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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsOn a Windows PC, The Witcher 3 stores local saves in %userprofile%DocumentsThe Witcher 3gamesaves. Each save uses a matching pair of files: one .sav file containing the save data and one same-named .png image. Copy those pairs to another drive or external device for a separate backup, and keep cloud synchronization disabled while restoring them after a clean reinstall.
Where are Witcher 3 saves stored on PC?
The documented Windows location is:
%userprofile%DocumentsThe Witcher 3gamesaves
The %userprofile% variable automatically points to your Windows user folder, so you do not need to replace it with your account name. The save folder is under Documents, not inside the directory where the game itself is installed. Installing the game on another drive does not, by itself, move this documented save location.
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Open the folder directly in File Explorer
- Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
- Click the address bar at the top of the window.
- Paste
%userprofile%DocumentsThe Witcher 3gamesaves. - Press Enter.
If the folder exists, File Explorer will show your local save files. You can also press Windows key + S, paste the same path into Windows search, and open the matching folder from the results, as described by CD PROJEKT RED’s support instructions.
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Make sure you are signed in to the Windows account that runs the game. A different Windows profile has a different %userprofile% location. Documents-folder redirection, enterprise policies, or a cloud-backed Documents setup can also change where Windows presents the folder. The documented path is specifically for Windows PC; a Linux, Proton, or Wine location is not established by the instructions covered here.
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Do not search only in the game’s installation directory. The official save instructions identify the user’s Documents path above, while the install directory contains program files rather than the normal local save folder.
Which Witcher 3 save files do you copy?
For every save you want to preserve, copy both files that share the same base name:
| File | Purpose | What to do |
|---|---|---|
name.sav |
The save data used by the game | Copy it with its matching image |
name.png |
The image associated with that save | Keep it beside the same-named .sav |
For example, if a folder contains Save0001.sav and Save0001.png, treat those two files as one save pair. Do not rename one without the other, and do not separate the image from its matching data file when making a backup. The safest option is to copy the entire gamesaves folder, which preserves every local save and its associated images. If you only need selected saves, select complete pairs by matching the names before copying.
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Show file extensions so pairs are easy to verify
Windows can hide extensions, making it harder to distinguish a .sav from a .png. In File Explorer, open View, choose Show, and enable File name extensions (the exact menu appearance varies by Windows version). You can then confirm that each selected save has both extensions and that the text before the extension is identical.
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How to back up Witcher 3 saves before reinstalling
Create the backup before uninstalling, deleting folders, or starting a clean-install process. A manual copy gives you a separately accessible version that does not depend on a synchronization service being in the state you expect.
- Close the game. Exit The Witcher 3 normally and wait for the game and its launcher to finish closing. This prevents a file from being copied while it is being written.
- Open the source folder. In File Explorer, enter
%userprofile%DocumentsThe Witcher 3gamesaves. - Select what to preserve. Press Ctrl + A to select the complete folder contents, or select only the matching
.sav/.pngpairs you need. - Copy, rather than move. Right-click the selection and choose Copy, or press Ctrl + C. Leave the originals in the Documents folder until the backup has been checked.
- Open a different destination. Use another internal drive, an external drive, or an SD card. CD PROJEKT RED’s clean-install guidance specifically recommends transferring the backup to a different hard drive or external device when possible.
- Paste the files. Open a clearly named destination folder such as
Witcher3-save-backup-2026-10-16, then press Ctrl + V. The date in the folder name helps distinguish this snapshot from later copies. - Wait for the copy to finish. Do not disconnect the destination device while Windows is still showing a transfer dialog.
Why a second location matters
A backup on the same drive is useful for an accidental deletion, but it is not independent of a drive failure or a reinstall that targets the wrong partition. A second drive or removable device gives you a distinct copy. It does not need a particular brand, capacity, or speed for this procedure; any suitable device you already have can be used.
Make the backup readable later
Keep the original file names and folder contents unchanged. Put the copied files in a folder whose name identifies the game and date, and avoid editing the files with unrelated programs. If you make several snapshots, use separate dated folders rather than overwriting the only previous copy.
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How to check that the backup is usable
A successful copy operation is not the same as a verified backup. Before uninstalling the game, perform these checks:
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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- Open the destination and confirm that it contains the expected number of
.savfiles. - For each save you care about, confirm a same-named
.pngfile is present. - Check that the destination files are not still showing a transfer or synchronization status in File Explorer.
- Safely eject an external device before disconnecting it.
- Do not delete the original Documents copy until the destination has been inspected.
You can also copy the backup to a second independent location if the saves are especially valuable. The important distinction is that the manual backup remains available as ordinary files even if a game client later reports a synchronization conflict.
How to restore Witcher 3 saves after a clean install
CD PROJEKT RED’s clean-install sequence places cloud handling before file restoration. Follow the order rather than allowing an automatic cloud download to overwrite the local files you intend to restore.
- Preserve the manual backup first. Confirm that your external or secondary-drive copy is complete before removing the existing installation or Documents folder.
- Disable the game’s Cloud Saves feature if it is enabled. Use the game’s or platform’s current cloud-save setting. The purpose is to prevent synchronization from replacing the local files during the reinstall.
- Complete the clean installation. Uninstall and reinstall the game according to the platform’s normal procedure.
- Start the game once if necessary. A first launch commonly recreates the user-folder structure. Exit the game before copying files if it is running.
- Open the recreated save folder. In File Explorer, paste
%userprofile%DocumentsThe Witcher 3gamesaves. - Copy the backup files into it. From your backup location, copy the saved
.sav/.pngpairs into the recreatedgamesavesfolder. If Windows asks whether to replace files, only replace them when you have confirmed that the backup is the version you want. - Launch the game and inspect the load list. Check that the expected saves and their thumbnails appear before continuing to play.
- Re-enable cloud saves only afterward, if desired. The support guidance allows cloud saving to be enabled again after local files have been restored.
What to do if the restored saves do not appear
- Exit the game completely and verify that the files are in the exact
gamesavesfolder, not one level above it or in the installation directory. - Confirm that the copied files still have their
.savand.pngextensions. A file accidentally renamed to.sav.txtwill not be treated as a save. - Check that each
.savhas its same-named.pngbeside it. - Temporarily keep cloud saving disabled while checking the local copy, so a synchronization process cannot replace it during troubleshooting.
- If you made multiple dated backups, try the newest complete pair and then an earlier pair if the newest one is damaged or incomplete.
Manual backup versus cloud synchronization
Cloud saves and a manually copied folder solve different problems. Cloud synchronization is convenient when you use the same account and platform setup, while a manual copy gives you a distinct file set that you can inspect and restore yourself.
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| Consideration | Manual local copy | Platform cloud synchronization |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | A folder you copy to another drive or external device | Storage managed by the game platform or account service |
| Separate access if synchronization goes wrong | Yes, provided the destination device remains intact and separate | Depends on the service’s synchronization state and account access |
| Setup effort | Requires selecting, copying, and checking the files | Usually requires enabling the feature and allowing synchronization to complete |
| Restore control | You choose exactly which dated files to put back | The service may present a conflict or select a synchronized version |
Steam’s support information explains that Steam Cloud can store save games, but also states that Steam Support cannot recover lost saves or resolve cloud conflicts. Therefore, cloud storage should be treated as a convenience rather than the only copy of an important playthrough.
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Prevent a cloud conflict during reinstall
The safest order is to preserve the local files, disable cloud saving, reinstall, copy the files into the recreated folder, verify them in-game, and only then enable cloud saving again. If a client asks which version to keep, stop and compare the dates and contents of your manual backup before choosing. Do not assume that a cloud copy is automatically the newest or healthiest version.
Using cross-progression to access saves elsewhere
The game’s cross-progression feature is separate from copying the Windows folder. After the feature is set up and you create a new save, it uploads the latest save for each save type. To access that progression on another platform, you must connect the same CD PROJEKT RED account there and complete the required setup.
Cross-progression can help move progress between supported platforms, but it does not replace a local archive of the files on your PC. Keep your manual backup if you need a rollback point, want to preserve several dated versions, or may lose access to the account or synchronization service.
Common mistakes and their fixes
Looking in the installation folder
The executable and game data may be on a different disk, but the documented Windows saves are under Documents. Use the environment-variable path instead of guessing from the install location.
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Copying only the .sav file
The official instructions describe each save as a .sav plus a same-named .png. Select the pair or copy the entire folder so the associated image remains with its data.
Moving files instead of copying them
A move removes the original from the source location. Use Copy and Paste for a backup, then verify the destination before changing anything in the source folder.
Restoring while cloud saves are active
Synchronization can overwrite or replace the local files you just restored. Disable cloud saving during the clean-install process and turn it back on only after the local load list has been checked.
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Steam states that its support team does not recover lost saves or resolve cloud conflicts. A cloud icon or enabled setting is not proof that a particular earlier save can be retrieved.
Using a path from another operating system
The path in this guide is the documented Windows PC path. Do not apply it unchanged to Linux, Proton, or Wine installations; those environments can use different prefixes and locations, and no alternate path is established here.
Preparing files for a support request
If CD PROJEKT RED support asks for your saves, provide the relevant files from the gamesaves folder. The developer’s technical-support instructions say to compress them as a .zip or .rar archive before uploading.
- Close the game.
- Copy the requested
.sav/.pngpairs to a temporary folder so your working backup remains untouched. - Select the files, right-click, and use Windows’ compression option, or create a
.zipor.rararchive with an installed archive utility. - Give the archive a descriptive name and follow the support agent’s upload instructions.
Send only the files requested by support, and retain your own unmodified backup in a separate location. Compressing a copy for support should not replace your personal restore copy.
Quick Recap
Quick checklist
- Open
%userprofile%DocumentsThe Witcher 3gamesaveson Windows. - Copy complete same-named
.savand.pngpairs, or the entire folder. - Store the copy on another drive, an external device, or an SD card when possible.
- Verify the destination before uninstalling or deleting anything.
- For a clean reinstall, disable cloud saves, reinstall, copy the files into the recreated folder, and check the in-game load list.
- Enable cloud saving again only after the local files are confirmed.
- Keep cloud synchronization separate from your manually dated backup.
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