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How to Transfer Demo Progress to the Full Game on Steam

Whether a Steam demo save transfers depends on the game. Follow its official import or load instructions, and keep a backup until your progress appears in the full game.
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You can transfer Steam demo progress only when the individual game supports it. Steam has no universal player-side switch for moving a demo save into the full game: the developer must configure or provide a compatible save method. Check the game’s official instructions first, then use its import or load flow and keep the demo save until you confirm the right progress appears.

Why demo saves do not always carry over

Steam treats a demo and its full game as separate apps. A developer can configure them to share Steam Cloud storage, but that is a game-specific setup—not a setting you can turn on to make any demo and full game compatible. Some titles can load the demo save directly; others provide an import prompt, and some do not support transferring progress.

Steamworks describes shared Cloud storage between app IDs as a way to let players resume demo progress after buying the full game: Steamworks: Demos.

How to check and transfer your save

  1. Find the game’s official instructions. Search its Steam store page, community announcements, developer website, or support page for terms such as “demo save,” “import,” or “continue progress.” Steam Support advises checking the game’s Steam Community forum or developer website for save-file location information, or contacting the developer: Steam Support: Game save locations.
  2. Install and launch the full game, then follow its stated flow. If the developer says transfer is supported, use the in-game import prompt or load the demo save as instructed. A separate copy step may not be needed. For example, Dinkum’s official FAQ says players can continue by loading the demo save in the full game: Dinkum FAQ.
  3. Use Steam Cloud only as the game directs. If the instructions require Cloud saves, make sure Steam Cloud is enabled for the relevant apps and allow the game to sync. Steamworks says Auto-Cloud syncs configured file groups when an app launches and exits; cross-platform syncing depends on the developer’s save-root and platform settings. These details explain why a save may not appear on another device, but they do not create a universal transfer procedure: Steamworks: Steam Cloud.
  4. Keep the demo save until you verify the result. Launch the full game and check that it has loaded the intended progress before uninstalling the demo or removing save files. Dinkum’s official announcement warns that a locally stored save may be deleted when the game is uninstalled if Steam Cloud is disabled: Dinkum announcement.

When manual copying might help

Manual copying is a fallback only when the game’s developer confirms the method. Save locations, file names, formats, platform folders, and compatibility differ by game. Find the developer’s exact instructions, back up the original save, and do not guess a folder or overwrite an existing full-game save.

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Check restrictions before importing

Transfer rules can limit what carries over or whether importing is possible at all. In one Square Enix title, the company says a transfer is available only when no full-game save already exists, and progress beyond the demo’s caps does not carry over. Its Steam Deck procedure requires Cloud Save Data to be enabled for both the demo and full game. Those rules apply to that title—not to every Steam or Steam Deck game: Square Enix support.

Before following a title’s instructions, check whether it requires Steam Cloud for both apps, supports your device or operating system, blocks import when a full-game save exists, or excludes progress such as content beyond demo limits. If an instruction does not explain what happens to an existing save, ask the developer before importing.

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