.SAV File Extension

Nintendo DS Save File

Developer Nintendo
Popularity
4.0  |  489 Votes
 

What is a SAV file?

A SAV file is a saved game used by Nintendo DS portable game system emulators such as DeSmuME and NO$GBA. It stores the state of the current game progress and includes game information such as the character name, experience points, completed levels, and in-game resources. Users may transfer SAV files from Nintendo DS devices or create them with emulators to preserve saved game progress.

More Information

Screenshot of a .sav file in DeSmuME 0.9
SAV file open in DeSmuME 0.9

Typically, SAV files are either saved in a raw format if transferred from a Nintendo DS device or are saved in the NO$GBA format if saved by the NO$GBA emulator (or exported by the DeSmuME emulator). Additionally, you will likely find SAV files with .NDS Nintendo DS ROM files, which are sometimes required for the ROM to run properly.

When transferring SAV files to a new Nintendo DS flash card, you must ensure the file format is compatible, or the saved game may not load. Additionally, you may need to modify the binary data in the SAV file with a hexadecimal (hex) editor (e.g., HxD) to load it.

How to open a SAV file

You can open a SAV file with various Nintendo DS emulators in Windows, macOS, and Linux, including NO$GBA, iDeaS Emulator, and DeSmuME. For example, to open a SAV file with the macOS version of DeSmuME, place the file in the same location as the NDS ROM file, open the NDS ROM file with the emulator, and click File → Import ROM Save File (emulators may not support raw SAV files transferred from Nintendo DS devices).

Additionally, you can open and modify SAV files with a hex editor, such as HxD. Remember that opening the SAV file with a hex editor displays binary data, not the emulated game.

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Programs that open or reference SAV files

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Video Game Save File

Developer N/A
Popularity
4.0  |  266 Votes
 

A SAV file may also be a saved game created by a video game or video game emulator. It contains a record of a player's game progress. Many different types of games and emulators create SAV files.

More Information

Many video games and video game emulators (which simulate game consoles on a PC) allow players to save their progress at certain points during gameplay. Often, the files that store these saved games use the .sav extension.

For example, many Nintendo video games store players' saved games in SAV files. In addition to being able to load these files on Nintendo consoles, players can also load them in Nintendo console emulators (alongside an accompanying game ROM), to resume their saved game on a PC or mobile device.

How to open a SAV file

Depending on what type of game or emulator created your SAV file, the instructions for opening it vary. Refer to other entries on this page for specific instructions on how to open various types of SAV files.

Programs that open SAV files

All Platforms
Open with the game that created the file or a supported emulator

SPSS Data File

Developer IBM
Popularity
3.5  |  96 Votes
 

Data file created by SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), an application used for statistical analysis; saved in a proprietary binary format and contains a dataset as well as a dictionary that describes the dataset; saves data by "cases" (rows) and "variables" (columns).

More Information

SAV files are often used for storing datasets extracted from databases and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. However, they can also save data that has been entered manually by the user or data that has been generated by the software.

SPSS datasets can be manipulated in a variety of ways using the SPSS engine, but they are most commonly used to perform statistical analysis tests such as regression analysis, analysis of variance, and factor analysis. Results can be graphed to a variety of supported chart types, including bar graphs, line graphs, scatter plots, and histograms.

Programs that open or reference SAV files

Windows
Free Trial
Mac
Free Trial
Linux
Free Trial

Mass Effect 3 Saved Game

Developer Electronic Arts
Popularity
3.6  |  69 Votes
 

Saved game created by Mass Effect 3 (ME3), a galactic action role-playing game; stores the player's profile and includes mission progress, game items, and achievements.

More Information

ME3 SAV files are saved to the C:\​Users\​[user]\​Documents\​BioWare\​Mass Effect 3\​Save\​ directory. A common SAV file is Local_Profile.sav.

Programs that open or reference SAV files

Fallout 2 Map Archive

Developer Bethesda Softworks
Popularity
3.8  |  38 Votes
 

Archive used by Fallout 2, a futuristic, role-playing video game; contains a .DB file that stores map data, which describes cities and other locations in the game.

More Information

SAV files are similar to Fallout 2 .MAP files but are compressed with GZIP compression. You can rename the "sav" extension to "gz" or "zip" and uncompress the archive with programs such as WinRAR.

Programs that open or reference SAV files

Parallels Desktop Saved State Image File

Developer Parallels
Popularity
3.5  |  39 Votes
 

A SAV file stores the state of a virtual machine (VM) created by Parallels Desktop for Mac, a program that allows users to run operating systems on Mac computers. It contains data about the state of a VM and all its running applications when it is paused or suspended.

More Information

Parallels Desktop for Mac is software that allows Mac users to run other operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, Android, and additional versions of macOS on their computers. The software creates .PVM files to store VMs, and the app generates a SAV file to store information about a VM state when you pause or suspend it.

Location of a SAV file in a PVM file

You can find SAV files in PVM files, which are macOS packages that contain all the files Parallels Desktop needs to launch an operating system. In macOS, you can right-click a PVM file and select Show Package Contents to view the SAV file in the package with Apple Finder.

How to open a SAV file

You should not attempt to open SAV files. Instead, Parallels Desktop for Mac automatically loads the information in the SAV file when resuming a virtual machine after it is suspended or paused.

Programs that open or reference SAV files

Fortnite ClientSettings File

Developer Fortnite
Popularity
3.5  |  11 Votes
 

A SAV file contains client settings used by Fortnite, a sandbox survival where players cooperate to collect resources, build fortifications, and fight enemy creatures. It stores settings for various aspects of a user's gameplay, such as mouse sensitivity and user action key bindings.

More Information

The ClientSettings SAV file is referenced by Fortnite to configure various settings in the game. You can use ClientSettings Editor in Windows to view and modify the settings. Some settings that can be adjusted in the file include the HUDScale, the sensitivity of the gamepad and mouse, and the controller platform. You can also modify the user action key bindings, which are key shortcuts that allow you to perform one or more actions in the game by pressing one key.

To open the SAV file using ClientSettings Editor, simply select File → Open, navigate to your SAV file, and click Open. When you are finished modifying the file, select File → Save or Save As, name the file, choose the save location, and click Save.

Common SAV Filenames

ClientSettings.sav - Default name given to the client settings file used by Fortnite.

Programs that open or reference SAV files

Wii Saved Game

Developer Nintendo
Popularity
3.6  |  7 Votes
 

A SAV file may also be a saved game file created by a Nintendo Wii video game, such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii or The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. It contains a record of a player's in-game progress. Most often, SAV files are used to load saved games in the Dolphin Wii emulator or on modded Nintendo Wiis.

More Information

Some, but not all, Wii games save players' progress in SAV files. To most players, these files are "invisible" - meaning that players likely do not know their saved games are saved as SAV files. These players are content to save and load Wii games without considering how their progress is saved.

However, those who use Wii emulators or have modded their Nintendo Wiis will likely end up extracting, downloading, managing, and otherwise manipulating SAV files. For example, those who play New Super Mario Bros. Wii in the Dolphin emulator will create and load a related SAV file. As another example, those who play Newer Super Mario Bros. Wii and other fan-made New Super Mario Bros. Wii sequels on their Wiis will likely encounter SAV files created by those games.

Common SAV Filenames

wiimj2d.sav - A New Super Mario Bros. Wii saved game file.

How to open a SAV file

You can open many Wii SAV files in Dolphin (cross-platform). To do so, you must possess a corresponding Wii ROM, which will likely be saved in an .ISO, .RVZ, or .GCZ file. To use a SAV file with a game, right-click that game in Dolphin's game list, select Open Wii Save Folder, and place your SAV file in that folder.

SAV files created by fan-made Wii games can be opened only on a Wii, using the game that created the SAV file.

Programs that open SAV files

Windows
Mac
Linux

GameCube Saved Game

Developer Nintendo
Popularity
2.6  |  10 Votes
 

A SAV file may also be a saved game file created while playing a Nintendo GameCube video game. It records a player's progress so they can resume their game at a later time. Most often, SAV files are used to load saved games in the Dolphin GameCube emulator.

More Information

When GameCube players save an in-progress game, their progress is typically saved in a .GCI or SAV file. The American versions of GameCube games save players' progress in GCI files, while their European equivalents save games in SAV files. These files are stored on players' GameCube memory cards.

Outside of loading saved games on their GameCubes, most GameCube players will not encounter a SAV file. However, those who use the Dolphin emulator to play GameCube games on their PCs can download, create, and open SAV files to resume in-progress games (including their own and other players') on their PCs.

How to open a SAV file

You can open a GameCube SAV file in Dolphin (cross-platform). To do so, you must possess a corresponding European-edition GameCube ROM, which will likely be saved in a .GCM or .ISO file.

To load your SAV file, first use Dolphin's Memory Card Manager to add the file to your list of GameCube saved games. Then, open the SAV file's corresponding ROM and load the saved game your SAV file contains.

Programs that open SAV files

Windows
Mac
Linux

Satisfactory Saved Game

Developer Coffee Stain Studios
Popularity
3.0  |  1 Vote
 

A SAV file may also be a saved game created by Satisfactory, a video game in which players build and run a factory. It contains a record of a player's in-game progress. Satisfactory modders have created multiple tools that allow them to edit SAV files' contents.

More Information

In Satisfactory, players create and manage a factory on an alien world. To expand their factory and win the game, players must battle aliens, extract planetary resources, and research new technologies.

At almost any time, Satisfactory players can save their current progress to a SAV file. They can load this file (from Satisfactory's Load menu) to resume their saved game.

Satisfactory stores users' SAV files in the following directory:

~/​Users/​UserName/​AppData/​Local/​FactoryGame/​Saved/​SaveGames

Some Satisfactory enthusiasts have created tools that allow players to edit the data their SAV files contain. This allows players to edit Satisfactory's game world, unlock achievements, add items to their inventory, and otherwise modify their saved games.

How to open a SAV file

To load a SAV file in Satisfactory (Windows):

  1. Place the file in Satisfactory's SaveGames directory (the location of which is noted above).
  2. Open Satisfactory and load your SAV file.

If you want to edit a Satisfactory SAV file's contents, you can do so using Satisfactory Calculator Interactive Map (Web) or Satisfactory Save Editor (Windows).

Programs that open SAV files

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