How to Transfer Your Fallout 3 Save to a New PC
Switching computers? Here's exactly which Fallout 3 save files to copy, where they live, and how to make sure your progress loads on the new PC.
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves
Copy the whole Saves folder — the .fos files are your saves and there is no cloud backup.
Where the files live: see the full Fallout 3 save file location guide for every platform path (PS5, Xbox, Steam Cloud).
How to transfer your Fallout 3 save to a new PC
- On the old PC press Win+R, type %USERPROFILE%\Documents and press Enter.
- Open My Games > Fallout3 > Saves and copy all the .fos files to a USB drive or cloud folder.
- Install Fallout 3 on the new PC and launch it once, make a save so the folder is created, then close the game.
- Open %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves on the new PC and paste your .fos files in.
- Launch the game and load a save to confirm it worked before deleting the backup.
Does cloud sync move it for you?
No — Fallout 3 does not use Steam Cloud, so the .fos files live only on your PC. You must copy them by hand; nothing is backed up automatically.
Common mistakes
- Assuming Steam Cloud has a copy — it does not; if you wipe the old PC first, the saves are gone.
- Copying saves from an older Games for Windows Live install path instead of My Games\Fallout3.
FAQ
How do I move my Fallout 3 save to a new PC?
Copy the save folder at %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves from the old PC to the exact same path on the new PC, then launch the game. Use a USB drive, cloud storage, or a network share to move the files.
Will Fallout 3 cloud saves transfer automatically?
No — Fallout 3 does not use Steam Cloud, so the .fos files live only on your PC. You must copy them by hand; nothing is backed up automatically.
Where is the Fallout 3 save folder on the old PC?
It's at %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves. Paste that into the File Explorer address bar (or Win+R) to open it. See our full location guide for every platform.
Do I need to copy any other files?
Copy the whole save folder, not just one file — Fallout 3 may store settings, backups, or profile subfolders alongside the main save. Copying the entire folder avoids missing anything.
Other games
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- How to Transfer Your V Rising Save to a New PC
- Absolum Save File Location (PC)
- Blades of Fire Save File Location (PC)
- Dispatch Save File Location (PC)
- Mina the Hollower Save File Location (PC)
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.