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The safest way to move progress between retro handhelds is to copy the original in-game save before changing anything, then place that copy in the destination emulator’s matching save folder. Do not treat an in-game save and an emulator save state as interchangeable: they use different files, and a state may only work with the same emulator core. On OnionOS, most imported in-game saves use the .srm extension and go in a core-specific profile folder; RetroArch Cloud Sync should be managed through RetroArch rather than by editing its files directly.
What you are actually transferring
“Save file” can mean two different kinds of data. Identifying the type before copying prevents most failed transfers and accidental overwrites.
In-game saves
An in-game save is created by the game’s own save menu, checkpoint system or battery-backed memory. It normally represents durable progress: completed levels, unlocked items, inventory and settings. The emulator reads this file when the game starts. Because it is tied to the game’s save format, it is usually the best choice for moving progress between devices that run the same game with a compatible emulator or core.
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A save state captures the emulator session at a particular instant. It can include CPU registers, memory, video state and other runtime details that do not exist in a normal game save. States are therefore more fragile across devices, emulator versions and cores. A state made on one handheld may fail to load on another, even when the ROM is identical. Keep states as an optional convenience, not as your only backup.
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On OnionOS, the two types are deliberately separated: in-game saves are under a saves path, while states are under a states path. Copying a state into the save directory, or vice versa, will not convert it.
Make a safe backup before touching the source card
Work from a copy, not from the only existing file. The original should remain unchanged until the destination has loaded the expected progress.
- Close the game normally. Use the game’s own save command, then exit through the handheld’s emulator menu. A forced power-off can leave a partially written file.
- Power down before removing the card. Follow the firmware’s shutdown procedure and wait until activity lights stop. Removing a microSD card while it is being written can corrupt more than the save.
- Connect the card to a computer. Use a compatible microSD reader if the computer has no card slot. The OnionOS FAQ warns that the bundled card and reader can be prone to corruption and failure, so treat them as replaceable hardware rather than as a reliable backup.
- Copy the entire relevant save folder to a new location. Keep the directory structure and filenames intact. A second microSD card or a computer folder is sufficient; the important part is that the backup is separate from the card you are editing.
- Record the source details. Note the handheld firmware, emulator or core name, ROM filename and whether each file is an in-game save or a state. This makes it easier to select a compatible destination later.
- Do not rename, delete or overwrite the original yet. Test the destination first. If the transfer fails, you can restore the untouched copy.
If your computer cannot read the card, stop rather than repeatedly repairing or formatting it. A reader problem, damaged filesystem or failing card can make a simple copy operation destructive.
Transfer an in-game save on OnionOS
OnionOS documentation gives a specific convention for imported in-game saves. The folder is selected by the emulator core, and the filename must match the ROM exactly.
1. Identify the save and ROM names
Find the save produced by the source installation and compare its base filename with the ROM. Preserve spelling, punctuation, spaces and capitalization. If the ROM is named Example Game.gba, the save should use the same base name before its extension. Do not add a second extension such as .srm.sav.
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2. Use the expected extension
OnionOS says most imported in-game saves should be .srm. If your source file is .sav, renaming it to .srm may be sufficient. Renaming only changes the filename; it does not convert the internal data. Other formats may need a proper conversion tool or a save exported by the original emulator. Keep the original-format file in your backup even when you create an .srm copy.
3. Copy to the core-specific profile folder
With the OnionOS card mounted, place the file in:
Saves/CurrentProfile/saves/[CORENAME]
Replace [CORENAME] with the actual core directory used by that game. Do not put the file in a neighboring core’s folder, even if both cores play the same console. The destination path is case-sensitive in practice because the filename and folder must match what the launcher expects.
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Safely eject the card, insert it into the destination handheld and launch the same game. Load the progress through the game’s normal load menu. Check a few concrete markers—such as the latest level, party members or inventory—rather than assuming that reaching the title screen proves success.
5. Remove a stale state only when necessary
If the game was already launched on the destination and OnionOS does not show the imported in-game save, look for a corresponding state in:
Saves/CurrentProfile/states/[CORENAME]
After preserving a backup, remove the corresponding state file and relaunch the game. A previously created state can cause the emulator to resume old runtime data instead of recognizing the newly copied in-game save. Never delete the only copy of that state until you have confirmed that the in-game save works.
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Move saves from an older Miyoo card or early Onion installation
Older Miyoo stock-card installations and early Onion versions may store saves in a legacy RetroArch location:
RetroArch/.retroarch/saves/[CORENAME]
Copy the file from that legacy core folder, verify its extension and filename, and place it in the current OnionOS destination:
Saves/CurrentProfile/saves/[CORENAME]
The two paths are alternatives for different layouts, not folders that should both contain competing copies. If you see more than one candidate file, use the one with the newest intentional save time and retain every other candidate in your backup until testing is complete.
Transfer to a new SD card without losing the original
A new card may contain a different firmware layout, so copying a whole old card blindly is not a universal solution. Use this sequence instead:
- Install and boot the destination firmware once so it creates its expected directories and profile structure.
- Shut down, remove the destination card and connect it to the computer alongside the source backup. If the computer has only one reader, copy the source files to a temporary computer folder first.
- Locate the destination emulator’s actual save directory. For OnionOS, use the current profile and core-specific path described above. For other systems, use that firmware or emulator’s documented directory rather than assuming the OnionOS path applies.
- Copy only the compatible in-game save into the destination folder. Do not overwrite a newer destination file without first copying that file into your backup.
- Eject the card properly, boot the handheld and load the game through its normal menu.
- Once progress is verified, create a fresh backup of the working destination save. Keep the old source backup as a rollback point.
This approach also works when moving between cards of different capacities: the save itself is small, but the directory and naming rules remain essential.
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Use RetroArch Cloud Sync carefully
RetroArch Cloud Sync handles save files and states through a manifest that records file hashes. That manifest lets RetroArch determine what should be synchronized, but it also means the managed files are not ordinary folders to edit casually.
- Configure and run synchronization from RetroArch’s own Cloud Sync workflow.
- Allow a sync operation to finish before launching the game on another device.
- Do not manually rename, replace or edit files that the sync manifest tracks while synchronization is active.
- Keep an independent offline copy of important in-game saves, especially before changing cores or firmware.
Direct editing can leave the manifest’s hashes out of step with the files and may corrupt the sync state. Cloud Sync is most predictable when the devices use compatible RetroArch setups and the same game filenames. It does not make an incompatible save-state format portable.
When the destination uses a different emulator or core
Compatibility is determined by the save format and the emulator implementation, not simply by the console name printed on the box. Two cores for the same system may use different extensions, memory layouts or timing assumptions. A standalone emulator may also choose a directory and naming convention that differs from RetroArch.
For a different handheld, firmware or standalone emulator:
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- Find the destination’s configured save directory in its documentation or settings.
- Check which extension it expects and whether it supports the source format directly.
- Match the destination ROM filename exactly if its documentation requires paired names.
- Prefer an in-game save over a state. If the in-game format is unsupported, use a documented converter or load the old save in the original environment and export it through the game.
- Test with a duplicate file, never the only backup.
There is no universal save path for every Anbernic-style handheld, Android emulator, Linux distribution or standalone application. A path that is correct for OnionOS or RetroArch can be wrong on another system.
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Save-state and PlayStation-specific hazards
Save states are especially dependent on the emulator and core that created them. Even when a state opens, it can restore old memory-card contents or other runtime data. For PCSX ReARMed, the core documentation describes a setting that prevents SaveRAM from being overwritten when loading a state. Use that safeguard when available, and understand its consequence: loading a state should not silently replace a newer memory-card save.
For valuable PlayStation progress, make a normal in-game memory-card save as well as a state. Transfer the memory-card data using the destination core’s documented format, then verify it in the game. Treat the state as a convenience for returning to a moment in play, not as the authoritative archival copy.
Diagnose a save that does not appear
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The game starts with no progress | Wrong folder, core or filename | Confirm [CORENAME], exact ROM basename, capitalization and the destination emulator’s expected extension. |
| The file is visible on the card but ignored | Unsupported format or simple extension mismatch | Try the documented format, such as .srm for most OnionOS imports. Renaming is not conversion. |
| OnionOS keeps opening an older position | A stale save state is taking precedence | Back up and remove the corresponding file from Saves/CurrentProfile/states/[CORENAME], then relaunch. |
| A legacy save worked on the old card but not the new one | The file is still in the old RetroArch path | Move it from RetroArch/.retroarch/saves/[CORENAME] to the current profile’s core-specific saves folder. |
| Cloud Sync reports conflicts or behaves unpredictably | Managed files were edited outside the sync workflow | Stop manual changes, restore the independent backup and let RetroArch perform synchronization. |
| A state will not load on another handheld | Different core, emulator build or runtime environment | Use a normal in-game save or memory-card file instead; states are not guaranteed to be portable. |
How to verify a transfer and recover safely
Verification should be deliberate, because opening a game can create a new blank save or overwrite a state.
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- Keep the source and destination copies in separate folders with clear names, such as “source-before-transfer” and “destination-test.”
- Launch the game without immediately saving over the old progress.
- Inspect several known progress markers. If they are correct, make a new in-game save in a separate slot when the game supports slots.
- Exit normally, reopen the game and confirm that the newly written save still loads.
- Only after this second check should you remove obsolete duplicates from the working card. Retain at least one untouched backup.
If the destination created a blank file, do not copy that blank file back over the source. Delete or move the blank destination copy, restore the original backup and correct the folder, core or format before trying again.
Choose the right transfer method
| Method | Best for | Compatibility requirement | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual microSD copy | One-time moves, new cards and offline backups | Correct destination path, filename and save format | Human error or card removal during a write |
| RetroArch Cloud Sync | Keeping compatible RetroArch devices aligned | RetroArch-managed workflow and compatible files | Manifest conflicts or corruption after direct edits |
| Save-state transfer | Returning to an exact moment on the same setup | Same or highly compatible emulator/core and runtime | State may fail or overwrite newer SaveRAM data |
| In-game save or memory-card transfer | Long-term progress and cross-device moves | Compatible game save format and destination emulator support | Wrong extension, folder or core can make it appear missing |
Practical checklist
- Have you made a separate copy of the source file?
- Is it an in-game save, a memory-card file or a save state?
- Does the destination use the same emulator or a compatible core?
- Does the filename match the ROM exactly, including capitalization?
- Is the extension supported, and have you distinguished renaming from conversion?
- For OnionOS, is the file in
Saves/CurrentProfile/saves/[CORENAME]? - If an old Miyoo layout is involved, did you check
RetroArch/.retroarch/saves/[CORENAME]? - If a game was already launched, did you check for a stale state in the matching
statesfolder? - Did you let RetroArch manage Cloud Sync files instead of editing them directly?
- Did you load and recheck the expected progress before deleting the original?
Bottom line
Back up first, move the normal in-game save whenever possible, and let the destination emulator’s documented core and directory rules determine where the file goes. OnionOS requires exact core-specific paths and commonly uses .srm; older Miyoo layouts use a different legacy folder. Save states and cloud-managed files need extra caution, and no single path or format applies to every retro handheld.
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