DS Save Converter
Open a DS save and download it as a raw .sav for melonDS, RetroArch or a flash cart, a DeSmuME .dsv or an Action Replay .duc. The DeSmuME footer and the Action Replay header are added or removed, and you can trim or pad the save to the size of the game's save chip.
Or drop them here. They are read on this device and never uploaded.
Which DS save formats does it convert?
A DS cartridge saves to EEPROM, FRAM or Flash, from 512 bytes to 8 MB. Most emulators and flash carts keep it as a raw .sav. DeSmuME adds a footer and Action Replay adds a header.
| Format | Files | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| Raw save | .sav | melonDS, RetroArch, nds-bootstrap, TWiLight Menu++, flash carts |
| DeSmuME save | .dsv | DeSmuME (122-byte footer after the data) |
| Action Replay DS | .duc .dss | Action Replay DS and DSi media edition |
How to convert a DS save
Open your save
Drop the .sav, .dsv, .duc or .dss file.
Check what was found
The converter names the format it found and lists the saves inside, with any problem it spotted in the file.
Pick the format you need
Press the format you need. Use Save size if the target expects a different chip size.
Copy it into place
Put the downloaded file where your emulator or device keeps its saves, using the name the game expects.
How to turn a DeSmuME .dsv into a .sav
Open the .dsv and press Raw .sav. The converter reads the footer, keeps the save data it describes and drops the 122 footer bytes. Going the other way, it pads the save to the next chip size as DeSmuME does and writes the footer with the chip type DeSmuME expects.
What size should a DS save be?
The size of the game's chip: 512 B, 8 KB, 32 KB, 64 KB, 128 KB, 256 KB, 512 KB, 1 MB, up to 8 MB. Pokemon games use 512 KB. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow uses 8 KB. If an emulator says a save is corrupt after a conversion from another device, a wrong size is the usual cause. Padding fills with 0xFF, the value of erased save memory.
Other save converters
- PS1 Save Converter: Memory cards (.mcr, .mcd, .srm), PSP and Vita .VMP, DexDrive .gme, PS3 .PSV and single saves.
- PS2 Save Converter: PCSX2 .ps2 cards, EMS .psu, Action Replay .max, CodeBreaker .cbs and PS3 .PSV.
- N64 Save Converter: EEPROM, SRAM, FlashRAM and Controller Pak saves, RetroArch .srm, EverDrive 64 and DexDrive .n64.
- GBA Save Converter: Raw .sav, RetroArch .srm, GameShark .sps and .gsv, Action Replay .xps, with resizing.
- GameCube Save Converter: Single .gci, GameShark .gcs and MaxDrive .sav saves, and whole Dolphin .raw cards.
- Game Boy Save Converter: GB and GBC .sav and .srm, with the MBC3 real-time clock carried across.
- SNES Save Converter: .srm and .sav for emulators and flash carts, Retron 5 saves, resizing.
- Genesis Save Converter: Gens and Kega Fusion, RetroArch Genesis Plus GX, Retrode, MiSTer and MegaSD saves.
- Saturn Save Converter: Mednafen .bkr and .bcr, Beetle Saturn, Yabause and plain memory images, plus single .BUP saves.
- Dreamcast Save Converter: VMU images, Nexus .DCI saves and .VMS with .VMI pairs.
Frequently asked questions
Does a DeSmuME save work on a flash cart?
Yes. Convert the .dsv to a raw .sav, then name it like the ROM file, for example Game.nds and Game.sav in the same folder.
Which Action Replay header does the .duc get?
The version 1 header that starts with ARDS000000000001, which DeSmuME reads. It has not been tested with Datel's own PC software.
Why does my Action Replay save show as empty in the emulator?
Many shared .duc files are padded to 256 KB or more past the real save. The converter spots the padding and sets the save size to the chip size, for example 8 KB. Keep that size and the game reads the save.
Are .dss files different from .duc files?
No. DeSmuME reads both the same way, with one of two Action Replay header versions in front of the save.