How to Archive and Share Your Animal Crossing Islands Before They Vanish

Don’t lose years of island work overnight: how to capture, back up, and share your Animal Crossing creations before they vanish

Hook: You poured months — maybe years — into your island. Then a moderation sweep, a game update, or a mistaken report wipes it from public view. Recent removals in late 2025 showed how quickly beloved islands can disappear. This guide gives step-by-step, practical methods to archive, preserve, and distribute your Animal Crossing (New Horizons) fan works so your maps, screenshots, video walkthroughs, and printable layouts survive whatever comes next.

Why this matters in 2026

Late 2025 and early 2026 brought two core shifts affecting preservation:

• Publishers and platforms tightened moderation and automated enforcement, meaning historic or edgy islands can be removed much faster than before.
• Creators and communities accelerated decentralized archiving using tools like IPFS, Internet Archive deposits, and canonical Git/GitHub repositories to maintain discoverability outside platform silos.

“Nintendo, I apologize from the bottom of my heart... Rather, thank you for turning a blind eye these past five years.” — @churip_ccc on the removal of a long-running island

That tweet is a recent reminder: even long-lived creations can vanish. The goal here is not to circumvent rules, but to preserve the creative effort: maps, screenshots, videos, and printable blueprints — plus the metadata that makes them useful for future players and historians.

Overview: What to capture and why

Prioritize materials that tell the story of an island and let others recreate or study it later. At minimum capture:

• High-resolution screenshots of key vistas, custom designs, and interior builds — follow photography best practices from resources like advanced product photography.
• Full-length video walkthroughs showing paths, event timings, and NPC placements
• Island maps and grid layouts (tile-by-tile where possible) to create printable schematics
• Custom design codes and metadata — creator IDs, names, update dates, and any in-game Dream/visit codes
• Source files for custom designs, PDFs for printable maps, and project readmes for reconstructability

Step 1 — Prepare: planning your archive

Start by deciding scope. Are you archiving just a single room, the whole island, or a community of linked islands? That determines which tools and workflows you’ll use.

1. Inventory: list key locations (plaza, bridges, homes, museum rooms, villager houses) and custom designs.
2. Permissions: get written permission from other builders/owners before distributing their work. Respect privacy and copyright.
3. File naming & metadata: adopt a consistent scheme. Example: islandname_section_date_creator.ext (islandname_center_20260115_alex.png).
4. Storage plan: at minimum use two backups (local SSD + cloud). For long-term preservation add a third copy to a public archive (Internet Archive or IPFS).

Step 2 — Capture high-quality screenshots

Screenshots are the fastest, most universal artifact. Here’s how to make them durable and useful.

Tools you need

• Nintendo Switch capture button (quick snaps) or an external HD capture card (Elgato/Magewell) for lossless screenshots.
• PC with OBS or other capture software for post-processing.
• Image editor (GIMP, Photoshop) for stitching and annotation — see notes from product photography guides.

Best practices

1. Use a capture card whenever possible. The Switch’s built-in capture limit (30 seconds for video) and variable screenshot quality make capture cards the gold standard. Connect the Switch to a capture card and record full-resolution output to PNG/jpg for crisp archival images.
2. Shoot multiple angles. Record sky-to-ground panoramic views, close-ups of designs, and orthographic (flat) shots of furniture layouts.
3. Turn off HUD if possible. Some builds look better without UI elements. If the game’s camera doesn’t let you disable HUD, crop carefully in post.
4. Annotate in post. Add labels (villager names, item sources, design IDs) and a scale indicator (e.g., “1 tile = 1 grid square”) — saves future guesswork.
5. Save master files. Keep TIFF or PNG masters; export compressed JPGs/faster loading variants for sharing.

Step 3 — Record video walkthroughs and long-form captures

Videos show the living experience: path flow, event NPCs, seasonal changes, and interactions that screenshots can’t capture.

Recording options

• Capture card + OBS: record continuous video, set 60fps/30fps depending on performance, and record audio commentary. (See field capture workflows in the field rig review.)
• Smartphone capture: acceptable for quick walkthroughs; keep steady with a gimbal.
• In-game recording limits: the Switch’s native recorder is limited — use it only for short clips unless you have a capture card.

Suggested workflow

1. Plan a route: start at airport, move clockwise around island, visit key homes, finish at plaza. Repeat for sunrise/sunset for lighting documentation.
2. Record audio narration or a separate text transcript explaining custom designs, easter eggs, and placement logic.
3. Edit for clarity: cut to important sections, add timestamps in the video description, embed custom design codes on-screen when relevant.
4. Export multiple resolutions: a high-quality archival MP4/ProRes master and a web-friendly MP4 (1080p h.264). For collaborative visual workflows and export best practices see live visual authoring notes.

Step 4 — Create tile-accurate maps and printable layouts

Reconstruction requires a plan that shows tile-level placements of rivers, cliffs, buildings, and key items.

Options for mapping

• Manual stitching: stitch overhead screenshots in an image editor and overlay a grid. This is time-consuming but accurate.
• Community island planners: in 2026 several web-based island planners (search for “ACNH island planner” for active projects) let you draw over a pre-made grid to recreate your island. Export PNG/PDF for print.
• Tile-by-tile templates: create a 30x30 grid (or the island’s grid size) and document each tile’s content as a CSV or spreadsheet to allow programmatic reconstruction; store those CSVs alongside your images and metadata for reproducibility and sync with local-first sync tools.

Making printable layouts

1. Export your stitched map at 300 DPI for high-quality print.
2. Include a legend that lists custom designs (with creator IDs), furniture lists, and exact coordinates.
3. Provide a printable “assembly guide” for fans who want to rebuild the island in-game: list required materials, DIY sources, and villager placement preferences.

Step 5 — Exporting and preserving custom designs (NookLink & beyond)

Custom designs are a major part of ACNH culture. In 2026, the Nintendo Switch Online companion tools (often referred to as NookLink) still provide an official route to manage custom designs and creator IDs — but the best preservation is multi-pronged.

What to save

• Design ID and Creator ID codes
• Screenshots of the design in use
• Exported pattern images (PNG) or source files
• Instructions for in-game placement (orientation, layering)

Tools & tips

1. NookLink / Nintendo’s tools: make sure your designs are linked to your account and note Design & Creator IDs in a text file. These are searchable and remain useful if the in-game portal changes.
2. Manual export: screenshot each custom design at multiple sizes. Save the raw image as PNG and a secondary compressed JPG for quick sharing.
3. Third-party preservation: if a design is critical to a build, include the pattern details in your archive readme or Git repository so the design can be remade even if codes are purged.

Step 6 — Organize metadata and context

Archival files without context are much less valuable. Include a small metadata package with every archive.

• Readme.txt or README.md describing creator, creation dates, build logs, and version history.
• Licensing: declare a license for distribution (Creative Commons is common for fan works). If you want to restrict commercial use, choose an appropriate CC variant.
• Credits: list every contributor — model this after open-source projects to maintain provenance.
• Checksums: produce SHA256 checksums for master files so future archivists can verify integrity; see best practices in the Zero-Trust Storage Playbook.

Step 7 — Backups & long-term storage

Follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two different media, with one copy offsite.

1. Local master: an external SSD with your TIFF/PNG masters and uncompressed video.
2. Cloud backup: Google Drive, Dropbox, or Backblaze B2 for remote redundancy — many creators pair cloud backups with local-first sync appliances for privacy and speed.
3. Public archive: deposit a copy to the Internet Archive or a community repository. For increased permanence, consider adding a copy to IPFS via an established pinning service and document the CID in your archive metadata.

Automation for active creators (2026 trend)

In 2026 more creators automate backups with scripts and small apps that push new screenshots and videos to a cloud folder and create Git commits for metadata. If you’re comfortable with basic scripting, use ffmpeg + rsync or rclone to automate the heavy lifting; pairing those scripts with local-first sync appliances reduces friction.

Step 8 — Sharing your archive responsibly

Sharing expands reach — but do it with respect for creators and platform rules.

Where to publish

• YouTube/Vimeo for long-form walkthroughs and narrated restoration videos (add timestamps and download links in the description).
• Imgur/Flickr/Cloud image hosts for screenshot galleries.
• GitHub/GitLab for structured archives: include images, CSV tile maps, README, and a releases system.
• Internet Archive for a public, timestamped, long-term deposit. Use clear metadata and license information.
• Discord/Reddit/Community forums for outreach and iterative rebuild efforts; pin your canonical archive link and run reconstruction sessions on Twitch or Discord.

Tagging, discoverability & SEO

Use descriptive titles that include the island name, year, creator, and key tags like “ACNH,” “island map,” and “custom designs.” Host a small index page (even a GitHub Pages site) so searches find your canonical archive instead of transient social posts.

Respect the rules

• Don’t distribute saved game files or anything that violates Nintendo’s Terms of Service.
• For collaborative islands, obtain consent from contributors before public release.
• If content is mature or could attract enforcement, clearly label it and follow platform policies or opt for gated distribution to consenting adults.
• Honor takedown requests from co-creators or original authors.

Advanced preservation: reproducibility and community archiving

Beyond static captures, make your island reproducible. The more a future builder can recreate the island from your archive alone, the better.

• Create a materials list (items, furniture, clothing, required DIYs).
• Provide a rebuild script — a checklist that tells someone the exact order to place bridges, rivers, and objects for best results.
• Host reconstruction sessions on Twitch or Discord and record them; these are community-driven oral histories that add social context — see streaming and mobile micro-studio notes from mobile micro-studio workflows.

Decentralized options (2026 trend)

Community stewards increasingly use IPFS + public pinning services and store index metadata in a Git repo. This protects against single-platform deletions. If you use IPFS, include the CID in all public posts so people can always find the pinned copy. For tokenization and community distribution plays, see work on tokenized drops and edge indexing.

Case study: what the Adults’ Island removal teaches us

The takedown of a long-running, highly detailed island in late 2025 shows three lessons:

1. Longevity is fragile: public availability doesn’t equal permanence.
2. Community memory matters: creators and visitors thanked each other even as the island was removed — social documentation (comments, stream captures) is part of preservation.
3. Plan for removal: creators should self-archive proactively so the work continues to inspire even if the in-game version is gone.

Legal, ethical, and moderation realities

It’s tempting to push every archive into the wild, but legal and ethical boundaries matter.

• Respect Nintendo’s intellectual property: include only screenshots and your own designs unless you have permission. Think about digital legacy and how creators want their work preserved — see notes on digital legacy.
• For collaborative islands, obtain consent from contributors before public release.
• If content is mature or could attract enforcement, label it accurately and consider restricted sharing (private links, age gates).
• Comply with DMCA and takedown requests when they arrive; keep records of your compliance to protect your archive’s reputation. Public preservation initiatives and legal guidance are evolving — follow projects like the Federal Web Preservation Initiative for updates.

Quick reference checklist (one-page actionable list)

• Plan: inventory & permissions
• Capture: high-res screenshots (PNG), full walkthroughs (capture card)
• Map: stitch overheads, export tile grids
• Designs: save Design & Creator IDs, PNG exports
• Metadata: README, credits, license, checksums
• Backup: local SSD, cloud, public archive
• Share: YouTube, GitHub, Internet Archive, Discord

Tools & resource suggestions (2026 updated list)

Community tools evolve quickly. As of early 2026, useful resources include:

• Capture cards (Elgato/Magewell) + OBS for video and screenshots — see field rig capture workflows in our field rig review.
• GIMP/Photoshop for stitching and annotation — check photography notes at advanced product photography.
• Internet Archive for long-term public deposits
• GitHub/Git for metadata and reproducible archives
• IPFS + pinning services for decentralized backups — paired with zero-trust storage practices (see playbook).
• AI upscalers (Topaz, ESRGAN) to restore older low-res screenshots — use sparingly and keep originals

Final notes: preservation as community care

Preserving an island isn’t just about pixels — it’s about the people who played, built, and shared there. When you archive, aim to capture context: the build notes, the streamers who helped spread the island’s fame, and visitor screenshots. Those human traces make archives meaningful decades from now.

Call to action

If your island matters to you or a community, start today: take one comprehensive screenshot, record a short walkthrough, and upload a copy to a cloud folder with a README. Then, join or create a community archive (Discord or GitHub) and pin your work to a public repository like the Internet Archive or an IPFS pinning service. Share your archive link in community hubs and tag it with clear metadata so the next player — or historian — can find it even if the in-game island disappears.

Want help getting started? Post your island name and one screenshot in our boardgames.news Discord or reply to this article — our community team will help you create a preservation checklist and a starter archive.

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