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Project Zomboid Save File Location

Quick answer: On PC, Project Zomboid saves live in %USERPROFILE%\Zomboid\Saves. Inside are subfolders by game mode (Sandbox, Survivor, Builder, Multiplayer), and each world is a folder named after its map/seed. This is a home-folder path, not inside the Steam install.

Here's exactly where Project Zomboid keeps your PC saves, how the folders are sorted by game mode, and how to back up a world before an update.

Save file locations

Windows
%USERPROFILE%\Zomboid\Saves

Full path: C:\Users\<YourName>\Zomboid\Saves\ . The Zomboid folder sits directly in your user profile, not under AppData.

Windows (mods, options, logs)
%USERPROFILE%\Zomboid

The parent Zomboid folder also holds Workshop mods, options.ini and console logs. Back up the whole Zomboid folder to keep everything.

Cloud saves

Project Zomboid does not use Steam Cloud — saves exist only in your local Zomboid folder. A single world can be large (the map is stored in chunks), so a new PC needs the whole world folder copied over, not just one file.

How to open the save folder

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run box.
  2. Paste %USERPROFILE%\Zomboid\Saves and press Enter.
  3. Open the game-mode folder (e.g. Sandbox), then your world folder.
  4. Copy the entire world folder somewhere safe before updating or moving PCs.

Save problems & fixes

My Project Zomboid save disappeared after an update

Major updates can move builds into a separate branch. Check %USERPROFILE%\Zomboid\Saves for a 'saves_backup' or an older-mode folder; the game also makes a copy on version change. Restore your manual backup of the world folder if needed.

World won't load after removing mods

A save baked with mods can break when they're gone. Re-enable the mods it was created with, load once, then decide whether to continue — or restore a backup made before removing them.

I can't find the Zomboid folder

It's directly in your user profile, not AppData: paste %USERPROFILE%\Zomboid into the File Explorer address bar. If it's missing, launch the game once to generate it.

FAQ

Where is the Project Zomboid save on PC?

C:\Users\<YourName>\Zomboid\Saves, then the game-mode subfolder (Sandbox, Survivor, etc.), then your world folder.

Why are my saves split into Sandbox, Survivor and Builder?

Project Zomboid sorts saves by game mode. If a world is 'missing', check the folder for the mode you actually started it in.

How do I back up a Project Zomboid world?

Copy the whole world folder (not just one file) out of Saves\<mode> to a safe place — the map is stored across many chunk files.

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.