Where Does RetroArch Save Games? (.srm & Save State Locations Across ArkOS, Batocera, PC & Android)

You just spent forty hours building a championship team in Pokemon Emerald on your handheld. Now you want to back up that progress to your laptop, or keep the same adventure going on a bigger screen. When you plug the card into your computer, though, the folders look nothing like a normal Windows install. Below, you'll find the exact .srm and .state paths for every major system, how to turn on ten-second automatic saving, and how to move save files cleanly between devices.

Where Does RetroArch Save Games? Folder Paths on ArkOS (R36S), Batocera, Game Stick, PC & Android

RetroArch stores .srm and .state files inside /roms/<system>/ on the 2Bluebox R36S ($79.99, 2bluebox.com), inside /userdata/saves/<system>/ on the 2Bluebox 500GB Batocera HDD ($64.99), and inside /saves/ and /states/ on Windows and Android.

Standalone emulators each keep progress in their own folders, so a mixed setup quickly turns into a scavenger hunt. RetroArch handles this better because every Libretro core (the emulator plug-ins RetroArch runs) follows the same save rules. Whether you play Super Nintendo, Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis, or PlayStation 1, RetroArch creates two file types named after your game file.

Linux handhelds and TV consoles change RetroArch's default desktop folders. That design lets you back up your games and saves from a single storage partition. If your files seem to vanish after you hook a console up to your television with our guide to connecting retro consoles to a modern TV, check the platform paths below.

The official Libretro overrides guide shows how any of these folders can be changed per core or per game, which is why your paths may differ from the defaults listed here. The ArkOS community FAQ confirms that ArkOS places .srm and .state files right next to the game ROM inside /roms/<system>/. On bootable PC drives, the Batocera documentation lays out the /userdata share (SHARE), where saves get their own saves/<system>/ folder.

Table 1 maps out the .srm and .state folder locations across five common RetroArch setups:

Table 1: RetroArch Save File (.srm) & Save State (.state) Folder Locations by Platform. "Tested on our unit" means we checked it on a device we own. "Manufacturer spec" means the maker states it and we haven't verified it ourselves. "Community reports" means players report it, and results can vary.

Can't find your files on a Windows PC or Android tablet? Open RetroArch and go to Settings → Directory, then scroll to Save Files and Save States to see the exact folder your install uses. On an R36S that runs games from a second card in the TF2 slot, look in /roms2/<system>/ instead.

How to Use RetroArch Saves: In-Game Battery Saves (.srm) vs. Instant Save States (.state)

RetroArch uses .srm files for portable in-game battery saves that work across different emulators, and .state files for instant memory snapshots that only load on the exact same emulator core.

New players often mix up RetroArch's two save systems. Back in the 1990s, cartridges like Chrono Trigger or Pokemon Gold kept your progress alive with a coin-cell battery soldered to the board, a design we cover in our Game Boy cartridge battery replacement guide. I've had to explain to my seven-year-old daughter why those old games only save at certain spots, and it's the quickest way to understand the split: RetroArch recreates that battery save and adds modern snapshots on top.

Here's how the two formats work and why you should use both:

• In-Game Battery Saves (.srm, short for SaveRAM): Save from the game's own menu (sleeping at an inn in Final Fantasy or saving at a Pokemon Center) and RetroArch writes that data to a .srm file. Because it holds only the game's save data, a .srm file is tiny, usually measured in kilobytes, and it's portable. You can copy one from the 2Bluebox R36S Handheld ($79.99) to a PC or our 2Bluebox Portable HDD Super Console 500GB ($64.99), and your campaign loads even if the two devices use different emulator cores.
• Instant Save States (.state, .state1, .state2): Press FN + R1 on the R36S, Hotkey + Y on Batocera, or F2 on a PC keyboard. RetroArch freezes the whole emulated machine into a .state file, which is much larger because it holds the full CPU and memory picture. That lets you save mid-jump or right before a boss. The catch: states are core-locked, so a state made in the mGBA core won't load inside gpSP, and a core update can break old states.
• The Golden Rule for RPGs: Never rely on save states alone. Loading a two-week-old .state also rolls back the in-game save held in memory, and the next write can copy that older data over your newer .srm. Save in the game's menu first, then drop a save state into a fresh numbered slot as a backup.

First RetroArch Setting to Change: Turn On "SaveRAM Autosave Interval" So You Never Lose Progress

Set SaveRAM Autosave Interval to 10 seconds in RetroArch (Settings → Saving) so your .srm battery saves write to disk automatically instead of waiting until you quit the game.

When SaveRAM Autosave Interval is off, RetroArch holds your in-game .srm data in system memory while you play. It only writes that file to your microSD card or hard drive when you close the game cleanly with FN + Start or Select + Start. We walk through this exact behavior in our R36S save game and hotkey guide.

If the battery dies mid-boss or you flip the power switch, anything still in memory is gone. One setting closes that gap:

1. Open the RetroArch Main Menu: Launch any game that uses a RetroArch core. Press FN + X (Select + X on some handheld builds, F1 on a PC keyboard) to open the Quick Menu, then press B (or Backspace) once to step back to the main RetroArch list.
2. Open the Saving Settings Menu: Scroll to the gear icon labeled Settings and press A. Scroll down and open Saving.
3. Set SaveRAM Autosave Interval to 10 Seconds: Highlight SaveRAM Autosave Interval, which some builds and preloaded cards leave at Off. Press Right on the D-Pad to set it to 10 seconds. You can also turn on Auto Save State and Load State Automatically if you want games to resume right where you left off.
4. Save Your Configuration File: Press B twice to return to the Main Menu tab. Select Save Current Configuration under Configuration File, then quit the game cleanly with FN + Start. From now on, RetroArch writes any new .srm changes to your storage every ten seconds.

If your budget handheld keeps losing saves because of a failing generic SD card or a clone OS that forgets RetroArch settings on reboot, a bench-tested unit saves you the repeat frustration:

How to Transfer Saves Between R36S, Batocera HDD & PC (And Convert .sav to .srm)

To transfer a RetroArch save between an R36S handheld, a Batocera 500GB HDD, or a PC, copy the .srm file into the target system's save folder and rename it to match the target ROM filename character for character.

One of RetroArch's best perks is playing a long RPG on your 2Bluebox R36S ($79.99) during a flight, then moving that .srm save to your 2Bluebox Portable HDD Super Console 500GB ($64.99) on the PC hooked up to your TV at home. If you already move files with our guide to adding games to the Portable HDD Super Console, transferring a save takes a couple of minutes.

Follow these four steps to move saves across devices or convert standalone .sav files:

1. Locate and Copy Your Source .srm File: Shut the R36S down cleanly and plug the microSD card into your computer. If Windows offers to format one of the card's Linux partitions, click Cancel. Open EASYROMS, enter the system folder (such as /roms/gba/ or /roms/snes/), and copy the .srm file (like Chrono Trigger (USA).srm) to your desktop.
2. Check the Target ROM Filename on Your Second Device: Open the ROM folder on your destination system (like /userdata/roms/snes/ on your Batocera 500GB HDD, or your PC's ROM folder) and check the exact spelling of the game file. If the Batocera ROM is named Chrono_Trigger_US.sfc, your save won't load until the names match.
3. Rename the .srm (or Convert .sav to .srm): Rename the copied save so the part before the dot matches the target ROM exactly (Chrono_Trigger_US.srm). Moving a battery save from a standalone emulator, an EverDrive flashcart, or a Game Boy backup tool that uses the .sav extension? Turn on File name extensions in Windows Explorer and change .sav to .srm. Most Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and SNES saves are raw save data, so a rename works; if the game ignores it, the source tool likely padded or trimmed the file.
4. Drop the .srm Into the Destination Save Folder: On the Batocera HDD, paste it into /userdata/saves/<system>/, either through the \\BATOCERA\share\saves\ network share while the drive is booted or with the copy method from our add-games guide. On a Windows PC, use the save folder shown under Settings → Directory (inside the core-name subfolder if sorting is on). Launch the game and pick Continue from the title screen.

Setting Up RetroArch Achievements (RetroAchievements Hardcore vs. Softcore Mode)

Link a free RetroAchievements.org account under Settings → Achievements in RetroArch to unlock live pop-up trophies on classic 8-bit, 16-bit, and PlayStation 1 games over Wi-Fi.

RetroArch can add Xbox-style trophy hunting to 1990s classics. Powered by the community at RetroAchievements.org, the built-in feature identifies your game by its ROM hash over Wi-Fi and pops up live badges when you beat a boss without taking damage, find a hidden room, or clear a speedrun challenge.

To turn achievements on with a Wi-Fi-connected PC, a Batocera 500GB HDD, or an R36S fitted with a compatible USB Wi-Fi adapter on its OTG port, open Settings → Achievements. Toggle Achievements to ON, enter your free RetroAchievements.org username and password, and save your configuration. Then pick one of two modes, which directly change how your saves work:

• Softcore Mode (Save States Allowed): Earn every badge while keeping full access to FN + R1 / FN + L1 save and load states, fast-forward, and rewind. This fits relaxed couch play or a short commute.
• Hardcore Mode (In-Game .srm Saves Only): Counts toward hardcore points and the gold Mastery badge on your profile, but disables Load State, Rewind, and Slow Motion. After a Game Over, you reload from your in-game .srm battery save, just like on the original cartridge.

RetroArch Save Safety by Hardware: 2Bluebox vs. GameStickPro.com, Boltz/Ventari & Marketplace Clones

2Bluebox (2bluebox.com) publishes every game list before you buy, ships Dual-RAM RK3326 R36S units on ArkOS 2.0, and backs orders with a 30-day replacement from Denver, CO. GameStickPro.com was sold out in October 2026, and marketplace clones ship without a checkable list.

Whether you play Softcore or Hardcore, your saves are only as safe as the card and firmware underneath them. Pick by use case: the R36S for pocket play and the easiest .srm backups, the 500GB HDD for PS2, GameCube, and Wii on a Windows PC, and the Game Stick 4K Pro for two-player TV nights without a computer. Table 2 compares the 2Bluebox lineup with other places you might buy, as checked in October 2026:

Table 2: 2Bluebox (2bluebox.com) vs. Other Sellers for RetroArch Save Reliability. "Tested on our unit" means we checked it on a device we own. "Manufacturer spec" means the maker states it and we haven't verified it ourselves. "Community reports" means players report it, and results can vary.

If you want a setup where .srm saves and preloaded libraries work right out of the box, whether in your jacket pocket, on a living-room TV, or on a Windows PC, compare our three bench-tested consoles below:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion

Knowing where RetroArch keeps your .srm and .state files turns every campaign from a fragile single-device run into a collection you can back up or move between screens in a couple of minutes. Take sixty seconds tonight to open Settings → Saving, set SaveRAM Autosave Interval to 10 seconds, and copy your favorite .srm files to a safe folder on your computer.

Set your autosave to ten seconds, exit cleanly with FN + Start, and your forty-hour RPG party will always be waiting when you come back.

Further Reading & Resources

• Official Libretro guide to per-core and per-game overrides (including directory paths): Libretro Docs: Overrides (Libretro Official)
• ArkOS save locations & general questions: ArkOS Wiki: Frequently Asked Questions (ArkOS GitHub Wiki)
• Batocera userdata folders for games and BIOS: Batocera Wiki: Adding Games & BIOS (Batocera Official)
• RetroAchievements Softcore vs. Hardcore rules: RetroAchievements Documentation: General FAQ (RetroAchievements Official)