of different Mii designs online to import into the 3DS version.

In conjunction with the restrictions on screenshot sharing, it seems clear that this is not simply an oversight, but rather an intentional choice to avoid inappropriate or unsavory designs from spreading easily on the internet.

Understandably, Nintendo probably isn’t too thrilled about the idea of public figures being created as Miis and widely distributed on the internet. They’d likely prefer you to create your friends, family, or completely original characters instead of caricatures.

But it does feel like we’re missing something special from the previous version of Tomodachi Life with these restrictions. It’s a shame that a few troublemakers appear to have led Nintendo down this path of restricting all of us from sharing our creations.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream releases on April 16th, 2026 for Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 through backward compatibility! For more on the game, check out Tomodachi Life Gets Animal Crossing-Style Island Customization & Custom Designs.

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