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No Man's Sky Save File Location

Last verified: 2026-09-20

Save file location (Windows (Steam)): %APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS

Quick answer: On PC, No Man's Sky save files are stored in %APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS. Copy that folder to back up your progress before modding or moving to a new PC.
Windows (Steam)
%APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS
Steam Deck / Linux (Proton)
~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/275850/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Roaming/HelloGames/NMS
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 No Man's Sky stores your saves on every platform, how to open the folder, and how to back them up.

Save file locations

Windows (Steam)
%APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS

Full path: C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Roaming\HelloGames\NMS\ . Inside is a folder like st_<SteamID> containing save*.hg files and mf_save*.hg metadata.

Steam Deck / Linux (Proton)
~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/275850/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Roaming/HelloGames/NMS

No Man's Sky has no native Linux build, so on Steam Deck it runs under Proton and the save lives inside the game's Proton prefix (not your Linux home). AppID 275850. Proton always names the Windows user 'steamuser' (never your Linux username). Saves are named save*.hg. If the game is on a microSD card, look under that card's steamapps/compatdata/ instead.

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, No Man's Sky uses Steam Cloud, so your .hg saves sync across machines with the same account. Because updates are frequent, back up the NMS folder before major patches in case a save needs restoring.

Cloud save conflict & platform recovery

No Man's Sky stores PC saves in %APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS\st_<SteamID>\ as paired save*.hg (your actual save) and mf_save*.hg (metadata). Steam Cloud syncs this whole folder, and the GOG build syncs it through GOG Galaxy. A conflict appears if you played on a second PC, reinstalled, or the game patched mid-session: Steam Cloud overwrites rather than merges, and if the save*.hg and its mf_ metadata partner fall out of sync the slot shows as corrupt or empty. Back up the st_ folder before letting the launcher resolve anything.

  1. Fully quit No Man's Sky and close Steam/GOG Galaxy so the client can't re-sync while you copy files.
  2. Back up the entire folder: %APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS\st_<SteamID>\ (full path C:\Users\<You>\AppData\Roaming\HelloGames\NMS\).
  3. Keep each save*.hg together with its matching mf_save*.hg — the numbers must pair (e.g. save2.hg + mf_save2.hg); copying one without the other makes the slot unreadable.
  4. If Steam Cloud shows a conflict dialog, pick the version with the most recent in-game progress, then verify it loads before deleting the backup.
  5. To stop future overwrites after moving PCs, disable Steam Cloud for NMS (Properties > General) until your local save is confirmed, then re-enable.
Back up first (Windows) — copy & run

Steam Cloud or a mid-patch sync can overwrite NMS saves. Copy the whole st_ folder before any cloud fix:

robocopy "%APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS" "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\NMS-Save-Backup" /E

Restore by copying the save*.hg and mf_save*.hg pairs back with the game closed and Steam Cloud temporarily disabled, or the launcher will re-overwrite them on next launch.

Moving to a new PC? Follow the step-by-step No Man's Sky 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 HelloGames folder, then the NMS folder.
  4. Copy the whole save folder somewhere safe before editing, modding, or moving PCs.

Save problems & fixes

No Man's Sky 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 No Man's Sky 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.

No Man's Sky 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 No Man's Sky corrupted save fix guide to recover your progress step by step.

FAQ

Where is the No Man's Sky save file on PC?

It's at C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Roaming\HelloGames\NMS. Press Win+R, type %appdata%, then open HelloGames\NMS. Saves are save*.hg files inside a st_<SteamID> subfolder.

How do I back up my No Man's Sky save?

Copy the save*.hg and mf_save*.hg files (or the whole st_<SteamID> folder) to a safe location, then paste them back to restore.

Which .hg file is my latest save?

Each slot has a save.hg / save2.hg pair with a matching mf_ metadata file. The highest-numbered, most recently modified pair is usually your latest autosave.

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.