How to upload any Animal Crossing: New Horizons image into the game

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Here's how to add any picture as a custom design in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Learning how to upload any Animal Crossing: New Horizons image into the game unlocks a whole new potential for customisation. You can create custom designs that you can literally wear, hang on your wall at home, or even display as pieces of furniture. But, you'll have to unleash your creativity to make some really special designs and that all starts with uploading images.

There's a huge scope with Animal Crossing: New Horizons allowing you to upload pretty much any image you want from memes to real-life photos you've taken yourself. The process is a bit time consuming at first, but once you have all the tools you need, you can upload pictures faster than you can say, "Hoo-WHO?!" Here's everything you need to know to upload any Animal Crossing: New Horizons image into the game.

1. Download the Nintendo Switch Online app for your phone

You'll need the Nintendo Switch Online app in order to scan QR codes and send them to your Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nook phone. Yes, there's a weird amount of steps to get an image in the actual game, but once you go through the process once it's a no-brainer. Get the app, and while it's downloading, move on to step two.

2. Convert your image into the Animal Crossing art style

The image menu for adding photos into Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo/ACPatterns.com)

There's a nifty site that does all the heavy lifting for you. It's called AC Patterns, and it not only lets you create designs on your desktop for more fine-tuned design control, it also lets you upload whatever picture you want. I mean, whatever picture you want. Simply click "Convert" and choose an image from your computer (square images work best). The tool will then convert that picture into the pixel art style seen in-game, and let you alter the quality, transparency, and color (greyscale tends to look best, but certain images like the Spongebob one above work well in color, too).

Tip: Even if the image looks wonky, click "generate QR code" to get a better idea of what it will look like in-game - a lot of the images I uploaded looked bizarre when blown up in AC Patterns, but looked fine when smaller in the actual game.

Generating a QR code for loading images into Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo/AC Patterns)

After you convert your image just click "Generate QR code" in the bottom right corner of the screen. A code will appear in a pop-up window, so grab your phone and open up the Nintendo Switch Online app. Tap Animal Crossing: New Horizons under "Game Specific Services" and you'll be brought to the NookLink app (it's app-ception). Tap on the "Designs" app, then "Scan a QR code" and scan away. You'll only be able to do this one design at a time, if you try to scan another QR code it'll overwrite the one you've done, so the next step is key.

4. Download your custom design with the in-game app

Selecting an uploaded image in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Yes, there are two apps on two phones (one real and one in-game) required in this process, but again, you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly. After scanning your QR code with your real phone, grab your Switch, boot up Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and open up the "Custom Designs" app with your in-game Nook phone. Then just tap the + key to download and click Download again after the pop-up asks "Do you want to connect to the internet and download a custom design made for Nintendo 3DS games?" Outdated console reference aside, it'll download the design you just scanned with your phone, and it'll stay there for good.

5. Rinse and repeat

Repeat this process every time you want to convert an image into a custom design. If you scan a QR code for an image before downloading it in New Horizons, you'll overwrite the image you've just converted. So convert, scan, download in-game, and then work on your next masterpiece.

Well, there you have it, how to upload any image into Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The unlimited power you have in your hands… it's almost scary.

Alyssa Mercante
Alyssa Mercante
Former Features Writer

Alyssa Mercante used to be a features writer at GamesRadar+ and is now a freelance writer and editor. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.

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