How to Transfer Your Hearts of Iron IV Save to a New PC

Last verified: 2026-09-15

Save file location

%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\save games

Copy the whole save folder at %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\save games (files end in .hoi4) from the old PC to the exact same path on the new PC — those are your Hearts of Iron IV saves.

Back up first (Windows) — copy & run

Before you move anything, make a full backup of every Hearts of Iron IV save on the OLD PC in one command. Press Win+R (or open Command Prompt), paste this, and hit Enter:

robocopy "%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\save games" "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\HeartsofIronIV-save-backup" /E /COPY:DAT /R:1 /W:1

/E mirrors the whole save tree (every profile sub-folder and slot) to a backup folder on your Desktop without touching the originals. Copy that folder to the new PC, then restore by swapping the source and destination paths.

Switching computers? Here's exactly which Hearts of Iron IV save files to copy, where they live, and how to make sure your progress loads on the new PC.

Where the files live: see the full Hearts of Iron IV save file location guide for every platform path (PS5, Xbox, Steam Cloud).

How to transfer your Hearts of Iron IV save to a new PC

On the old PC, press Win+R, paste %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\save games, and press Enter to open the save folder.
Select everything in that folder and copy it to a USB drive, cloud folder (OneDrive/Google Drive), or network share.
Install Hearts of Iron IV on the new PC and launch it once, then close it — this creates the empty save folder.
Match your mods, DLC, and game version on the new PC before loading, or a modded/DLC save may refuse to load.
On the new PC, open the same path (%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\save games) and paste the copied files in, overwriting if asked.
Launch the game and confirm your progress loaded before deleting the backup copy.

Does cloud sync move it for you?

Yes, via Steam Cloud when enabled. Same account + cloud on = saves appear on the new PC; otherwise copy the save games folder manually.

Common mistakes

Version/DLC mismatch: a save made on a newer patch or with DLC you don't own on the new PC may fail to load.
Copying while the game is running can produce a half-written file — close HOI4 first.

FAQ

How do I move my Hearts of Iron IV save to a new PC?

Copy the save folder at %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\save games from the old PC to the exact same path on the new PC, then launch the game. Use a USB drive, cloud storage, or a network share to move the files.

Will Hearts of Iron IV cloud saves transfer automatically?

Yes, via Steam Cloud when enabled. Same account + cloud on = saves appear on the new PC; otherwise copy the save games folder manually.

Where is the Hearts of Iron IV save folder on the old PC?

It's at %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\save games (files end in .hoi4). Paste that into the File Explorer address bar (or Win+R) to open it. See our full location guide for every platform.

Do I need to copy any other files?

Copy the whole save folder, not just one file — these games store profiles, autosaves, and settings alongside the main save. Copying the entire folder avoids missing anything.

Other games

Need another game or a quick backup? Use the Save Location Finder — pick any game to get its exact save path plus a ready-to-run backup command.