Save files

Subnautica 2 Save File Location

On Steam and Epic, look in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Subnautica2\Saved\SaveGames\. On Xbox app for PC, saves are sandboxed inside the Packages folder. On Xbox Series, the filesystem is not exposed — backups go through the Manage game menu.

In short. The paths below are UE5 engine defaults for a title named "Subnautica2", consistent with how Unreal-based games write to disk. The path is verified within hours of the May 14 launch and updated if Unknown Worlds chose a different folder name. Back up the SaveGames folder before every Early Access patch — that is the single highest-leverage habit during EA.

Pre-launch reference, last verified 2026-05-13. Paths to be confirmed against the launch build.

Underwater machine bay with robotic arms and a parked submersible

Paths by platform

Steam (Windows PC)

Short path
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Subnautica2\Saved\SaveGames\
Resolved
C:\Users\<your-username>\AppData\Local\Subnautica2\Saved\SaveGames\

Access: Yes — open Explorer, paste %LOCALAPPDATA% in the address bar, navigate from there.

Cloud: Mirrored to Steam Cloud automatically when the game closes cleanly.

Epic Games Store (Windows PC)

Short path
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Subnautica2\Saved\SaveGames\
Resolved
C:\Users\<your-username>\AppData\Local\Subnautica2\Saved\SaveGames\

Access: Yes — same path as Steam, since UE5 uses the engine default regardless of storefront.

Cloud: If Epic Cloud Saves are enabled in the Epic launcher settings for Subnautica 2, mirrored on game close.

Xbox app on Windows PC

Short path
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\<microsoft-package>\SystemAppData\wgs\
Resolved
C:\Users\<your-username>\AppData\Local\Packages\<microsoft-package>\SystemAppData\wgs\<container>\

Access: Technically yes, but sandboxed. The folder is owned by the system and most users cannot edit it without taking ownership through Properties → Security.

Cloud: Synced via Xbox Play Anywhere to the Microsoft account, not Steam Cloud.

Xbox Series X|S

Short path
Not exposed to the filesystem
Resolved
Console-managed only

Access: No — there is no file browser. Backups happen through the Manage game menu (copy to USB or to the Xbox cloud).

Cloud: Always cloud-synced via the Microsoft account.

How to back up

One habit during Early Access: copy the SaveGames folder before every patch. Patches can change the save format and bad migrations are the most common way to lose hours in EA.

Steam or Epic (PC)

Quit the game. Press Win+R, type %LOCALAPPDATA%, press Enter. Navigate into Subnautica2 → Saved → SaveGames. Right-click → Copy. Paste somewhere outside that folder, ideally on a different drive. Done.

Xbox app (PC)

Sandboxing makes manual backups painful. The cleaner method is letting Xbox Play Anywhere sync the save to your Microsoft account, then signing in on another device or a Series console to confirm the cloud copy is current. If you really need a local copy, take ownership of the Packages folder in Security settings first — but it tends to revert on app updates.

Xbox Series

My games & apps → Manage game & add-ons → Saved data. From there you can move or copy the save to a connected USB drive. The drive must be formatted as exFAT, not the Xbox-format external storage.

How to restore a backup

  1. Quit Subnautica 2 completely. Save files in use are locked and cannot be overwritten.
  2. If you have Steam Cloud or Xbox cloud enabled, temporarily disable it for the game before restoring, otherwise the cloud will fight the restore.
  3. Copy your backup folder into the SaveGames directory, replacing the current files.
  4. Launch the game. If it crashes or shows a missing save error, the save format has probably changed in a patch and the backup is from before that patch. Try a more recent backup or accept the loss.
  5. Once the save loads, re-enable cloud sync. The corrected save uploads on the next clean exit.

Questions people ask

Where are Subnautica 2 save files on Windows?

For Steam and Epic, the path is %LOCALAPPDATA%\Subnautica2\Saved\SaveGames\. The full path resolves to C:\Users\<your-username>\AppData\Local\Subnautica2\Saved\SaveGames\. Type %LOCALAPPDATA% directly into the Explorer address bar to get there without expanding the username. For the Xbox app, the path is inside %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\ in a sandboxed folder and is harder to access manually.

How do I back up my Subnautica 2 save?

On PC, quit the game first, then copy the entire SaveGames folder somewhere safe. The folder is small. Do this before every patch during Early Access — patches can change the save format, and a broken migration is the most common way to lose hours in EA. On Xbox Series, use the Manage game menu to copy the save to USB.

Can I move my Subnautica 2 save between PCs?

Yes within the same storefront. Steam Cloud handles the sync automatically when you sign into Steam on a new PC. For a manual copy, paste your backed-up SaveGames folder into the same path on the new PC before launching the game. Epic works the same way if you backed up locally.

My save file disappeared after a patch — what happened?

Either the patch changed the save format and the migration failed, or Steam Cloud / Xbox cloud uploaded an older save over your current one during a conflict. Check the cloud version history in your storefront's help console first. If that fails, look in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Subnautica2\Saved\Backup\ — UE5 games often write an auto-backup there before destructive operations, though Unknown Worlds has not confirmed this for Subnautica 2.

The path uses backslashes — does that mean only Windows is supported?

The official platforms are Windows, Xbox Series, and Xbox on PC. There is no native macOS or Linux build. Steam Deck players run the game through Proton, which translates the Windows path to a Linux equivalent inside the Proton prefix — usually under .steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/1962700/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Local/Subnautica2/Saved/SaveGames/. Steam Deck verification status is being tracked separately.

Do co-op saves live in the same folder as solo saves?

Unknown Worlds has not detailed the co-op save model yet. Subnautica 1 only had single-player saves, so the host/guest save split for Subnautica 2 is a new behavior. Expect a separate subfolder for hosted co-op worlds, with guest progress tracked against the host's save. We will document the actual layout here once the launch build ships.

Related

Save files only matter if you can also restore them — these pages cover the rest of the path.