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If Steam Cloud is out of sync, the game’s files on your computer differ from the files stored online. Steam cannot tell which copy has the progress you want, so choosing the wrong one can overwrite it. Compare the displayed timestamps with your recent play history and select the copy that contains the save you want to keep.
What an out-of-sync warning means
Steam Cloud reports a conflict when it finds different versions of a game’s files locally and in the cloud. This can happen after playing offline, or after changing files on one computer and then playing on another before the changes sync. Steam explains that it cannot automatically decide which version to keep because the file was modified in two places without synchronization. Steam Support’s Steam Cloud FAQ describes the conflict and its risks.
The warning is asking you to choose which copy should be retained. It does not mean that either copy is necessarily the right one, or that Steam can merge the two versions into a single save.
Which copy should you choose?
Use the date and time shown for each version as a clue, then check whether it matches where and when you played and the progress you made. A newer timestamp is not automatically the better save: it could belong to a session with less desired progress, or to a different device.
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- Pause before choosing. Don’t dismiss a failed-sync warning and launch the game without considering the conflict. Steam warns that doing so can create a conflict and result in lost data or progress.
- Compare both timestamps. Note the local and cloud modification times shown in the prompt.
- Match each copy to your play history. Consider which device you used and what progress you made in that session.
- Choose the version with the progress you want to preserve. Do not rely on recency alone.
- If the sync failed before the prompt appeared, resolve the sync problem before launching. Steam says the cause may be temporary or network-related.
If progress is missing after switching computers
First, check whether the game supports Steam Cloud: the game’s Steam Store page indicates Cloud support. Cloud behavior is configured by each game’s developer, and support does not necessarily mean the game’s save files are included.
If you still have access to the computer with the missing progress, the save may remain on that machine. Steam suggests starting Steam on the original computer and seeing whether it can sync; if it does, the progress may then become available on the new computer. This is a possible recovery route, not a guarantee. Steam says it cannot recover lost saves or resolve cloud conflicts.
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Fixing a failed sync
Before retrying, check whether Steam is online and whether a firewall, antivirus program, or other software that monitors or changes disk or network activity might be interfering. Steam also suggests restarting network hardware or trying a different connection. These are checks, not guaranteed fixes; its FAQ notes that some advanced steps may require technical help.
Steam documents Cloud controls in two places:
- For one game: open the game’s Library entry, choose Properties, then General, and check the per-game Cloud Synchronization setting.
- For Steam overall: open Steam client Settings and find Cloud.
Turning Cloud off means progress that would otherwise sync is saved only on that computer. Steam client controls and labels can change between versions. Historical Steam client update notes describe Library sync status, retries for failed app syncs, and queued sync after reconnecting, but do not establish that every control appears the same way in every current client version.
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If you need to inspect what is on a computer, Steam lists these default locations. The Steam installation location can differ, and the relevant game files may be organized within the userdata folders.
- Windows userdata:
C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata - macOS userdata:
~/Library/Application Support/Steam/userdata - Linux userdata:
~/.local/share/Steam/userdata
Steam’s cloud_log.txt records files written to or retrieved from the cloud. It is in the Steam installation’s logs folder on Windows, ~/Library/Application Support/Steam/logs on macOS, and ~/.local/share/Steam/logs on Linux. These locations can help identify sync activity, but inspecting them does not itself restore a save.
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