Fallout 4 Save Location: Back Up Your Character on PC

Before changing Fallout 4 saves, establish what you are protecting: the character, the game build and the mod environment. A filename does not fully describe a long playthrough. A useful backup preserves the original files and enough context to understand them if a later transfer fails.

Community save download

The Save Game (TSG) — hosted on Nexus Mods. The collection contains multiple checkpoints with different requirements. Later TSG variants may depend on mods; read the documentation for the specific file rather than treating the collection as mod-free.

View download on Nexus Mods

This opens the original download page, not an instant download from SaveGamesDL. Follow the host’s sign-in and download prompts. Completion labels belong to the uploader; we have not independently verified completion, compatibility or file safety. Preserve your own saves before importing anything.

Start with the Fallout4 folder

Bethesda identifies the Fallout4 directory under Documents and My Games as the Windows reference location. Inspect the save files and save subdirectory inside that active location rather than confusing it with the installation folder. 1

%USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4

If Documents has been redirected, use the real Documents folder for the account running the game. Create a recognizable new save, exit normally and compare modification times to identify the active files. Do not assume that every copy of a Fallout4 folder on your disk belongs to the current installation.

Back up the environment, not just a label

Copy the relevant save directory to a location outside the active game folder. Keep an untouched copy and a separate working copy for testing. Record the exact game version, storefront, character name or nonpersonal label, quest stage and relevant DLC or mods.

This record is particularly useful when returning to an older character. Descriptions such as “updated game” or “modded save” do not identify the setup clearly enough to reproduce it. Never claim that a dependency is unnecessary simply because it was not mentioned in the archive name.

Prepare an incoming save

Extract the download into a temporary folder first. Compare its structure with the active saves and read any instructions before copying. A package should explain which checkpoint is included and what was actually tested. Unexpected executables or requests to disable security tools are reasons to stop and investigate, not normal steps in copying save data.

If the package includes additional files, identify their role before discarding them. Keep the original archive unchanged so you can compare it with the files used during testing.

Transfer a single checkpoint

1. Close the game and confirm that your independent backup exists.
2. Select one clearly identified incoming save instead of replacing the entire archive.
3. Compare the recorded version, DLC and mod requirements with the destination installation.
4. Copy the selected files into the verified active save location, preserving existing same-named files.
5. Load the checkpoint and inspect the character, inventory, current quest and expected location.
6. Create a separate test save, exit and load it again before expanding the transfer.

Keep a record of any missing-content warning or loading error. Repeatedly trying the same overwrite without recording the result can turn a reversible experiment into a confusing collection of mixed files.

When a transferred save fails

First determine whether the save is absent from the menu or visible but unable to load. An absent save calls for path and extraction checks; a visible failing save calls for closer inspection of compatibility and the exact error. Compare it with a fresh save created by the current installation. Do not delete the original character as a troubleshooting shortcut.

Frequently asked questions