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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchTo back up a Valheim character, exit the game, copy both its .fch file and matching .fch.old file from AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimcharacters_local, and store those copies outside the game drive. Steam Cloud keeps separate files, but it is synchronization rather than an independent archive.
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What a usable Valheim character backup contains
A Valheim character is represented by a file ending in .fch. The same folder normally contains a file with the identical character name ending in .fch.old. The .fch.old file is the previous save retained as an automatic, rolling backup. It can help after a bad save, but it is not a history of every earlier version.
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For a practical backup, copy both files together. The current file is the version Valheim is using; the .fch.old file gives you a second, immediately preceding state if the current one becomes damaged or records an unwanted change. Copying only one of them removes that fallback.
| File | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
CharacterName.fch |
Current character save | Copy it for the main backup. |
CharacterName.fch.old |
Previous save retained automatically | Copy it beside the current file; keep the .old suffix. |
Do not treat the automatic .old file or Steam Cloud as a complete long-term archive. Both are designed around recent state and synchronization. A personal copy on another disk or a cloud-storage account is the part you control and can keep for as long as you choose.
Find the local character files on Windows
The Windows local-character folder is:
AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimcharacters_local
AppData is commonly hidden in File Explorer, so browsing from C:Usersyour-Windows-name may not show it. The quickest approach is to paste the path into File Explorer’s address bar after replacing the beginning with your user-profile location, or use the Windows Run box and enter the path under your profile. If you browse manually, enable the option to show hidden items first.
Open the folder without guessing the username
- Close Valheim completely. Wait until the game is no longer running before touching the files.
- Open File Explorer and select the address bar.
- Enter
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimcharacters_local, then press Enter. - Look for one or more pairs with the same base name: one ending in
.fchand one ending in.fch.old.
If the folder opens but a character is not listed, check that you are using the same Windows account that launches Valheim. A second Windows profile has a different %USERPROFILE% directory. Also check the Steam Cloud location described below; cloud-managed files are stored separately from the local folder.
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Recognize the right pair
Character filenames are the identifying clue. Keep the two files with the same name together, including capitalization and the .old ending. Do not rename the current file as part of a normal backup, and do not open or edit its contents in a text editor. File Explorer may hide extensions; turn on “File name extensions” so that you can distinguish .fch from .fch.old.
Copy a character backup safely
The copy operation is simple, but timing matters. Valheim can write a save while it is open. Copying during that write can leave you with an incomplete or mismatched pair.
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- Exit to the desktop from Valheim.
- Confirm that the game process has closed. If the launcher still shows the game as running, wait for it to finish shutting down.
- Open
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimcharacters_local. - Select the character’s
.fchfile and its matching.fch.oldfile. Use Ctrl-click to select both without including another character. - Choose Copy. Do not use Move for the original files; the originals must remain in Valheim’s save folder.
- Create a destination outside the game drive, such as an external drive or a cloud-synchronized folder, and paste both files there.
- Open the destination and verify that both files exist and retain their full extensions.
- Optionally place the pair in a dated subfolder, for example
Valheim-character-backups2026-10-14, so later backups do not overwrite this point-in-time copy.
Keeping the destination off the game drive matters when the computer’s internal storage fails, is reformatted, or becomes inaccessible. A second internal folder protects against an accidental in-game change but not against a failed system drive. An external drive and a separate cloud-storage location provide different failure boundaries; if you use both, make sure the cloud service has finished uploading before disconnecting the external drive or shutting down.
Make a repeatable routine
- Back up before a major world expedition, character transfer, game update, or experimental change.
- Keep the current
.fchand matching.fch.oldin every backup set. - Use dated folders when you need the ability to return to an earlier point rather than merely the newest copy.
- Periodically open the destination and confirm that the files are still present; a backup that was never verified may be incomplete.
Where Steam Cloud files are stored
Steam Cloud copies for Valheim are kept separately under the Steam userdata directory:
Steamuserdata<SteamID>892970remote
892970 is Valheim’s Steam application ID. The <SteamID> directory is specific to the Steam account on that computer, so its name differs from one installation to another. The files in remote are not the same location as AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimcharacters_local.
This separation explains why a character can appear locally but not in a cloud copy, or why a cloud synchronization choice can replace a local state. Steam Cloud is synchronization between the client and its stored copy; it is not an independent, permanent archive with unlimited historical versions. A manually copied pair on external or separate cloud storage remains your own recovery point.
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Before relying on a cloud copy
- Do not assume that seeing Steam Cloud enabled means a personal backup exists.
- Do not delete the local pair until you have confirmed that your personal destination contains both files.
- When restoring a manual copy, disable Steam Cloud synchronization for Valheim first so an older or conflicting cloud state cannot immediately replace the files you are testing.
Restore a character from a manual backup
Restore only after making a safety copy of the files currently in the local folder. That current pair may be the newest usable state, and preserving it gives you a way back if the restored character does not load.
Standard restore of the current file
- Exit Valheim.
- In Steam’s Valheim properties, turn off Steam Cloud synchronization temporarily. The exact wording of the setting can vary with the Steam client version.
- Open
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimcharacters_local. - Create a separate safety folder and copy the existing character’s
.fchand.fch.oldfiles into it. - From your manual backup, copy the desired
.fchand matching.fch.oldinto the local character folder. Allow the replacement only after the safety copy is complete. - Start Valheim and check the character list. Load the character and confirm that its inventory, skills, and appearance are the expected ones.
- Quit again before changing Steam Cloud back on. If the restored state is correct, decide which copy should become authoritative before enabling synchronization.
Use the .fch.old file as an emergency fallback
One community-documented recovery method is to use the previous-save file when the current .fch will not load or contains an unwanted change. This method is not an official Iron Gate recovery procedure, so use it only after preserving every current file.
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- Copy the current
.fchand.fch.oldto a separate safety folder. - In the local character folder, rename the damaged or unwanted
CharacterName.fchso it is no longer the active filename, for example by adding a temporary suffix. - Rename
CharacterName.fch.oldtoCharacterName.fch. Do not leave two files with the active name. - Start Valheim and test the character. If it loads, inspect the result before doing anything else in the game.
- If it fails or the state is wrong, exit without saving, restore the safety copy, and use a different backup point.
Renaming the .old file promotes only the immediately previous save. It cannot recover progress that was already absent from that rolling copy, and it should not be used as a substitute for dated manual backups.
What to do when a character is missing
The character is missing from the normal list
- Close Valheim and check the Windows local folder exactly:
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimcharacters_local. - Confirm that the expected
.fchfile is present and that File Explorer is showing extensions. - Check Steam’s separate
userdata<SteamID>892970remotelocation for a cloud copy. - If you have a personal backup, restore it with Steam Cloud disabled and test before re-enabling synchronization.
A missing entry does not prove that the file was permanently deleted; it may be in the other storage location or under another Windows or Steam account. Avoid repeatedly launching and quitting while investigating, because each save cycle can change which file is current.
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A cloud conflict appears
Do not choose a synchronization option blindly when the local and cloud states differ. First close Valheim, copy the local pair to a safe folder, and preserve any available cloud files separately. Then choose the version you actually want to test, keep Steam Cloud off during that test, and load the character. Once you have verified the correct state, make a fresh manual backup before allowing synchronization again.
You want to move a save to another installation
Use Valheim’s own character move option rather than dragging files while Steam is running. The in-game move workflow is designed to change where the character is managed; manual file replacement while the client is active can create a conflict between the file you moved and the state Steam or Valheim still has open. Regardless of the move method, retain a manual copy before starting.
Linux and Steam Deck locations
Guidance for Linux and Steam Deck is less consistent than the Windows path. One commonly cited location is:
~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/characters_local
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Community instructions disagree about the exact location, so treat that path as a starting point rather than a guarantee for every Proton, native, or Steam Deck setup. Check the machine you are actually using: search for the characters_local directory, then identify the pair of files ending in .fch and .fch.old. The same safety rules apply once you find them:
- Exit Valheim before copying.
- Copy both extensions together.
- Store the destination away from the game installation and device storage.
- Disable Steam Cloud before testing a manual restore.
After a game, Proton, or Steam Deck update, verify the location again rather than assuming an older path still applies. A changed compatibility prefix can make a previously used directory appear empty even though the character is stored elsewhere.
Common backup mistakes and their fixes
| Symptom | Likely mistake | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Only one file was copied | The .fch.old companion was overlooked. |
Return to the character folder and copy both matching files. |
| The destination contains files but restoration does nothing | Steam Cloud replaced or conflicted with the manual copy. | Disable synchronization, preserve current files, then restore and test again. |
| The copied file has no visible extension | File Explorer is hiding extensions. | Enable “File name extensions” and verify .fch versus .fch.old. |
| The backup vanished after a disk failure | It was kept only on the game drive. | Maintain a copy on external storage or a separate cloud-storage account. |
| A restored character will not load | The wrong pair was selected, or the previous save is also unusable. | Exit without saving, restore the safety copy, and try an older dated backup. |
| A moved character behaves unpredictably | Files were dragged while Steam or Valheim was still active. | Use Valheim’s character move option and repeat from a preserved backup. |
A dependable backup checklist
- Valheim is closed before any copy or rename.
- The local folder has been identified for the current operating system and account.
- Both the current
.fchand matching.fch.oldare included. - The destination is outside the game drive.
- The copied files are visible at the destination with their extensions intact.
- A dated copy exists before a major trip, transfer, update, or restore attempt.
- Steam Cloud is disabled while a manual restore is being tested.
- The character has been loaded and checked before the restored files are treated as the new good copy.
Save paths and cloud behavior can change with game patches or client updates. Recheck the folder after a major update, especially on Linux or Steam Deck, and make a fresh manual copy whenever the character matters more than the time required to recreate it.
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