On Windows, League of Legends saves replays as .rofl files in C:\Users\YourName\Documents\League of Legends\Replays, the path listed in Riot's official support article and checked on 8 September 2026. Open that folder, though, and there is no video waiting for you. Riot is explicit that a .rofl can only be played through the League of Legends client, which means the file will not upload to YouTube or Discord and will not open in an ordinary media player. That is why the search for a replay folder almost always turns into a second question about getting a real video out of the game. This guide covers the default folders for both .rofl replays and the client's .webm Highlights, how to read and change those paths without guessing, and what each file type can and cannot do. If simply opening a replay is where you are stuck, start with how to watch LoL replays and come back for the file handling.
What to do first
The short answer: stop digging through File Explorer and copy the path out of the client instead. Riot's support article says you choose where replays and Highlights are saved through the Replays section of the client settings, and that same screen shows you the current location. This sidesteps every common trap at once, including a Documents folder that has been moved to another drive and small differences in how the folder name is written. After that the decision is simple. If you only want to rewatch the game, leaving the .rofl alone is fine, but replays expire with the patch cycle, so a game saved on one patch stops playing once the next patch lands. Anything you want to keep has to become a video before that happens, and recording a Highlight while the replay plays is the method Riot documents. For turning a replay you already have into an editable video file, continue with converting .rofl to mp4.
From finding the folder to keeping a video
- 1Read the current path in client settings — Open the League of Legends client, go to the Replays section of the settings, and the save locations for replays and Highlights are shown there. This is the layout as of 8 September 2026. Copy the path rather than retyping what you see.
- 2Open the folder from the copied path — Paste the path into the File Explorer address bar and press Enter. With the defaults untouched you will find Replays and Highlights side by side inside the League of Legends folder in Documents.
- 3Download the replay itself — After a game ends, use the download button at the top right of the end of game screen, next to Advanced Details. The same button appears in your match history, and once the file arrives it changes to Watch Replay.
- 4Move the save folder if you want — Set a different drive or folder from that same settings screen. Riot notes that files saved before the change are not moved automatically, so open the old folder and relocate anything you want to keep.
- 5Record the moment while the replay plays — Play the replay, press Ctrl+V at the start of the section you want, and press Ctrl+V again to stop. When the recording ends, the confirmation message also shows you where the file was written.
- 6Check and manage the video you made — The Highlights section of your profile in the client lets you play, rename, open the containing folder, and delete clips. A .webm plays as soon as you drag it into Chrome or Firefox, and VLC handles it too.
How a .rofl replay differs from a Highlight video
| What you are comparing | .rofl replay file | Highlight .webm video |
|---|---|---|
| Default Windows folder | Documents\League of Legends\Replays | Documents\League of Legends\Highlights |
| How it plays | Only through the League of Legends client | Drag into a browser window, or open in VLC |
| After a new patch | Files saved on an older patch stop playing | Keeps playing regardless of the patch |
| What you can obtain | Only the last 20 games in your match history | Whatever section you record while watching |
| Changing the location | Replays section of the client settings | Replays section of the client settings, same place |
Before you give up on the folder
- You copied the path from the client settings screen instead of typing it from memory
- On Mac you checked the settings screen directly, since the official article lists no Mac path
- After changing the location, you moved the leftover .rofl and .webm files out of the old folder yourself
- You checked the recording quality in the in game options before starting a Highlight (720p by default, as of 8 September 2026)
- You downloaded the replays you need before they fall outside the last 20 games in match history
- Anything meant for sharing or editing exists as a video file, not as a .rofl
If you would rather not replay the game twice
The reason people end up hunting for folders is that the clip is only requested after the match is over. DOR is a free Windows desktop app that detects supported games automatically, records the full match on its own, and cuts moments such as kills into highlight clips that land in the in app library. Keep your League of Legends games this way and the video survives even when a patch makes the matching .rofl unplayable, so there is no downloading a replay and recording it a second time. To trim a moment, the browser based clip editor opens with nothing to install, and a dor.gg link plays straight in a friend's mobile browser. NVIDIA NVENC hardware encoding is used by default, and it records game audio together with your microphone, so the voices from that moment are kept with the clip. For the wider capture setup, continue with how to record League of Legends.
Source and date checked
Every path, shortcut, and limit in this article comes from Riot Games' official support article Replays FAQ and Pro Tips, checked on 8 September 2026. That page is where you can verify the default save locations, the fact that you choose the folder through the Replays section of the client settings, the note that files saved before a change are not moved for you, the patch cycle expiry, the limit of the last 20 games available for download in the client, and the Highlight recording shortcut and default capture quality. The article carries a last updated date of 28 March 2026. Folder strings and menu names can change with any client update, so if what you see on screen differs from this guide, trust the support article and your own settings screen. No macOS path is given here because Riot's article does not publish one, which is why the steps route you through the settings screen instead.


