How to Transfer Pokemon ROM Hack Saves Between Emulators
Updated October 20, 2026 · 5-10 minutes
Overview
Long Pokemon ROM hacks often outlive the device you started them on. Maybe you began Unbound on your phone and want to finish it on a PC, or you are switching from one Android emulator to another. The good news is that in-game saves are portable: for GBA and Game Boy hacks, the save is usually the exact same data, just with a different file extension.
This guide explains which file is your real save, how to rename it for each emulator, how DS saves differ, and the mistakes that cost people their progress. One rule above all: back up the original save file before you touch anything.
Step by Step
Save in-game, not with a save state
Open the in-game menu and save normally before you close the emulator. Save states (.ss0, .state, .mst and similar) are snapshots of the emulator's memory and only work in the same emulator — often only the same version. The in-game save (battery save) is what you can transfer.
Find the save file
mGBA, melonDS, My Boy and Pizza Boy usually store the save next to the ROM with the same name, for example Radical Red.sav. RetroArch keeps saves in its saves folder as .srm files. DeSmuME uses .dsv files in its Battery folder. On iPhone, Delta lets you export a game's save from the game's context menu.
Make a backup copy
Copy the save file to a separate folder or cloud storage before converting it. If anything goes wrong, you can always return to this copy.
Rename the file for GBA and GB/GBC hacks
For GBA games, .sav and RetroArch's .srm are the same format; an mGBA developer has confirmed that renaming is all you need. Rename the save so it matches the ROM's file name exactly, with the extension the target emulator expects: .sav for mGBA, My Boy, Pizza Boy and Delta; .srm for RetroArch. Put it in the target emulator's save folder and load the ROM.
Handle the real-time clock for GBC hacks
Game Boy Color games with a clock, such as Crystal-based hacks, store time data that not every emulator handles the same way. RetroArch may keep it in a separate .rtc file. If a renamed Crystal save will not load, try a different target emulator or a dedicated save converter, and expect to reset the in-game clock.
Convert DS saves with import/export
DS saves are the raw save memory in melonDS (.sav), but DeSmuME's .dsv files add a DeSmuME-specific footer, so a simple rename does not always work. The reliable way is to use DeSmuME's File → Import Backup Memory to load a .sav, or Export Backup Memory to create a raw save that melonDS and phone emulators can read.
Load and check before you play
Start the game and confirm your trainer name, badges and playtime. If the game shows a new-game screen, check that the save name matches the ROM name exactly and that the emulator's save type is set correctly (Flash 128K for most Pokemon GBA hacks).
Common Mistakes
Using a different version of the hack — the save must go with the same patched ROM. Moving a save to a newer version of the hack is a separate question: check the update notes, because some updates (for example R.O.W.E. 2.0) break old saves.
The emulator overwrote the save — if you load the ROM in the new emulator before copying the save, it may create an empty save with the same name. Close the emulator, replace the file and then start the game.
Wrong save size — some emulators append extra data. If a save is noticeably larger than 128 KB for a GBA Pokemon game, it may have been modified; a converter tool can trim it.
Cloud sync conflicts — when syncing through Google Drive, Dropbox or iCloud, wait for the upload to finish before opening the game on the other device.
Phone ↔ PC Quick Reference
- Android → PC: copy the .sav from your ROM folder (or the emulator's save folder) to the PC and place it next to the ROM in mGBA.
- PC → iPhone (Delta): import the ROM first, then use the game's context menu to import the save file.
- RetroArch ↔ standalone: rename .srm to .sav or back.
- DS: melonDS (PC) and melonDS (Android) use the same raw .sav format.
FAQ
Can I convert .srm to .sav?
Yes. For GBA games they are the same format; just rename the extension and match the ROM's file name.
Can I transfer save states between emulators?
No. Save states only work in the emulator (and usually the version) that made them. Transfer the in-game save instead.
How do I move a DeSmuME save to melonDS?
Use DeSmuME's export backup memory option to create a raw .sav, then place it next to the ROM in melonDS with the same name.
Why does my game start a new file after transferring?
The save name probably does not match the ROM name, the save type is wrong, or the emulator overwrote the file with an empty save.
Will my save work on a new version of the hack?
Only if the update is save-compatible. Read the hack's update notes before patching.