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Dark Souls III Save File Location

Last verified: 2026-09-14

Save file location (Windows (Steam)): %APPDATA%\DarkSoulsIII\<SteamID>

Quick answer: On PC, Dark Souls III save files are stored in %APPDATA%\DarkSoulsIII\<SteamID>. Copy that folder to back up your progress before modding or moving to a new PC.
Windows (Steam)
%APPDATA%\DarkSoulsIII\<SteamID>
PlayStation 5 / PS4
Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data
Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One
My games & apps > <Game> > Manage game > Saved data

Here's exactly where Dark Souls III stores your save on every platform, how to open the folder, and how to back it up.

Save file locations

Windows (Steam)
%APPDATA%\DarkSoulsIII\<SteamID>

Full path: C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Roaming\DarkSoulsIII\<numeric Steam ID>\ . The save file is DS30000.sl2 (with a matching DS30000.sl2.bak backup).

PlayStation 5 / PS4
Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data

Console saves are sealed and can't be copied as raw files. Back them up to PS Plus cloud or a USB drive from this menu.

Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One
My games & apps > <Game> > Manage game > Saved data

Xbox saves sync automatically to the cloud with your Microsoft account; there is no user-accessible save file on disk.

Cloud saves

On PC, Dark Souls III uses Steam Cloud, so your DS30000.sl2 save syncs across machines with the same Steam account. If Steam Cloud and a local save conflict, pick carefully to avoid overwriting progress.

Cloud save conflict & platform recovery

Dark Souls III uses Steam Cloud on PC, so DS30000.sl2 syncs across machines on the same Steam account. The conflict shows up when a local save and the cloud copy disagree — usually after playing offline or on a second PC. The .sl2 file is a single monolithic save and does NOT merge; picking the wrong copy overwrites your character. There is a matching DS30000.sl2.bak the game writes automatically, but you should still back up the folder before answering the dialog.

  1. When the Steam Cloud conflict dialog appears, do NOT press Play — close it so nothing overwrites your local file.
  2. Back up locally first: press Win+R, type %APPDATA%\DarkSoulsIII and copy the <SteamID> folder (contains DS30000.sl2 and DS30000.sl2.bak) somewhere safe.
  3. Compare which is newer: check the modified date of DS30000.sl2 against your last offline session — the most recent one is your real character.
  4. Exact backup command (Windows CMD): robocopy "%APPDATA%\DarkSoulsIII" "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\DS3SaveBackup" /E
  5. Only after the backup: in the Steam dialog pick "Upload to Steam Cloud" if your local save is newer, or "Download" if the cloud copy is newer.
  6. Recovery trick: if a save corrupts, rename DS30000.sl2.bak to DS30000.sl2 (after backing up) to roll back to the game's own auto-backup. Console (PS5/Xbox) saves are sealed — back them up to cloud or USB from the system menu instead.
Back up first (Windows) — copy & run

Dark Souls 3 uses one .sl2 file per SteamID and it corrupts after alt-tab crashes or cloud conflicts. Back up the DarkSoulsIII folder before touching it:

robocopy "%APPDATA%\DarkSoulsIII" "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\DS3-Save-Backup" /E

/E copies the numeric SteamID subfolder holding DS30000.sl2. Never edit the .sl2 in place — restore from this copy instead, game closed.

Moving to a new PC? Follow the step-by-step Dark Souls III save transfer guide to copy your progress across without losing anything.

How to open the save folder

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run box.
  2. Type %appdata% and press Enter.
  3. Open the DarkSoulsIII folder, then the folder named with a long number (your Steam ID).
  4. Copy the whole save folder somewhere safe before editing, modding, or moving PCs.

Save problems & fixes

Dark Souls III save won’t load or says it’s corrupt

Many games keep an automatic backup next to the save (a .bak or numbered copy) — close the game, copy that backup over the broken file, and reopen. On Steam, also right-click the game → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.

My Dark Souls III save is missing or the folder is empty

You are usually looking in the wrong sub-folder — open the numbered profile/Steam-ID folder inside the path above, not the parent. If it is still empty, cloud sync may not have finished before the game overwrote the local copy; reconnect and let the cloud sync complete before launching.

Dark Souls III progress rolled back after a cloud conflict

When Steam or the console reports a save conflict, always keep the version with the LATER timestamp. Choosing the older cloud copy overwrites newer local progress — the most common cause of “lost hours.” If unsure, disable cloud sync, back up the local folder first, then re-enable it.

Save won't load or shows as corrupted? See the Dark Souls III corrupted save fix guide to recover your progress step by step.

Want to edit this save (money, items, stats)? See the Dark Souls III save editor guide — which fields are safe to change and how to back up first.

FAQ

Where is the Dark Souls III save file on PC?

It's at C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Roaming\DarkSoulsIII\<Steam ID>\DS30000.sl2. Press Win+R, type %appdata%, and open the DarkSoulsIII folder.

How do I back up my Dark Souls III save?

Copy DS30000.sl2 (and DS30000.sl2.bak) from your Steam ID folder to a safe location before modding.

Why is my Dark Souls III save not loading?

Saves are bound to your Steam ID. If you copied a save from another account, the folder and Steam ID must match yours, or the game creates a fresh save instead.

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.