How to Backup Emulator Save Files — PC and Android Guide 2026

Quick reference — where each emulator stores saves on Windows:

• PCSX2: Documents\PCSX2\memcards\ — look for Mcd001.ps2 and Mcd002.ps2 (the two PS2 memory card slots). Also back up Documents\PCSX2\sstates\ for save states.
• DuckStation (PS1): Documents\DuckStation\memcards\ — per-game memory cards are named after the game serial (e.g. SCUS-94228.mcd). Save states are in Documents\DuckStation\savestates\.
• Dolphin (GC/Wii): Documents\Dolphin Emulator\GC\ for GameCube memory cards (USA.raw / EUR.raw). Wii saves: Documents\Dolphin Emulator\Wii\title\. Save states: Documents\Dolphin Emulator\StateSaves\.
• PPSSPP (PSP): Documents\PPSSPP\PSP\SAVEDATA\ — each game has its own subfolder (e.g. ULUS10041GWDATA00). Save states: Documents\PPSSPP\PSP\PPSSPP_STATE\.
• RetroArch: %APPDATA%\RetroArch\saves\ — save RAM files (.srm) named after the ROM file. Save states: %APPDATA%\RetroArch\states\. Each file matches its ROM name (e.g. Super Mario World.srm).
• Eden (Switch): %APPDATA%\Eden\nand\user\save\ — Switch saves are stored by user account ID inside the NAND directory. The full path is layered, so back up the entire nand\user\save\ folder.
• RPCS3 (PS3): %APPDATA%\rpcs3\dev_hdd0\home\00000001\savedata\ — each game save has its own folder under savedata\.

To back up: Copy these folders to an external drive, USB stick, or cloud folder. A simple Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V is all that's needed — no special tools required. Do this before every major emulator update and before reinstalling Windows.

Android save paths vary by whether the app uses internal storage or the shared /sdcard/. You'll need a file manager app (like MiXplorer or Files by Google) to access these.

• PPSSPP Android: /sdcard/PSP/SAVEDATA/ and /sdcard/PSP/PPSSPP_STATE/ — same folder structure as Windows. Directly transferable between PC and Android.
• RetroArch Android: /sdcard/RetroArch/saves/ and /sdcard/RetroArch/states/ — .srm files same format as PC.
• Dolphin Android: /sdcard/dolphin-emu/GC/ for GameCube memory cards. Wii saves are under /sdcard/dolphin-emu/Wii/.
• NetherSX2 (Android PS2): /sdcard/NetherSX2/memcards/ — same .ps2 format as PCSX2. Saves are cross-compatible.
• Eden Android (Switch): /sdcard/Eden/nand/user/save/ — same structure as PC Eden; back up the full save/ subfolder.

Tip: Connect your Android to your PC via USB, enable File Transfer (MTP) mode, and copy the save folders directly to your PC backup location.

Manual folder copies are reliable but easy to forget. These options automate it:

Option A — Move save folders into a cloud-synced folder (simplest):

1. Create a folder inside your Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive directory — e.g. Dropbox\EmulatorSaves\PCSX2\.
2. Move Documents\PCSX2\memcards\ into this cloud folder.
3. In PCSX2 → Settings → Memory Cards, update the memory card path to point to the new Dropbox location.
4. Repeat for each emulator that supports a configurable save path. Most modern emulators (DuckStation, Dolphin, PPSSPP) let you set a custom folder in their settings.

Option B — Syncthing (free, no cloud account needed):

• Syncthing is an open-source tool that syncs folders directly between two devices (PC ↔ Android, PC ↔ PC) without uploading to a third-party server.
• Install Syncthing on both devices, share the save folder, and saves stay in sync automatically.
• This works especially well for PPSSPP saves between PC and Android (same SAVEDATA format on both).

Option C — RetroArch's built-in cloud saves:

• RetroArch supports OneDrive integration under Settings → Cloud Synchronization. Enable it and set the cloud provider to OneDrive (free account works).
• Saves sync automatically when you close a game. Currently PC and Android RetroArch both support this.

There are two distinct save types in most emulators — knowing the difference helps you back up the right one:

• Memory card saves (in-game saves): These are created when you use the game's own Save Game menu. They're stored in the memcards\ folder (PS1/PS2) or GC\ folder (GameCube). These are the most reliable — the game itself created them and they match the original console format. Always back these up.
• Save states (emulator saves): These are snapshots of the entire emulator state, created by pressing a hotkey (usually F1 or F5). They're faster to use but are tied to a specific emulator version. After a major emulator update, save states may fail to load even though memory card saves load perfectly. Use save states for convenience; don't rely on them as your only backup.

Best practice: Always save in-game (to memory card) before closing the emulator, then optionally also create a save state. Back up both folders, but when transferring saves to a new device or emulator version, prioritize the memory card save.