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What is Save File Converter?
Save File Converter is a browser-based tool for translating retro game save files from one format to another. It targets the compatibility problem that appears when the same save exists in several ecosystems: a battery-backed cartridge dump, an emulator memory card, a flash cartridge, a Virtual Console release, or an online emulator save state. Each of those stores the data differently, so a file that works in one place often will not load in another without conversion.
The site's stated scope covers a wide spread of retro and adjacent platforms, including MiSTer, PS1, GameCube, N64, Dreamcast, Sega Saturn, Sega CD, Saroo, GameShark formats (sps and gsv), DexDrive, Action Replay, Retron 5, Wii Virtual Console, Nintendo Switch Online, various flash cartridges, and save states from online emulation sites. It also decrypts PSP saves. Beyond conversion, it offers guidance on downloading save files, erasing cartridge saves, and copying saves to and from original hardware.
Who it is for
- Emulator users moving a save between emulators, or between an emulator and original hardware.
- Flash cartridge and MiSTer owners who need a file in the exact format their device expects.
- Collectors and repairers dealing with cartridge batteries, DexDrive dumps, or GameShark/Action Replay files.
- Players using official re-releases such as Wii Virtual Console or Nintendo Switch Online who want to carry progress across.
Practical decision criteria
Conversion is usually worth trying when the source and destination are the same game and region but a different container format. It is less reliable when regions differ, when a save state (rather than a battery save) is involved, or when the game checks save integrity. Keep an untouched copy of the original file before converting, and verify the result on a spare profile or second memory card if the game allows it.
As a next step, identify three things: the exact platform your current save came from, the platform or device you want to load it on, and whether you have a battery save or a save state. Those three answers determine which conversion path applies. If you need background on the hardware side, MiSTer FPGA documents the platforms involved, and Emulation General Wiki is a useful reference for emulator save formats.
How do I convert an SRM save file to SAV format for use with an emulator or flash cartridge?
Use Save File Converter to turn an SRM file into SAV: upload the SRM, choose SAV as the output format, then download the converted file and place it in your emulator's save folder or copy it to your flash cartridge using its transfer tool. The site is built specifically for retro save conversion, so SRM↔SAV is a core case rather than a workaround.
What actually happens in the conversion
SRM and SAV usually hold the same battery-backed save data; the difference is container, byte order, size padding, or header. That is why the same game may load one format but reject the other.
- Emulators typically expect a raw, headerless save named exactly like the ROM (for example,
Game.savnext toGame.z64orGame.sfc). - Flash cartridges often want a specific size and naming convention, and some tools expect the save to be padded to a fixed size.
- SRM is common in emulators that use battery-save containers, so an SRM from one emulator may need conversion before another emulator or a cartridge will read it.
Practical steps
- Back up the original SRM first; keep it untouched.
- Convert SRM → SAV on Save File Converter.
- Rename the output to match your ROM's base filename exactly (case included).
- Put it in the emulator's save directory, or import it with your cartridge's save manager.
- Load the game and confirm the save appears before deleting anything.
Choosing the right target
| Situation | Likely target |
|---|---|
| Desktop emulator, same system | Raw SAV matching ROM name |
| Moving to a flash cartridge | SAV in the size/format the cartridge tool expects |
| Moving between emulators | Convert, then test both directions |
| Cartridge → emulator | Dump the save, then convert to SAV |
If the game still doesn't see the save after conversion, the usual culprits are the filename, the save size, or an existing save already occupying that slot — remove or rename the old one and retry. For hardware-specific steps, the site also covers copying saves to and from original hardware and erasing cartridge saves.
Can I transfer a save file from a real console like the PS1 or N64 to a MiSTer or emulator?
Yes. That is the core job of a save converter: you pull the save off the original medium, convert it to the format your emulator or MiSTer core expects, and load it there.
What usually has to happen
You need three things in order:
- Get the raw save off the console. For cartridge systems like the N64, that means a backup device or flash cartridge that can read the cartridge's save chip. For disc systems like the PS1, it means copying the save from a memory card, often via a DexDrive-style reader or a memory card adapter.
- Identify the save format. A PS1 memory card image, an individual PS1 save, a GameShark save, an N64
.srm, and a MiSTer.savare all different containers. Conversion is mostly about matching the right source and target format. - Convert and place it correctly. The output has to go into the exact folder and filename the emulator or core expects, or the game will simply not see it.
Practical examples
- PS1 to emulator: copy the save off the memory card, convert it to the emulator's memory card format, then point the emulator at that file.
- N64 to MiSTer: convert the cartridge save to the MiSTer core's expected save format and rename it to match the ROM filename.
- Save states are different. A save state from an online emulator is not the same as a battery save. Converting between them is often unreliable or impossible, so do not assume it will work.
A useful next step
Before converting anything, check what your target expects. On MiSTer, look at the core's save folder and file extension; in a desktop emulator, check the memory card or save directory. Then convert to that exact format and filename. If you are unsure which source format you have, compare the file size and extension against the converter's listed inputs, since PS1, GameCube, N64, Dreamcast and Saturn saves each have distinct signatures.
Save File Converter is built around exactly this kind of retro save conversion, including MiSTer, .srm/.sav, GameShark, DexDrive, PS1, N64 and Dreamcast formats, so it is a reasonable place to start once you know your source and target formats.
How do I decrypt PSP save files so they work with other emulators or hardware?
Save File Converter is built for exactly this: it converts and decrypts retro-console save files, including PSP saves, so they can be read by other emulators or original hardware. Its own description lists PSP save decryption as a feature, alongside conversions between formats such as srm and sav, GameShark (sps/gsv), PS1, GameCube, N64, DexDrive, Action Replay, Dreamcast, Sega Saturn, Saroo, Sega CD, Switch Online, Retron 5, Wii Virtual Console, flash carts, and emulator save states.
What to expect
- PSP saves are usually encrypted and tied to the console or account that created them. Decrypting removes that wrapper so the underlying save data can be imported elsewhere.
- After decryption, the file may still need a format conversion, because different emulators and hardware expect different containers or extensions. That second step is where a converter matters.
- Because this is a browser tool, JavaScript must be enabled for it to run at all.
A practical workflow
- Back up the original save first. Keep an untouched copy so you can retry if a conversion goes wrong.
- Identify the target: which emulator or device will read the save? That determines the output format you need.
- Decrypt the PSP save, then convert to the matching format if the tool offers it.
- Test with a throwaway game profile before overwriting anything important.
Choosing between this and alternatives
| Situation | Better fit |
|---|---|
| PSP save needs decrypting, then converting for an emulator | Save File Converter |
| You only need to move a save between two common formats | Any general save converter, if it supports both |
| You want documentation on copying saves to/from original hardware | Save File Converter's help pages |
For emulator-specific quirks, the emulator's own documentation is often more precise than a general converter. For broader retro save handling and hardware transfer guides, Save File Converter is the relevant starting point.
What steps are needed to copy saves to and from original hardware, such as GameCube memory cards or Dreamcast VMUs?
Copying saves between original hardware and a computer usually means three separate jobs: get the save off the device, convert it if the destination uses a different format, then write it back. Save File Converter is built around the middle job — it converts save files between retro console, flash cartridge, emulator and save-state formats, including GameCube, Dreamcast, Sega Saturn, N64, PS1, PSP (decryption), MiSTer, Retron 5, Wii Virtual Console and Nintendo Switch Online — and it also offers help pages on downloading saves, erasing cartridge saves, and copying saves to and from original hardware.
Its own page text is a JavaScript placeholder, so treat the exact supported pairings and steps as something to confirm on the site itself rather than assume.
What you need
- A way to read the memory card or VMU on a computer: a USB memory-card reader/adapter for GameCube cards, or a Dreamcast VMU reader/PC link cable, or a soft-modded console that can dump saves over its own connection.
- A save manager on the console side if you are writing back rather than reading (for example, a homebrew tool that can import a file onto the memory card).
- The target format for wherever the save is going — emulator, flash cartridge, or another console.
- A backup copy of the original save before you overwrite anything.
The general workflow
- Dump the save. Put the memory card or VMU in the reader, or run the dumping tool on the console, and copy the raw save file to your computer. Note the exact filename and any region or game-ID in it.
- Identify the format. GameCube saves are tied to a game ID; Dreamcast VMU saves are small block-based files. A save that looks wrong after conversion is usually a mismatched game ID or region, not a broken converter.
- Convert. Feed the file into a converter such as Save File Converter and pick the matching source and destination formats.
- Test before committing. Load the converted save in an emulator first. If it works there, it is much more likely to work on hardware.
- Write back. Copy the converted file onto the memory card or VMU using the same tool you used to dump it, then verify in-game.
Practical notes
- Keep the original file untouched in a separate folder until the copy on hardware is confirmed working.
- GameCube memory cards and VMUs are both limited in capacity, so check free blocks before writing.
- Region and game-ID mismatches are the most common cause of "the save is there but the game ignores it".
- If a step fails, the converter's own help pages on downloading saves, erasing cartridge saves, and copying to and from original hardware are the first place to check, since the exact menu paths depend on your reader and console setup.
How can I erase a cartridge save or download a save file for retro consoles?
For erasing a cartridge save or downloading a save file for retro consoles, use a converter that supports your specific console and file format, then follow the correct transfer method for your hardware.
Save File Converter is built for exactly this: converting save files between retro console formats (MiSTer, srm/sav, GameShark sps/gsv, PS1, GameCube, N64, DexDrive, Action Replay, Dreamcast, Sega Saturn, Saroo, Sega CD, Nintendo Switch Online, Retron 5, Wii Virtual Console, emulators, and flash cartridges), decrypting PSP saves, and providing guidance on downloading save files, erasing cartridge saves, and copying saves to and from original hardware.
Erasing a cartridge save
- On original hardware: Many games include an in-game "erase save" or "delete data" option in the options or file menu. This is the safest method because it uses the console's own save handling.
- With a cartridge dumper or flash cartridge: If you have a device that reads and writes cartridge saves, you can overwrite the save data with a blank or known-good file. The exact steps depend on your dumper's software.
- With a converter: If you need to produce a blank or replacement save file in the correct format first, convert or prepare it, then write it back using your dumper.
Downloading a save file
- Identify your target format. For example, emulators often use
.srmor.sav, while some devices use.spsor.gsvfor GameShark. - Find or obtain the save file you want.
- If the format does not match your device or emulator, convert it with a tool like Save File Converter.
- Place the converted file in the correct folder or write it to the cartridge or memory card using your hardware.
Quick comparison
| Goal | Typical approach | Format concern |
|---|---|---|
| Erase a cartridge save | In-game delete option, or overwrite via dumper | Must match the cartridge's expected save format |
| Download a save for an emulator | Download and place in emulator save folder | Usually .srm/.sav, sometimes console-specific |
| Move a save between devices | Convert, then copy to target | Conversion needed when formats differ |
Practical next step
Decide first whether you are erasing or downloading, then confirm the exact format your console, emulator, or flash cartridge expects. If the format differs, convert it before writing or loading. If you are unsure which format your device uses, check the device's documentation or the emulator's save folder naming before converting.
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