to save
Loading your saved state.
to save
To save digital data, such as a document or image, on a storage medium like a hard drive or in the cloud so that it is not lost and can be accessed again later.
Bitte vergiss nicht, deine Arbeit abzuspeichern, bevor du den Computer ausschaltest.
Please don't forget to save your work before you turn off the computer.
'Abspeichern' is a separable verb. The prefix 'ab-' comes at the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
Ich speichere die Datei schnell ab.
I'll quickly save the file.
This verb is almost always used in the context of computers. For example, you can save a file, a document, a photo, or the changes.
Hast du das Foto in der richtigen Auflösung abgespeichert?
Did you save the photo in the right resolution?
If you want to specify where you save something, you typically use the prepositions 'auf' + dative (for devices) or 'in' + dative (for folders or the cloud).
Du solltest die Datei auf einer externen Festplatte abspeichern.
You should save the file on an external hard drive.
to secure / save
With digital data, sichern and abspeichern can refer to the same activity. Sichern particularly emphasizes protection against data loss, for example by making an additional copy. Abspeichern focuses more on saving something in a particular location so that the file is available later.
Lea speichert das Dokument im neuen Projektordner ab.
Lea saves the document in the new project folder.
Lea sichert das Dokument zusätzlich auf einer externen Festplatte.
Lea backs up the document to an external hard drive as well.
