What a save editor does with your character's appearance

A save editor for Animal Crossing: New Horizons reads the game file stored on your Switch and lets you change details directly — including your character's hairstyle, hair color, eye shape, and facial features. Instead of visiting the mirror or Resident Services in-game, you edit the save file on your computer, then copy it back to your Switch.

The most common tool for this is ACNH Editor (also called "Save Editor" or "ACNH Save Editor" depending on the version). It shows your character as they appear in the game and has separate fields where you can pick from every hairstyle, color, and facial feature available in the game — including items that normally require specific conditions or time-based unlocks to obtain.

This guide walks through the steps using ACNH Editor on Windows. The process is similar on Mac, though the file paths differ slightly. You will need a copy of your save file first, which requires either a modded Switch or a tool that can extract saves from an unmodified console.

Key Takeaways

  • ACNH Editor is the most widely used save editor for changing character appearance, and it runs on Windows and Mac.
  • You must have your save file extracted from your Switch before you can open it in the editor — this requires either a modded console or a separate extraction tool.
  • The editor displays your character visually and has dropdown menus for each appearance option, so you do not need to memorize codes or numbers.
  • After making changes in the editor, you save the modified file and copy it back to your Switch in the same location it came from.
  • Always keep a backup of your original save file before editing, in case something goes wrong during the process.

Getting your save file off your Switch

Before you can edit anything, you need a copy of your save data on your computer. On an unmodified Switch, Nintendo does not let you export save files directly. Your options are to use a modded Switch (which can dump saves to an SD card) or to use a tool like Checkpoint or JKSV (both require a modded console) or Save Manager (which works on unmodified Switches but requires a computer connected via USB).

If you have a modded Switch with custom firmware, the easiest method is to use Checkpoint. Launch it from the homebrew menu, select Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and choose "Export" to save a copy of your save file to the SD card. Then remove the SD card, plug it into your computer, and copy the save file to a folder on your desktop.

If your Switch is not modded, you will need to research the current extraction tools available for your setup, as the landscape of unmodified-console extraction changes frequently. Document the exact location and folder structure where your save file came from — you will need to put the edited file back in the same place.

Downloading and opening ACNH Editor

Download ACNH Editor from its GitHub repository (search "ACNH Editor" on GitHub). The Windows version is a single executable file — no installation needed. Save it to a folder on your desktop or in Documents for easy access.

Open the editor and you will see a window with your character displayed in the center. On the left side are tabs for different categories: Appearance, House, Villagers, and more. Click the Appearance tab if it is not already selected.

At the top of the window, you will see a button labeled "Open" or a file menu. Click it and navigate to your save file. The file is usually named something like main or main.dat depending on which extraction tool you used. Select it and the editor will load your character's current appearance.

Changing hairstyle and hair color

In the Appearance tab, look for the section labeled "Hair Style" or "Hair Type". This is a dropdown menu showing every hairstyle in the game. Click the dropdown and scroll through the list — you will see the name of each style and a small preview image next to it. Select the one you want.

Directly below or next to the hairstyle dropdown is "Hair Color". Click that dropdown and choose from the available colors. Your character's preview in the center of the window updates immediately to show the new style and color combination.

If you want to match a specific in-game hairstyle you have seen, the dropdown list is organized by category (long, short, curly, etc.), so you can browse by type. There is no way to search by name, so if you are looking for something specific, scrolling through the full list is the fastest approach.

Adjusting facial features and eye details

Below the hair options, you will find dropdowns for Face Shape, Eye Shape, Eye Color, Mouth Shape, and Nose Shape. Each one works the same way: click the dropdown, choose the option you want, and watch your character update in the preview.

Some editors also include Eyebrow Shape and Eyebrow Color as separate fields. These are less commonly changed but follow the same process. Experiment by clicking through options — the preview updates instantly, so you can see exactly how each combination looks before you save.

If you are trying to recreate a specific look, take your time here. The preview is accurate to how your character will appear in-game, so what you see is what you will get once the file is back on your Switch.

Saving your changes and copying the file back

Once you have made all the changes you want, look for a Save button or use the File menu and select "Save". The editor writes your changes back into the save file on your computer. You will usually see a confirmation message or the window title will change to show the file is no longer unsaved.

Now you need to copy the edited save file back to your Switch in the exact location it came from. If you extracted it using Checkpoint, that means copying it back to the same folder on your SD card. If you used a different tool, follow that tool's instructions for re-importing the save.

Eject the SD card safely from your computer, insert it back into your Switch, and launch Animal Crossing. Your character should now have the new appearance. If something looks wrong, power off the Switch immediately without saving in-game, and restore your backup of the original save file.

Troubleshooting common problems

If the editor will not open your save file, the file may be corrupted or in the wrong format. Make sure you extracted it correctly and that the file name matches what the editor expects. Some versions of ACNH Editor only work with saves extracted by specific tools — if one tool does not work, try another.

If your character looks wrong in-game but correct in the editor preview, the file may not have been copied back to the correct location. Double-check the folder path where you found the original save and make sure the edited file is in that exact same place. On some setups, the save file needs to be in a specific subfolder.

If your Switch will not recognize the save file at all and shows an error, the file may have been corrupted during the copy process. Restore your backup and try again, making sure to eject the SD card safely and not interrupt the file transfer. If the problem persists, your extraction tool may not be compatible with your current Switch firmware version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my character's appearance in-game instead of using an editor?

Yes. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you can visit a mirror or the mirror in Resident Services and change your hairstyle, hair color, and some facial features for in-game currency (bells). The save editor is faster if you want to change multiple things at once or access hairstyles that have not been unlocked yet.

Will using a save editor get my Switch banned?

Modifying save files is a gray area. Using a modded Switch to extract and edit saves is against Nintendo's terms of service, but bans are rare if you do not go online or interact with other players while using modified saves. Playing offline with edited saves is generally considered lower risk than playing online.

What if I want to change my character's appearance back to the original?

Restore your backup of the original save file and copy it back to your Switch. If you did not make a backup, you can only change your appearance back by using the in-game mirror or Resident Services, which will not restore hairstyles you have not unlocked yet.

Can I edit other players' characters on my island?

ACNH Editor can modify resident villagers and other player characters, but the process is more complex and requires finding the correct data section for each character. Most editors have a separate tab or section for this. Editing another player's character without permission is not recommended.

Does the editor work on Mac?

Yes, ACNH Editor has a Mac version available on the same GitHub repository. The steps are identical — the only difference is the file paths to your save file, which are different on Mac. Check the editor's documentation for Mac-specific folder locations.