Palworld worlds are multi-file save directories, so the world folder—not Level.sav alone—is the useful backup unit. Steam stores the data under the account-scoped `PalSavedSaveGames` tree and Steam Cloud is configured to recurse through .sav files there. Because the game also keeps local backup subdirectories, recovery can involve several generations of the same world. Copy the entire live world directory somewhere safe before testing any backup generation, and keep Xbox/Microsoft Store containers separate from Steam files unless a dedicated conversion workflow is used.
Known Palworld save-file structure
The researched filename or folder pattern is Level.sav
LevelMeta.sav
Players*.sav
backup…. File-extension context: .sav The documented format notes are: Steam Cloud configuration points to the Pal/Saved/SaveGames account folder and recursively includes .sav files. World directories can contain Level.sav, LevelMeta.sav, player saves, and built-in backup subdirectories.
Why an extension is not enough
A save filename can identify a likely container, but it does not prove the internal schema, game version, checksum rules, encryption state, or editability. Single-player/local-co-op worlds, dedicated-server worlds, Steam account data, and Xbox/Microsoft Store containers are related but not identical migration targets. SaveEditor therefore separates file identification from Tool compatibility and only labels a game-specific Tool Verified when its exact profile/version evidence passes the runtime gate.
Where the format is stored
PC save locations: Windows: Steam: %LOCALAPPDATA%PalSavedSaveGames<64BitSteamID> | Linux / Steam Play: Steam Play follows the Windows path inside the Proton prefix for app 1623730.. Storefront context: Steam, Microsoft Store / Xbox app. The Steam version exposes normal files under LocalAppData. The Xbox/Microsoft Store release uses a different packaged/WGS storage model; do not rename those container files into Steam .sav files without a dedicated extractor/converter. This matters because two releases can use different containers or companion files even when the visible slot name is similar.
Back up before inspecting or editing
Copy the complete world directory and its Players/backup subdirectories. Keep at least one dated backup outside the live Pal directory. A read-only viewer is lower risk than a writer, but the live save should still be copied first. Cloud context also matters: Steam Cloud is configured for the SaveGames account directory. Cloud sync can propagate a damaged or unwanted local revision, so manual offline backups remain valuable. Keep the original bytes available so any experiment can be reversed without relying on a cloud service or automatic backup.
What this reference does not claim
This page does not infer an undocumented checksum algorithm, encryption key, compression layer, or cross-store conversion from the file extension. Troubleshooting evidence: If a world disappears after a crash, preserve the entire current directory before inspecting the built-in backup subfolders. Do not overwrite every backup with the newest copy until one has been confirmed working. Those questions require a verified parser/profile or a game-specific source, not a generic format guess.
Verification context: The Steam path and recursive .sav cloud pattern were reviewed against current SteamDB configuration. The documented LocalAppData path is independently corroborated by current PC backup references.