Knowing exactly where JKSV puts files turns a confusing SD card into a predictable system. This guide maps the three locations that matter — the program itself, your backups, and the configuration — and explains the layout inside each one so you can find, copy, and organise your saves with confidence.
The three locations at a glance
- Program: /switch/JKSV/JKSV.nro — the homebrew application itself.
- Backups: /JKSV/ at the SD card root — your exported saves, in a subfolder per game.
- Configuration: sd:/config/JKSV/ — settings and files such as webdav.json for cloud connections.
Keeping these roles separate in your mind prevents the most common file mistake: hunting for backups inside the program folder, or deleting configuration when you only meant to replace the program. Updating JKSV touches only the first location. Your backups and settings survive an update untouched.
The program folder: /switch/JKSV/
The switch folder at the root of the SD card holds homebrew applications, each typically in its own subfolder. JKSV’s subfolder contains JKSV.nro, the single file that is the current release. Its size for the 12/02/2025 build is 10,130,471 bytes, which is a quick sanity check if you are unsure which file you copied.
Do not store backups inside /switch/JKSV/. Nothing in the backup workflow writes there, and mixing your only backup copies into a folder you replace during updates is an unnecessary risk. The program folder should be treated as disposable and replaceable.
The backup folder: /JKSV/
Every backup JKSV creates is written under /JKSV/ at the root of the SD card, organised with a subfolder per game. Inside each game’s subfolder you will find the backups for that title, as unpacked folders or ZIP files depending on the export format you chose. Cloud backups must be ZIP files.
When you copy saves to a PC, copy from /JKSV/ and preserve its internal structure exactly. Restores and JKSV’s own browsing depend on that structure. A tidy habit is to copy the whole /JKSV/ folder into a dated folder on your PC after important sessions, so each archive is a complete snapshot.
The configuration folder: sd:/config/JKSV/
Settings live in sd:/config/JKSV/, separate from both the program and the backups. Cloud connection details are stored here — the WebDAV configuration is the webdav.json file in this folder. If you troubleshoot a cloud connection failure, this folder and that file are the first place to check for path or format mistakes.
Deleting the configuration folder is sometimes used as a reset when settings are suspected to be corrupted, as in black-screen troubleshooting. Be aware that doing so resets your JKSV settings, so you will need to set your preferences and cloud connections up again afterwards. Your backups in /JKSV/ are not affected by a configuration reset.
A practical SD card routine
Treat /JKSV/ as the folder you protect, /switch/JKSV/ as the folder you replace when updating, and /config/JKSV/ as the folder you touch only when changing settings or troubleshooting. With that routine, routine tasks — backing up, updating, copying to a PC — each have an obvious place, and accidents become much less likely.
Next steps and related guides
This guide is part of our hub collection. Before you start, get the current build from the download page. You may also find these guides useful: file mode: edit single files and installation and file paths.
JKSV is JK’s Save Manager by developer J-D-K, released under GPL-3.0 for Nintendo Switch 1 with Atmosphère. The current release is the date-based tag 12/02/2025. Always keep a second copy of important backups on your PC or in cloud storage, and test a restore on a non-critical save before you rely on a backup for a game you care about.