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To protect your Celeste progress, close the game and copy the entire Saves folder somewhere outside the game installation; give the copy a date so you can identify it later. On Windows, the folder is normally inside the game’s installation directory. macOS and Linux use their own documented save paths. You can restore or move PC saves by copying the relevant files into the destination’s Saves folder, but console saves need platform-specific instructions.
The safest approach is to preserve the complete folder first, then decide whether you need to restore one numbered profile or all of them. That keeps your options open if you choose the wrong slot, overwrite newer progress, or discover that a cloud-synchronized copy is not the version you wanted.
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Celeste’s PC saves are kept in a Saves folder, but the path depends on the operating system and how the game was installed. On Windows, it is normally in the game installation directory—not the usual AppData location.
| Platform or installation | Save location or way to find it |
|---|---|
| Windows PC | [game location]\Saves. For a Steam installation, open the game’s Steam menu and choose Manage → Browse local files, then open Saves. A common Steam library layout puts Celeste under steamapps\common, but the library location can vary. |
| macOS | $HOME/Library/Application Support/Celeste/Saves. The user Library folder may be hidden in Finder; use Finder’s Go to Folder command and enter the path. |
| Linux | $XDG_DATA_HOME/Celeste/Saves. If XDG_DATA_HOME is not set, the usual location is /home/<username>/.local/share/Celeste/Saves. |
| Steam Deck running the native Linux build | The native Linux layout applies. One Steam example is ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/Celeste/Saves; a library installed on a microSD card or elsewhere can have a different path. |
| Microsoft/Xbox Store PC build | A standard portable PC save path is not established here. Do not assume the Steam path applies; this build is described by EverestAPI as locked down and not moddable. |
On Steam for Windows, the reliable way to find the active installation is Celeste → Manage → Browse local files, rather than guessing which Steam library contains it. If you have multiple installations, make sure you are copying the folder belonging to the build whose progress you want to preserve.
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The Windows path is tied to the installation you open, so a second library or a separately installed copy can have a different Saves folder. Use Steam’s browse command on the specific Celeste entry you play, then check that the folder you copy contains the numbered files described below. Do not substitute a familiar AppData path simply because other PC games store saves there.
On macOS, enter the complete path in Finder’s Go to Folder dialog if you cannot see the user Library in the normal folder list. On Linux, the default path applies when XDG_DATA_HOME is unset; if you have configured that environment variable, the Celeste folder follows the custom data directory instead. For Steam Deck, the native Linux example is useful, but it is not universal: a different Steam library location, including a microSD installation, changes the path.
What is inside the Saves folder?
A complete folder backup can include numbered profile files such as 0.celeste, 1.celeste, and 2.celeste, as well as settings.celeste. The numbered files hold separate save slots; copying the whole folder preserves them together and also retains the settings file.
If you only need to recover one slot, identify its number before replacing anything. Do not rename a numbered file over another slot just to make it appear in the game: that can overwrite progress you meant to keep. When the slot number is uncertain, keep a full copy and inspect the available slots in the game before choosing a file to restore.
Think of the numbered files as distinct profiles, not as interchangeable copies of one save. A backup containing several numbered files can preserve more than the profile you last played. That is one reason the complete-folder method is safer than selecting a single file during the first backup. The settings file is separate from those numbered progress files, so you can make a complete backup while still choosing not to replace settings during a progress-only restore.
How do I back up my Celeste save?
Close Celeste first, then copy the entire Saves folder to a location outside the game installation. EverestAPI’s official FAQ gives the core instruction plainly: “Make a copy of the Saves folder.”
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- Exit Celeste completely. Do not replace or copy save files while the game is open.
- Find the active save folder. Use the path for your operating system above. On Windows Steam, choose Manage → Browse local files for Celeste, then open
Saves. - Copy the whole folder. Put the copy somewhere outside the installation folder, such as a separate backup folder, an external drive, or a USB flash drive.
- Date the backup. A name such as
Celeste-save-backup-2026-10-30makes it easier to distinguish this copy from a later one. Use the date you actually made the backup. - Keep its contents together. Preserve the numbered
.celestefiles andsettings.celestein the copy rather than keeping only the currently selected slot.
A USB flash drive is an optional physical destination for the copied folder, not a special Celeste accessory. If you are about to reinstall the game or change a modded installation, make the backup before changing the installation. EverestAPI identifies Steam, Epic Games, and itch.io PC versions as moddable; its FAQ says the Microsoft/Xbox Store version cannot be modded.
After copying, make sure the dated copy is outside the game’s installation directory. A folder placed only beside the live game files is less useful if you later remove or replace that installation. A USB flash drive is a straightforward separate destination; an external SSD can also suit someone already using one for larger computer backups. Neither is required, and the essential step is the independent copy of the folder.
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Keep backups from different dates separate rather than repeatedly replacing the only copy. A dated name gives you a simple way to distinguish the state from before a reinstall or mod change from a later state. This is particularly useful when the next copy might contain less desirable progress: an older backup is valuable precisely because it preserves a different point in time.
If you play a moddable Steam, Epic Games, or itch.io PC version, do the copy before installing or changing mods. The point is not that every mod has its own save location; no general separate path is established. Instead, preserve the ordinary Saves folder before changing the installation so you can return to the saved state if needed. The Microsoft/Xbox Store PC build is described as locked down and not moddable, so do not assume that the same mod workflow applies to it.
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Restore only with the game closed. First preserve the current destination folder, then copy the backed-up numbered file or files into the destination’s Saves folder and confirm you are using the intended slot number.
- Close Celeste completely.
- Make a safety copy of the current destination folder. This gives you a way back if the backup is not the version you wanted.
- Open the destination
Savesfolder. Use the path for the destination system and build, not automatically the path from the computer the backup came from. - Copy in the intended numbered
.celestefile or files. Preserve the slot numbers; do not blindly rename a file or overwrite another profile. - Decide whether to restore settings. Replace
settings.celesteonly if you want the backed-up settings too. If your goal is progress alone, leave the destination’s settings file in place. - Launch Celeste and check the intended slot. Keep both the restored copy and the safety copy until you have confirmed the result in game.
The documented restoration approach is to copy numbered .celeste files back to the save location. If several dated backups exist, choose deliberately: a newer local file is not necessarily the progress state you want.
Before copying anything over the destination, compare your intention with the file number. If you are restoring one slot, copy that intended numbered file rather than replacing every file by default. If you want the complete older state, copy the complete set of backed-up progress files. Either way, the pre-restore copy of the destination gives you a route back if the result is not what you expected.
Do not delete the old or safety copies as soon as the game launches. Open the intended slot and confirm that it shows the progress you meant to recover. If it does not, close the game before making another file change, and keep the untouched copies while you decide which backup to try. This avoids turning a mistaken first attempt into an irreversible loss of the other version.
Settings are an explicit choice during restoration. A complete dated backup can contain settings.celeste, but progress recovery does not require replacing that file. Leave the destination settings alone if the objective is only to recover a profile; restore the backup’s settings only when you want those settings as well.
How do I transfer my Celeste save to another computer?
For a move between PC builds, copy the backed-up Saves folder into the corresponding Saves folder on the destination computer. The destination path changes with the operating system and installation, but the basic operation remains a folder copy.
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- On the original computer, close Celeste and make a dated copy of the complete
Savesfolder. - Transfer that backup using a USB drive or another file-transfer method available to you.
- Install or locate the destination PC build, then find its own save location using the platform paths above.
- With Celeste closed on the destination computer, preserve its existing
Savesfolder before replacing or merging files. - Copy the backed-up files into the destination folder, then launch the game and check the intended slot.
This applies to moves such as Windows to Windows, Windows to Linux, or Linux to a Steam Deck running the native Linux build. Do not assume a console save can be moved to PC using these steps. The available guidance does not establish a console export or restore workflow.
The source and destination paths do not need to match. For example, a Windows installation directory and a Linux data directory are different locations, but the operation is still to copy the save folder’s contents into the destination build’s own Saves folder. Do not paste the backup into the destination’s old source path simply because that was where it lived on the first computer.
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Before replacing or merging with an existing destination folder, keep a copy of that folder too. The destination may already contain a profile, and replacing it without a safety copy could discard progress stored on the new computer. Once the copied files are in place, check the intended slot in Celeste before removing either the original destination copy or the transferred backup.
This workflow concerns PC builds. It is useful for same-platform moves and for PC operating-system changes where the documented locations differ. It does not establish that files can be transferred from a Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox console to PC, or between console platforms.
Is Steam Cloud enough to protect Celeste saves?
Steam lists Steam Cloud as a feature for Celeste, which can help synchronize saves between Steam installations. Treat it as synchronization, not as a dated archive: it may reflect a newer or unintended state, so keep an independent copy before reinstalling, changing mods, or recovering a slot.
If a cloud-synchronized state and a manual backup differ, pause before replacing files and decide which progress state you want to keep. Preserve the local folder and the dated backup until you have checked the in-game slot. A synchronized copy is useful, but it does not replace the control of a separate backup you can choose to restore.
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The practical distinction is control over versions. Steam Cloud is a synchronization feature; a manual dated copy gives you a separate point you can identify and choose. Neither label guarantees that a particular copy is the one you intended to keep, so avoid treating a cloud sync as an archive of every past state. Before a reinstall, mod change, or recovery, make the independent copy first and retain it until the restored or synchronized slot has been checked.
If you are moving between Steam installations, cloud sync may be convenient, but the same precautions still apply: keep a dated folder copy and check which progress state appears in the intended slot. If you are not moving between Steam installations, do not assume Steam Cloud applies to another storefront or platform. The feature is listed for Steam; it is not a general replacement for backups across every build.
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Why isn’t my Celeste save in AppData?
On Windows, the normal PC save location is the game installation directory’s Saves folder, not the usual AppData location. If you have the Steam version, use Manage → Browse local files and look for Saves beside the game files.
On macOS and Linux, the documented paths are different: macOS uses the user Library’s Application Support directory, while Linux uses XDG_DATA_HOME (usually ~/.local/share). A custom Linux XDG_DATA_HOME changes the first part of the path, and a Steam Deck’s Steam library may be in a different location if it is installed on removable storage.
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Can I back up or restore Celeste saves on a console?
Do not use the PC file-copy instructions as console instructions. A verified export, restore, or transfer workflow for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox console saves is not established here, and the Windows Steam path should not be applied to those systems.
For a console, consult the relevant platform’s official save-management support for that console and region. The PC folder-copy method does not establish that console saves are portable to PC or interchangeable between console platforms. If your goal is moving a console save, use the platform-specific instructions rather than copying files from a PC guide.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which backup method should I use?
For a one-time safety copy before reinstalling or changing a modded installation, make a dated copy of the complete folder to a separate location. A USB flash drive is a simple physical destination; an external SSD is another option if you already use one for computer backups. The device is not the important part—the independent, identifiable copy is.
For moving between Steam installations, Steam Cloud can synchronize Celeste saves, while a manual folder copy gives you a separately dated version to retain. For recovery, the manual backup is useful because you can choose which numbered file or set of files to put back. For a full-profile move, preserve the whole folder; for one-slot recovery, use the intended numbered file after keeping a full safety copy.
These methods solve different problems. A copy outside the installation helps protect against changes to that installation; a dated copy helps distinguish one point in time from another; Steam Cloud synchronizes on Steam. Do not treat one as a guaranteed substitute for the others, and do not use a PC method as a console export procedure.
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Common mistakes to avoid
- Copying while Celeste is open: close the game before backing up or replacing save files.
- Backing up only one slot by accident: the complete
Savesfolder preserves all the numbered profile files together. - Using the wrong installation path: Steam libraries can vary, and another Celeste installation can have its own folder.
- Assuming a numbered file’s identity: no reliable mapping from a file number to a displayed profile name or progress is established here. Check in game before replacing a slot.
- Overwriting the destination without a copy: save the current destination folder before a restore or transfer.
- Replacing settings unintentionally: keep the destination’s
settings.celesteif you only want to restore progress. - Relying only on synchronization: Steam Cloud is useful, but a dated independent copy gives you a separate state to choose from.
- Applying PC steps to console saves: console export and restoration require platform-specific instructions.
A careful file workflow is intentionally conservative: close the game, preserve what exists, copy rather than move the original backup, and check the slot before discarding either version. Those habits address the main risks without requiring a special utility or a particular backup device.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell which numbered .celeste file is the slot I want?
The documented file examples establish that save slots use numbered files, but do not provide a reliable mapping between each number and the slot’s displayed name or progress. Keep a copy of the whole folder and check the slots in the game before replacing a numbered file.
Does a Celeste backup include my settings?
A copy of the full Saves folder can include settings.celeste along with the numbered progress files. When restoring progress only, you can leave the destination’s settings file untouched.
Can I move a Celeste save from a console to a PC?
A verified console-to-PC export or restore procedure is not established here. The PC folder-copy method should not be treated as evidence that a console save is transferable.
Where are Celeste saves on Windows if I use Steam?
In Steam, open Celeste’s menu and choose Manage → Browse local files, then open the Saves folder in that installation. The Steam library location can vary, so this is safer than assuming a fixed drive or AppData path.
Should I copy the whole Saves folder or only the active file?
For a complete backup, copy the whole folder, including the numbered .celeste files and settings.celeste. For a one-slot restore, copy only the intended numbered file after preserving the destination folder.
Can Steam Cloud replace a manual backup?
Steam Cloud is listed as a Celeste feature and can synchronize saves between Steam installations, but it is not a dated archive of versions. Keep an independent dated copy before reinstalling, changing mods, or restoring a slot.
Can I use the same save-copy steps for a Steam Deck?
For the native Linux build, use the Linux save layout. A documented Steam example is ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/Celeste/Saves, but a Steam library on a microSD card or elsewhere can have a different location.
Where are Celeste saves on macOS or Linux?
The documented macOS path is $HOME/Library/Application Support/Celeste/Saves. Linux uses $XDG_DATA_HOME/Celeste/Saves, normally /home/[username]/.local/share/Celeste/Saves when that variable is not set.
Can I use these steps with the Microsoft/Xbox Store PC version?
Do not assume the Steam path applies to that build. EverestAPI describes the Microsoft/Xbox Store version as locked down and not moddable; a standard portable save path is not established here.
The Bottom Line
For a dependable Celeste PC backup, close the game and copy the entire Saves folder to a separate location, then label the copy with the date. Before restoring or moving progress, preserve the destination folder, use the intended numbered slot, and check the result in game before deleting either copy. Steam Cloud can help synchronize Steam installations, but keep a manual backup; console saves need platform-specific instructions.
