diff --git a/napari_zelda/napari_zelda.py b/napari_zelda/napari_zelda.py
index a33e9f9..be55708 100644
--- a/napari_zelda/napari_zelda.py
+++ b/napari_zelda/napari_zelda.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def mock():
 path=os.path.abspath(inspect.getfile(mock))
 prot_path=os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(path))
 
-protocols_file=open(prot_path+'\\napari_zelda'+'\protocols_dict.json', "rb")
+protocols_file=open(os.path.join(prot_path,'napari_zelda','protocols_dict.json'), "rb")
 
 protocols_json = json.load(protocols_file)
 protocols=list()
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def mock():
                         "Plot": "results_widget",
                         }
 
-protocols_description=open(prot_path+'\\napari_zelda'+'\protocols_description.txt', 'r').read()
+protocols_description=open(os.path.join(prot_path,'napari_zelda','protocols_description.txt'), 'r').read()
 
 @magicgui(labels=False,
          label={'widget_type':'Label', 'value':"Threshold"},
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ def new_protocol_widget(viewer: 'napari.Viewer',
 def save_protocol(self):
         np_container = new_protocol_widget[3]
         line=new_protocol_widget.np_name.value+'\n'
-        protocols_history=open(prot_path+'\\napari_zelda'+'\protocols_history.txt','a')
+        protocols_history=open(os.path.join(prot_path,'napari_zelda','protocols_history.txt'),'a')
         protocols_history.write(line)
         protocols_history.close()
         #add to json
@@ -488,8 +488,7 @@ def save_protocol(self):
                         }
         np_json_entry["steps"]=[{ "step_number": j+1, "step_name": str(np_container[j].value) } for j in range(0, (new_protocol_widget.np_steps.value))]
 
-        protocols_file=open(prot_path+'\\napari_zelda'+'\protocols_dict.json', "r+")
-
+        protocols_file=open(os.path.join(prot_path,'napari_zelda'+'protocols_dict.json'), "r+")
         protocols_json = json.load(protocols_file)
         protocols_json["Protocols"].append(np_json_entry)
         protocols_file.seek(0)