HWS File

What are HWS files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a HWS file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your HWS files.

What is a HWS file?

A .HWS file is a Hedgewars Saved Game file.

Hedgewars Saved Game files store a snapshot of a game in progress in Hedgewars, a turn-based artillery strategy game featuring hedgehogs. They let you pause a match and later resume it exactly as it was, preserving map layout, player positions, health of each hedgehog, inventory, weapons and utilities, and other turn-state data. Such files are created when you choose to save a game or when Hedgewars autosaves (often named "LastRound") so you can stop and later continue in the same game session.

These saved game files are generated and read by the Hedgewars application itself. When loaded, the game restores that exact point in play for solo or multiplayer matches, including any custom settings or modifiers in use. They are stored in a "Saves" folder in your Hedgewars user directory (which on Windows is usually under your profile, on Linux under "~/.hedgewars", and on macOS under the user's Application Support folder) alongside other personal game data.

FileInfo describes these .HWS files as containing the game progress of a map, including health, inventory, and shots fired.

How to open HWS files

We have identified one HWS opener that is compatible with this specific type of HWS file.

Programs that open Hedgewars Saved Game files

Last updated: August 7, 2026

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of HWS files. Remember, different programs may use HWS files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

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File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about HWS file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.