As the fifth installment in the Elder Scrolls series, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is undoubtedly one of the most exceptional, captivating, and utterly enthralling role-playing games in history. Its vast game world is replete with an abundance of elements and content. You can immerse yourself in quests, slay dragons, or simply stand atop a mountain, listening to the game's enchanting music while taking in the breathtaking scenery, offering a truly relaxing experience.

skyrim special edition

"The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" was released in 2011 and is compatible with Windows 7, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The release of "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition" in 2016 and "Skyrim VR" in 2017 enhanced the gameplay experience. Newcomers require approximately 100 hours to fully explore the game's content, emphasizing the significance of saving progress.

This post will guide you on how to locate the Skyrim save game location, alter the save location, and manage your saves by deleting, transferring, and backing them up on a PC to ensure a seamless gaming experience.

Here are more posts about games available for you.

How to Locate Skyrim Save File on Windows

You can purchase The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or Skyrim Special Edition on Steam and play it on Windows 7/8.1/10. The local game files will be stored within the Steam folder, while the Skyrim save game location is typically found on the C drive.

Now, let's follow these simple steps to locate the saves for Skyrim or Skyrim Special Edition on Windows:

Step 1. Open the Windows File Explorer.

open file explorer

Step 2. Navigate to Document > My Games

Step 3. Click on the "Skyrim" or "Skyrim Special Edition" folder, and you will find the "Saves" folder here.

skyrim save location

Additionally, you can simply enter the address of the Skyrim save location in the File Explorer search bar to navigate directly in Windows 7/8/10.

C:\Users\[UserName]\Documents\My Games\Skyrim

How to Change the Skyrim Save Game Location

由于Skyrim的默认保存位置在C盘,而且随着游戏进程,你的角色保存文件会越来越大,可能超过10GB,这可能会超出C盘的容量。那么我们能更改Skyrim的保存位置吗?答案是肯定的。

Many gamers have attempted to delete their game saves or modify the Skyrim.ini file in an attempt to change the Skyrim save location. Unfortunately, these methods have proven unsuccessful in allowing the game to load any saved files. But fear not, we have an excellent solution for you - move the entire "My Documents" folder to the desired drive.

The specific steps are as follows.

Step 1. Open Windows File Explorer and navigate to the "Documents" folder.

Step 2. Click the "Properties" option from the top menu.

click properties

Step 3. Go to Location > More and select the new location where you want to save the Documents folder.

change skyrim saves location

Step 4. Click "Apply Now."

How to Backup The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Saves

The significance of Skyrim save files is undeniable, but their security also poses significant challenges. Whether you face a computer virus or encounter hardware failure, these issues can lead to the loss of your game saves. Furthermore, when adding mods to Skyrim, it's crucial to prevent the game from crashing due to mod-related errors. To safeguard against such disasters, backing up your Skyrim saves is essential. Todo Backup Home serves as an invaluable tool in this context.

Todo Backup Home, one of the top-notch software solutions for backing up PC game saves (how to backup PC game saves), offers gamers exceptional data security. It enables you to create a scheduled backup, ensuring that your saves are backed up consistently according to your chosen schedule. Additionally, you can opt for the incremental backup mode, which automatically safeguards your newest game progress by backing up the latest data each time your game status is updated.

Meanwhile, when you need to delete game saves or transfer game saves, you can also opt to back up these files to the free cloud space offered by tools. This not only allows you to retrieve your saves anytime conveniently but also enables seamless transmission and extraction of saves between different devices.

Follow the steps below, and back up your Skyrim saves with ease.

Step 2. Click Select backup contents > File options, and choose the saves folder to back up based on the game's file location.

select file backup

Step 3. Click on Options > Backup Scheme to set your custom backup cycle with the incremental backup type.

set backup scheme

Step 4. Choose a backup storage path from a local drive, a free cloud service, NAS, or the Security Zone. Then click the "Backup now" button to commence the backup process immediately.

start backup now

"Expert Tips: How to Delete or Transfer Skyrim Save Files"

How to Delete Skyrim Saves

Here are two methods to delete The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or Skyrim Special Edition saves: Method 1: Deleting Saves through the Game's Save File Location 1. Press the Windows key + E on your keyboard to open File Explorer. 2. Navigate to the following folder path: - For Skyrim Vanilla (Original Version): `C:\Users\\Documents\My Games\Skyrim\Saves` - For Skyrim Special Edition: `C:\Users\\Documents\My Games\Skyrim Special Edition\Saves` (Replace `` with your actual Windows user account name.) 3. In the "Saves" folder, locate and select the save files you wish to delete. They will have filenames starting with "Save Slot" or a custom name you've assigned. 4. Right-click on the selected save files and choose "Delete" from the context menu, then confirm the deletion when prompted. Method 2: Using the Steam Library 1. Launch the Steam client on your computer. 2. Click on "Library" in the top-left corner of the Steam window. 3. In the list of games, find and right-click on "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" or "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition." 4. From the context menu, select "Manage" and then click on "Browse Local Files." 5. This will open File Explorer, showing the game's installation directory. Follow the same folder paths as mentioned in Method 1 to access the "Saves" folder. 6. Proceed with deleting the save files as described in step 3 and step 4 of Method 1. Remember to backup your save files if you want to keep them for future use.

Method 1. Locate the save file and delete the corresponding folder.

Method 2. Launch Skyrim and select "Load Game" from the menu. Choose the save you want to delete, then press the "X" key.

delete skyrim saves

Tip
If you've enabled Steam Cloud synchronization, you'll also need to remove the corresponding backup in Steam Cloud. Otherwise, the deleted saves may reappear when you play the game next time.
Additionally, if you rely on Steam Cloud for game data backup, be cautious as there are still numerous issues with it that could lead to loss of your saves and inability to recover them. For more information, refer to this article: How to Backup Steam Cloud Saves.

How to Transfer Skyrim Saves Transferring your saved games from one platform or device to another can be a great way to continue your adventure in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on a new computer, console, or even between different operating systems. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to transfer your Skyrim saves: **Method 1: Transferring Saves Between PC and PC** 1. **Locate Save Game Folder:** - On Windows, press `Win + E` to open File Explorer, then navigate to: - `%AppData%\Roaming\Bethesda Softworks\Skyrim\Saves` - On macOS, open Finder, then go to: - `~/Library/Application Support/Bethesda Softworks/Skyrim/Saves` 2. **Copy Save Files:** - Identify the save files you want to transfer (they have .ess file extensions). - Copy these files to a USB drive, cloud storage, or email them to yourself. 3. **Paste Save Files on the New PC:** - Connect your storage device to the new PC. - Navigate to the corresponding save game folder on the new PC (same locations as above). - Paste the copied save files into the "Saves" folder. 4. **Launch Skyrim:** - Start Skyrim on the new PC, and your saved games should appear in the load menu. **Method 2: Transferring Saves Between Consoles** - This process typically involves using external storage or online cloud services provided by the console manufacturers: **For PlayStation:** 1. **Export Save Data:** - Connect an external USB drive to your PlayStation. - Go to Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Copy. - Select Skyrim, then choose the saves you want to copy. 2. **Import Save Data:** - On the new PlayStation, go through the same steps but select "Copy from USB Storage Device" instead. **For Xbox:** 1. **Upload Save to Cloud:** - Sign in to your Xbox Live account on your current Xbox. - Go to Settings > System > Console Info & Updates > Upload Console Data. - Choose Skyrim and the saves you want to upload. 2. **Download Save from Cloud:** - Sign in with the same Xbox Live account on the new Xbox. - Go to Settings > System > Console & Blu-ray > Storage. - Download the saved game data for Skyrim. **Method 3: Using Save Game Backup Services** - Some third-party services allow you to backup and restore saves across platforms. Check out services like SaveGame Manager GX, Steam Cloud, or Bethesda.net accounts if available for your platform. Remember that transferring saves between different platforms may not always work due to compatibility issues or differences in game versions. Always make sure to back up your original saves before attempting to transfer them.

If you wish to continue your game on another PC or move your Skyrim saves to the Skyrim Special Edition, you can transfer your Skyrim saves using the following method.

Step 1. Navigate to the Skyrim saves location and copy the save file that you wish to transfer to another hard drive or any cloud storage.

Step 2. Transfer the file to the Skyrim game folder on another PC or the Skyrim Special Edition saves folder. Then, run the game to load the saved progress you transferred.

Warning
If your saves were created after installing mods for Skyrim, the transfer process may cause issues that prevent your saves from loading correctly. It's highly recommended that you back up your 'saves' folder just in case something goes wrong.

Conclusion

We introduced "Skyrim Save Game Location" and provided detailed instructions on how to locate, delete, and transfer game saves. Furthermore, to safeguard the data integrity of Skyrim, it is highly recommended to utilize the Todo Backup Home tool to create a protective shield for your game files.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can you transfer Skyrim save files from a Nintendo Switch?

No, it is not possible to transfer Skyrim saves from a Nintendo Switch. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Skyrim Special Edition do not offer cross-save functionality between different platforms.

2. Why are my Skyrim save files not loading?

This issue might occur due to insufficient memory on the disk where your game saves are stored. You can either opt to delete some of the saved games or change the Skyrim save location to another drive. You can find the relevant methods to accomplish this in the post provided.

If you're unable to load your saves normally despite having sufficient space on your computer, you can attempt to disable the firewall or any other anti-virus software, as these can sometimes contribute to the issue.