Nook Link: How to Download Custom Designs from Happy Home & New Leaf

As you play online with others in Animal Crossing New Horizons, you might start to notice people have designs on their clothes or furniture that you’ve never seen before. It is likely that they are custom designs that they found or created themselves. Here’s everything you need to know about how to download custom designs from Happy Home and New Leaf for Nook Link.

It’s an optional feature, but downloading custom designs through Nook Link is a fun way to create a collection of unique patterns for your Animal Crossing items.

How to Download Custom Designs from Happy Home & New Leaf

Custom designs that were created in two previous Animal Crossing games, Happy Home Designer and New Leaf, produced a QR code in order to share the patterns with other people.

Luckily, you don’t need to have played either of these games yourself in order to take advantage of downloading the patterns that people have created. All you need is your own copy of New Horizons and the Nook Link app.

The Nook Link app can be accessed through the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app. Follow the steps on your screen to sync your app to your game (press – on the game’s title screen to go to settings).

Once you’re in the Nook Link app, navigate to the Designs icon. This will allow you to scan the QR codes of custom designs that were made in Happy Home Designer and New Leaf.

If you haven’t created any patterns in either of those games yourself, have no fear; there are thousands of designs out there on the internet for you to use.

For example, try doing a Google image search for “Animal Crossing QR patterns.” You will see endless creations that people have made and uploaded over the years. You can get more specific with your search, like adding the name of a certain game or character that there may be existing patterns of.

Once you find a custom design that you like, it’s time to scan it. Select “Scan a QR Code” and then line up the code within the frame on the screen. You can do this up with up to four QR codes for a single pattern, which is great for more complex designs.

After your custom design has been scanned onto the Nook Link app, it’s time to download it in your game. Go back to New Horizons and open the Custom Designs app on your Nook Phone.

Next, press the + button to download. It will sync with your Nook Link app. When it recognizes a new design, you can choose an empty slot to place the pattern in.

You can now use the custom design around your island, such as wearing it or displaying it. Take some time and browse online for patterns that you like. People are extremely talented and have been uploading these designs for years, so there’s a lot out there to use.

That’s all you need to know about how to download custom designs from Happy Home and New Leaf. For more tips, tricks, and guides, visit our New Horizons guide wiki.