Where Are Stellaris Save Files Located?
Stellaris save games folder on Windows, macOS and Linux, plus where cloud saves hide when local folders look empty.
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Stellaris keeps campaigns in a save games folder under a Paradox Interactive tree, one subfolder per empire with the empire name and ID. Steam and Paradox Launcher builds share the pattern but use different parent names on some installs.
Cloud saves are the usual confusion. They sit in pdx_sdk_filestorage or pops_filestorage siblings instead of the normal save games folder. If your folder looks empty, check those. Linux ignores XDG_DATA_HOME here and always uses .local/share. Copy the empire folder whole when sharing by hand.
Where Stellaris stores this, by platform
C:\Users\[Username]\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Stellaris\save games
Cloud saves hide in Documents\Paradox Interactive\pdx_sdk_filestorage\save games. Launcher editions may use Stellaris Plaza instead of Stellaris in the same tree.
~/Documents/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris/save games
Same Documents pattern as Windows. Game Pass builds use a Stellaris GamePass sibling folder. Copy the empire subfolder with the game closed.
~/.local/share/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris/save games
XDG_DATA_HOME is ignored by the game, so look here even on customized systems. Mods sit in ~/.local/share/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris/mod beside saves.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Stellaris save games folder empty?
You are likely using cloud saves. Check the pdx_sdk_filestorage and pops_filestorage siblings under Documents/Paradox Interactive. Disable cloud sync for the campaign if you want plain local files.
How do I share a Stellaris save?
Close the game, zip the empire subfolder from save games, and send it. The recipient drops it into their own save games folder. Both sides need matching DLC and mod lists to load it.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.