Finding where your save files are stored in Starfield is essential for backing up your campaign progress and managing custom game modifications. Whether you are playing through Steam or the PC Xbox Game Pass app, knowing the exact directory helps prevent accidental data loss. This comprehensive guide breaks down the precise file paths for every platform so you can easily locate and protect your save files.
Finding Starfield Save Files on Steam
For players using Steam, locating save files is a direct process that takes place inside your primary user directory. Standard installations place these files in the Windows Documents folder rather than deep inside system subdirectories.
You can find your save files by opening File Explorer and navigating to C:Users[Your Username]DocumentsMy GamesStarfieldSaves. Inside this folder, each save appears as an individual file containing your character name and progress timestamp. Copying these files to an external drive provides a quick way to create manual backups before modding.
Locating PC Xbox Game Pass Save Directories
The Xbox App version of Starfield handles file storage differently due to Microsoft Store encryption and cloud synchronization. Instead of using the standard Documents folder, files are stored within hidden application data packages.
To access this area, navigate to C:Users[Your Username]AppDataLocalPackagesBethesdaSoftworks.ProjectGold_3275kfvn8vcwcSystemAppDatawgs. You may need to enable hidden folders in your Windows File Explorer settings to view the AppData folder. Inside the wgs folder, you will notice randomly generated alphanumeric folders containing your encrypted game data.
Managing Saves for Cloud Sync and Modding
Starfield automatically synchronizes your campaign progress to cloud servers whenever you exit a play session. However, creating local copies gives you full control when troubleshooting game bugs or migrating save data between computers.
If you plan to install mods or use console commands, keeping isolated save backups is highly recommended. Console commands can flag a save file as modded, which might alter standard load menus or disable achievements. Having clean, unmodded save copies allows you to restore your original progression at any time.
Tips for Backing Up and Transferring Save Files
Transferring save files between Steam and Game Pass requires specialized conversion tools due to different file formats. While Steam uses direct save files, Xbox Game Pass splits data into multiple package containers.
To ensure your progress remains completely safe, routinely copy your entire save folder to a secondary storage device. Automated cloud services also provide extra redundancy, but local manual backups remain the most reliable recovery option. Taking a few seconds to verify your file path ensures your interstellar journey is always protected.