ZST File

What are ZST files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a ZST 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 ZST files.

What is a ZST file?

ZST files have multiple uses, and ZSNES Save State is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

ZSNES Save State

ZSNES Save State files store a snapshot of the emulator's state for a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) game at a specific moment in time. Created by ZSNES when you press the save state command (default key F2), they allow you to resume exactly where you were - every CPU register, sound chip state, graphics memory, and game variables are frozen together in one file.

These files are produced only by ZSNES, though some other emulators (like Snes9x) may load them in certain cases. They are used to pause a game in mid-action, then later reload that exact moment (with F4 in ZSNES). They differ from in-game saves (SRAM files), which only record game-provided save data; save states are more comprehensive.

The file begins with the ASCII header "ZSNESSaveStateFileV" starting at offset 0, followed by a byte of value 0x1A at offset 26. These signatures mark the file as a ZSNES save state.

How to open ZST files

We have identified two ZST openers that are compatible with this specific type of ZST file.

Programs that open ZSNES Save State files

Last updated: August 5, 2026

All known file formats using extension .ZST

While ZSNES Save State is a popular type of ZST-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .ZST file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

Zstandard Compressed Data

We know that one ZST format is Zstandard Compressed Data. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested three different ZST openers which you will find listed below.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of ZST files. Remember, different programs may use ZST 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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