Official GTA IV Save Migration Guide – Manual Method

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You can move your Grand Theft Auto IV Games for Windows – Live saves to the Rockstar Games Launcher manually, using the steps published by Rockstar after the automatic‑migration feature was removed. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］

Overview
Rockstar documents a manual method for migrating Grand Theft Auto IV save files from Games for Windows – Live. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］ On August 25 2025, the Rockstar Games Launcher removed the option to scan computers for GTA IV Games for Windows – Live saves. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］ Automatic scanning during installation remained available until September 16 2025. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］ Saves can still be migrated manually using Rockstar’s official migration instructions. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］

Step‑by‑Step Migration

1. Install the required software – Install Rockstar Games Launcher, then install Grand Theft Auto IV through it. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］
   
2. Open the destination save folder – In the launcher go to Settings → My installed games → Grand Theft Auto IV and click Open next to View save files. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］
   
3. Locate legacy saves – Search for the legacy save files in either %LOCALAPPDATA%\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\savegames or %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA IV\savegames. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］
   
4. Copy the files – Copy the legacy save files into the destination folder opened in step 2. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］
   
5. Launch the game – Start Grand Theft Auto IV from the Rockstar Games Launcher; the transferred saves will appear in the load menu. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］
   

Note: Rockstar states that cloud saves are not currently supported for games installed from physical media. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］

Frequently Asked Question
Q: Will my saves sync to the cloud after migration?
A: No. Cloud saves are not supported for games installed from physical media, so saves will not sync to the cloud after migration. ［https://gta.how/showthread.php?tid=64］

Sources and verification

• How to Manually Migrate GTA IV Games for Windows – Live Saves — Provides manual migration steps, cutoff dates, save locations, and cloud‑save limitation for GTA IV.
  
• Newswire - Rockstar Games — Official Rockstar communications channel for announcements and guide verification.