Yes, you can store Steam save files in OneDrive, but you generally should not place your entire Steam library there. Keep installed games in a normal local Steam library, use Steam Cloud when a game supports it, and use OneDrive mainly for save backups—especially for games without reliable Steam Cloud support.
OneDrive synchronizes files between your PC, its cloud storage, and other devices. Steam Cloud is a game-integrated system that synchronizes supported files through Steam. Using both on the same live save folder can create conflicts, stale saves, or accidental overwrites, so choose a clear synchronization strategy for each game.
Steam game files are not the same as save files
A Steam installation contains large executable and asset files, library metadata, updates, mods, and other data. Save files are usually much smaller and may contain progress, profiles, settings, or configuration data.
OneDrive can technically synchronize a Steam library folder, but it is a poor default location for installed games. Steam expects files to be immediately available locally, while OneDrive’s Files On-Demand feature can leave files online-only. Large libraries also generate substantial synchronization traffic when Steam updates, verifies, or modifies files. A library with thousands of files or a large mod collection adds further conflict and performance risks.
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Use another local drive if your goal is to free space on your system drive. Use OneDrive for selected save folders instead.
OneDrive or Steam Cloud?
| Need | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Cross-PC progress for a supported Steam game | Steam Cloud |
| A backup for a game without Steam Cloud | OneDrive or a dated local backup |
| Protection from corruption or accidental deletion | Independent, versioned backups |
| Free space for installed games | A separate local drive |
| Automatic synchronization for an unsupported game | OneDrive with careful testing, possibly using a junction |
Steam Cloud is configured per game. Developers decide which files are included through Steam Cloud or Auto-Cloud, and a game may synchronize only selected saves. It may omit screenshots, mods, settings, or other files you consider important. Steam’s documentation lists common save roots including Documents, AppDataLocal, AppDataLocalLow, AppDataRoaming, Saved Games, the game installation directory, and Steam’s userdata area. See the Steam Cloud documentation for the game’s configuration model.
For a supported and reliable game, Steam Cloud is usually the simplest way to move progress between Steam PCs. OneDrive is most useful as a second backup or when Steam Cloud is unavailable or incomplete.
Find the game’s actual save folder
There is no universal Steam save location. Common Windows paths include:
%USERPROFILE%Documents
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocal
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLow
%USERPROFILE%AppDataRoaming
%USERPROFILE%Saved Games
[Steam Install]SteamAppscommon[Game Folder]Check the game’s official support documentation first, then the publisher’s support site. Community discussions can help, but treat them as secondary sources. You can also close the game and search for files modified at that time. When the format is unclear, copy the entire game-specific folder rather than guessing which individual file is the save.
Also inspect the real path in File Explorer. If Windows’ Documents folder is backed up or redirected to OneDrive, a path that appears to be Documents may actually be inside your OneDrive folder.
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The safest method: copy saves to OneDrive
Before you start
- Sign in to OneDrive and confirm that you have enough storage.
- Close the game. For the safest first backup, close Steam too.
- Identify the actual save folder.
- Keep the original folder until the backup has been verified.
1. Create a dedicated backup folder
For example:
C:Users<username>OneDriveGame SavesGame NameDo not initially move the original save folder. Copy it.
2. Copy the complete save folder
For example, copy:
C:Users<username>DocumentsMy GamesGame Nameto:
C:Users<username>OneDriveGame SavesGame NameCopying instead of cutting leaves a recovery version if the destination is incomplete or incorrect. The game should continue using its original local path. This makes OneDrive a backup rather than a second live save system.
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Seeing a folder in File Explorer does not prove that all its contents have reached OneDrive. Wait for synchronization to finish and check the availability icons. OneDrive synchronizes additions, changes, and deletions, so deleting a synchronized save can also delete it from other devices.
For recovery, keep dated copies outside the live OneDrive folder. OneDrive’s recycle bin may help recover deleted files, but it is not a complete backup strategy. Microsoft lists retention periods of up to 30 days for personal accounts and up to 93 days for work or school accounts, subject to account and service conditions.
4. Keep the backup locally available
Right-click the game’s OneDrive backup folder in File Explorer and select Always keep on this device. This prevents a game or backup process from encountering an online-only placeholder while offline.
To review the setting, select the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area, choose Help and Settings, open Settings, select Sync and back up, expand Advanced settings, and review Files On-Demand. Microsoft’s Files On-Demand guide explains the availability indicators and local-storage behavior.
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Automate a backup with Robocopy
For a repeatable one-way backup, Windows’ Robocopy utility can copy the save folder into OneDrive:
robocopy "C:Users<username>DocumentsMy GamesGame Name" "C:Users<username>OneDriveGame SavesGame Name" /E /COPY:DAT /DCOPY:T/Ecopies subdirectories, including empty ones./COPY:DATcopies data, attributes, and timestamps./DCOPY:Tpreserves directory timestamps.
Run it only after closing the game. This is not a historical backup system: it does not automatically create dated snapshots or protect you from copying a corrupted or unwanted save over a good one. For important progress, periodically copy the destination to a dated folder outside the live synchronization path.
Advanced option: use a directory junction
A directory junction can make a game continue using its original path while Windows redirects that path to a folder inside OneDrive. This can provide automatic synchronization for a game without usable Steam Cloud, but it is an advanced technique and should not be your first choice.
A template command is:
mklink /J "C:pathusedbythegame" "C:pathinsideOneDrive"For example:
mklink /J "C:Users<username>DocumentsMy GamesGame Name" "C:Users<username>OneDriveGame SavesGame Name"Safe junction procedure
- Close the game and Steam.
- Make two independent backups of the original save folder.
- Rename the original folder, for example to
Game Name-original-backup; do not delete it. - Create the destination folder inside OneDrive.
- Copy the original save contents into that destination.
- Confirm the destination is fully synchronized and marked Always keep on this device.
- Open Command Prompt and run the junction command with the correct paths.
- Confirm that the original path is now a junction.
- Launch the game, load a save, make a harmless test change, save, and exit.
- Check that the changed timestamp appears in the OneDrive destination.
The expected result resembles:
Junction created for C:pathusedbythegame <<===>> C:pathinsideOneDriveDo not create a junction while the game is running or point it at an online-only folder. Some games, launchers, anti-cheat systems, mod managers, and backup programs may not behave well with redirected paths. Machine-specific files may also be unsuitable for sharing. Do not use a junction for an entire Steam library unless you understand the storage, update, and synchronization consequences.
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Remove a junction safely
First confirm that the original path is actually a junction. Then use:
rmdir "C:pathusedbythegame"Removing the junction with rmdir removes the link, not the target folder. Never use this command blindly on a normal save directory, and do not delete the target until its contents are backed up.
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Choose one live synchronization owner
For each game, use one of these policies:
Steam Cloud only
Choose this when the game supports Steam Cloud reliably and you only need progress across Steam devices.
Steam Cloud plus OneDrive backup
This is usually the best balance. Steam Cloud handles supported live synchronization, while OneDrive stores a separate backup copy that is not the game’s active working folder.
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Use this only for a game without usable Steam Cloud, after testing a junction or another redirection method. Keep the files locally available, edit them on only one device at a time, close the game before changing devices, and maintain independent backups.
OneDrive only
This can work for an unsupported game if you manually copy saves or use a carefully tested live folder. Wait for OneDrive to finish synchronizing before opening the game on another PC. OneDrive does not understand which save represents the player’s best progress; a newer timestamp does not necessarily mean a better save.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common problems and recovery
The game says saves are missing while offline
The files may be online-only. Close the game, right-click the save folder, select Always keep on this device, wait for the local-availability indicator, and relaunch the game.
Saves unexpectedly appear in OneDrive
Windows’ Documents folder may be backed up to OneDrive. You can leave the saves there, disable Documents backup, change the game’s save location if supported, or restore Documents to a local path. Back up the folder first: changing folder-backup settings can leave files in different locations depending on the option selected. See Microsoft’s OneDrive synchronization and folder-backup guidance.
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Steam Cloud shows a conflict
- Stop and do not choose local or cloud data at random.
- Copy the current local save folder to a separate recovery folder.
- Compare modification dates and, if possible, inspect which version contains the desired progress.
- Select the correct Steam Cloud option.
- Launch the game and verify the save.
- Keep the rejected version until the game has been tested.
A Steam Cloud conflict should be resolved by identifying the valid progress, not by automatically preferring the cloud or local copy.
OneDrive reports a sync conflict
Close the game on every device and pause OneDrive on all but one device. Preserve every conflict copy before deleting anything. Identify the newest valid save, restore it to the active path, let OneDrive finish synchronizing, and test the game before reconnecting another device.
Conflicts can occur when files are changed on another PC, uploaded concurrently, or edited offline. OneDrive also restricts certain characters, reserved names such as CON, PRN, AUX, and NUL, and some path patterns. Review Microsoft’s OneDrive restrictions and limitations if a folder will not synchronize.
A very large synchronized collection is also a poor fit: Microsoft recommends reducing the number of items when a OneDrive folder contains more than approximately 300,000 items. This is another reason not to put a full Steam library or large mod collection in OneDrive.
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Restore a save backup
- Close the game and Steam.
- Pause OneDrive or disconnect synchronization temporarily.
- Rename the damaged or unwanted active save folder instead of deleting it.
- Copy the desired backup into the original save path.
- Keep the replacement folder locally available.
- Launch the game and verify the progress.
- Resume synchronization only after the local save is confirmed.
If the save was deleted from OneDrive, check the OneDrive recycle bin promptly. For future protection, retain dated backups outside the live OneDrive folder.
Should you pay for more OneDrive storage?
Most save folders need very little space. Microsoft’s U.S. page lists 5 GB for a free OneDrive account. That is generally enough for ordinary save backups. A paid plan makes sense only if you also need broader cloud storage: the page lists Microsoft 365 Basic with 100 GB, Microsoft 365 Personal with 1 TB, and Microsoft 365 Family with up to 6 TB shared as 1 TB per person for up to six people. Prices and plan features vary by country and can change, so check Microsoft’s current OneDrive plans before purchasing.
Do not buy storage simply to solve a Steam save problem if Steam Cloud already handles the game or free OneDrive space is sufficient.
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