Cyberpunk 2077 Save File Corrupted — How to Fix & Recover

If Cyberpunk 2077 says your save is corrupted or won't load, don't overwrite anything yet. Here's the exact file to restore, how to roll back to your last good save, and how to prevent it next time.

Quick answer

%USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\CD Projekt Red\Cyberpunk 2077

Each Cyberpunk save is its own subfolder holding sav.dat and metadata.9.json. A 'corrupted save' is usually the newest subfolder — delete or move that one folder and load the previous autosave/quicksave subfolder instead.

Where the files live: see the full Cyberpunk 2077 save file location guide for every platform path (PS5, Xbox, Steam Cloud).

How to transfer your Cyberpunk 2077 save to a new PC

Fully close Cyberpunk 2077 (check it isn't still running in Task Manager) so nothing overwrites the files while you work.
Open the save folder: press Win+R, paste %USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\CD Projekt Red\Cyberpunk 2077 and press Enter.
Back up EVERYTHING first: copy the entire folder to your Desktop or a USB drive. This is your undo button — do it before any change.
Load an earlier save: the bad file is usually the newest one. Move the most recent sav.dat (or its subfolder) out of the folder, then load the previous autosave/manual save from inside Cyberpunk 2077.
Roll back Steam/GOG Cloud if the local files are also bad: exit the game, disable cloud sync for Cyberpunk 2077 in the client, restore your known-good local backup, then re-enable sync so the good save uploads (not the corrupt one).
Verify the game files (Steam: right-click the game › Properties › Installed Files › Verify integrity) to rule out a damaged install rather than a damaged save.
Still stuck? Right-click the folder › Properties › Previous Versions (or Windows File History) to pull an older copy of the save from a system restore point.

Does cloud sync move it for you?

When Steam/GOG Cloud and your PC disagree, the client shows a sync conflict and asks which save to keep. Read the timestamps: pick the one matching your real last session. If you already picked wrong, restore the folder backup you made in step 3 before letting it sync again — otherwise the corrupt/older save overwrites the cloud copy too.

Common mistakes

Overwriting before backing up. The #1 way people turn a recoverable save into a lost one — always copy the whole folder first (step 3).
Letting the cloud re-sync the bad save. Disable cloud sync before you restore, or the corrupt file just downloads again.
The classic cause is the old save-file-size bug (huge inventories/crafting). Sell junk and avoid one gigantic single save; keep manual saves so a corrupt autosave never traps you.
Assuming it's the save when it's the game. If nothing loads, verify the install and check recently added mods before writing off your save.

FAQ

Where is the Cyberpunk 2077 save file on PC?

It's in %USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\CD Projekt Red\Cyberpunk 2077. Press Win+R, paste that path, and press Enter to open it. See the full Cyberpunk 2077 save location guide for PS5/Xbox paths too.

Can I recover a corrupted Cyberpunk 2077 save?

Often yes. Cyberpunk 2077 keeps multiple separate save files, so you can load an earlier one, and Windows Previous Versions or your cloud copy may hold a clean version. Always back the folder up before trying.

Why did my Cyberpunk 2077 save get corrupted?

Usually a crash or power loss while the game was writing the file, a cloud-sync conflict resolved the wrong way, or a full/failing disk. Keeping manual backups each session is the only reliable protection.

Will I get banned for restoring a save?

Restoring the game's own backup or a folder copy you made is fine. Byte-editing a save with an external editor is what risks anti-cheat flags in online games — avoid that route if you play online.

Other games

Need another game or a quick backup? Use the Save Location Finder — pick any game to get its exact save path plus a ready-to-run backup command.