Palworld Save File Location Guide — Where Saves Are Stored (1.0)

Knowing where Palworld stores your save files is essential for backing up your progress, transferring worlds between computers, and recovering from corrupted saves. This guide covers both Steam and Xbox/Game Pass save locations and how to work with them safely.

Steam Save Location

Palworld stores saves locally on your computer, with optional Steam Cloud synchronization.

Primary path:

%localappdata%/Pal/Saved/SaveGames/[SteamID]/[WorldID]/

Breakdown:

• %localappdata%/Pal/Saved/ — Root save directory
• SaveGames/[SteamID]/ — Your Steam user ID folder (a long number)
• [WorldID]/ — Each world has its own folder with a random name

Files in a world folder:

• Level.sav — World data (buildings, Pal spawns, map progress)
• LocalData.sav — Your character data
• Players/[PlayerID].sav — Player-specific data for each player who joined

Xbox / Game Pass Save Location

Xbox/Game Pass saves use Windows’ container system and are not directly accessible the same way as Steam saves.

Path:

C:/Users/[YourUsername]/AppData/Local/Packages/PocketpairInc.Palworld_[RandomString]/SystemAppData/wgs/

Xbox saves are encrypted and cannot be manually backed up like Steam saves. Use the Xbox Cloud Save feature instead.

How to Back Up Your Save

Steam

1. Navigate to %localappdata%/Pal/Saved/SaveGames/
2. Copy the entire SaveGames folder to a backup location (external drive, cloud storage)
3. To restore, replace the SaveGames folder with your backup

Xbox / Game Pass

1. Open Settings → Apps → Palworld → Advanced options
2. Check the “Saves” section — there is a “Clear saved games” option (do NOT use this unless you want to delete saves)
3. Use Windows File History or a third-party backup tool for the wgs folder

Transferring Saves Between PCs

Steam to Steam

1. Back up the SaveGames folder from PC 1
2. Install and launch Palworld on PC 2 (creates the folder structure)
3. Close Palworld and overwrite the SaveGames folder on PC 2 with your backup
4. Restart Palworld

Steam to Game Pass (Not Possible)

Steam and Game Pass saves use different formats and cannot be transferred between each other.

Recovering a Corrupted Save

1. Navigate to the save folder and look for .bak files — Palworld sometimes creates automatic backups
2. Rename Level.sav to Level.sav.corrupted
3. If a Level.sav.bak exists, rename it to Level.sav
4. Launch the game and check if the world loads
5. If no backup exists, the save is likely unrecoverable — start a new world

FAQ

Does Palworld have Steam Cloud saves?

Yes, Steam Cloud is enabled for Palworld. However, it is still recommended to make manual backups before major updates.

Can I edit my save file?

Yes, third-party save editors exist for Palworld. Always back up your save before using any editor.

How do I find my SteamID folder?

Your SteamID is visible in your Steam profile URL (e.g., steamcommunity.com/id/[yourID]/). The number-based folder name under SaveGames is your Steam account ID.

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