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Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun Saves — PC vs Steam Deck Recovery

By Freedom251 Team · · 11 min read

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On Windows, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun stores campaign saves in %LOCALAPPDATA%BoltgunSavedSaveGames<user-id> (normally C:Users<Username>AppDataLocalBoltgunSavedSaveGames<SteamID>). On Steam Deck, the Windows build uses Proton, so the equivalent is /home/deck/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/2005010/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Local/Boltgun/Saved/SaveGames/<user-id>, or the same compatdata/2005010 path in the Steam library on your microSD card. Quit Boltgun completely before copying or replacing files. Make a dated backup, disable the game’s Steam Cloud setting before a manual restore, and re-enable it only after the restored slots load.

Where is the Boltgun save folder on Windows?

The canonical Windows location is %LOCALAPPDATA%BoltgunSavedSaveGames<user-id>. The game is the Unreal Engine 4 Windows release from 23 May 2023, and its Steam application ID is 2005010 (the ID is also used in the Steam Deck Proton path). The Steam store identifies the title and application at this app page.

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Expanded, the path normally looks like this:

C:UsersYourNameAppDataLocalBoltgunSavedSaveGames12345678901234567

The final numbered directory is the user-id folder, usually your Steam account ID. Inside it are the campaign save files, including files that show user-save or autosave information and their modification dates. The folder is not named Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, and it is not under Documents, LocalLow, or Roaming.

Use the fastest route rather than browsing manually:

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  1. Exit Boltgun to the desktop and wait for Steam to finish closing it.
  2. Press Win+R.
  3. Enter %LOCALAPPDATA%BoltgunSavedSaveGames and press Enter.
  4. Open the numbered user-id folder.

AppData is hidden by default. If you browse from C:UsersYourName, enable View > Show > Hidden items in File Explorer. A separate settings file is at %LOCALAPPDATA%BoltgunSavedConfigWindowsNoEditorGameUserSettings.ini. Copy SavedConfig only if you also want to preserve graphics, field-of-view, safe-zone, or other settings; it is not needed to restore campaign slots.

How do I back up Boltgun saves on a Windows PC?

A manual folder copy is the safest fallback for a Windows reinstall, a deleted Proton prefix, or a cloud conflict. The save directory is small; the 5 GB Steam storage requirement is for the game installation, not for the saves.

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  1. Finish the session and fully quit the game. Do not copy while Boltgun is running or sitting in the background. Open save files can produce an incomplete or unusable backup.
  2. Open the save location. Use the Win+R path above and enter the numbered user-id directory.
  3. Copy the whole numbered folder to a USB-C flash drive, portable SSD, second internal disk, or a cloud folder you control. Alternatively, select the .sav files and create a ZIP or RAR archive.
  4. Use a useful filename. Include the date and a description such as Boltgun-2026-10-30-before-Windows-reinstall.zip or Boltgun-Act3-slots-2026-10-30.zip.
  5. Verify the copy. Open the archive or destination and confirm that the files are directly inside the numbered user-id folder, not hidden one level deeper in another extracted directory.
  6. Optionally copy settings. Add the SavedConfig directory if preserving display and control settings matters.

Keep at least one backup that is not on the same drive as Windows. If the original disk fails, a second folder on that disk is not a backup. Do not delete the original until the external copy has been opened and its file dates and names look correct.

Does Boltgun support Steam Cloud, and can it overwrite a restore?

Evidence is inconsistent, so treat Steam Cloud as a setting to verify rather than a guarantee. Players in June and December 2023 reported that cloud saves worked when enabled, while a launch-day Steam Deck review said Boltgun did not support cloud saves. Current Steam feature listings have also omitted a Steam Cloud badge. Your Steam client’s per-game checkbox is the practical authority.

Check both levels before relying on cloud synchronization:

  1. In Steam, open Steam > Settings > Cloud and make sure Enable Steam Cloud is on.
  2. In your Library, right-click Boltgun, choose Properties, stay on General, and look for Keep game saves in the Steam Cloud for Boltgun.
  3. If the checkbox is missing, leave the feature out of your backup plan and use the local folder copy.

For a manual restore, clear the per-game cloud checkbox before you paste files. Otherwise Steam can upload the currently empty, trimmed, or newer folder and replace the files you just restored. After launching Boltgun and confirming the desired slots, you may turn cloud back on. If Steam displays a conflict dialog, choose the local files option only when the restored local copy is the one you intend to keep.

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Do not confuse Steam Cloud metadata with the save folder. A third-party synchronizer should transfer only the Boltgun save files. Syncing the entire Steam userdata parent can also copy remotecache.vdf and machine-specific data, creating recurring Deck-versus-PC conflicts.

How do I restore a Windows backup or an Internet save?

Restoring is a controlled replace operation: preserve the current files first, then put the replacement .sav files directly in the existing user-id folder.

  1. Close Boltgun completely. Also pause or exit Steam if it is actively synchronizing the title.
  2. Disable the per-game Steam Cloud checkbox in Properties > General.
  3. Make a safety copy of the current folder. Rename it to something like SaveGames-current-before-restore or zip it. This gives you a way back if the downloaded files are damaged.
  4. Open the destination: C:UsersYourNameAppDataLocalBoltgunSavedSaveGamesyour-user-id.
  5. Extract the archive. Copy the replacement .sav files into that folder. Do not leave them in an extra folder such as ...
    ew-download
    ew-download iles
    .
  6. Check compatibility. A save from a different storefront, game version, or sequel may not be readable. Boltgun and Boltgun II use different application identities; never mix their folders.
  7. Launch and inspect every needed slot. Load a restored save before enabling cloud again.
  8. Resolve any cloud prompt deliberately. Select local files if the restored copy is correct; selecting remote files can undo the replacement.

For a Windows reinstall, copy the numbered folder (and, if desired, SavedConfig) to external storage before formatting. After reinstalling Windows, install the same storefront version, run Boltgun once, quit it, and then replace the newly created user-id folder with your backup. If you had cloud enabled and the old machine is still available, verify that the cloud copy is current before formatting; the manual backup remains the dependable recovery path.

Where are Boltgun saves on Steam Deck?

Steam Deck runs the Windows build through Proton. The Windows %LOCALAPPDATA% tree is mirrored inside the Proton prefix for App ID 2005010. On internal storage, the usual path is:

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/home/deck/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/2005010/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Local/Boltgun/Saved/SaveGames/<user-id>

You must use Desktop Mode because the hidden .local directory is not normally exposed in Game Mode’s file picker.

  1. Hold the power button and choose Switch to Desktop (or use the desktop-mode shortcut).
  2. Open Dolphin, the file manager.
  3. Press Ctrl+H, or choose More > View > Show Hidden Files, so .local appears.
  4. Browse to /home/deck/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/2005010/pfx/drive_c/ and continue through users/steamuser/AppData/Local/Boltgun/Saved/SaveGames.
  5. Open the numbered user-id directory and copy it to a USB-C flash drive, portable SSD, another folder, or a ZIP archive.

If Boltgun is installed in a secondary library or microSD card, check that library’s steamapps/compatdata/2005010/pfx/ as well. The prefix generally follows the Steam library containing the game, although some setups leave prefixes on internal storage even when the game files are on the card. Check both locations before assuming the saves are gone.

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On a desktop Linux installation using Flatpak Steam, the equivalent root is commonly ~/.var/app/com.valvesoftware.Steam/data/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/2005010/, followed by the same pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Local/Boltgun/Saved/SaveGames tree. This is not the stock SteamOS path, but it explains why a copied Windows path may appear empty on another Linux installation.

How do I restore saves on Steam Deck?

Restore from Desktop Mode so you can reach the hidden prefix. Quit Boltgun in Game Mode first, and disable the title’s Steam Cloud setting if the checkbox is available.

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  1. In Game Mode, exit Boltgun and wait for it to disappear from the running-games list.
  2. Switch to Desktop Mode and open Dolphin.
  3. Enable hidden files and open the correct compatdata/2005010/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Local/Boltgun/Saved/SaveGames path.
  4. Rename the existing numbered folder or copy it elsewhere as a rollback backup.
  5. Extract your archive and place the replacement files in the same numbered user-id folder. Preserve the individual .sav files; do not paste the entire Proton prefix over the destination.
  6. Return to Game Mode, launch Boltgun, and verify the slots.
  7. Only after verification should you re-enable cloud synchronization. If a conflict appears, keep the local files when the restored Deck copy is authoritative.

Never delete the whole compatdata/2005010 directory as a generic Proton fix without a backup. Some games keep saves and settings inside that prefix; removing it can erase progress that Steam Cloud did not preserve.

Can I move a Boltgun save between a Windows PC and Steam Deck?

Yes, for Steam copies, because both systems use the same Boltgun save format under different filesystem roots. Transfer the files inside SaveGames<user-id>, not the Proton prefix and not the entire Steam installation.

On Windows, copy the files from %LOCALAPPDATA%BoltgunSavedSaveGames<user-id>. On Deck, place those files in the corresponding numbered folder under the App ID 2005010 prefix. If the destination has a different numbered user-id folder, keep the destination folder name and replace its contents rather than creating a second arbitrary directory. Back up both sides first and keep cloud disabled until the transferred slots have loaded.

A USB-C flash drive is convenient for a Deck because its USB-C port accepts it directly; a portable SSD is useful when you are also moving larger game or media files, but save backups alone do not require that capacity.

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How can I keep more Boltgun saves than the in-game limit?

The game has a save-slot limit, but no official published number for that limit was found. Community players use an archive-and-swap method rather than modifying the game.

  1. Quit Boltgun and disable Steam Cloud for the title.
  2. Open the numbered user-id folder.
  3. Identify older user and autosave .sav files by their names and dates.
  4. Move a group of old files into a dated ZIP or RAR archive outside the active folder. Keep the archive in a separate directory so the game does not scan it as a live save.
  5. Launch the game and let it create new saves in the freed slots.
  6. When you want an older campaign back, quit again, back up the current active files, and swap the archived files into the folder.

This is a community workaround, not a developer-supported extra-slot feature. Keep an index describing which archive contains which mission or difficulty, and never let cloud synchronization run while you are swapping sets; otherwise Steam may restore the trimmed slot list.

What is different for Microsoft Store or Xbox Play Anywhere?

Microsoft Store and Xbox Play Anywhere builds do not use the Steam AppData path. Their Windows save container is:

%LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesFocusHomeInteractiveSA.Boltgun-Windows_4hny5m903y3g0SystemAppDatawgs<user-id>

Do not paste a Steam or GOG/Epic AppData backup into this package directory, or copy a Microsoft Store container into Steam. The storefront, package identity, and synchronization mechanism differ. Xbox cloud behavior should be verified in the Xbox app or Windows account rather than assumed from Steam instructions.

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What should I do if the folder is missing or the restored saves do not appear?

Work through the following checks in order; most failures are a wrong root, an extra extraction level, or cloud replacing the local files.

  • Run the game once and create a test save. Quit fully, then search again. Boltgun may not create its directory until it has written a save.
  • Use the exact root. On Windows, start with %LOCALAPPDATA%BoltgunSavedSaveGames, not Documents, LocalLow, Roaming, or steamappscommon. On Deck, start inside compatdata2005010pfxdrive_cuserssteamuserAppDataLocal.
  • Check every Steam library. A microSD installation may have its own steamapps/compatdata/2005010; also inspect internal storage because some Proton prefixes remain there.
  • Look for nested folders. After extraction, the files must be directly beneath the numbered user-id directory. Move them up if you see SaveGamesidbackupSaveGamesid*.sav.
  • Confirm the storefront and title. Steam, Epic, GOG, and Microsoft Store builds use different roots. Boltgun II is a separate game and must not share this folder.
  • Turn cloud off while diagnosing. If the slots appear briefly and then vanish, cloud synchronization may be restoring another copy. Disable it, replace the files again, and choose local files at the next conflict prompt.
  • Restore a clean set. If one downloaded file is corrupt, move it out, launch with the remaining known-good files, and test the dated backup rather than repeatedly overwriting the only copy.
  • Do not delete the Proton prefix. Removing compatdata/2005010 can remove saves that were never uploaded.

Template pages sometimes list an install-tree path such as steamapps/common/Boltgun/Boltgun/Saved/SaveGames. For this title, the converging evidence points to AppDataLocalBoltgunSavedSaveGames on Windows and its mirrored Proton path on Deck. Search the install directory only as a last check after those locations are empty.

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A reliable backup routine for every platform

  1. After an important mission, quit Boltgun completely.
  2. Copy the numbered save folder to dated external storage.
  3. Keep a second copy in a different physical location or controlled cloud folder.
  4. Record the storefront, platform, date, and campaign description in the filename.
  5. Before restoring, preserve the currently active folder and disable the relevant cloud synchronization.
  6. Launch and load the restored slots before declaring the recovery complete.

The essential rule is simple: copy the local SaveGames<user-id> files while the game is closed, and treat cloud synchronization as a possible overwrite until your client proves otherwise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a Boltgun save from one Steam account on another account?

The files are tied to the numbered user-id directory and may not appear if placed under a different account’s folder. Keep the destination account’s folder name, test with a backup copy, and expect achievements or cloud data to remain associated with the original account.

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Why does a newly installed copy create a different numbered folder?

The number represents the account identity used by that installation, so a different Steam login can create a different directory. Do not merge two users’ files; restore the backup into the folder created by the account that will play the game.

Will backing up GameUserSettings.ini preserve my controller bindings?

It preserves Boltgun’s Unreal configuration, including many display and gameplay settings, but controller mappings can also be managed by Steam Input. Export or note Steam Input layouts separately if those bindings are important.

Is a ZIP archive safe for long-term Boltgun save storage?

Yes, provided the game is closed before the archive is made and you periodically open the archive to verify it. Keep the original file names and retain an unmodified fallback copy rather than relying on a single archive.

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