Before a developer ends support, protect the save data you can actually access: check the game’s shutdown notice, complete any required in-game export, then copy the identified save folder to a separate destination and verify the copy. A cloud-sync badge or backup of the installed game is not proof that your save is independently restorable. And a local copy cannot preserve progress stored only on a publisher’s servers, restore online features, or guarantee the game will still launch after a shutdown.
The exact steps depend on the game and PC edition. This Windows-first guide shows how to find the right files, make an independent copy, and avoid the most common backup and restore mistakes.
What should you do before support ends?
Start with the specific game’s official support notice, not a generic save-folder guide. Developers can store progress in local files, sync selected files through a launcher, keep some progress on their servers, or use more than one of these methods. They may also provide an export or offline mode that must be activated before a deadline.
Use this order so you do not mistake one kind of protection for another:
- Read the game-specific notice. Confirm which edition and platform it covers, the relevant service deadline, whether an offline patch or save export is available, and whether that export must happen before services end.
- Complete any time-sensitive in-game actions. If the game requires claiming rewards, synchronizing progress, or exporting an offline save, do that while the relevant service is still available. Follow the publisher’s instructions for that title.
- Locate the actual save folder. Use the developer’s documentation first. Storefront and launcher editions of the same game can save to different places.
- Exit the game and copy the full folder. Preserve its subfolders and account-specific context. Copy it to a separate destination, such as an external drive.
- Inspect the copy. Confirm that the expected files and folders are present at the destination. Do not rely on the copy operation merely appearing to finish.
- Keep the backup separate from active syncing. Do not use the archive as the game’s working save folder or leave it inside a location that a launcher may automatically synchronize or replace.
This procedure protects files that are accessible on the PC. It does not recover server-only progress or guarantee that a game will continue to run after its authentication, server, or other online requirements change.
What does “backup” mean for a game save?
A game can involve three different kinds of progress, and a backup helps only with the data it captures. Identify which kind matters before deciding that a cloud feature or file copy is enough.
Local save files
These are files or folders stored on the PC. If you can identify them, an independent copy can help protect against accidental deletion, a damaged working save, or a computer failure. The folder may be in Documents, Saved Games, AppData, a launcher’s account folder, or another game-specific location.
Cloud-synced files
A launcher may upload and download selected save files. Sync can help move progress between devices, but it is not the same as an untouched archive: the game’s developer chooses which files are included, and a conflict or later upload can replace a version you wanted to keep. Steam’s instructions explain how to check whether a game uses Steam Cloud, but the presence of cloud support does not establish that every relevant save file is covered (Steam Support: Steam Cloud).
Server-side progress and online services
Some progress or features depend on a publisher’s account servers rather than a save file you can copy. A local backup cannot convert server-held data into a usable offline save unless the developer provides a way to export it. Nor can a save folder replace online matchmaking, server access, or an authentication check.
When a notice says a game is going offline, look for specific language about the save itself. “Offline mode,” “offline save,” and “local save” can describe different capabilities. Do not infer that an offline mode includes all online progress or that a copied file will bypass a license or launch requirement.
How do you find the correct save folder?
Use the game developer’s instructions for the exact PC edition first. Common Windows folders are useful search leads, not universal save locations.
Check the game’s official support page
Search the publisher’s support site for the game name plus phrases such as “save location,” “backup save,” or “restore save.” Confirm the edition: Steam, Epic, GOG, Ubisoft Connect, and the Xbox app can use different paths or account associations. Obsidian, for example, documents different save locations for the Epic and Microsoft Store/Xbox app PC versions of The Outer Worlds (Obsidian Support).
If the publisher gives a path, use it rather than assuming that a folder with the game’s name is the right one. Some titles keep saves under a numeric account folder, and an installation directory may contain game files but not your progress.
Search common Windows locations
If the official page does not identify the location, check these common areas:
%USERPROFILE%Documents%USERPROFILE%Saved Games%LOCALAPPDATA%%APPDATA%%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLow
To open a location, paste its path into the Windows File Explorer address bar. These are starting points only; a game may use another folder, store data under a publisher or developer name, or keep some progress online.
Check the storefront’s guidance without assuming its path is universal
Epic’s support instructions give one possible location for Epic Games Launcher saves: %LOCALAPPDATA%EpicGamesLauncherSavedSaves[EpicGamesAccountID][game]. Epic also warns that individual games may save elsewhere, so treat this as a documented location to check rather than a path that covers every Epic title (Epic Games: Where can I find my local game saves?).
Steam’s default userdata locations are different by operating system: Windows C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata, macOS ~/Library/Application Support/Steam/userdata, and Linux ~/.local/share/Steam/userdata. An account folder can contain per-game AppID folders, but those paths do not mean every game stores its save there. A developer may use another location or a game-specific system (Steam Support: Steam Cloud).
For an Xbox PC game, do not assume that a consumer-accessible folder is the definitive cloud save. Microsoft’s Xbox Game Saves documentation describes local saves syncing to the cloud; it does not establish one universal PC directory for consumers to copy (Microsoft Learn: Xbox Game Saves).
Look for more than one relevant folder
A title can keep a save, settings, screenshots, or other user data in separate places. The developer’s instructions should distinguish what matters for progress. If the instructions identify a parent folder, copying the entire named folder is generally safer than selecting files by extension: file names and formats vary, and an account or profile subfolder may be needed to retain context.
Does Steam Cloud, Epic Cloud Save, or another sync service count as a backup?
Cloud sync can be useful, but it should not be your only copy when preserving a save matters. Check whether the specific game participates, what it syncs, and whether you can retain a separate version outside the active sync process.
Steam Cloud
Steam says developers choose which files are included in Steam Cloud. Check the game’s store-page cloud indicator, then consult game-specific support if you need to know exactly which files are covered. The indicator is evidence of Cloud support, not a guarantee that every save, setting, or profile file is included (Steam Support: How do I tell if my game uses Steam Cloud?).
Epic Games Cloud Save
Epic directs players to the game’s Features tags on its store page to check for Cloud Save. That tag can help establish whether the title advertises the feature, but it does not by itself tell you that every progress file is present or give you a verified independent archive (Epic Games: How to check Cloud Save support). If Epic presents a conflict, inspect the dates and progress associated with each option before choosing. Epic warns that choosing the older file can cause progress to be lost (Epic Games: Handling Cloud Save conflicts).
GOG and Xbox PC saves
GOG documents both automatic synchronization of local directories and integration with storage implemented by a game. That distinction matters: the way a title saves determines what the client can sync, so a GOG cloud feature should not be treated as proof that an arbitrary local folder is archived (GOG Support: Cloud Saves). For Xbox PC games, Microsoft describes local saves syncing to cloud storage, not a universal folder a player can independently browse and export (Microsoft Learn: Xbox Game Saves).
Why make an offline copy anyway?
Sync is designed to keep versions aligned, not necessarily to preserve a historical copy forever. If a conflict occurs or a newer version overwrites an older one, the version you wanted may no longer be the active cloud copy. A separate archive gives you a copy to inspect without asking the sync service to preserve it. Avalanche Studios recommends manual save copies even for a cloud-enabled game (Avalanche Studios Support).
How do you make an independent copy?
Once you have the game’s documented save location, copy the complete relevant folder while the game is closed. An external USB SSD, external USB hard drive, or USB flash drive can serve as a separate destination; the important point is that the copy is not just another actively synced working folder.
- Close the game. Wait for it to exit fully so it is not actively writing to the save. If the publisher’s instructions require closing its launcher too, do that.
- Open the documented save location. Check that the folder corresponds to the correct Windows account, storefront edition, and game profile.
- Copy the full save folder. Use File Explorer’s Copy and Paste commands. Keep the folder hierarchy and account subfolders rather than flattening files into a single directory.
- Choose a separate destination. For example, create a folder on an external drive named with the game and the date of the copy. Do not place it in the active save directory or a folder the launcher is expected to sync as the live save.
- Wait for the transfer to finish. Keep the external device connected until the file operation completes.
- Verify the destination. Open the copied folder and confirm that its expected subfolders and files are present. Microsoft’s file-transfer guidance also recommends checking that files copied before disconnecting a device (Microsoft Support: Transfer files with external storage).
- Eject the drive safely. Use Windows’ safe removal option before unplugging an external device.
Keep the archive untouched after copying. If you want several points in time, make separate dated copies rather than overwriting the only archive. That gives you a choice if a later save is corrupted or no longer contains the progress you wanted.
Should you use File History or another automatic backup?
Windows File History can back up libraries to an external drive or network location and restore earlier versions. Its default library coverage does not prove that a game’s save folder in AppData or a launcher-specific directory is included.
To use File History for a game save, first confirm the actual folder. If it is outside the locations File History covers, include the target folder in a library or use a manual copy instead. Then verify that the specific save folder appears in File History; do not rely on the feature’s general availability as proof that it captured the game’s data. Microsoft explains File History’s backup and restore behavior and library coverage in its support guidance (Microsoft Support: Backup and restore with File History).
Automatic backups are most useful when they demonstrably include the folder you need and retain earlier versions that you can recover. They are not a substitute for identifying the right save location. A File History set that never included the game’s AppData folder cannot restore that folder later.
What is the difference between a save backup and a game-installation backup?
A game-installation backup is not evidence that save files were included. Steam’s “Backup game files” feature handles eligible installed game files, while save locations and custom content can be separate. For Valve-created games, Steam Support explicitly says: “Backups for Valve created games will not include saved games, custom multiplayer maps or configuration files.” Third-party games can use different save locations, so check the game’s own instructions (Steam Support: Backup game files).
| Approach | What it can protect | What to verify | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual copy to separate storage | The files in the folder you copy. | That the folder is the correct save location and that the destination contains the expected files. | It does not capture a folder you missed or progress held only on a server. |
| Steam, Epic, or GOG cloud sync | Files included by the game’s implementation or launcher settings. | That the specific title supports the feature and that the desired progress is the version being synced. | Sync can conflict or replace a version; it is not automatically an independent archive. |
| Windows File History | Folders included in the selected libraries or backup scope, with earlier versions available for restore. | That the actual save folder appears in File History and that a previous version is available. | Default library coverage does not establish coverage for every AppData or launcher folder. |
| Steam game-file backup | Eligible installed game files. | Whether save data is separately backed up by the game or another method. | It is not a guaranteed save archive; Steam specifically excludes saves from Valve-created game backups. |
How do you restore a save without overwriting the wrong version?
Keep the original backup intact and preserve the current active save before testing a restore. The game and launcher should not be running while you replace files.
- Make a safety copy of the current active folder. This gives you a way back if the restore does not contain the progress you expected.
- Close the game and, if relevant, its launcher. Ubisoft instructs players restoring its PC save files to close both the game and Ubisoft Connect before copying the backup to the account save directory (Ubisoft Support: Restoring save files on PC).
- Restore to the documented location. Preserve the same folder structure and account-specific subfolders. Avoid renaming files or moving only a portion unless the game’s instructions tell you to.
- Start the game carefully. If a launcher shows a cloud conflict, do not accept an option automatically. Compare the dates or other information it presents and choose the copy that contains the progress you want.
- Keep the archive until you confirm the result. Do not delete your separate backup immediately after a restore.
Epic specifically warns that selecting an older cloud file during a conflict can irrecoverably lose progress. Treat the conflict as a decision about which version to retain, not as a routine prompt to dismiss (Epic Games: Handling Cloud Save conflicts).
What does The Crew 2 show about offline save exports?
The Crew 2 is a useful example of why a plain folder copy may not be enough before a game’s online support changes. Ubisoft introduced an explicit “Export to Offline Save” function that creates a local copy of multiplayer progression; the online and offline saves then diverge. Ubisoft’s announcement says, “Online and offline saves are separate. Progress made offline will not carry back over into your online save.” Re-exporting also overwrites the previous offline save, so the player should consider preserving an earlier copy before exporting again (Ubisoft: The Crew 2 Hybrid Mode).
For that game, Ubisoft’s instructions say to claim eligible purchased rewards online before exporting if applicable. That is a title-specific instruction, not a general rule for other games. The capability can also change: an October 2025 feature announcement is not a complete current inventory, because Ubisoft published an update in April 2026 that expanded offline-save functionality (Ubisoft: The Crew 2 Hybrid Mode; Ubisoft: The Crew 2 news and updates). Check the latest notice for the specific title rather than assuming its export menu or requirements have remained unchanged.
The general lesson is to perform any developer-provided export before the service deadline, then back up the resulting local files independently. An export creates or changes a save in the way that game defines; it does not mean the online save and offline save will continue to share progress.
What can go wrong, and how do you avoid it?
- You copied the installation folder instead of the save. Return to the developer’s save-location instructions. An installed game backup is not a save archive.
- You used a path for the wrong edition. Confirm whether the game came from Steam, Epic, GOG, Ubisoft Connect, or the Xbox app. Another edition may use a different directory or account structure.
- The folder is empty or does not show expected files. Do not assume that a generic Windows path is correct. Recheck the game’s official documentation and whether some progress is server-held.
- A launcher shows a cloud conflict. Pause and compare the available versions rather than choosing by habit. The newer or cloud-hosted option is not automatically the one with the progress you want.
- The backup is inside a syncing folder. Move or make a copy to a separate destination that is not being treated as the active save. Otherwise a sync operation could affect the archive as well.
- You copied while the game was running. Close the game and make a fresh copy. A live save may still be changing while files are transferred.
- You expect the copy to restore online play. A file archive cannot preserve a server, online feature, license check, or progress that was never stored locally.
If you cannot find an export option or local save folder, do not guess that the cloud or installation backup covers everything. Ask the game’s publisher whether the relevant progress is exportable and whether the game is expected to remain launchable offline.
How can you tell whether the backup is useful?
A backup is useful only if it contains the intended files in a form you can locate later. Before putting it away, check the destination and record enough context to recognize it.
- Confirm the game title and storefront edition the folder belongs to.
- Preserve the original directory hierarchy, including account or profile folders.
- Check that the copied files and expected subfolders appear at the destination.
- Keep the copy outside the live save folder and away from automatic sync.
- Keep an untouched archive before attempting a restore or a new offline export.
- Make a note of the publisher’s relevant instructions and the date of the copy.
These checks establish that files were copied; they cannot prove that the files contain server-side progress, that the game will accept them after an update, or that offline launch will work. Those outcomes depend on the game’s implementation and the developer’s support decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move a PC game save to a different computer?
Sometimes, but the destination must run an edition that recognizes the save’s format and profile structure. Before replacing anything on the new PC, preserve its current save and follow the game publisher’s transfer instructions.
Should I rename a save folder to make it easier to find?
Keep the archive’s internal folder and file names unchanged because a game or launcher may depend on them. If you want a descriptive label, name the outer backup folder instead.
What if a game’s publisher gives no save-location instructions?
Ask the publisher’s support team whether progress is stored locally, online, or in both places, and whether it can be exported. A generic Windows search can help locate candidate folders, but it cannot establish that a candidate contains all of your progress.
Does backing up a save preserve achievements or multiplayer rankings?
Not necessarily. Achievements, rankings, and other account records may be maintained by an online service rather than in the local save, so the game publisher must confirm what remains available offline.