Where are the Fallout Shelter saves on Android: search and management

Many players who spend dozens of hours in Fallout Sheltersooner or later face the need to save their progress manually. This may be required when changing a smartphone, reinstalling the system, or simply out of a desire to protect yourself from accidental application crashes. Unlike some games that use cloud services by default, this shelter simulator stores data locally, and it can be difficult to find due to the nature of the file system Android.

By default, game files are hidden deep in system directories, access to which is limited in new versions of the operating system. If you tried to search for them through a standard explorer and found nothing, do not rush to despair. The problem lies in security policies Googlethat have tightened access to the folder Android/data starting with Android version 11. To solve this problem, you will need either a special file manager or a connection to a computer.

In this article we will analyze in detail the folder structure, where exactly the save file is located, and how to copy it correctly so as not to lose progress. We will also touch on the issues of transferring data between devices and restoring backups.

Standard path to game files in the device memory

The main data storage for most applications on Android is located in the root directory of the internal memory. For Fallout Shelter the path to configuration files and saves is strictly defined by the developers and does not change depending on the smartphone model. If you have a device with an old version of Android (up to 10 inclusive), you can go this route without unnecessary difficulties.

The full address is as follows: Internal memory/Android/data/com.bethsoft.falloutshelter/files. It is inside the folder files that there is a file named savegame.dat (or a similar name containing the word save). This file contains all the information about your shelter, residents, resources and completed tasks.

It is worth noting that simply having this folder does not guarantee success. In some cases, if the game never launched or was uninstalled incorrectly, the folder may be empty or missing altogether. It is also important to understand that on some custom firmware the directory structure may differ slightly, but the principle remains the same - we are looking for the package name of the developer.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with Android 11 and higher, standard explorers (for example, “My Files” from Samsung or the built-in Explorer of Xiaomi) may show the folder Android/data empty, even if there are files there. This is a system limitation, not an error.

Access problems on Android 11, 12, 13 and later

Starting with the eleventh version of the mobile operating system, the company Google implemented the Scoped Storage mechanism. This feature restricts app access to shared memory to prevent erratic data storage and improve user security. As a result, regular file managers can no longer just open a directory /Android/data/.

When you try to access this folder through a standard application, you see a message stating that access is denied or the folder is empty. However, the files are physically present on site. To access them, you need to use tools that can request special rights from the system through the SAF (Storage Access Framework) interface.

The most reliable way to get around this limitation is to use third-party explorers such as Total Commander with a plugin for accessing system folders, or a specialized application Files by Google in conjunction with certain actions. An alternative and often simpler option is to connect your phone to a computer via a USB cable in file transfer mode (MTP).

Instructions for searching and copying saves

To successfully extract the file saving, follow a clear algorithm of actions. Make sure the game is completely closed first to avoid damaging the database during the copy process. Then open your file manager or connect the device to your PC.

Go to the internal storage and sequentially open the folders Android, then data. Find the directory named com.bethsoft.falloutshelter. Inside it, go to the subfolder files. Here you will see the save file. Copy it to any safe place: to a memory card, to cloud storage or to a computer.

• 📂 Open the root folder of the internal drive.
• 📂 Follow the path Android/data/com.bethsoft.falloutshelter/files.
• 💾 Copy the file savegame.dat to the backup storage.
• 🔒 Make sure that the copy weighs the same as the original (usually a few megabytes).

If you use a smartphone with superuser rights (Root), the process is greatly simplified. You can use advanced managers like Root Explorer or Mountain Duck, which ignore system restrictions and provide full access to all sections of the file system without unnecessary requests.

Restoring progress on a new device

Transferring saves to another phone requires not only copying the file, but also installing it correctly. Simply putting a file in a folder is not enough - you need to respect the directory structure and access rights. First, install a clean version of the game Fallout Shelter on a new device.

Launch the game once, get to the point where a new shelter is created, and close the application completely. This is necessary for the system to create the desired folder structure com.bethsoft.falloutshelter. After this, replace the newly created save file with your backup one.

When inserting a file, the system may request confirmation to replace the existing document. Confirm the action. If you transfer data between devices with different versions of Android, there may be compatibility issues, but in most cases the game engine handles this automatically.

Action	Old device	New device
Install the game	Not required	Required
First run	Not required	Required for creating folders
Copying a file	From files folder	Into the files folder
Start after replacement	Not required	Loading an old save

⚠️ Attention: Do not try to restore a save from a modified version of the game (with a cheat for endless caps) to the official version from Google Play. This may lead to the application crashing or account blocking.

Alternative backup methods

Manually copying files is not the only way to save progress. The developers have provided the ability to synchronize via account Bethesda or Google Play Games. This method is much more convenient, since it does not require fiddling with the file system and works automatically.

To activate cloud saving, go to the settings inside the shelter and find the login button. Log in with your account. The game will offer to combine local progress with cloud progress or download data from the network. Make sure that the synchronization status is displayed as “Active.”

Another option for advanced users is to use utilities like Helium Backup or Swift Backup. These applications can create complete backups of application data without the need to obtain root access (although they provide wider functionality). They save not only the save file, but also settings, cache and other parameters.

Why is the cloud better than manual copying?

Cloud synchronization protects against data loss when your phone breaks down, resets to factory settings, or accidentally deletes an application. The file on the memory card may become damaged over time.

Common errors and solutions

Even if all instructions are followed, users may encounter problems. One of the most common is that the game does not see the save file and starts a new game from scratch. Most often this is due to the fact that the file was placed in the wrong directory or has the wrong name.

Check that the file name exactly matches the original. Sometimes when copying via a PC, numbers or symbols are added to the name (for example, savegame(1).dat). Rename the file, removing unnecessary characters. Also make sure that the file is not hidden by system attributes.

Another problem is out-of-sync versions. If an old version of the game was installed on your old phone, and a fresh one from the store was installed on your new phone, the save format may be incompatible. In this case, try first installing the old version of the APK, restoring the save, updating the game through the settings, and only then playing.

• ❌ Error: The file is not copied. Solution: Check free space and access rights.
• ❌ Error: The game crashes when loading. Solution: The save file is damaged or from a different version.
• ❌ Error: The data folder is empty. Solution: Use another file manager or PC.

⚠️ Attention: File manager interfaces and system restrictions may change with Android updates. If the described paths do not work, check the current folder structure in the official documentation of your shell (MIUI, OneUI, etc.).

Is it possible to transfer saves from iOS to Android?

Unfortunately, direct transfer of a save file savegame.dat between iOS and Android is not possible due to differences in file systems and data encoding. The only working way is to use cloud synchronization through your Bethesda account, if this feature is supported in your version of the game on both platforms.

Where are saves stored if the game is installed on an SD card?

Even if the application itself is moved to a memory card, system data and saves in modern versions of Android are still stored in the internal memory in a folder Android/data. Moving an application does not change the path to the configuration files.

What to do if the save file is 0 kb?

A file of 0 bytes means that it is empty and contains no data. This happens if the game did not have time to record progress before crashing or power failure. It is impossible to restore data from such a file; you will have to look for an earlier backup.

How often should you make manual backups?

It is recommended to copy the save file after each significant event in the game: building an important room, obtaining a legendary villager, or completing a complex quest. The optimal frequency is once a week with active playthrough.