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To back up a Steam game manually, copy its entire folder from <Steam Library>steamappscommon to a separate drive, then copy its matching appmanifest_<AppID>.acf file from that library’s steamapps folder. The game folder preserves installed content; the manifest helps Steam recognize it when restored. Back up saves, mods, and settings separately: they may live outside the game folder, and Steam Cloud covers only files configured by each game.
What a game-folder backup includes—and what it doesn’t
A manual copy is useful before reinstalling Windows, replacing a drive, moving to another PC, or preserving a modded installation. It can save time and bandwidth, but it is not automatically a complete backup of everything associated with a game.
| Data | Typical location | Included in the game-folder copy? |
|---|---|---|
| Installed game files | <Steam Library>steamappscommon<Game Folder> |
Yes |
| Steam installation manifest | <Steam Library>steamappsappmanifest_<AppID>.acf |
No; copy it separately |
| Saves and settings | Varies: Steam userdata, Documents, AppData, Saved Games, the game folder, or another location |
Sometimes |
| Mods and mod-manager data | Game folder, Workshop content, manager-specific folders, or user-data locations | Only if they are in a copied folder |
| Achievements and account data | Usually account- or server-side | No; these are generally not restored by copying files |
Steam Cloud can synchronize saves, settings, profile statistics, and other user-specific files when a game supports and configures it. Coverage is game-dependent; it is not a guarantee that every save, mod, or configuration is included. See Steam Support’s explanation of Steam Cloud and the Steamworks Cloud documentation.
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- Exit the game normally and wait for any Steam Cloud synchronization to finish. If Steam reports a pending sync or conflict, resolve it or make a note of the situation before proceeding. Offline play can delay synchronization and create conflicts when Steam reconnects; see Steam’s Cloud synchronization guidance.
- Exit Steam completely, including from the notification area, so files are not changing during the copy.
- Choose a destination with enough free space. A folder copy uses roughly the installed game’s full size; it does not compress the files.
- Prefer a separate physical drive over another folder on the same drive. A second copy on the original drive does not protect against that drive failing.
- Use a drive formatted for the system and files you intend to store. FAT32, for example, cannot store an individual file larger than 4 GB, which can make it unsuitable for some large game files.
Find the installed game folder
- In Steam, open Library, right-click the game, and choose Properties.
- Open the installed-files or local-files section and select Browse local files or the equivalent control. The exact section and label can vary by client version and operating system.
- Use the file manager to go up to the library’s
steamappscommonfolder. The game is typically stored in a folder beneath it.
The general path is <Steam Library>steamappscommon<Game Folder>. Do not assume Steam is installed on C:. Libraries may be on another internal or external drive, such as D:SteamLibrary. Use the folder Steam opens or check the library you actually use.
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Copy the game files and manifest
- In the
commonfolder, copy the entire game folder—not just the executable or selected subfolders. - Paste it to your backup drive. Keep the original folder name and internal directory structure intact.
- In the same library, open
steamapps. Find and copy the game’s matchingappmanifest_<AppID>.acffile. - Keep the manifest alongside the backup, clearly labelled. If backing up several games, keep each game’s folder and manifest together and identify them unambiguously.
- Wait for the copy to finish, then compare the source and destination sizes or file counts. For important backups, use a file-comparison or checksum utility, or at least open several files on the destination to confirm they can be read.
Each Steam game has an AppID. It is usually visible in the game’s Steam store-page address. For example, a URL like https://store.steampowered.com/app/8870/ corresponds to appmanifest_8870.acf. The manifest is in steamapps, not inside the game’s folder in common. Valve’s manual game-file backup and restoration guidance describes copying the game folder and its matching manifest.
A useful backup layout is:
Steam Backups
└── Game Name
├── Game Files
│ └── <original game folder>
├── steamapps
│ └── appmanifest_<AppID>.acf
└── README.txtIn the README, record the game name and AppID, original library path, backup date, game version or build if known, Cloud status, save-file locations, and mod manager or mod-list details. Note whether you have tested a restoration.
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Back up saves, settings, and mods separately
Save locations vary by game, so there is no single directory that contains every Steam save. Start by checking these common Windows locations:
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%USERPROFILE%Documents
%USERPROFILE%Saved Games
%APPDATA%
%LOCALAPPDATA%
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowSteam’s local Cloud data is commonly stored under Steamuserdata. Within it, account folders may contain game folders named by AppID, for example <Steam installation>userdata<SteamID><AppID>. That folder is a useful place to check, not a universal location for all saves. Steamworks lists several possible Auto-Cloud roots, including Documents, AppData, LocalLow, Roaming, Saved Games, and the game’s installation directory.
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- 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
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For a specific game, check its documentation or developer support page for the save path. Back up the relevant save, configuration, and screenshot directories you care about. If you use mods, copy any mod files in the game folder and separately preserve mod-manager profiles, load orders, downloads, or settings that the manager keeps elsewhere. Copying the installation does not necessarily preserve those external files.
Common local Steam Cloud paths include:
- Windows:
C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata, unless Steam is installed elsewhere. - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Steam/userdata. In Finder, use Go → Go to Folder and enter the path if the Library folder is hidden. - Linux:
~/.local/share/Steam/userdatais common, but the Steam root can differ, particularly with Flatpak installations.
On Linux and Steam Deck, a Windows game running through Proton may keep saves inside that game’s Proton prefix rather than in a typical Windows user-profile folder. Prefix locations and contents vary; consider backing up the relevant prefix only if you have identified it and understand that it may be large.
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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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Restore the game without redownloading everything
- Install Steam on the new or repaired system and sign in to the account that owns the game.
- Create or select the Steam library where you want the game.
- Exit Steam completely.
- Copy the backed-up game folder into that library’s
steamappscommondirectory. Avoid nesting the game folder one level too deep. - Copy the matching
appmanifest_<AppID>.acffile into that same library’ssteamappsdirectory. - Start Steam. If it recognizes the game as installed, use the game’s installed-files properties to verify the files if needed, then launch the game.
The manifest can help Steam recognize the installation, but it does not guarantee that no files will be downloaded. Steam may validate the files, update an older build, fetch missing or corrupted content, install prerequisites, or retrieve content such as DLC. A copy intended for one operating system may also not supply the files needed for a different platform.
If you didn’t save the manifest
Copy the game folder into the intended library’s steamappscommon directory, then start installing the same game from Steam into that library. Steam may discover and verify the existing files instead of downloading the whole game. It may still need to download missing or newer content. Valve describes this existing-file discovery process in its manual backup guidance.
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If Steam starts downloading the whole game
- Confirm Steam is using the library where you placed the backup.
- Check that the game folder is directly under
steamappscommonand is not nested an extra level deep. - Check that the manifest is in that library’s
steamappsfolder and its AppID matches the game. - Confirm the signed-in account owns the game and that the backup copy completed successfully.
- Consider whether the backup is old, missing files, from a different operating-system build, or missing installed DLC. Verification or a partial download may be expected.
If needed, pause or stop the download, exit Steam, correct the folder placement, and try again. Avoid editing the .acf file by hand unless you have a specific, well-understood reason; an incorrect manifest can make Steam misidentify the installation.
Restore saves without overwriting the wrong version
Treat save restoration separately from game-file restoration. Steam Cloud may upload or download files as you reconnect, and a conflict can ask you to choose between local and Cloud copies. Back up the saves currently present before replacing anything.
- Back up the current save files, even if you expect to replace them.
- If a Cloud conflict or overwrite is likely, temporarily disable Steam Cloud for that game in its Steam properties, or keep Steam offline while placing the save.
- Copy the desired save into the game’s actual save location, then launch the game offline or with Cloud disabled and confirm the intended progress loads.
- Exit the game normally. Re-enable Cloud and handle any conflict deliberately, choosing the copy you intend to keep rather than relying only on a timestamp.
Cloud controls and prompts can vary by client version and game. Remedy’s save backup instructions for Control also warn about temporarily disabling Cloud during manual save restoration. The exact save path and steps remain game-specific.
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Is Steam’s backup tool or a network transfer better?
A direct folder copy is transparent, easy to inspect, and often the most practical choice for preserving a particular installation, especially one with modified files. It takes the full installed size and still requires separate attention to the manifest and user data. Steam’s historical Backup and Restore workflow is guided, but its current availability and labels may vary; do not rely on a particular menu being present.
Steam’s local network game transfer can move installation and update files between PCs on the same network. It is convenient when another Steam installation already has the game, but it is a transfer feature—not an independent archival backup. Valve announced it in a Steam client update.
Quick Recap
Make the backup useful later
- Keep two copies of important saves or hard-to-recreate mod setups, with one disconnected or otherwise protected from accidental deletion, drive failure, or ransomware.
- Keep the backup drive safely ejected after copying and check that files remain readable.
- Record the AppID, date, original library, game build if known, and mod setup.
- Test a restoration when practical. A successful copy operation alone does not prove that the backup can be used.
- Back up small, irreplaceable saves and configuration data more often than large game installations that can usually be downloaded again.
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