On a Windows PC, Arma Reforger normally stores profile and session data under %USERPROFILE%DocumentsMy GamesArma Reforger. The active location can be different when the game or server is started with the -profile parameter. Saved sessions are held inside that profile, commonly in a profile.save directory, although exact folders and filenames vary by scenario and game version.
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To resume a session, use -loadSessionSave or enable loadSessionSave: true in the scenario/server configuration. To move a save, stop the game or server, back up the profile data, copy the relevant save structure with its metadata, and configure the destination to load it. There is no documented retail-game button that uploads a normal Game Master save, and Workshop addon publishing is a different process. PC saves also cannot currently be transferred to Xbox.
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Where Arma Reforger saves are located on Windows
Start with this path in File Explorer:
%USERPROFILE%DocumentsMy GamesArma Reforger
You can paste the path into File Explorer’s address bar. %USERPROFILE% resolves to your Windows user folder, so the expanded path normally resembles C:UsersYourNameDocumentsMy GamesArma Reforger. The exact drive and Windows account name may differ.
The -profile parameter can change the location
Arma Reforger supports a -profile startup parameter. Depending on how it is supplied, the parameter can identify a profile name beneath the documents tree or point to an explicit directory. If a shortcut, launcher, Steam launch option, batch file, or server service includes -profile, that configured path is the one to inspect; the default Documents path may contain an inactive profile instead.
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For a dedicated server, check the exact command line used by the service or host. A server can have a different Windows account and therefore a different %USERPROFILE% from the account you use to play. Looking in your personal Documents folder will not find a server save if the server runs under another account or an explicit profile directory.
What is inside the active profile
Persistence data is managed through Arma Reforger’s persistence and SaveGameManager systems. A session save is commonly found in a .save directory under the active profile. The scenario, game version, and persistence implementation determine the precise subfolders and filenames. Save-point metadata is stored with the save; a save point’s meta-info.json contains the UUID used when selecting a particular save.
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Before copying, deleting, or replacing a save
Close Arma Reforger before handling local files. For a hosted or dedicated session, stop the server as well. A running process can still be writing the save, leaving an incomplete copy or overwriting a restored file when it shuts down.
- Confirm which profile is active, including any
-profileargument. - Record the scenario name, game version, server configuration, and enabled mods.
- Make a separate backup before editing, deleting, or replacing anything.
- Keep the original copy untouched until the restored session has loaded successfully.
- Use the same scenario and a compatible mod set on the destination.
Microsoft documents direct PC save access through File Explorer. That makes a removable drive or another disk useful for a backup, but file access does not guarantee that every scenario accepts a save copied from another machine.
How to back up an Arma Reforger save
- Stop all processes using the save. Exit the game. Stop a dedicated server and wait for its process to end.
- Open the profile root. In File Explorer, enter
%USERPROFILE%DocumentsMy GamesArma Reforger, or open the directory specified by-profile. - Identify the active profile. If more than one profile exists, use the one referenced by the startup configuration. For a server, use the service account’s profile rather than your interactive Windows account.
- Copy the save structure. Copy the relevant
.savedirectory and its associated save-point metadata to a second disk, USB flash drive, or another safe location. Copy the parent structure rather than isolated files. - Label the backup. Include the date, scenario, game version, and whether it came from a client or dedicated server. This prevents an older backup from being mistaken for the current one.
- Verify the copy. Browse the backup and confirm that the expected directories and
meta-info.jsonfiles are present. Do not open and resave them in an editor.
This is a practical backup and administration procedure based on direct PC file access and the profile/persistence model. It is not a guarantee that an arbitrary save is portable across all scenarios, versions, or mod combinations.
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How to restore a save on another PC or server
- Install the matching game build. Use the same or a compatible Arma Reforger version as the source. A version change can alter persistence data or scenario requirements.
- Recreate the environment. Install the same scenario and compatible mods. Keep the server rules and persistence settings equivalent to the source where possible.
- Stop the destination process. Never copy over a profile while the destination game or server is running.
- Find the destination profile. Use its
-profilepath, or the default%USERPROFILE%DocumentsMy GamesArma Reforgerlocation for that Windows account. - Make a destination backup. Copy the destination’s existing profile/save data before replacing anything. This gives you a way back if the imported session fails.
- Copy the source data. Place the saved profile or relevant
.savestructure into the destination while preserving parent folders, metadata, and filenames. - Configure loading. Start the scenario with
-loadSessionSave, use a UUID frommeta-info.json, or enableloadSessionSave: truein the server/scenario configuration. - Test before deleting backups. Confirm that the session loads, the expected world state appears, and the server can save again. Keep the original backup if loading fails.
Copied saves are most reliable when the scenario, mods, game build, profile structure, and persistence settings match. A destination may reject a save or start a fresh session if one of those elements differs. The official documentation does not promise that every Game Master session can be moved between arbitrary hosts.
Loading an old session with -loadSessionSave
Bohemia’s startup reference documents two forms for a client:
| Command | Effect | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
ArmaReforgerSteam.exe -loadSessionSave |
Attempts to load the latest available save for the current scenario. | Use when the profile has one current session and you do not need to choose a specific save point. |
ArmaReforgerSteam.exe -loadSessionSave <UUID> |
Loads the save identified by the supplied UUID. | Use when several save points exist or when you need an exact save. |
ArmaReforgerServer.exe -loadSessionSave |
Attempts to load the latest available server save. | Use in a dedicated-server startup command. |
ArmaReforgerServer.exe -loadSessionSave <UUID> |
Loads a specific server save by UUID. | Use after locating the UUID in the save point’s meta-info.json. |
Replace <UUID> with the actual identifier recorded in metadata. Do not invent a UUID from the filename and do not assume that a Windows file name is the save identifier.
Automatic loading and retention settings
Scenario or server configuration can control persistence without adding a command-line option. The relevant settings include:
loadSessionSave: truetells the scenario/server to load a previous session when it starts.autoSaveIntervalcontrols how often automatic saves are created, according to the scenario’s configuration.saveRetentiondetermines how many or which saved sessions are retained. A restrictive or zero retention policy can leave no usable save.keepSessionSavedetermines whether completed-session data is kept.m_bIsSavingEnabledmust be enabled for saving to occur.
If a server always starts a new game, check saving, retention, and loading settings before replacing files. A correctly copied profile cannot produce a loadable session if the scenario was configured not to save or to discard completed sessions.
SessionStorage versus GamemodeStorage
Arma Reforger’s persistence system distinguishes between SessionStorage and GamemodeStorage. SessionStorage represents the current playthrough and is the type of data most readers mean by a Game Master or session save. GamemodeStorage is shared across sessions when a gamemode is designed to use it, such as for progression that should persist beyond one playthrough.
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These are not interchangeable folders to select at random. The gamemode decides what it writes, and a copied session may not contain progression that lives in GamemodeStorage. When troubleshooting an apparently missing unlock, campaign state, or progression value, identify whether the gamemode stores it as session state or shared gamemode state.
What “upload a save” can mean
Arma Reforger users commonly use “upload” for three different operations. They have different procedures and outcomes.
| Operation | Data involved | Correct method | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resume a local session | The active PC profile and persistence save. | Use the existing profile with -loadSessionSave or scenario loading configuration. |
It does not publish the session to other players. |
| Move a PC or server session | Profile save structure, metadata, scenario, and compatible mods. | Stop the source, back up, copy the files, restore to the destination profile, and configure loading. | It does not bypass version, mod, or scenario compatibility. |
| Publish a Workshop addon | Packaged addon source and distributable files. | Use Workbench and the official Workshop publishing workflow. | It does not carry live Game Master state or a normal session save. |
Workshop publishing is for addons. Bohemia’s persistence documentation treats saved sessions and gamemode storage as runtime data, while the publishing documentation treats an addon as a packaged item. Uploading an addon therefore will not upload your current world state, player positions, objectives, or other live session data.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Moving a save to a dedicated server
A dedicated-server transfer adds administration concerns beyond copying a local file. First identify the account and profile path under which the server runs. Then stop the service, back up its existing profile, and copy the source save into the server’s active profile while preserving metadata.
The server must launch the same scenario and a compatible mod set. Enable the server’s save and load settings, then use either the no-argument -loadSessionSave form for the latest save or the UUID form for a selected save. Watch the server log and connect as a client to verify that the expected session state appears. If it starts fresh, stop it before another save cycle overwrites the imported files.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchDo not treat a hosting control panel’s generic “upload files” feature as proof that the game will accept a save. The panel can transfer bytes, but Arma Reforger still needs the correct profile path, metadata, scenario, mods, and persistence configuration.
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Can a PC save be transferred to Xbox?
No. Bohemia Interactive’s support FAQ states: “No. Progress, mods, and saved data are platform-specific and cannot currently be transferred between PC and Xbox.” Xbox save management is handled through the console platform interface rather than the PC profile path in File Explorer.
A USB drive can hold a PC backup, but it does not provide a supported Xbox save-export/import route. A save copied from %USERPROFILE%DocumentsMy GamesArma Reforger remains a PC file and cannot be installed into the Xbox version through ordinary file management.
Troubleshooting saves that will not load
The game cannot find the save
- Check the active
-profilepath instead of assuming the default Documents folder. - Confirm that the save was copied under the destination profile, not one directory too high or too low.
- For a server, inspect the Windows account and service command line that actually launch the server.
- When selecting a specific save, obtain the UUID from
meta-info.json.
The server starts a fresh session
- Verify that
m_bIsSavingEnabledis enabled. - Check that
saveRetentionis nonzero and has not removed the session. - Enable
loadSessionSave: trueor provide the appropriate startup argument. - Confirm that the scenario is the same one that created the save.
The imported save fails after a mod or version change
Restore the destination backup, install the source’s compatible game build and mod set, and try again. A changed ruleset, missing addon, or incompatible scenario can prevent loading even when the files are in the correct directory. Do not delete the original source backup while testing.
Addons appear corrupted
Bohemia’s release notes document the PC profile location and an addon-folder cleanup path for addon problems. Use that cleanup procedure only when diagnosing corrupted addons. Do not delete the save directory as a generic fix; addon cleanup and persistence-save recovery are separate tasks.
A save loads but expected progression is absent
Determine whether the missing data belongs to SessionStorage or GamemodeStorage. A session copy may restore the current playthrough without reproducing progression that the gamemode stores separately across sessions.
Choosing the safest path
| Question | Use this path |
|---|---|
| Are you on Windows PC and only need a backup? | Copy the active profile and relevant .save data while the game is closed. |
| Do you want to resume the latest local session? | Use -loadSessionSave with the current scenario. |
| Do you need an older or exact save point? | Use the UUID in meta-info.json with -loadSessionSave <UUID>. |
| Are you moving a session to another PC or server? | Copy the stopped source profile, preserve metadata, match scenario/mods, and configure the destination to load. |
| Do you want other players to download your custom content? | Publish an addon through Workbench/Workshop; this is not a save upload. |
| Are you moving progress from PC to Xbox? | There is currently no supported transfer; platform saves are separate. |
The most reversible approach is always to make and verify a backup before changing the destination. If a copied session is not accepted, restore the destination’s original profile and investigate compatibility or configuration rather than repeatedly overwriting files.
The Bottom Line
Use %USERPROFILE%DocumentsMy GamesArma Reforger on Windows unless -profile points elsewhere. Back up the active profile, preserve the .save structure and meta-info.json, and load with -loadSessionSave or loadSessionSave: true. Workshop uploads are addons, not live saves, and PC progress cannot currently be transferred to Xbox.
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