Factorio saves to a specific folder on your computer, not wherever you happen to be playing

Factorio save files live in a dedicated folder that the game creates when you first run it. On Windows, that folder is %appdata%\Factorio\saves. On Mac, it's ~/Library/process Support/factorio/saves. On Linux, it's ~/.factorio/saves. The game does not ask you where to save — it always uses these locations, and you need to know where they are if you want to back up your progress, move saves between computers, or troubleshoot a missing file.

The reason Factorio works this way is that it stores not just your save file but also your mod settings, configuration files, and crash logs in the same parent folder. Keeping everything in one place makes it easier for the game to find what it needs when you launch it, and easier for you to move your entire Factorio setup if you switch computers.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows saves are in %appdata%\Factorio\saves; type that path directly into File Explorer's address bar to get there fastest.
  • Mac saves are in ~/Library/process Support/factorio/saves, and you may need to show hidden files in Finder first.
  • Linux saves are in ~/.factorio/saves, accessible through any file manager or terminal.
  • Save files are named with the world name you chose, plus a timestamp, and end in .zip — they are compressed archives, not plain text.
  • Backing up your saves folder before a major game update protects you if something goes wrong during the update process.

Finding saves on Windows

The fastest way on Windows is to open File Explorer and paste the path directly into the address bar. Click the address bar at the top (where it shows your current folder), type %appdata%\Factorio\saves, and press Enter. Windows expands %appdata% to your actual user folder automatically.

If you prefer not to type, you can navigate manually: open File Explorer, click "This PC" or "My Computer", then type your username in the address bar to get to your user folder. From there, look for AppData (it may be hidden — if you don't see it, go to the View tab and check "Hidden items"). Open AppData, then Local, then Factorio, then saves.

Each save file shows up as a single .zip file with the world name you gave it plus a date and time. Factorio creates a new save file each time you save, so you may see multiple files for the same world. The most recent one (by date modified) is the one the game will load when you choose that world.

Finding saves on Mac

On Mac, the Library folder is hidden by default. Open Finder, click the Go menu at the top, and select "Go to Folder". Type ~/Library/process Support/factorio/saves and press Enter. Finder takes you straight to your saves folder.

Alternatively, you can show hidden files in Finder permanently. Press Command+Shift+Period (the period key), and Finder will display all hidden folders. Then navigate to your home folder, open Library, process Support, factorio, and saves.

Like Windows, each save is a .zip file named after your world. The game reads the timestamp inside the file to determine which version to load, so do not rename or move saves unless you are backing them up to a different location entirely.

Finding saves on Linux

On Linux, open your file manager and navigate to your home folder. The saves folder is at ~/.factorio/saves — the dot at the start makes it hidden by default. Most file managers have a View menu or keyboard shortcut to show hidden files (often Ctrl+H). Once you enable that, you can see the .factorio folder and open it.

If you prefer the terminal, type cd ~/.factorio/saves to move into the folder, then ls to list your save files. This is often faster if you are moving or copying saves in bulk.

Backing up your saves

Factorio saves are robust — the game rarely corrupts them — but backups protect you if your hard drive fails, if you accidentally delete a world, or if a major game update causes unexpected problems. Copy your entire saves folder to an external drive, a cloud storage service like OneDrive or Google Drive, or a second location on your computer.

You only need to back up the saves folder itself, not the entire Factorio directory. If you use mods, you may also want to back up the mods folder (in the same parent directory as saves) so you have a record of which mods you were running with each world.

Before you update Factorio to a new major version, copy your saves folder somewhere safe. Most updates are backward-compatible, but keeping a backup takes two minutes and costs nothing.

Moving saves between computers

To move a world to a different computer, copy the save file (the .zip file itself) from your saves folder on the old computer and paste it into the saves folder on the new computer. Factorio will recognize it the next time you launch the game and list it in your worlds menu.

Make sure both computers have the same version of Factorio installed. If one is running version 1.1 and the other is running version 2.0, the newer version may refuse to load the save, or it may convert the save in a way that breaks compatibility with the older version. Check the version number in the bottom-right corner of the main menu before you transfer saves.

If you use mods, the new computer needs the same mods installed in the same order. Factorio stores mod information inside the save file, so if a mod is missing or in a different order, the game will warn you before loading. You can usually proceed anyway, but the world may not behave as expected.

What to do if you cannot find your saves

If you installed Factorio through Steam, your saves are still in the same location — Steam does not move them. Check that you are looking in the right folder for your operating system, and that hidden files are visible (on Mac and Linux).

If you installed Factorio from the standalone installer on the Factorio website, the saves folder is created the first time you run the game. If you have never saved a world, the folder may not exist yet. Start a new game, save it once, and then the folder will appear.

If you see a folder called Factorio but no saves subfolder inside it, create one manually. Right-click in the Factorio folder, select "New Folder", and name it saves. Factorio will use it the next time you save a world.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit my save file directly?

Factorio saves are .zip files, so you can open them with any archive tool and see the files inside. However, the game stores world data in a binary format that is not human-readable. You cannot edit the map or your inventory by hand. Mods and tools like FMTK (Factorio Mod Toolkit) can modify saves, but direct editing usually breaks the file.

Why does Factorio create multiple save files for the same world?

Factorio saves a new file each time you press the save button or the autosave triggers. This creates a version history so you can roll back to an earlier state if you make a mistake. You can delete old saves to save disk space — the game will load the most recent one when you choose that world.

What happens to my saves if I uninstall Factorio?

Uninstalling Factorio does not delete your saves. They stay in the AppData, Library, or .factorio folder. When you reinstall the game, it finds your old saves and lists them in the worlds menu. This is why backing up saves before a major update is optional — they survive the update automatically.

Can I use cloud storage to sync my saves between computers?

Yes, but be careful. If you play on two computers at the same time and both save to the same cloud folder, the files can conflict. The safest approach is to manually copy the save file you want to play after you finish on one computer, then paste it on the other. Alternatively, use a sync service but only play on one computer at a time.