Before moving a PC game from one launcher to another, make a separate copy of its save files and leave that copy untouched until the destination version has loaded your expected progress and saved successfully. A launcher’s game-file backup is not necessarily a save backup, and a cloud save does not guarantee either a complete independent backup or compatibility with another store’s version. Save locations and cloud behavior vary by game.
The safe approach is to identify the specific game’s save location, let the original launcher finish any pending sync, close the game and launcher, copy the entire relevant save folder, then check the destination version carefully before letting any cloud conflict overwrite data.
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What to do before switching launchers
Treat the move as two separate jobs: preserve the existing save and find out whether the destination version can use it. Copying files addresses the first job; it does not prove that another launcher’s version will recognize the save. The game’s save format, account system, and cloud implementation can matter as much as the storefront.
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- Find the save location for the exact game and operating system using the developer’s support page or documentation.
- Check whether cloud saves are supported for that game on the source launcher, and whether syncing is currently active.
- Copy the complete relevant save folder to a different location, such as another drive or a clearly named folder outside the game’s install directory.
- Record which launcher or account the copy came from and when you made it.
- Do not delete the original or backup just because the destination game launches successfully; verify the save inside the game first.
A USB drive or external SSD can be a convenient second location, but no new device is required if you already have a separate place to keep a copy. The essential point is that the backup must not be the only copy in the folder the game or launcher may modify.
Find the game’s actual save folder
There is no universal PC save directory. Saves may be stored in a user profile folder, Documents, a game-specific folder, or another location selected by the developer. They may be separate from the game’s installation files. Start with the game’s own support documentation; if it does not identify the location, ask the developer rather than assuming that a launcher’s folder is correct.
Search support documentation for the exact game title and terms such as “save file location,” “save data,” or “cloud save.” Confirm that the instructions apply to the PC version and, where specified, the operating system or launcher edition you use. A path for a console version, a different game in the series, or a different operating system may not identify your files.
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Epic Games’ support instructions give a common location for local saves under %localappdata%EpicGamesLauncherSavedSaves[EpicGamesAccountID][Yourgamefolder]. They also identify Documents, AppDataLocalLow, Saved Games, and %APPDATA% as other places where saves may be found. Those are useful places to check when the game-specific instructions point there; they are not proof that every Epic game saves to one of those folders. Epic notes that some games store saves elsewhere.
Steam’s Windows cloud-file directory is C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata. Steam organizes cloud files under account and app ID folders, but this is a location for Steam Cloud files, not a universal local save path for every game. A game may store its actual saves elsewhere, and Steam says developers decide which files their games put in Steam Cloud.
If you find several plausible folders, do not choose one based only on its name. Check the game’s support instructions, file or folder dates, and whether the folder changes after a normal save in the game. If those clues do not establish which location holds your progress, keep copies of the plausible save folders and contact the game developer for identification before deleting or replacing anything.
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Make a separate, recoverable copy
- Finish the current session. Save in the game, exit it normally, and let the original launcher complete any pending upload or download. Do not close the client during an active sync. Platform support pages describe syncing and conflict behavior, but they do not promise recovery if a transfer is interrupted.
- Close the game and launcher. Make sure neither is still running before copying. Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Siege troubleshooting instructions use this precaution before telling players to copy save data. Its example is specific to that game and should not be treated as a general Ubisoft save path.
- Copy the full relevant folder. Use copy and paste rather than moving the folder. Save it somewhere separate from the game installation and original save location. If the developer identifies multiple files or folders as part of the save, include them all.
- Name the copy so its origin is clear. For example, include the game title, source launcher or account, and backup date in the folder name. This is a practical way to distinguish copies later; it does not change the save files.
- Keep an untouched master copy. Do not point the game at this copy or let a launcher sync into it. If you later need to test a restoration, make another working copy so the master remains unchanged.
- Confirm that the copy exists. Open the destination folder and check that it contains the expected files and subfolders. If the copy operation reported an error or the folder is unexpectedly empty, resolve that before switching.
Copying the whole identified save folder is safer than guessing which individual file matters. It also preserves related files that may be needed alongside the main save. Do not rename or edit files unless the game developer’s instructions specifically require it.
Why launcher backups and cloud saves are not enough by themselves
Steam’s Backup Feature concerns game files; it is not a dependable way to preserve save data. Valve notes that save locations vary by developer and that some Valve-created game backups do not include saved games. Back up the save folder separately even if you have also backed up or reinstalled the game.
Steam Cloud support is game-specific. Steam says developers can customize which user files are uploaded, and many games do not use Steam Cloud for save games. The Steam Store page may indicate cloud support, but the developer controls how the feature is used. A cloud copy can be useful, but it should not be treated as the only independent backup or as evidence that another launcher’s edition can read the same data.
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Epic’s and Ubisoft Connect’s cloud-save availability also depends on the game. Ubisoft says cloud synchronization is available for supported games and enabled by default for those titles; the setting can be switched off in Ubisoft Connect PC. Check the specific title and its launcher settings instead of assuming that every game has cloud saves or that a setting applies across storefronts.
Cloud synchronization is not the same thing as cross-launcher save transfer. A save may be stored locally or in a platform-specific cloud system, and the destination edition may use a different format, account, or save location. The available platform guidance does not establish compatibility for every game or launcher pairing. Unless the developer documents a transfer method for your exact game, regard compatibility as unconfirmed until the destination game actually loads the expected progress.
Switch to the destination version cautiously
- Keep the source installation and backup intact. Do not uninstall the working version or remove its save files before you know the destination version has your progress. This leaves you with a recovery point if the new version starts from the beginning or creates different local data.
- Install or launch the destination version. If it prompts you to choose a cloud or local save, pause and compare the choices before confirming. Avoid treating the newest-looking option as automatically correct if you know you played later on another device or account.
- Check progress in the game. Load the relevant profile or save slot and look for a concrete marker of your latest progress, such as the expected chapter, level, or in-game location. A successful launch alone does not verify that the correct save loaded.
- Make a new save only after confirming the intended progress. If the game loads the expected state, save normally and confirm that the save operation completes. Keep the original backup until you have established that the destination copy remains usable.
- If the game starts with no progress, stop before overwriting anything. Exit without saving if the game permits, do not delete the source copy, and check whether the destination version uses a different save folder or account. Consult the game developer’s instructions before trying a file replacement.
This sequence reduces the risk of overwriting the only good copy, but it cannot guarantee a successful cross-store transfer. The game developer is the authority on whether a particular save can move between editions and how to do so safely.
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Resolve a local-versus-cloud save conflict
A conflict prompt means the launcher has found different local and cloud versions. Steam explains that this can happen when files have been modified in two places without synchronization. Epic says conflicts can occur after a game has been played offline on more than one device. Neither message, by itself, tells you which copy contains the progress you want.
- Do not click through automatically. Read which version the prompt describes and note any displayed timestamps or device details.
- Compare the times with your play history. Match the file time against when you last played on each device. Timestamps help, but choose based on whether the copy plausibly contains your intended progress, not on recency alone.
- Consider which account or platform produced each copy. A newer timestamp may belong to a different profile or an earlier play session on another device. Confirm that the version belongs to the account and launcher edition you mean to use.
- Protect both versions if the prompt allows it. If you are unsure, cancel or defer the choice when the interface permits, then make another copy before proceeding. Do not assume that a conflict choice can be undone.
- Choose the version that matches the intended progress. Epic advises selecting the newer file to keep the latest saves; compare the timestamp with your activity before following that advice. Steam likewise recommends considering timestamps alongside your activity.
- Verify after resolving the prompt. Load the game and check its progress before making further changes. If the wrong version appears, stop and use your separate copy and the game developer’s restoration instructions rather than repeatedly switching cloud choices.
Steam cautions that support is unlikely to recover lost data, which is why a separate copy matters before a conflict occurs. A timestamp can help identify a likely candidate, but it cannot substitute for knowing when and where you last played.
If you need to restore a save
Restoration is specific to the game’s save format and location, so use the developer’s instructions whenever they are available. The following cautious approach avoids overwriting the only copy while you investigate:
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- Close the game and launcher. Do not copy files while the game is actively saving or the launcher is syncing.
- Make a second copy of the current destination files. Put it aside before replacing anything. This preserves the state you are about to change, even if it is not the save you ultimately want.
- Work from a duplicate of the untouched backup. Keep the master backup unchanged, and use the duplicate for any restoration attempt.
- Follow the game-specific instructions for the destination path. Do not guess which files to replace or assume that a source-launcher path is also the destination path.
- Launch and verify in the game. Check that the intended progress loads before allowing additional sync or deleting either copy.
If the save is not recognized, stop rather than trying random file renames or repeatedly overwriting the folder. The cause could be an incorrect path, a different account, a format mismatch, or another game-specific requirement; the launcher guidance alone does not identify which applies. Ask the developer with the game version, source and destination launchers, and the save-path information you have confirmed.
What differs between Steam, Epic, and Ubisoft Connect
The platform guidance below describes useful locations and behaviors, not a promise that any title’s save transfers between launchers. Always verify the specific game’s instructions.
Quick Recap
| Platform | What its support guidance establishes | What to check before switching |
|---|---|---|
| Steam | Cloud behavior and uploaded user files are customized by developers. The Windows Steam Cloud files location is C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata; it is not a universal local save directory. Steam Backup Feature game files do not reliably include saves. |
Check the game’s Store page and developer documentation, identify the actual local save path, and compare local and cloud timestamps if a conflict appears. |
| Epic Games Launcher | Epic provides a common local-save location under %localappdata%EpicGamesLauncherSavedSaves[EpicGamesAccountID][Yourgamefolder], and names Documents, AppDataLocalLow, Saved Games, and %APPDATA% as other possible locations. Some games save elsewhere. |
Use the game’s instructions to identify its folder. If a conflict appears, compare file times and play history; Epic advises keeping the newer file for the latest saves. |
| Ubisoft Connect | Cloud synchronization is available for supported games and is enabled by default for those titles; the setting can be turned off in Ubisoft Connect PC. Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Siege recovery guidance tells players to close the game and client and copy the save folder before continuing. | Check whether the specific game supports cloud synchronization. Treat the Rainbow Six Siege folder examples as game-specific, not as a general Ubisoft save location. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Copying the installation instead of the save. Game installation files and personal save data may be in different locations. Preserve the save folder separately.
- Assuming a launcher path is universal. Steam’s
userdatafolder and Epic’s common save location are not guaranteed to contain every game’s local saves. - Assuming a cloud icon means a complete backup. Cloud support varies by title, and developers determine which files are uploaded.
- Letting the first conflict choice decide for you. Compare timestamps with the actual play sessions and protect both versions if you are uncertain.
- Deleting the old version too early. Wait until the destination game loads the right progress and can save it successfully.
- Changing files while a sync is active. Let transfers finish before closing the source launcher, then close the client before copying the save folder.
- Using a path from a different game or edition. Even examples from the same publisher or franchise may be title-specific.
- Expecting support to restore a lost save. Steam says recovery of lost data is unlikely; preserve your own separate copy before making changes.
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