Where Does PICO-8 Store Carts and Config?
PICO-8 config.txt, carts, save data and backups folders on Windows, Mac and Linux.
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PICO-8 keeps everything in one per platform folder: config.txt for settings, carts for your games, cdata for persistent cartridge save data, and backup for rescue copies. The exact parent follows each OS convention, with Linux using a .lexaloffle directory instead of the usual config home.
Two rules prevent heartbreak. Edit config.txt only while PICO-8 is closed, because the app overwrites it on every exit. And the -home command line switch relocates the entire folder, so a custom setup may live nowhere near the defaults below.
Where PICO-8 stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\pico-8
Contains config.txt, carts, cdata and backup subfolders. The root_path and cdata_path lines inside config.txt can remap carts and save data elsewhere, so read them when files seem missing.
~/Library/Application Support/pico-8
Same internal layout as Windows. Open it with Go to Folder in Finder, since Library is hidden from normal browsing.
~/.lexaloffle/pico-8
Note .lexaloffle, not .config. The FOLDER command inside PICO-8 opens the real carts directory even when -home or root_path moved it.
Frequently asked questions
how do i open the pico-8 carts folder
Type FOLDER in the PICO-8 console to open the carts directory in your system file browser. That command always opens the effective location, including custom root_path setups.
i lost unsaved pico-8 work, where is the backup
Look in the backup subfolder next to carts. PICO-8 stashes a copy when you quit without saving or overwrite a file, plus periodic editor backups. Open it with FOLDER followed by BACKUPS.
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