Application directory

The application directory stores

• the saves (every save is a zip-file)
• the Mods
• scenarios
• configuration.

The directory structure is self-explaining.

You can delete for example the configuration-file; it will be generated new with the defaults.

It is recommended to create backups from this directory, before you install a new version.

Installation by Zip-package

Zip package is just one Factorio directory that doesn't need to be installed, all the saves are there locally easy to find.

Installation via Installer

Windows

Installation package follows UAC. For that case the factorio directory is where you install it (Program files by default) and the user data (saves, player data etc) are stored in

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Factorio

Windows Vista and newer (UAC activ):

%appdata%\factorio

MacOSx

The application should be by default installed in the Apps. Whereas the data is stored under

~/Library/Application Support/factorio

Which is equivalent to

/users/<username>/Library/Application Support/factorio

Linux

Data is stored under

~/.factorio

Changing the save directory

It is possible to change the save directory for Factorio. This can be done by editing the location of the "write-data" entry in the config-paths.cfg file, though this also affects the location of the other directories (mods, scenario, temp). If you want to move only the location of your save files you can change the the save directory using symlinks.