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Protect the original first, stop cloud synchronization while you work, let the destination launcher create its save directory, then copy the files into the matching location. Re-enable cloud sync only after the imported progress loads correctly.
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What determines whether a Steam save will work
A save belongs to a game and its data format, not to Steam itself. The same title can store files in different places for Steam, Epic, GOG, Microsoft Store, and other releases, and a developer can change the format between editions or updates. Steam Support notes that third-party developers choose where their saves are stored, while game-specific references document different paths for different platforms.
Before copying anything, confirm all of the following:
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- The exact game title and edition are identical, including deluxe, remastered, or regional variants.
- The Steam and destination versions are close enough in game version to read one another’s saves.
- The destination launcher release supports local saves or a documented account-linked transfer.
- Your operating system is supported by both releases. A Windows save may not be accepted by a different build or platform.
- You are accounting for mods, DLC, and platform-specific account data that the destination may not have.
There is no universal Steam-to-another-launcher converter established by the support documentation. If a game uses a proprietary format or ties progress to an online account, only the developer’s instructions or a documented, game-specific utility should be used.
Where Steam saves are stored on Windows
Steam Cloud data
A common Steam Cloud location is C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata[SteamID][AppID]. The [SteamID] folder is your Steam account identifier and [AppID] is the game’s numeric Steam application ID. The directory may contain cloud-synchronized files and metadata rather than a plainly named folder such as “Save.” Steam Cloud is optional: Steam states that many games do not use it at all.
Do not assume that this path is the only source. A game can use Steam Cloud for one set of files while keeping its active local saves elsewhere, or it may use no Steam Cloud and write only to a local directory.
Local save folders
Common local locations include:
DocumentsorMy Documents, often inside a folder named for the publisher or game.Saved Games.%APPDATA%(roaming AppData) or%LOCALAPPDATA%(local AppData).- The game’s own installation directory.
These are categories, not guaranteed paths. Check the game’s support page or a current game-specific save-location reference before selecting files. If several folders look plausible, compare their modification times after creating a new test save: the folder that changes is a stronger candidate than one containing only old or configuration files.
Where the other launcher keeps its save
Epic Games Launcher
Epic documents this standard local-save root on Windows:
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%LOCALAPPDATA%EpicGamesLauncherSavedSaves[EpicGamesAccountID][Yourgamefolder]
[EpicGamesAccountID] identifies the Epic account and [Yourgamefolder] is the game’s folder name. Individual games can use a different directory, including Documents, My Games, AppData, or Saved Games. Epic’s launcher path is therefore a starting point, not proof that every title stores its active save there.
GOG and other PC launchers
GOG, Microsoft Store, and other PC releases can use their own folders or the same conventional Windows locations. Do not paste files into a guessed directory. Install or start the destination version once, create or load a new save if the game allows it, exit, and inspect which folder changed. Then verify that the developer or a reliable game-specific reference identifies that folder as the save location.
Prepare before copying anything
- Write down the exact builds. Record the game edition, installed version if shown, operating system, and destination launcher. This helps explain a rejection later and prevents mixing files from different releases.
- Close the game everywhere. Exit the Steam version, the destination version, and any launcher process that is actively synchronizing the game’s files. A running game can overwrite the copy you are preparing.
- Pause cloud synchronization. Use the launcher’s per-game cloud setting when available; in Steam this is normally exposed through the game’s Properties on the General page. If a launcher has no per-game control, temporarily pause synchronization globally or keep the computer offline while copying. Restore the setting only after verification.
- Make a complete backup. Copy the entire candidate save folder, not just one file, to a USB flash drive or another separate location. Preserve the original folder structure and filenames. Do not edit or move the only copy.
A complete backup is your rollback point if the destination creates a blank profile, upgrades the files, or replaces them during a cloud conflict.
Step-by-step: move a Steam save to another launcher
1. Identify the source save
Start with the game’s documented location. If the title uses Steam Cloud, inspect Steamuserdata[SteamID][AppID]. Also check the game’s local folders under Documents, Saved Games, AppData, and its installation directory. A save may be in one location while screenshots, settings, or logs are in another.
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To distinguish the active folder, launch the Steam version with synchronization paused, create a clearly identifiable in-game save, exit, and sort candidate folders by modification time. Confirm that the expected file changed before copying it. If the game has multiple profiles, include the profile directory and every file that the game creates alongside the save.
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2. Copy the source folder without changing it
Copy the full folder to your backup location. Keep the original Steam folder untouched. If Windows asks whether to merge folders, make the backup first and choose an operation that preserves all files. Avoid renaming extensions, opening and resaving files in an editor, or deleting files that appear unrelated unless the developer specifically instructs you to do so.
3. Initialize the destination installation
Install the game through the other launcher and start it once. Reach the main menu or create a new local profile, then exit normally. This gives the destination release a chance to create its expected directory and any required metadata. If the game immediately downloads cloud data, keep synchronization paused until you have identified which files are local.
4. Locate the destination folder
For Epic, begin at %LOCALAPPDATA%EpicGamesLauncherSavedSaves[EpicGamesAccountID][Yourgamefolder], then check the game’s documented alternatives under Documents, My Games, AppData, or Saved Games. For another launcher, use the same create-save-and-observe method and the developer’s instructions. Compare the new folder’s timestamp and contents with the test save you just created.
5. Match the structure
Open the backed-up Steam folder and the newly created destination folder side by side. Copy the Steam save files into the corresponding destination subfolder. If the destination has a profile or slot directory, preserve that level of nesting. Do not rename files unless the game’s developer documents a required conversion or naming rule.
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6. Launch with cloud sync still paused
Start the destination version and inspect the load screen. Verify more than one save or profile when possible: check the expected character, world, progress marker, or timestamp rather than relying only on the presence of a file. If the game reports corrupted data or shows only a new game, exit without saving over the imported files.
7. Resolve a cloud conflict deliberately
If the launcher presents upload and download choices, compare the timestamps and identify which copy contains the intended progress. Keep the newer known-good file. Epic’s support guidance specifically tells users to select the newer file when resolving a conflict. Do not choose automatically if the newer timestamp belongs to an empty destination save created during setup.
8. Turn synchronization back on
Only after the imported save loads correctly should you re-enable Steam Cloud or the destination launcher’s cloud feature. Let the verified local files upload, then restart the game once to confirm that the cloud copy did not replace them. Keep the backup until you have completed that restart and checked the progress again.
Choosing a transfer route
| Route | When it can work | Main risk | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud route | Both releases support compatible cross-platform or account-linked cloud storage for the same game. | An empty or older cloud copy can overwrite the progress, or a conflict prompt can cause the wrong version to be selected. | Matching account support, a verified newer save, and careful conflict handling. |
| Manual file copy | Both releases read the same save format and their local folders are known. | Wrong path, mismatched edition, or an overwrite while synchronization is active. | A complete backup and the documented source and destination paths. |
| Game-specific converter or editor | The developer or a reputable game-specific reference documents a conversion process. | Unsupported tools can corrupt files or alter progress. | Instructions for that exact title and version; there is no universal converter established here. |
Use the manual route when the two installations clearly share a format and you can verify both paths. Prefer an official account-linked cloud transfer when the developer explicitly supports it, but still keep a local backup because synchronization can overwrite files.
Compatibility limits that commonly stop an import
Different game versions or editions
A remaster, deluxe edition, regional build, or major update may serialize data differently. A save can appear in the correct folder and still be rejected. Update both installations as the developer recommends, but do not assume that matching launcher versions make editions interchangeable.
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Mods and missing downloadable content
Some saves depend on mod-created objects or DLC. If the destination lacks those dependencies, it may refuse to load, remove content, or open with missing items. Reproduce the required mod and DLC environment only when the game’s documentation supports that setup; otherwise restore the backup rather than experimenting on the original.
Operating-system and platform differences
Windows releases may use different serialization or account identifiers from macOS, Linux, console, or Microsoft Store builds. A cross-platform transfer is possible only when the developer documents compatible support. The file extension alone does not prove compatibility.
Account-bound or server-side progress
Achievements, online inventory, competitive rankings, and other account data may not be stored in the local save. Copying files cannot transfer information that the game keeps on its servers or associates with a different platform account.
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The destination shows only a new game
- Exit without creating another save over the imported folder.
- Confirm that you copied the complete folder into the destination’s active path, including any profile or slot subdirectory.
- Check whether the game uses a second location under Documents, Saved Games, AppData, or its installation directory.
- Start the Steam version and create a test save to verify that the folder you copied is the one that actually changes.
The launcher keeps replacing the files
- Pause cloud synchronization before copying again.
- Close both game processes and the launcher’s synchronization process if it is still active.
- Restore the untouched backup, copy it to the destination, and launch once with cloud sync disabled.
A cloud-conflict dialog appears
Compare the displayed timestamps and file sizes with your known-good backup. Choose the newer known-good copy, not simply the option labeled “download” or “upload.” If the destination generated an empty save during setup, that file may be newer but not the one you want. Keep the backup until the game has loaded and restarted successfully.
The game reports corruption or rejects the save
Restore the original destination files from your backup and stop trying different filenames. Recheck the exact edition, version, region, mods, DLC, operating system, and account requirements. If those match and the save still fails, consult the developer’s transfer instructions; Steam Support notes that the developer can help locate and transfer files, and Epic directs users to the developer when a save cannot be found.
How to roll back safely
- Exit the destination game and pause its cloud synchronization.
- Move the failed imported folder out of the active directory rather than deleting it.
- Restore the destination folder that existed before the import, or copy the backed-up Steam folder back to its original Steam location.
- Launch the original Steam version with its cloud setting still paused and verify that the old progress is present.
- After confirming the correct local files, re-enable only the cloud service you intend to use.
Keep dated backup copies until you are certain that both the local and cloud versions contain the intended progress. A backup is useful only if it remains untouched and can be identified unambiguously.
Questions to answer before you start
- Is the save from the same game? A similarly named sequel or remaster is not interchangeable.
- Does the destination create a local save? If it uses only server-side progress, a file copy cannot reproduce that data.
- Have you disabled automatic synchronization? An older or empty destination file can overwrite the imported copy before you test it.
- Can you restore the original? Do not begin without a complete, separate backup.
Bottom line
Importing a Steam save is a controlled file migration, not a launcher conversion. Find the game’s real Steam save, preserve it, initialize the other installation, copy the files into that release’s documented folder, and verify several saves before allowing cloud synchronization. If the title, edition, or platform does not share a compatible format, restore the backup and follow the developer’s game-specific process instead of forcing the files.
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