Many Xbox Game Pass games installed on Windows through the Xbox app or the Microsoft Store keep local save data somewhere under %LOCALAPPDATA%Packages. The exact subfolder is not the same for every game. It depends on which save system the developer built on, so the reliable method is to find the game’s package folder and then follow the path that game uses.
Where the documented path sits
For games built on Microsoft’s XGameSave API, Microsoft documents the local save location as %LOCALAPPDATA%Packages<PACKAGE_NAME>SystemAppDatawgs<HexXuid>_<Scid>. The <HexXuid>_<Scid> folder is keyed to an Xbox user identifier and a title identifier, so a PC with more than one Xbox account can hold more than one folder for the same game. Games that use the XGameSaveFiles API use a sibling folder, SystemAppDataxgs, under the same package folder. Microsoft’s Game Saves walkthroughs and samples page for the GDK 2510 documentation sets out these PC paths, and the GDK 2604 version of the same page covers the save API and synchronization model in the newer documentation set.
Microsoft’s documentation is the stronger authority here. Secondary guides, such as SaveGameLocation.com’s overview, describe the same wgs pattern as a common location and also note that it varies. Use them as a starting point, not as the final word for a specific game.
| Save system | Local path inside the package folder | Where it is documented |
|---|---|---|
| XGameSave | SystemAppDatawgs<HexXuid>_<Scid> |
Microsoft Learn, GDK 2510 and 2604 Game Saves pages |
| XGameSaveFiles | SystemAppDataxgs |
Microsoft Learn, GDK 2510 Game Saves page |
| Title-specific or not API-based | Varies by game, for example LocalStateSaves |
Per-game references such as PCGamingWiki; no general rule established |
How to find a game’s save folder
- Open File Explorer, click the address bar, type
%LOCALAPPDATA%Packages, and press Enter. - Find the package folder for the game. Package folder names are title-specific and are often not readable, so match them against the package identifier listed in the game’s own documentation or a per-game reference. If you cannot match the name, sorting by date modified and checking folders that changed after your last session can narrow the list.
- Open the package folder, then open
SystemAppData. If it contains awgsfolder, open it and look for a subfolder named<HexXuid>_<Scid>. If it contains anxgsfolder, the game uses XGameSaveFiles. - If neither folder holds the save, check the per-game reference for the exact Microsoft Store build and look for a different subfolder, such as
LocalStateSaves.
Per-game examples show why the path varies
PCGamingWiki’s per-game entries illustrate the variation. The entries below describe their titles’ Microsoft Store builds and are examples only, not a universal rule.
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| Game | Documented location in PCGamingWiki | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pentiment | SystemAppDatawgs |
PCGamingWiki: Pentiment |
| Inside | SystemAppDatawgs |
PCGamingWiki: Inside |
| Sunset Overdrive | LocalStateSaves |
PCGamingWiki: Sunset Overdrive |
The Xbox app’s own overview of the Xbox app for Windows does not list save folders, so file-level locations come from developer documentation and per-game references rather than from the app itself.
Why two installs of the same game can differ
- Storefront and build. A Microsoft Store or Xbox app version and a Steam version of the same game can use different save locations and different save formats.
- Save system. The XGameSave and XGameSaveFiles paths are different, and some titles use neither.
- Account identity. The
wgsfolder name includes an Xbox identifier, so check that you are looking at the folder for the account that played. - Cloud support. Whether a title syncs to the cloud depends on the game, which determines what you can rely on if a local folder is missing.
Before you change or copy save files
- Close the game completely before opening or changing anything in the save folder.
- Copy the entire save folder to another location before any manual edit, so you can restore the original if something goes wrong.
- Microsoft’s documentation says sync logic still applies when PC save data is changed directly, and warns that modifying data in a title that does not use a lock can cause sync conflicts.
Cloud sync, reinstalls and moving to Steam
Whether a save syncs to the cloud, survives an uninstall, or can be used on another platform depends on the title and how it was built. Microsoft’s technical documentation describes synchronization in its Game Saves systems but does not guarantee the same behavior for every Game Pass game. There is no universal method for converting a Game Pass save into a Steam save. If you want to move progress between stores, check that game’s own save-transfer or support documentation first.
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