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Fallout 4 Save File Location

Last verified: 2026-09-11

Save file location (Windows (Steam)): %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves

Quick answer: On PC, Fallout 4 save files are stored in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves. Copy that folder to back up your progress before modding or moving to a new PC.
Windows (Steam)
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves
Steam Deck / Linux (Proton)
~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/377160/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/Documents/My Games/Fallout4/Saves
Windows (Game Pass / MS Store)
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\BethesdaSoftworks.Fallout4-PC...\SystemAppData\wgs
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 Fallout 4 keeps your saves on every platform, how to open the folder, and how to back them up before you mod.

Save file locations

Windows (Steam)
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves

Full path: C:\Users\<YourName>\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves\ . Saves end in .fos with a matching .f4se co-save if you use F4SE.

Steam Deck / Linux (Proton)
~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/377160/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/Documents/My Games/Fallout4/Saves

On Steam Deck the save lives inside the game's Proton prefix, not in your Linux home. AppID 377160. Proton always names the Windows user 'steamuser' (never your Linux username). Saves are .fos files; keep the matching .fos together. If the game is installed on a microSD card, look under that card's steamapps/compatdata/ instead. Enable 'View › Show Hidden Files' in the Dolphin file manager to see the folder.

Windows (Game Pass / MS Store)
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\BethesdaSoftworks.Fallout4-PC...\SystemAppData\wgs

The Microsoft Store / Game Pass version stores saves in this container folder instead of Documents.

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, the Steam version uses Steam Cloud. If Steam Cloud and a local save conflict after playing offline, Steam asks which to keep — pick the newer one to avoid losing progress.

Cloud save conflict & platform recovery

Fallout 4 on PC keeps saves in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves as .fos files, and the Steam build syncs that folder through Steam Cloud. Two things cause a conflict: (1) playing on two PCs or offline, so Steam Cloud and the local copy disagree — sync overwrites, it never merges; and (2) the F4SE co-save. Each .fos made with the Fallout 4 Script Extender has a matching .f4se file, and if a cloud sync or manual copy brings back the .fos without its paired .f4se, script-extender mod data breaks and the save can crash on load.

  1. Fully quit Fallout 4 and exit Steam (or set the game to offline) before copying anything, so Steam Cloud doesn't re-sync mid-copy.
  2. Always move the .fos and its matching .f4se co-save together — same base filename, e.g. Save47_xxxxx.fos and Save47_xxxxx.f4se. Never copy one without the other.
  3. If Steam asks 'Cloud conflict — keep local or cloud?', pick the side with your latest playtime; choosing wrong overwrites the newer saves permanently.
  4. GOG and Microsoft Store (Game Pass) builds do NOT use Steam Cloud — the GOG copy lives in the same Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves folder, the MS Store copy in the sealed wgs container, so a save from one build won't appear in the other.
  5. Mod load order matters: restoring an old save into a different mod setup can strip perks or crash — keep a text note of the mods active when each backup was made.
Back up first (Windows) — copy & run

Steam Cloud can overwrite Fallout 4 saves after an offline session or a re-link. Copy the whole Saves folder (both .fos and .f4se) before letting any sync resolve:

robocopy "%USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves" "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\Fallout4-Save-Backup" /E

Restore by copying files back with the game closed and Steam offline, or Steam Cloud will re-overwrite them on next launch. Keep each .fos with its matching .f4se co-save.

Moving to a new PC? Follow the step-by-step Fallout 4 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 %userprofile%\Documents and press Enter.
  3. Open My Games, then Fallout4, then Saves.
  4. Copy the whole save folder somewhere safe before editing, modding, or moving PCs.

Save problems & fixes

Fallout 4 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 Fallout 4 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.

Fallout 4 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 Fallout 4 corrupted save fix guide to recover your progress step by step.

Want to edit this save (money, items, stats)? See the Fallout 4 save editor guide — which fields are safe to change and how to back up first.

FAQ

Where is the Fallout 4 save file on PC?

It's at C:\Users\<YourName>\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves. Press Win+R, type %userprofile%\Documents, then open My Games\Fallout4\Saves. Files end in .fos.

How do I back up Fallout 4 saves before modding?

Copy the .fos files (and matching .f4se co-saves if present) from the Saves folder somewhere safe. Restore by pasting them back.

Where are Game Pass Fallout 4 saves?

The Microsoft Store / Game Pass version keeps saves in a Packages\BethesdaSoftworks.Fallout4-PC...\SystemAppData\wgs container under %localappdata%, not in Documents.

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.