Where Does MuseScore Save Scores?
MuseScore scores, backups and config paths on Windows, macOS and Linux, and where cloud scores hide when files vanish.
Last updated
MuseScore 4 saves scores into Documents/MuseScore4/Scores with .mscz files plus a hidden .msbackup folder of recent versions. Soundfonts, plugins and templates live in sibling folders under the same parent.
Program settings are separate in per OS config trees, which is why reinstalls keep misbehaving. Cloud scores cache apart in their own folders with cryptic names. Check Edit > Preferences > General > Folders to confirm every root on your machine. The .mscz format is a zip of XML plus images, and uncompressed folder saves expose the same parts plainly.
Where MuseScore stores this, by platform
C:\Users\[Username]\Documents\MuseScore4\Scores
Autosaves sit in Scores\.msbackup next door. Config lives at %appdata%\MuseScore\MuseScore4. Cloud cache hides in AppData\Local\MuseScore\MuseScore4\cloud_scores.
~/Documents/MuseScore4/Scores
Same Documents layout as Windows. Preferences sit in ~/Library/Application Support/MuseScore/MuseScore4. Keep .mscz files with their .msbackup siblings.
~/Documents/MuseScore4/Scores
Config is at ~/.config/MuseScore/MuseScore4.ini with data under ~/.local/share/MuseScore. Development builds use MuseScore4Development instead.
Frequently asked questions
Where are MuseScore autosaves?
In the hidden .msbackup folder inside Scores. Enable hidden files, sort by date, and copy the newest match out before opening it in MuseScore.
Why does Documents/MuseScore4 keep reappearing?
Older 4.x builds recreate default folders on launch. Set custom paths under Preferences > Folders for every entry, move your files there, then delete the default tree once.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.