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Saves and Backups

There are two types of data worth protecting:

  • Game progress stored by an emulator
  • Your HyperHQ library, settings, and metadata

Back them up separately.

View game saves​

  1. Open a game in HyperHQ.
  2. Open its Saves section.
  3. Review the detected save files and save states.

The exact list depends on the selected platform. Some platforms keep one folder per game. Others keep shared memory cards, user profiles, or storage images.

Create and load save states​

Supported platforms expose save states in HyperHQ and the HyperOverlay pause menu.

  1. Launch the game through HyperSpin.
  2. Open the pause menu.
  3. Select Saves.
  4. Select Create Save or choose an existing slot.
  5. Confirm the action.

Save states often depend on the emulator version. Use normal in-game saves for progress you want to keep for years.

Back up game progress​

  1. Close the emulator.
  2. Open the game’s Saves section in HyperHQ.
  3. Select the save or group you want to back up.
  4. Choose a backup location outside the active emulator folder.
  5. Give the backup a clear name with the game and date.

Shared save data needs extra care. Dreamcast VMUs, Xemu storage, Switch user profiles, and memory cards often contain progress for several games.

Restore game progress​

  1. Close the emulator.
  2. Open the matching game and Saves section.
  3. Select the backup.
  4. Review the game match and shared-data message.
  5. Confirm the restore.

Do not overwrite an active shared profile without a current backup.

Create a HyperHQ database backup​

The HyperHQ database stores systems, games, settings, and metadata.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Open Database Backup under HyperHQ.
  3. Select Create.
  4. Wait for the new backup to appear under Available Backups.

HyperHQ keeps the seven newest backups and removes older ones.

Turn on automatic backups​

  1. Open Settings, Database Backup.
  2. Turn on Enable Automatic Backups.

Automatic backups run while the database is idle. Keep the feature on for a cabinet receiving regular library changes.

Restore the HyperHQ database​

  1. Close HyperSpin and all emulators.
  2. Open Settings, Database Backup.
  3. Find the backup by date and size.
  4. Select Restore.
  5. Confirm the restore.

HyperHQ creates a safety backup, restores the selected database, and restarts.

Open the backup folder​

Select Open Folder under Settings, Database Backup. Copy important backups to another drive before reinstalling Windows or replacing the cabinet drive.

Good times to create a backup​

  • Before a large system import
  • Before deleting or merging systems
  • Before changing many game names or metadata records
  • Before moving the HyperSpin folder
  • Before a clean reinstall

Common problems​

A restored save belongs to several games​

The platform uses shared storage. Restore the full group only when you want all included progress returned to the backup date.

A save state stopped working​

Return to the emulator version used to create the state, or load a normal in-game save.

No database backups appear​

Select Refresh List. If the list stays empty, select Open Folder and confirm the backup files still exist.