Steam Cloud Conflict: Which Save Should You Choose?

Local or cloud: compare the last session

A Steam Cloud conflict means Steam found different versions of the game's files locally and in the cloud. It cannot automatically decide which version you want to keep. “Local” means the computer displaying the dialog; it does not mean the most recently played computer.

Before selecting anything, recall where you last made the progress you want and when that session ended. Then compare that session with the modification dates displayed by Steam.

Your situation	Copy to investigate first	Why
You played offline on this computer and made the progress you want	Local files	Those changes may never have reached the cloud
You finished on another computer and confirmed sync there	Cloud files	This computer may hold an older copy
Both computers were played without a completed sync	Neither is automatically preferred	Identify the desired session and preserve available copies
Dates do not match your memory, or the newer file came from an empty session	Pause the choice	A newer file can represent progress you do not want

Steam Support says the most recently modified copy will usually contain the last session's progress. It also explicitly tells you to compare the dates with your actual play. Do not use “always choose cloud” or “always choose newest” as a recovery rule.

Preserve available progress before deciding

If you cannot identify the desired version, close or cancel the launch rather than start another session while investigating. Keep the game closed on other devices too.

1. Find the game's documented save location through its developer or support material.
2. With the game closed, make a separate copy of relevant local saves on each accessible device. Keep the copies distinct so you know where they came from.
3. Record the conflict dialog's file times and the last device used.
4. Decide which copy corresponds to the intended progress before allowing it to replace the other version.

Do not delete Steam's userdata folder or cloud metadata as a first response. Different games synchronize different files, and a generic folder cleanup cannot establish which save is correct.

For Moon Sweepers on Windows, the specialist save and backup guide distinguishes active saves from backups. Use that game's actual directory; it is not a universal Steam save path.

Understand the direction of the choice

Read the labels in your Steam dialog, since wording can change between clients.

• A choice to use local files or upload to the cloud keeps this computer's version and makes it the version to synchronize.
• A choice to use cloud files or download to this computer brings the cloud version onto this computer.

The choice does not merge two campaigns, combine inventories or preserve every earlier version. It selects a version of the conflicting files. If different sessions contain different achievements or progress, Steam's conflict dialog cannot combine those saves for you.

For example, you reached chapter 6 offline on a laptop, while the cloud still contains chapter 4 from a desktop. If chapter 6 is the progress you want and the laptop's save is intact, its local copy is the relevant candidate. On the desktop, “local” refers to that desktop's chapter 4 copy, so the same button label would mean something different.

After choosing a version

Let Steam complete synchronization. Once the client no longer reports the unresolved conflict, open the game on that device and check the intended save slot, character or checkpoint.

Exit the game normally and wait for sync again before moving to another computer. Keep your separate backup until you have confirmed the intended progress. If the game shows a new or older campaign unexpectedly, stop the session and investigate instead of continuing to overwrite it.

If Steam reports “Unable to sync” rather than offering two copies, use the sync-error guide. That message indicates a transfer failure and needs a connection or synchronization check before a save-selection decision.

Can Steam recover the version I replaced?

Recovery is not guaranteed. Steam Support says it cannot recover lost saves or resolve a conflict for you. An intact file on the old computer or a game-created backup may help, but its availability depends on the game and your own copies.

An installation integrity check checks installed game files. It does not select the correct campaign or undo a cloud overwrite. For supported-file scope and device handoffs, see how Steam Cloud saves work.