How to Edit Unreal Engine Save Files (.sav) - Complete GVAS Guide

Introduction

Unreal Engine is one of the most powerful game engines in the world, used by AAA studios and indie developers alike. Games like Palworld, Hogwarts Legacy, Satisfactory, and Deep Rock Galactic all use Unreal Engine and store their save data in a proprietary binary format.

If you’ve ever wanted to edit your inventory, give yourself more resources, or unlock features in an Unreal Engine game, this guide will walk you through the process. Unlike simple JSON or XML files, UE saves require specialized tools to parse – and that’s exactly what our Save Editor Online provides.

What is the GVAS Format?

Unreal Engine uses a binary serialization format called GVAS (Game Variable Archive Save) for its save files. These files typically have the .sav extension.

A GVAS file contains:

• Header: Magic bytes (GVAS), save game version, engine version, and custom version data.
• Properties: A hierarchical structure of typed properties (IntProperty, StrProperty, ArrayProperty, StructProperty, etc.).
• Footer: Optional checksum or padding.

Because it’s binary, you can’t simply open a .sav file in Notepad. You need a parser that understands the GVAS structure.

Common Games Using GVAS Saves

Game	Save Location	Notes
Palworld	%LocalAppData%\Pal\Saved\SaveGames\	Complex nested structures
Hogwarts Legacy	%LocalAppData%\Hogwarts Legacy\Saved\SaveGames\	Standard UE5 format
Satisfactory	%LocalAppData%\FactoryGame\Saved\SaveGames\	Very large files
Deep Rock Galactic	%LocalAppData%\FSD\Saved\SaveGames\	Player progression
It Takes Two	Steam Cloud folder	Co-op save data

Step 1: Locate Your Save File

Most Unreal Engine games store saves in:

%LocalAppData%\[GameName]\Saved\SaveGames\

For example, Palworld saves are at:

C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Local\Pal\Saved\SaveGames\[SteamID]\

You’ll find files like Level.sav, Players\[PlayerID].sav, etc.

Step 2: Create a Backup

Critical: Always copy your .sav file before editing. Binary files are unforgiving – one wrong byte can corrupt the entire save.

Create a folder called Backups and copy your save files there before proceeding.

Step 3: Upload to the Online Editor

1. Navigate to our Unreal Engine Save Editor.
2. Drag and drop your .sav file.
3. Wait for the GVAS parser to process the file.

Our editor uses a browser-compatible GVAS parser to convert the binary data into a navigable JSON tree.

Step 4: Navigate and Edit Properties

Once parsed, you’ll see a hierarchical view of all properties:

Common Properties to Look For:

• Inventory: Usually an ArrayProperty containing item IDs and quantities.
• PlayerStats: StructProperty with health, stamina, level, etc.
• Currency/Money: IntProperty with names like Gold, Credits, or Money.
• Unlocks: BoolProperty or ArrayProperty tracking unlocked items/abilities.

Click on a property to expand and edit its value. For numeric properties, simply change the number. For strings, you can modify text values.

Example: Editing Palworld Pal Data

Palworld stores captured Pals as complex nested structures. To modify a Pal:

1. Navigate to CharacterSaveParameterMap.
2. Find your Pal by its internal ID.
3. Expand its properties to find level, stats, skills.
4. Modify the values as desired.

Step 5: Download and Replace

1. Click Download Modified Save.
2. The editor reconstructs the binary GVAS file with your changes.
3. Replace the original file in your save folder.
4. Launch the game and load your save!

Troubleshooting

The editor shows “GVAS parsing failed”

• Some games use modified GVAS formats with custom compression or encryption.
• Try a community-specific tool for that game if available.

My save is corrupted after editing

• Restore your backup.
• Make sure you only changed values, not property names or types.
• Some games recalculate checksums; they may reject tampered saves.

Values reset after loading

• The game may have server-side validation (common in multiplayer modes).
• Some values are derived from others on load (e.g., max HP from level).

Alternative Tools

If the online editor doesn’t support your specific game, consider these alternatives:

• uesave-rs: A Rust-based command-line tool that can convert .sav to .json and back.
• Palworld Save Tools: Community tools specifically for Palworld saves.
• UAssetGUI: For editing other Unreal Engine asset files.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is this safe to use? A: Yes. All parsing happens in your browser. Files are never uploaded to any server.

Q: Will this work for multiplayer saves? A: For co-op saves where you’re the host, often yes. For dedicated server games, saves are usually server-side and inaccessible.

Q: Can I transfer saves between platforms? A: GVAS format is cross-platform, but games may embed platform-specific data. Transfer is possible but not guaranteed.

Q: What if my game uses a custom save format? A: If it’s not standard GVAS, you may need game-specific modding tools.

Conclusion

Editing Unreal Engine saves requires understanding the GVAS binary format, but with the right tools, it’s completely achievable. Whether you want to spawn rare items in Palworld, max out your stats in Hogwarts Legacy, or just experiment with game mechanics, our free online editor makes it accessible to everyone.

Remember: always back up your saves, never edit multiplayer/competitive games unfairly, and happy modding!

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Related: Common Save File Extensions Explained