Steam’s game backup and your save-file backup are separate jobs. Steam can package compatible installed game files, but saves must be protected through Steam Cloud or copied separately—and coverage varies by game. Back up both before reinstalling or moving to another PC, then verify that your copies can be used.
Back up installed game files with Steam
Steam’s Backup feature packages compatible installed game files for later restoration. It does not reliably include saves or other user data. To create a game backup:
- Open your Steam Library and right-click the game.
- Select Properties, then Installed Files.
- Select Backup game files.
- Choose a destination folder.
- Select Create Backup and wait for the process to finish.
- Select Open folder when it appears. You can copy or move the resulting backup files to another storage location.
Steam says the feature may not work for some games that use third-party installers or downloaders. It is most likely to work when the game is downloaded, installed, and patched through Steam. If you want to back up all your games, Steam recommends using its method for moving a Steam installation rather than backing up titles one at a time. See Steam Support’s Using the Steam Backup Feature.
Restore a Steam game backup
Install Steam and sign in to the account that owns the game. Choose Steam’s Restore Game Backup option, then follow the prompts. A restored game backup is not a replacement for a separate save backup.
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Check the backup before relying on it
Steam warns that an interrupted backup or interference from another application can prevent a usable copy. Its support instructions recommend testing created backups to check file integrity before future reinstallation. Do not assume a backup is sound merely because the process appeared to finish.
Back up save files separately
Do not assume that Steam’s game backup includes progress. Steam specifically says backups of Valve-created games exclude saved games, custom multiplayer maps, and configuration files. For third-party games, save locations vary by title because developers determine where their games store data.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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- Find the save location for the specific game through its official site or developer documentation, or a reliable game-specific Steam Community forum.
- Copy the save data separately to a safe location. Keep the original files unchanged until you have confirmed the copy.
- After reinstalling, restore the copied files to the matching location, following the game developer’s instructions.
Save folders are not universal: a folder that works for one game may not contain another game’s progress. Steam’s general backup guidance explains this distinction at Using the Steam Backup Feature.
Check Steam Cloud for the game
Steam Cloud may synchronize saves, settings, profile statistics, and other user-specific data, but developers configure which files a game uploads. Check the game’s Store page for the Steam Cloud indicator, then confirm with the developer or title-specific documentation exactly what is covered. Cloud support is not a guarantee that every save, platform, or file is protected. See Steam Support’s Steam Cloud guide.
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- Easily store and access 1TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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Steam documents these default local folders for Cloud data:
- Windows:
C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Steam/userdata - Linux:
~/.local/share/Steam/userdata
Inside userdata, account folders contain game folders named by AppID. These are locations for local Cloud data, not proof that a particular game stores its saves there. Verify the title’s save location before copying or restoring files.
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- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Resolve Cloud conflicts carefully
If Steam presents a Cloud conflict, compare the versions’ dates with when and where you played. Steam cannot determine which independently changed copy is correct. Offline play can delay synchronization and contribute to conflicts. If a sync error appears, resolve its cause before launching the game when possible; Steam warns that proceeding can lead to a conflict or lost progress. Steam Support says it has limited ability to recover lost Cloud data and cannot recover lost saves or resolve Cloud conflicts for users.
Choose the right method for your situation
| Method | What it preserves | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Backup | Compatible installed game files | Some games using third-party installers or downloaders may not work with the feature; test the backup. |
| Separate save-file copy | The save data you locate and copy | Find the correct save location and restore files to the matching location for that game. |
| Steam Cloud | Only the user data configured for that game | Check the Store page and verify file and platform coverage with the developer or title-specific documentation. |
| Local Network Game Transfer | Original game content transferred between Steam clients on the same LAN | It excludes local saves, configuration, Workshop, Cloud, and shader files; it is not a save backup. |
Use Local Network Game Transfer to avoid re-downloading game content
Steam’s Local Network Game Transfers feature can move original game content between Steam clients on the same local network, subject to the feature’s settings and availability requirements. It can help when setting up another PC or Steam Deck, but it does not transfer local saves or configuration files and excludes Workshop, Cloud, and shader files. See Steam Support’s Local Network Game Transfers guide.
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macOS: a Time Machine exclusion is not a save backup
Steam recommends excluding /Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/Steam/SteamApps/ from Time Machine if game updates are causing the full SteamApps folder to be backed up repeatedly. This can reduce repetitive backup volume; make sure saves and other important files are protected separately. See Steam Support’s Exclude Steam from Time Machine.
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