How to Transfer Your No Man's Sky Save to a New PC
Switching computers? Here's exactly which No Man's Sky save files to copy, where they live, and how to make sure your progress loads on the new PC.
%APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS
Inside NMS is a folder named st_<SteamID>; copy that whole folder — it holds save*.hg and mf_save*.hg metadata files.
Where the files live: see the full No Man's Sky save file location guide for every platform path (PS5, Xbox, Steam Cloud).
How to transfer your No Man's Sky save to a new PC
- On the old PC, press Win+R, paste %APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS, and press Enter to open the save folder.
- Select everything in that folder and copy it to a USB drive, cloud folder (OneDrive/Google Drive), or network share.
- Install No Man's Sky on the new PC and launch it once, then close it — this creates the empty save folder.
- The st_ folder is named with your Steam ID. If the new PC uses a different Steam account, rename the folder to match the new ID, or the game won't detect your saves.
- On the new PC, open the same path (%APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS) and paste the copied files in, overwriting if asked.
- Launch the game and confirm your progress loaded before deleting the backup copy.
Does cloud sync move it for you?
Yes on Steam with Steam Cloud enabled — saves sync automatically when you sign into the same account. Copy the st_ folder manually if cloud is off; the GOG version stores saves in the same HelloGames\NMS path.
Common mistakes
- Copying save*.hg but skipping the matching mf_save*.hg metadata, which hides the save.
- Steam ID folder name not matching the new account.
FAQ
How do I move my No Man's Sky save to a new PC?
Copy the save folder at %APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS 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 No Man's Sky cloud saves transfer automatically?
Yes on Steam with Steam Cloud enabled — saves sync automatically when you sign into the same account. Copy the st_ folder manually if cloud is off; the GOG version stores saves in the same HelloGames\NMS path.
Where is the No Man's Sky save folder on the old PC?
It's at %APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS. 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 — some games store settings, backups, or profile subfolders alongside the main save. Copying the entire folder avoids missing anything.
Other games
- Fallout: New Vegas Save File Location (PC)
- Factorio Save File Location (PC)
- Sekiro Save File Location (PC, PS5, Xbox)
- The Witcher 3 Save File Location (PC, PS5, Xbox)
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.