Ren'Py saves won't load after editing? Signing, explained

If you've edited a Ren'Py save and the game refuses to load it — even after clicking "Yes" on the warning — you're not doing anything wrong. You just need to sign the file. This guide explains what signing is, why Ren'Py needs it, and the two ways Save Editor does it for you: manual sign (Repack) and automatic sign.

Why does this happen? What signing is for

Starting with Ren'Py 8.0.x / 8.1, the engine added a security check to stop bad actors from sneaking malicious code onto someone's computer through a shared save file. Here's the gist:

• A Ren'Py .save file is actually a small ZIP archive. Inside it there's a log (your actual game state) and a signatures entry.
• Each machine running Ren'Py has its own security token. When you save, Ren'Py signs the log with your token.
• When Ren'Py loads a save, it checks that signature. If a save wasn't signed by your machine, you get a warning. For a clean save from a friend, you can click "Yes" to load it anyway.

The catch: the moment you edit a save, its log changes — so the old signature no longer matches the contents. At that point clicking "Yes" won't help; Ren'Py treats the file as tampered and refuses to load it.

Signing fixes exactly this. Save Editor re-generates the signatures entry using your own security key, so the edited save once again looks like a legitimate save made on your machine — and loads normally.

You'll need your security_keys.txt

Signing requires your personal Ren'Py key file, named security_keys.txt, which lives in Ren'Py's tokens folder on your computer.

• Where to find it: savelocation.net/renpy
• It's a small text file containing your private signing key — so treat it like a password: only upload your own file, and don't share it publicly.

Option A — manual sign on the Ren'Py Repack page

Best for one-off edits, or if you're not logged in. Available to everyone, free.

1. Upload your save file (e.g. 1-1-LT1.save).
2. Upload your security_keys.txt from the tokens folder.
3. Click Repack & Download — you get back the same save, re-signed and ready to load.

That's it. You provide the key each time, and the signed file downloads immediately. Your save and keys are used only to repack the file. Open the Ren'Py Repack page →

Option B — automatic sign (set it once, forget it)

Best if you edit Ren'Py saves regularly. Available on the paid tiers: Novice Archivist, Skilled Archivist and Master Archivist. Instead of repacking each file by hand, you store your key on your account once:

1. Log in and open your files page.
2. Click "Upload Ren'Py Security Keys" and select your security_keys.txt.
3. Done. From now on, every Ren'Py save you edit and download is signed automatically — no Repack page, no re-uploading keys.

When auto-sign runs, the editor confirms it: "Your file was signed automatically — no manual steps needed."

Managing your key

• A green ✓ Security Keys badge shows your key is stored.
• Click Delete anytime to remove it from your account.
• Uploading a new file simply replaces the old one.

Auto-sign quietly does nothing (and falls back to a normal download) if you're not logged in, haven't uploaded a key, or the file isn't a Ren'Py save — so it never gets in your way.

Which one should I use?

Rule of thumb: signing once or twice? Use Repack. Editing Ren'Py saves often? Turn on auto-sign and never think about it again.

Troubleshooting

If signing fails, it's almost always one of these:

• "signing_keys is not found" — the uploaded file isn't a valid security_keys.txt, or it has no signing key in it. Grab the file again from your tokens folder.
• "not a renpy archive" — the save you uploaded isn't a real Ren'Py .save (ZIP) file. Make sure you're uploading the save, not a screenshot or a renamed file.
• "archive doesn't contain signatures and log files" — the file is a ZIP but not a Ren'Py save (no log / signatures inside). Double-check it's an actual in-game save.
• Auto-sign did not trigger — confirm you're logged in on a paid tier, your key is uploaded (green ✓ badge), and the file was recognized as a Ren'Py save in the editor.