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Use more than one check before removing the old installation
There is no single Steam folder that reliably contains every game’s saves. A game may use Steam Cloud, store saves in a game-specific folder on your computer, or use a combination of local and Cloud files. Steam says developers can customize which user files their games upload to Cloud, so Cloud support for one game does not tell you what another game syncs. Steam’s Steam Cloud FAQ explains that the files covered depend on the game.
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Use this sequence for every game whose progress matters:
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- Check whether the game uses Steam Cloud. Look for the Steam Cloud logo on the game’s Store page. In your Library, open the game’s Properties and check the General tab for its Cloud synchronization setting.
- Wait for synchronization to finish on the old PC. Be online and check the game’s sync status before closing Steam or relying on the new PC. If you see a sync error, do not dismiss it and assume your latest save is safe; an unresolved mismatch can create a conflict or leave progress behind.
- Copy saves separately when Cloud coverage is absent or unclear. Find the save folder for that game and copy it somewhere outside the Steam installation. This protects local-only saves and provides a fallback even when you expect Cloud to work.
- Preserve installed game files only if you want them. Moving the
steamappsfolder outside the Steam directory can preserve downloaded game content, but it is not a substitute for copying saves. - Test before deleting the original. Restore or copy the save to the correct location on the destination PC, launch the game, and check that the expected progress appears while you still have the original copy.
The safest order is therefore to identify the games, confirm their sync status, make any needed manual copies, and test those copies before uninstalling or giving up access to the old computer. Do not treat one successful Cloud sync as confirmation for every title in your Library. Each game needs its own check because each developer decides how saves are stored and which files, if any, are synchronized.
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Check Steam Cloud for each game
Steam Cloud is convenient, but it is game-specific rather than a guarantee that every Steam save is online. A Store-page Cloud logo indicates that the game uses Cloud, and the game’s Library Properties provide a second place to check. Neither check removes the need to confirm that the old PC actually completed its sync.
Steam Support describes the developer’s control this way: “Developers are able to completely customize how The Steam Cloud is used for their games, including which user files are uploaded.” In practical terms, Cloud support does not mean every local setting, configuration file, or save-related file is necessarily included. If the exact coverage matters and the game’s instructions do not make it clear, check its support information or make a separate save copy.
Confirm the old PC has finished syncing
Connect the old PC to the internet and allow the game’s Steam Cloud synchronization to complete. Offline play can leave a sync pending. If the game or Steam reports an error, resolve the issue before uninstalling or treating the new PC’s copy as authoritative. Launching despite a sync warning can leave local and Cloud versions out of agreement.
Do not close Steam or remove the game while a sync is still pending if the old PC is the only place where the latest save may exist. If you have played offline, the files on that PC may be newer than the Cloud copy. Let Steam attempt to synchronize them once the PC is online, and take a manual copy as an additional safeguard when you can locate the save folder.
Steam cannot choose the right version for you when local and Cloud files conflict. If a conflict appears on the new PC, compare the timestamps Steam shows with when you played and select the copy that matches your save history. The newest timestamp often corresponds to the latest play session, but it is not a substitute for checking which version contains the progress you want.
Know what Cloud storage does—and does not—tell you
Steam’s default local Cloud-related folders are:
- Windows:
C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Steam/userdata - Linux:
~/.local/share/Steam/userdata
Within userdata, account folders contain game folders identified by appID. These are local files associated with Steam Cloud; they are not a universal save location for all Steam games. A game may store save data elsewhere, and seeing a folder here does not by itself prove that every save you care about has synced.
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Use these paths as a clue about local Cloud-related data, not as a complete backup recipe. The game’s configured Cloud files may not be identical to every file it uses locally, and a non-Cloud game may keep its saves in a different place altogether. Copying the entire userdata folder without knowing what it contains is not a substitute for following the game’s save instructions or checking a restored save in the game.
Find and manually copy saves that need a separate backup
Save locations vary by game. On Windows, C:Users[user]DocumentsMy Games is a useful place to check for many third-party games without Cloud saves, but it is not a standard location for every title. Steam’s guidance on moving a Steam installation and games notes that each developer decides how and where to store save files.
Locate the right folder
- Check the game’s official support page or Steam Community information for instructions about its save location.
- If you cannot confirm the location, ask the game’s developer or publisher. Avoid assuming that a folder named after the game contains the only save or the latest save.
- Copy the identified save folder to a destination outside the Steam installation. A separate drive, such as a portable external SSD or USB backup drive, can provide another copy; the drive will not identify or sync the correct files for you.
- Keep the original folder unchanged until you have restored the copy and checked the game’s progress on the destination PC.
Copying the full save folder is generally safer than selecting one file when the game keeps multiple files or related data together. Follow game-specific instructions if the developer identifies a particular file or restoration method. The important part is that the copy you preserve is the one the game actually uses—not just a similarly named folder.
When you make the copy, keep track of which game it belongs to and which computer it came from. If you make more than one copy at different points, note which one reflects the session you want to keep. This is especially useful if you played on more than one computer or played offline, because a later-looking folder name alone does not tell you which save has the correct progress.
Keep the copied files separate from any Steam game-installation backup. A save copy is intended to preserve progress; an installation backup is intended to preserve compatible game files. Putting both in one place does not make one a replacement for the other. If you are unsure whether the copied material can be restored, retain it unchanged until you have tested a copy on the destination PC.
Steam game backups and save backups are different
Steam’s Backup Feature is intended to back up compatible game files and restore them through Steam’s Restore Game Backup option. It does not guarantee that a game’s saved progress is included. Steam specifically warns that backups for Valve-created games do not include saved games or certain custom content; third-party save locations vary and may need to be copied into the corresponding folders after restoring. Some games that use third-party installers or downloaders are incompatible with the feature. See Steam’s instructions for using the Steam Backup Feature.
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The feature is accessed from the game’s Library Properties under Installed Files. Its purpose is to back up compatible game files, and the restore process is for those game files. If your priority is retaining progress, handle the save separately: confirm Cloud synchronization or locate and copy the game-specific save. After restoring game files, follow the game’s save-location instructions if you need to put a separate save copy back in place.
Likewise, keeping steamapps preserves downloaded game content, not necessarily the save files stored elsewhere. Steam’s uninstall instructions describe moving steamapps outside the Steam directory before uninstalling if you want to retain installed games. Steam also recommends its Moving a Steam Installation process to simplify backing up and restoring game installations. Neither process should be treated as proof that your saves were preserved.
Choose the method according to what you need to keep. Cloud can be convenient when the game syncs the files you need and the old PC completes synchronization. A manual copy can protect local-only saves, but it depends on identifying the right folder and restoring it properly. Steam Backup or moving steamapps can help retain installation files, but neither alone establishes that saved progress is safe.
| Approach | What it can preserve | What to verify | When it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Cloud | Only the files the game is configured to sync. | That the game uses Cloud and the old PC completed synchronization. | For games with confirmed Cloud support and a completed sync. |
| Manual save copy | The game-specific files or folder you locate and copy. | That you identified the right save location and the restored game loads the expected progress. | For games without confirmed Cloud coverage, or as a fallback copy. |
| Steam Backup Feature | Compatible game files; saved games may be excluded. | Whether the game is compatible and whether its saves need a separate copy. | For backing up and restoring compatible installation files. |
Move steamapps |
Downloaded game installation content kept outside the Steam directory. | That saves were backed up separately if you need them. | When uninstalling Steam but retaining installed game files. |
Restore and verify on the new PC before removing the old copy
- Install Steam and the game on the destination PC, or restore the compatible game files using Steam’s Restore Game Backup option if you made a Steam Backup Feature backup.
- For a manual save backup, copy the save into the location specified for that game. Do not assume the
userdatafolder orDocumentsMy Gamesis the right destination without game-specific confirmation. - Start Steam online and let Cloud synchronization complete for games that use it. If Steam presents a conflict, compare the available timestamps with your play history before choosing which version to keep.
- Launch the game and confirm that the expected character, level, campaign, or other progress is present. Keep the original PC’s save until this check succeeds.
Steam recommends testing backup copies. A folder that copied successfully is not yet a proven recovery: the game must be able to read it and show the progress you intend to keep.
Keep the old computer available during this check if possible. If the destination PC displays older progress, the original may still contain the version you want, and reconnecting it to Steam may allow a pending Cloud sync to complete. If the game uses local-only saves and the old computer is no longer available, recovery may not be possible. The check is not complete until you have opened the game and verified the progress itself, rather than merely confirming that a folder exists.
If progress is missing or Steam shows a Cloud conflict
A conflict appears
A conflict means the local and Cloud files changed in two places without synchronization, so Steam cannot automatically determine which version you want. Compare the timestamps shown by Steam with when you played on each device. Choose based on your own save history, not simply the location of the file.
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For example, if you played offline on the old PC after the last successful sync, that PC’s local copy may be the version with the latest progress. If you also played on the new PC, its local copy may have changed independently. Check when you last played on each machine and select the version that corresponds to the campaign or progress you intend to keep. Steam does not automatically merge the two versions for you.
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First check whether the game uses Steam Cloud and whether the old PC still has the save with the newer progress. Reopen Steam on the old PC, connect to the internet, and see whether it can sync successfully. If it does, the new PC may receive that progress the next time the game launches. Do not overwrite a known-good save with an older one while investigating.
If Cloud is enabled but the newer progress still does not appear, confirm that synchronization on the old PC completed rather than assuming that launching Steam was enough. If you have a separate manual copy, keep it intact while checking. When the correct save is visible in the game on the destination PC, you have a stronger confirmation than the presence of files alone.
The old PC is no longer available
If the game stored saves locally and did not sync them to Steam Cloud, Steam says they may not be recoverable when the old machine is unavailable. This is why a manual copy and a destination-PC test should happen before you erase, sell, or otherwise give up access to the original computer.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do not rely on Local Network Game Transfers for saves
Steam Local Network Game Transfers move game installation and update content between computers on a local network. They do not transfer local save games or configuration files, and they do not transfer Steam Workshop or Steam Cloud files. Use a separate save-copy method for progress you need to carry over. Steam lists the transfer limits in its Local Network Game Transfers FAQ.
This transfer option can reduce the need to download game installation content again, but it does not answer the save question. Treat installation transfer and save transfer as separate tasks: move or restore the game files if that is useful, then confirm Cloud sync or copy the game-specific save by another method.
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Quick checklist before uninstalling or switching PCs
- List the games whose progress you want to keep and check Cloud support for each one.
- On the old PC, connect to the internet and wait for each relevant game’s sync status to complete.
- For any game with uncertain Cloud coverage or local-only saves, identify the save location using the game’s support information, Steam Community information, or its developer or publisher.
- Copy the identified saves outside the Steam installation, and keep the original copy unchanged.
- If you want downloaded game files, preserve compatible backups or move
steamappsseparately; do not count these as save backups. - On the destination PC, restore the save to the game-specific location, let Cloud synchronization finish where applicable, launch the game, and verify the expected progress.
- Only remove the old copy after the destination version is confirmed and any desired installation files have been retained.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I back up Steam game saves before uninstalling?
Check Steam Cloud support for each game and let the old PC finish syncing. For any game whose saves are not confirmed to sync, locate its save folder using the game’s support information or Steam Community information and copy it outside the Steam installation. Test the copy on the destination PC before deleting the original.
Where are Steam save files stored?
There is no universal save location. Steam’s local Cloud-related folders are under userdata on Windows, macOS, and Linux, but many games store saves elsewhere. On Windows, C:Users[user]DocumentsMy Games is worth checking for many third-party games, not all of them. Check the specific game’s instructions or ask its developer or publisher if you are unsure.
Will Steam Cloud save my progress on a new PC?
It will if the game uses Steam Cloud, includes the save files you need, and the old PC completed synchronization. Cloud support and the files uploaded are game-specific. Check the game’s Store page and Library Properties, then confirm the old PC’s sync status before relying on the new PC.
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Not necessarily. Steam’s Backup Feature backs up compatible game files, and saved games may be excluded. Steam specifically notes that backups for Valve-created games do not include saved games or certain custom content. Keep a separate save copy or confirm Cloud synchronization.
How do I transfer saves that are not on Steam Cloud?
Find the save folder for the game through its official support page, Steam Community information, or the developer or publisher. Copy it to a separate location, then restore it to the game-specific location on the destination PC and launch the game to verify the progress.
Do Steam Local Network Game Transfers move save files?
No. They move game installation and update content, not local save games or configuration files, Steam Workshop files, or Steam Cloud files. Use Cloud synchronization or a separate manual save copy.
The Bottom Line
Steam Cloud, Steam’s game Backup Feature, and steamapps preservation do different jobs. Confirm Cloud sync game by game, manually copy saves whose coverage is unclear, and verify the restored progress in the game before removing the old PC’s copy.
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