Extract text from ZSNES saved states (ZS5)
To convert ZS5 saved states to another format, you need ZSNES or other Game software.
To convert other file formats to the "Emulator Save State" file type, you need software like ZSNES or a similar tool.
A .zs5 file is a ZSNES Slot 5 Saved State File created by the ZSNES Super Nintendo emulator. It functions as a precise snapshot of the emulated console's RAM, CPU, and audio state at a specific frame, allowing players to freeze and resume their game instantly. These files are opened exclusively by ZSNES.
The fundamental disadvantage of a .zs5 file is its proprietary nature. Because it is a direct memory dump tied to the legacy, x86-assembly architecture of ZSNES, it cannot be loaded by modern, highly accurate emulators like Snes9x or RetroArch. The file essentially traps your game progress within an outdated software environment that hasn't seen an official update since 2007.
You cannot directly convert a .zs5 file to another emulator's save state format because their internal memory maps differ completely. The best workaround to recover your progress is to load the .zs5 state within ZSNES, travel to an in-game save point, and execute a normal save. This generates an SRM (Super Nintendo ROM Save) file, which is universally supported by almost all SNES emulators.
Because this is a closed, proprietary format, standard online converters fail to process it. Our system can identify the file format, inspect the underlying hexadecimal data, and extract embedded metadata. If our analysis detects standard supported underlying formats, partial viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your ZS5 file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted ZST, CHT and SMC files.
If you want to convert ZS5 file to EXE, ISO, BIN, CUE, PAK, WAD, PK3, PK4, BSP, MAP, SAV or DAT, you can use ZSNES or similar software from the "Emulator Memory Save State" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MOD, BIN, CFG, SCX, DAT, MPQ, LOG, CUE, INI, EXE, SCM or ISO files to ZS5, try ZSNES or another comparable tool in the "Emulator Memory Save State" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our ZS5 converter.