Game save backup & sync guides
Practical, step-by-step guides to back up, sync and restore your game saves on every PC: Steam, emulators (RetroArch, Dolphin, PCSX2) and more. Hoard reads the same community save-location data as Ludusavi, then adds automatic cloud sync and versioned history on top.
Save locations for popular games
Where hundreds of PC games keep their saves on Windows and Steam Deck, and whether they have cloud saves.
How to self-host Hoard with Docker
Run your own Hoard server with Docker Compose and sync saves between all your devices through it: free, open source, no account with us and no quota.
How to back up your game saves automatically
Back up PC game saves automatically each time the game writes one, and sync them to your other PCs and Steam Deck with full version history.
How to sync game saves across multiple PCs
Play on your desktop, laptop and Steam Deck without losing progress: sync game saves between PCs automatically, with version history. Step by step.
How to restore an old game save
Corrupted save, bad mod or a choice you regret? Roll a game save back to an earlier version, step by step, without losing what's on your PC now.
Game save sync compared: Hoard vs Ludusavi, Syncthing, OpenSave and the rest
Hoard, Ludusavi, Syncthing, OpenSave, GameSave Manager, SaveState, EmuSync and more compared: what each one does best, and a side-by-side table.
Ludusavi alternative: automatic cloud sync for your game saves
Ludusavi is great for local backups. Hoard adds automatic sync between PCs and Steam Deck with version history, built on the same save database.
How to back up and sync emulator saves (RetroArch, Dolphin, PCSX2)
Back up and sync emulator saves between PCs and Steam Deck: RetroArch, Dolphin, PCSX2, DuckStation and more, with version history and where each one saves.
Steam Cloud alternative: sync and back up the saves Steam doesn't
Steam Cloud skips many games and keeps no history. Sync and back up every game from any launcher between PCs and Steam Deck, with versions to roll back.
OpenSave alternative: peer-to-peer or a server you own
OpenSave syncs saves peer-to-peer; Hoard syncs through a server, ours or yours, and keeps every version. An honest look at when each design wins.
Syncthing for game saves: what works and what breaks
Syncthing is a great file syncer, but game saves break three of its assumptions. What goes wrong, the workarounds, and when a save-aware tool fits better.
How to sync saves between Steam Deck and PC
Keep Steam Deck and PC saves in sync automatically, including non-Steam games, emulators and games without Steam Cloud. Setup, paths and traps.
Where are PC game saves stored? Every common location
Where PC games keep their save files on Windows, Steam Deck, Linux and Mac, which launchers add their own folders, and how to find any game's saves fast.
Corrupted game save? How to recover it
A save that won't load isn't always gone. Where to find a working copy (game backups, Steam Cloud, Windows, OneDrive) and how never to be stuck again.
How to transfer game saves to a new PC
Moving to a new PC or reinstalling Windows? Bring every game save with you: what Steam Cloud covers, the manual way, the automatic way and the traps.
RetroArch save sync: cloud saves across PC and Steam Deck
Sync RetroArch saves and states between PC, Steam Deck and laptop: where .srm files live, built-in Cloud Sync vs automatic sync, and the traps.
OneDrive and game saves: what breaks and how to fix it
OneDrive moved your Documents and now saves fail, vanish or show up twice. Why it happens, how to fix it, and a better way to sync game saves.
PCSX2 cloud saves: sync PS2 memory cards between PC and Steam Deck
PCSX2 has no cloud saves. Sync your PS2 memory cards automatically between PCs and Steam Deck, with version history: paths, folder cards and traps.
Dolphin cloud saves: sync GameCube and Wii saves between PC and Steam Deck
Dolphin has no cloud saves. Sync GameCube and Wii saves automatically between PCs and Steam Deck, with version history: paths, card types and traps.
Sync game saves between Windows and Linux on a dual-boot PC
Same PC, two systems, two save folders. Keep game saves in sync between Windows and Linux automatically, why a shared NTFS folder breaks, and the traps.
Sync saves between ROG Ally, Legion Go, MSI Claw and your PC
Windows handhelds like the ROG Ally, Legion Go and MSI Claw are just PCs. Sync their game saves with your desktop automatically, with version history.
Epic and GOG cloud saves: what they cover and how to sync the rest
Epic and GOG cloud saves work only for some games, only in their launchers, and keep no history. What they cover, and how to sync the rest automatically.
Cyberpunk 2077 save location (PC & Steam Deck)
Where Cyberpunk 2077 keeps its saves on Windows, Steam Deck and Mac, what each folder holds, and how to back them up and sync them between PCs.
Crimson Desert save location (PC & Steam Deck)
Where Crimson Desert keeps its saves on Windows, Steam Deck and Mac, which folder actually holds them, and how to back them up and sync them between PCs.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 save location (PC & Steam Deck)
Where Marvel's Spider-Man 2 keeps its PC saves, what the long-number folder is, the OneDrive trap, the Steam Deck path, and how to back up and sync saves.
Baldur's Gate 3 save location (PC & Steam Deck)
Where Baldur's Gate 3 keeps its saves on Windows, Steam Deck and Mac, what's a save and what's mods or settings, Honour Mode, and how to back up and sync.
Palworld save location (PC & Steam Deck)
Where Palworld keeps its worlds on PC and Steam Deck, what each file is, how co-op worlds work, and how to back up your saves and sync them between PCs.
GTA 6 save location: PS5, Xbox and PC (what we know)
GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox on November 19, 2026, with no PC version yet. Where console saves live, how to back them up, and what to expect on PC.
Elden Ring save location (PC & Steam Deck)
Where Elden Ring keeps ER0000.sl2 on PC and Steam Deck, what's in it, Seamless Co-op and Nightreign saves, and how to back up every character.
GameSave Manager alternative: automatic backup and sync, Linux included
Looking for a GameSave Manager alternative? Hoard backs up every save on its own, syncs it between PCs and a Steam Deck, and runs on Linux and macOS.
OpenCloudSaves alternative: it's archived, so here's what to use instead
OpenCloudSaves was archived in January 2025. Hoard is a maintained, open-source replacement that syncs saves automatically and keeps every version.
SaveSync alternative: free, open-source save sync for every game
Want a free SaveSync alternative? Hoard syncs and backs up saves for every game, not only co-op ones, on Windows, Linux, macOS and Steam Deck.
Where does Steam store game saves? Every location on PC and Steam Deck
Steam has a userdata folder for saves, but most games save in AppData, Documents or their own folder. Where to look on Windows, Steam Deck and Mac.