Xbox Game Pass on PC uses one of the most confusing save systems on Windows. Saves aren’t in AppData or Documents — they’re buried in a locked system folder that Windows actively hides from you. Uninstall the game or the Xbox app and those saves can disappear entirely.

Here’s where they actually live and what you can do about it.

The Short Answer: Two Save Systems

Game Pass games on PC save in two different places depending on the title:

  1. Xbox Cloud Saves (most games) — synced to your Xbox/Microsoft account, survives reinstalls
  2. Local WinAppData saves — stored in a protected system folder, not automatically backed up

Most modern Game Pass titles use cloud saves. But the local path still matters if you lose internet access, your account has sync issues, or you want an offline backup.

Where Xbox Game Pass Saves Are Stored Locally

The path is:

C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Packages\[PackageID]\SystemAppData\wgs\

Getting there is awkward because:

  • AppData is hidden by default
  • The Packages folder contains hundreds of entries
  • Each game has a long, non-human-readable package ID

To find your game’s package folder:

  1. Press Win + R, type %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages, press Enter
  2. Sort by Date Modified — the game you played most recently will be near the top
  3. Look for a folder with your game’s publisher name in it (e.g., Microsoft.SeaOfThieves_...)
  4. Navigate to SystemAppData\wgs\ inside it

The wgs folder contains your cloud-synced save containers. The files inside don’t have standard extensions — they’re binary containers managed by Xbox’s save system.

Can You Back Up WGS Save Containers?

Directly copying WGS containers doesn’t reliably restore saves because they’re tied to your Xbox user ID and the package’s internal GUID structure. What you should do instead:

Rely on Xbox Cloud Saves as your primary backup. Sign into your Microsoft account on the new PC, install the game through the Xbox app, and saves sync automatically.

For games that support it, use the in-game export feature — some RPGs and strategy games let you export/import save files in a portable format.

When Xbox Cloud Saves Fail

If your cloud save didn’t sync correctly (common after a crash or unexpected shutdown):

  1. Open the Xbox app
  2. Go to the game’s page
  3. Look for Manage → Cloud Saves or a sync option
  4. Force a manual sync before uninstalling

If the cloud save is missing entirely, Microsoft doesn’t offer a recovery path — the WGS container is your only copy.

The Reliable Workaround: Install via Steam if Available

Several Game Pass titles (Halo, Forza, Flight Simulator) are also available on Steam or directly from the publisher. Steam’s cloud save system is more transparent and accessible. If you care about long-term save portability, buying the game on Steam gives you more control.

Find Save Locations for Specific Game Pass Titles

Some Game Pass games also write saves to standard AppData or Documents paths alongside the WGS container. Look up the specific game to see all save locations.

Find your game’s save location →