You can recover a deleted No Man’s Sky save only if another copy still exists—in a PC backup folder, a platform cloud backup, a pre-deletion PS4 USB copy, or on a linked platform. Stop playing and avoid making new saves while you check: syncing or overwriting can replace a copy that might have helped.
First, check whether the save is missing or actually deleted
If your No Man’s Sky save disappeared, first restart the game and check the save list again. If it is still missing, avoid creating or overwriting saves while you inspect backups. This precaution cannot guarantee recovery, but it reduces the chance of replacing a useful copy while you check local files or cloud storage.
Recovery depends on finding a copy that predates the deletion. A cloud service may already have synced the deletion, and a backup that was never made cannot be restored.
Where to look, by platform
| Platform or route | Where to check | What can prevent recovery |
|---|---|---|
| PC | The game’s strbackup folder |
The documented backup relates to a save-system change; it does not establish that every later deletion has a backup. |
| Steam | Steam Cloud and, if available, another computer’s local files | Cloud data may be missing or conflicted; Steam says lost saves are unlikely to be recoverable. |
| PlayStation | PlayStation Plus cloud storage; a pre-existing USB copy for a PS4 save | The cloud copy may not exist or may have synced the deletion. USB helps only if a PS4 copy was made before deletion. |
| Hello Games Cross-Save | A linked platform where the save is still accessible | Cross-Save transfers accessible saves; the official materials do not describe it as a historical restore archive. |
| Xbox | Check current Xbox account and platform support instructions | No authoritative Xbox-specific restore sequence is established here. |
PC: inspect the No Man’s Sky backup folder
Hello Games’ Frontiers update notes say the save system change automatically backed up existing saves. On PC, the update identifies a strbackup folder under the save directory, usually:
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Open the folder and look for an older save before editing, moving, or replacing any files. The update documents a backup associated with that save-system change, not a guarantee that every save deleted afterward can be recovered.
Steam: check Cloud and any older computer
Steam Cloud may store game saves, but its presence does not guarantee that a recoverable No Man’s Sky copy exists. Steam Support says: “Steam Support can provide further clarification on how the Cloud system works, but they cannot recover lost saves or assist in resolving cloud conflicts.” See Steam Cloud for Steam’s guidance.
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Check another computer first
If you played on an older computer that may still have an unsynced save, Steam’s guidance says launching Steam on that computer and allowing it to sync may make the progress available on the newer machine. Check before launching if you are concerned that synchronization could replace a newer or older copy; Steam does not promise that this will restore a deleted save.
Find generic Steam Cloud files
Steam lists these typical default locations for Cloud files:
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- Windows:
C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Steam/userdata - Linux:
~/.local/share/Steam/userdata
These are general Steam Cloud locations, not confirmation that a particular No Man’s Sky save is stored there.
PlayStation: inspect cloud storage before downloading
PlayStation Plus cloud storage may help if the save was uploaded and an earlier version remains. PlayStation says PS5 saved data syncs between console and cloud to the most recent data. For PS4 cloud data, PlayStation says it can be manually downloaded to a PS5. Review the PlayStation Plus cloud storage guidance and inspect the No Man’s Sky entry in saved-data settings before downloading. Consider whether the cloud copy is older than the missing local save: it may not help if the deletion has already synced or the save was never uploaded.
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PS4 USB copies
If you copied a PS4 save to USB before deletion, that existing copy may be usable. PlayStation documents copying PS4 saved data to USB and copying it to a PS5 in its PS4 and PS5 data-transfer guide. The same guide says PS5 saved data cannot be copied to USB, so USB is not a recovery route for a PS5 save.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Cross-Save transfers available saves; it does not recreate deleted ones
Hello Games describes Cross-Save as a way for participating players to upload and download saves from connected platforms through the in-game save screen. The feature is detailed in the PlayStation Blog’s Cross-Save announcement; Hello Games’ Cloud terms describe circumstances in which server-stored save data can be deleted, including disabling or removing Cross-Save, deleting a Hello User ID, or disconnecting accounts.
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If the save remains accessible on one linked platform, Cross-Save may let you transfer it. The official materials do not establish it as a way to restore a save deleted everywhere.
Xbox: verify options with Xbox support
There is no verified Xbox-specific restore sequence in the official materials cited here. Check current Xbox account and platform support instructions for your console and account. A save still available through cloud synchronization is different from one deleted across all available copies; do not assume syncing will recreate a save that no longer exists.
After recovery: preserve a separate copy
If you recover the save, consider keeping a separate backup where your platform supports it. PlayStation documents USB copying for PS4 saved data; it does not support USB copies of PS5 saved data. A backup is useful only if it remains separate from the save location or cloud copy that could later be overwritten. No recovery odds are established by the official guidance cited above.
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