ePSXe gives you two save systems that do different jobs: memory cards (.mcr files) that behave like the real 15-block PS1 cards, and save states that freeze the whole machine. Using the right one — and backing up the .mcr files — is the difference between a 40-hour RPG save that survives and one that doesn’t.
Memory cards: where they live
Cards are stored as .mcr files in the memcards folder of your ePSXe directory (epsxe000.mcr, epsxe001.mcr and so on). Config > Memory Cards assigns which files sit in Slot 1 and Slot 2. Games save to them exactly as they did on hardware — at save points, in blocks. Two practical notes: install ePSXe outside Program Files so Windows lets it write the files, and never rename a card while a game has it “inserted”.
Moving saves between emulators
The .mcr format is the PS1 standard, and ePSXe’s cards are compatible with the PC version from Android (the Play listing states this explicitly) and importable by most other PS1 emulators, including DuckStation. Individual game saves inside a card (the per-block files) can also be extracted with card manager tools if you need a single game’s save.
Save states: F1, F2, F3
- F1 — save a state to the current slot.
- F2 — cycle the active slot.
- F3 — load the state in the current slot.
States are stored in the sstates folder and are emulator- and version-specific: they do not transfer to other emulators, and a state made in an old version may not load after an update. Use states as convenience (before a hard boss, mid-dungeon), and memory cards as the permanent record. Android mirrors the same model, and v2.0.19 can sync both to Google Drive or Dropbox — see the cloud save guide.
A backup habit that works
- After each session, copy the whole memcards folder somewhere else — cloud storage counts.
- Name backups by date; .mcr files are tiny, so keep many.
- If a card ever shows as corrupted in the BIOS screen, stop, restore the newest good copy, and only then keep playing. The BIOS memory card screen is also where you delete blocks when a card fills up.
Related: our Windows setup and Android setup guides both end at a working memory card configuration.