Moving to a new PC shouldn’t mean starting your games over. If you know where the saves are stored and follow the right steps, transferring them takes minutes. Here’s how to do it reliably.
The Easiest Method: Steam Cloud
If the game supports Steam Cloud:
- On your old PC, confirm cloud sync is up to date — right-click the game in Steam › Properties › General › check the Last Sync timestamp
- Install the game on your new PC
- Launch it once — Steam downloads the cloud save automatically
That’s it for cloud-synced games.
Watch out for conflicts: if you also have a local save on the new PC from a previous install, Steam will ask you to choose which version to keep on first launch. Always confirm which version is newer before dismissing that prompt.
Manual Transfer: The Four-Step Process
For games without cloud sync, or when you want a definitive local backup regardless:
Step 1 — Find the save folder on the old PC
Look up the exact path for your game on this site. Common locations:
%APPDATA%\[GameName]\%LOCALAPPDATA%\[GameName]\Saved\SaveGames\Documents\My Games\[GameName]\Documents\Saved Games\[GameName]\
Step 2 — Copy the entire folder
Don’t copy individual files unless the game page specifically says only one file is needed. Most games write multiple companion files (.bak backups, profile metadata, config files) that all need to be present for the save to load correctly. Copy the complete folder.
Step 3 — Transfer to the new PC
Use a USB drive, external hard drive, or a cloud storage service. On the new PC, place the save folder at the same path — same drive letter and folder structure. If the [GameName] folder doesn’t exist yet under %APPDATA%, create it.
Step 4 — Verify before deleting from the old machine
Open the game and confirm the save loads correctly. Check progress, chapter, level, or character — whichever matters most. Only wipe or sell the old PC once you’re satisfied.
Why Saves Sometimes Fail to Load After a Transfer
Cloud sync overwrites the manual restore. If you paste save files and then launch Steam while online, Steam may pull down the older cloud version and overwrite what you just copied. Fix: paste the files, launch the game once in offline mode to confirm the save loads, then re-enable cloud sync.
Wrong user profile folder name. Some games (GTA V, Fallout 4, and others) nest saves inside a folder named after your Windows username or Steam ID. If that value differs on the new PC, the game won’t find the save. Check the folder structure and rename the inner folder to match the new ID.
Missing companion files. A save copied without its sibling files shows as corrupted or missing entirely. Always move the full folder contents, not just the obvious .sav file.
Mismatched game version. A save file from a patched version won’t always load on an older build. Make sure both PCs are fully updated before transferring.
Platform Quick Reference
| Platform | Transfer Method |
|---|---|
| Steam (cloud games) | Automatic — no action needed |
| Steam (local saves) | Manual copy from AppData or Documents |
| Epic Games | Manual copy from %LOCALAPPDATA% |
| GOG Galaxy | Manual copy; check in-app cloud sync first |
| Xbox App / Game Pass | Most saves tied to Microsoft account cloud — sign in and reinstall |
| PlayStation (PS4 → PS5) | Use PS Plus cloud save or the console-to-console transfer feature |
Find the Exact Path for Your Game
Check this site for precise Windows folder paths, what files to copy, and whether cloud sync is active for any title.