The location of your saves depends on your operating system and whether you are using a portable or standard installation. Generally, saves are stored within virtual memory card files ( ) rather than individual game files. Default Locations by Operating System Windows (Standard Installation): Documents\PCSX2\memcards\ Windows (Portable Installation): Inside the folder located within the main directory where is stored. $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/PCSX2/memcards/ (typically ~/.config/PCSX2/memcards/ Usually found in ~/Library/Application Support/PCSX2/memcards/ Steam Deck (EmuDeck): Emulation/saves/pcsx2/saves/ Quick Access Tip
You can find your specific data directory directly through the emulator: Open Data Directory
to jump straight to the folder containing your saves and logs. Types of Save Data
Finding your PCSX2 save game location depends on your operating system and how you installed the emulator (e.g., installer vs. portable version). PCSX2 uses two primary saving methods: Memory Cards ( or folder-based files) and Save States (instant snapshots). Default Save Locations by Operating System Operating System Memory Card Folder (memcards) Save State Folder (sstates) Windows (Installer) Documents\PCSX2\memcards Documents\PCSX2\sstates Windows (Portable) Within the main PCSX2 program folder Within the main PCSX2 program folder Linux / Steam Deck ~/.var/app/... or Emulation/saves/pcsx2/saves Emulation/saves/pcsx2/states macOS ~/Library/Application Support/PCSX2/memcards ~/Library/Application Support/PCSX2/sstates How to Find the Path Quickly
If you cannot find the folders manually, use the PCSX2 official documentation shortcut:
When backing up or transferring saves, it is vital to know the difference between the two types.
| Feature | Memory Cards | Save States |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| How to Save | Use the in-game menu (e.g., "Save Game"). | Press F1 (or System > Save State). |
| File Extension | .ps2 | .p2s |
| Folder Name | \memcards | \sstates |
| Portability | High. Can be used on different PCSX2 versions or real PS2 hardware (with conversion tools). | Low. Only works on the specific PCSX2 version that created it. Often breaks if you update the emulator. |
| Safety | Safe. If the emulator crashes, the file usually survives. | Risky. If the save state is corrupted, you lose that progress entirely. | pcsx2 save game location
One of PCSX2’s most powerful features is the ability to use multiple virtual memory cards. In the PS2 BIOS, you only had two slots. In PCSX2, you can rotate through dozens.
In the Memory Card Manager, you will see:
However, you can create a new card (e.g., RPG_Saves.ps2 or Fighting_Games.ps2). To use a different card:
This is perfect for organizing hundreds of save files without cluttering a single memory card.
Finding where your PCSX2 save files are located can be a bit confusing because the emulator uses two different methods: Virtual Memory Cards (which act like physical PS2 cards) and Save States (which are snapshots of the exact moment you're playing).
Depending on your version—the older 1.6.0 (Stable) or the newer 1.7.0/2.0+ (Nightly/Qt versions)—the file paths will vary. Here is the complete breakdown of where to find them. 1. The Default Save Locations The location of your saves depends on your
The location of your saves depends entirely on how you installed the emulator. For the Installer Version (Windows)
If you used an .exe installer to put PCSX2 in your Program Files, Windows often moves writeable data to your user folder to avoid permission issues. Memory Cards: C:\Users\[YourName]\Documents\PCSX2\memcards Save States: C:\Users\[YourName]\Documents\PCSX2\sstates For the Portable Version (Zip)
If you downloaded a .zip or .7z file and extracted it to a custom folder (like C:\Games\PCSX2), your saves are kept inside that same folder. Memory Cards: [Your PCSX2 Folder]\memcards Save States: [Your PCSX2 Folder]\sstates For Linux Users Memory Cards: ~/.config/PCSX2/memcards
Flatpak Version: ~/.var/app/net.pcsx2.PCSX2/config/PCSX2/memcards 2. Difference Between Memcards and SStates
When backing up your data, it is vital to know which folder you actually need:
memcards Folder (.ps2 files): These are your "official" saves. They contain the data you save at in-game fountains, typewriters, or world maps. If you want to move your save to a real PS2 or another emulator, these are the files you need. When backing up or transferring saves, it is
sstates Folder (.p2s files): These are "Save States" created when you hit F1 or use the "Save State" menu. They are specific to the version of PCSX2 you are using; a save state from an old version may not work on a newer one. 3. How to Change the Save Path
If you want to keep your saves in a cloud-synced folder like Dropbox or OneDrive, you can change the default path in the settings: Open PCSX2.
For Version 1.7.0/2.0+: Go to Settings > Memory Cards. You will see the "Directory" path at the top. Click Browse to change it.
For Version 1.6.0: Go to Config > Plugin/BIOS Selector. Click the Folders tab and uncheck "Use default setting" to pick a custom path. 4. Why Can't I Find My Save?
If you’ve checked the folders above and they are empty, one of two things is happening:
Public Documents: Check C:\Users\Public\Documents\PCSX2. Sometimes Windows redirects files there.
OneDrive Sync: If you have OneDrive enabled, Windows might have moved your Documents folder into C:\Users\[YourName]\OneDrive\Documents\PCSX2. Summary Table File Extension
If the default location above is empty, use one of these foolproof methods.