A .gci is a normal GameCube memory-card save, not a Dolphin save state. In modern Dolphin desktop builds, either set the relevant GameCube slot to GCI Folder and copy the file into the matching region and card folder, or import it through Tools → Memory Card Manager when the slot uses a conventional .raw virtual card. Back up your existing saves first.
Before you copy anything
- Confirm that the downloaded file really ends in
.gci. A.sav,.bin,.dat, Wii save archive, or Dolphin save state needs a different workflow. - Identify whether the save is for the North American, European/PAL, or Japanese release. The game code inside the GCI matters more than its filename.
- Close the running game. Ideally close Dolphin before manually replacing or copying files.
- Back up the entire relevant
GCfolder, card folder, or.rawcard before importing anything.
Dolphin separates GameCube memory-card data from emulator save states; loading a state does not import or restore a GCI save. Dolphin’s data-folder documentation describes those as separate types of data.
Find Dolphin’s user-data folder
- Open Dolphin.
- Choose File → Open User Folder, or the equivalent user-folder command in your build.
- Open the GameCube save area. The normal desktop GCI-folder layout is:
Dolphin user folder/
└── GC/
├── USA/
│ ├── Card A/
│ └── Card B/
├── EUR/
│ ├── Card A/
│ └── Card B/
└── JAP/
├── Card A/
└── Card B/
This is a usual default layout, not a universal operating-system path. Portable installations, package builds, custom user folders, and Android can store it elsewhere. Dolphin’s current path code builds GCI locations from the GameCube data directory, region, and card slot: MainSettings.cpp. Android currently labels the command Open User Data Folder in its resources: Android strings.
Method 1: use GCI Folder mode
GCI Folder mode is the simplest choice for one downloaded save or for keeping saves as separate, easily backed-up files.
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- Only Wii consoles with model number RVL-001 and Gamecube consoles are compatible.
- In Dolphin, open Config → GameCube.
- For the slot used by the game—normally Slot A—select GCI Folder. Dolphin also offers Memory Card and None as slot devices; the choices are documented in the configuration guide.
- Choose the region folder matching the game:
USAfor North American releases,EURfor European/PAL releases, orJAPfor Japanese releases. - Open
Card AorCard B, matching the slot selected in Dolphin. - Copy the
.gcifile there. Do not rename it to try to change its region or game; Dolphin reads the internal GCI header and game identity. - Reopen Dolphin if necessary, launch the matching game, and check the game’s normal load-data menu.
Dolphin scans GCI files, reads their headers, and matches them to the running game’s code. Its implementation also detects duplicate identities and validates the save’s blocks, so a filename alone cannot convert an incompatible save: GCMemcardDirectory.cpp.
Method 2: import a GCI into a virtual .raw card
Use this method when the GameCube slot is configured as Memory Card rather than GCI Folder, or when you want to preserve a conventional card containing several saves.
- Open Tools → Memory Card Manager.
- Open the
.rawcard assigned to Slot A or Slot B. If no card exists, create or format a virtual card through Dolphin’s memory-card settings or manager; do not create an arbitrary empty file and rename it.raw. - Choose Import GCI and select the downloaded file.
- Save or close the manager when prompted.
- Launch the matching game and verify the save from its in-game menu.
A .raw image is one virtual memory card that can contain many saves. GCI Folder mode exposes those saves as separate files. Dolphin’s manager includes Import GCI and Export GCI functions; menu wording can vary slightly by build. See the translated menu definitions in Dolphin’s language resources and the community workflow described at the Dolphin forum.
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Export a save from Dolphin
- Open Tools → Memory Card Manager.
- Open the relevant
.rawcard. - Select the save you want to preserve.
- Choose Export GCI and select a backup location.
- Keep the exported file unchanged until you have tested it.
With GCI Folder mode, Dolphin normally writes each save directly as an individual .gci file when card data changes. The same implementation handles conversion between conventional card data and individual GCI files: GCMemcardDirectory.cpp.
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Move saves between Dolphin installations
GCI Folder to GCI Folder
Back up the destination first, then copy the file into the destination’s matching region and Card A or Card B folder. The destination game should be the same release region and, where relevant, the same revision. Use a separate test copy if you do not want to risk existing progress.
Move a complete virtual card
Copy the entire .raw file and configure the destination slot to use that file. This preserves the card’s complete layout and every unrelated save.
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Move one save from a virtual card
Export that save as GCI from Memory Card Manager, then import it on the destination or place it in the destination’s GCI folder. This avoids replacing the destination card’s other saves.
Region and game-identity warning
Match the save region to the game before troubleshooting anything else. A USA save belongs in USA, a European/PAL save in EUR, and a Japanese save in JAP. The same title can have different game codes by region, and a save can be valid yet invisible when the installed game image comes from another region. Cross-region compatibility is game-dependent, not guaranteed; treat it as unsupported unless that specific title has been verified. Dolphin compares the internal game code while loading GCI-folder data: source implementation. Region-specific naming confusion is also recorded in Dolphin’s issue tracker: issue list.
If the save does not appear
- Check the slot: a file in
Card Bwill not appear when the game uses Slot A. - Check the storage mode: copying a GCI into a folder does nothing if Dolphin is using a
.rawMemory Card; import it through Memory Card Manager instead. - Check the region and title: compare the save’s release with the game image, not just the displayed name.
- Look for a duplicate: Dolphin can reject another file with the same internal save identity.
- Check the file: a damaged header or unreadable save blocks can prevent loading.
- Check capacity: virtual cards support documented sizes from 59 through 2043 blocks, and Dolphin rejects saves that exceed the limit or cannot fit in available space: configuration guide.
- Check write access: read-only folders, locked files, or storage permissions may let Dolphin read a save but prevent updates.
- Restart Dolphin: close and reopen it after manual file operations.
- Confirm the format: a save state, Wii save, or other extension is not interchangeable with a GCI.
These checks follow Dolphin’s current validation behavior, which filters by game code, detects duplicate identities, verifies blocks, enforces card capacity, and reports saves that fail to load: GCI-folder implementation.
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GCI Folder or .raw memory card?
| Situation | Better choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| One downloaded save | GCI Folder | Copy one file without rebuilding a card. |
| Frequent individual backups | GCI Folder | Each save is visible and independently portable. |
| Complete physical-card reproduction | Memory Card (.raw) |
Preserves the card as one container. |
| A title behaves better with conventional card storage | Memory Card (.raw) |
Models a physical card more closely. |
| Move one save while preserving other destination saves | Either; use Import/Export GCI for .raw |
Transfers only the selected save. |
| Protect unrelated saves from a single-card problem | GCI Folder | Files are separated, although backups remain essential. |
Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android notes
The workflow is the same across desktop platforms: use Dolphin’s own user-folder command instead of guessing an operating-system path. Custom and portable installations can relocate the data directory. On Android, use Open User Data Folder where available; Android storage permissions and scoped-storage rules can affect copying, so do not assume the Windows-style path exists verbatim. Dolphin’s common path definitions are available at CommonPaths.h.
Safe backup and rollback
- Close Dolphin and duplicate the relevant GCI folder or
.rawcard. - For a downloaded save, import it into a separate test card or test GCI folder when possible.
- Export your current working save as GCI before trying an alternate version.
- Keep the original untouched until the replacement loads and can save normally.
- If the replacement fails, restore the backup folder or reselect the original
.rawcard in GameCube configuration.
Frequently asked questions
Can Dolphin use a GCI without a physical memory card?
Yes. Dolphin can emulate a conventional virtual Memory Card or use GCI Folder storage; no physical GameCube card is required.
Can I use Card B instead of Card A?
Yes, provided the game is configured to use Slot B and the file is placed in the matching region’s Card B folder. The slot and folder must agree.
Best Value
- Essential accessory for saving game data that you worked so hard to achieve.
- Real 16344 blocks non-compress. Eight 128MB parts, pressing the button on the card to switch.
- High speed and efficient product. Easy to use.
- Only Wii consoles with model number RVL001 and Gamecube consoles are compatible.
- Made by Third Party, NOT official item.
Can I convert a whole card to separate GCI files?
Open the card in Memory Card Manager and export the selected saves as GCI files. Copying the entire card remains the better choice when you need its complete history and layout.
Why is Import GCI disabled?
Usually no valid conventional card is open in Memory Card Manager. Create or open a valid virtual card first, or switch the GameCube slot to GCI Folder mode and copy the file there.
Can I import a GCI on Android?
Use Dolphin’s own user-data-folder command and grant the file manager the required storage access. Android’s menu label and storage location can differ from desktop Dolphin.
How do I restore my old save?
Close Dolphin, remove or move the replacement, then restore the backed-up GCI folder or reselect the backed-up .raw card. Launch the game only after the original data is back in place.
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