DragonSword Awakening Save File Location and Backup Guide

The DragonSword Awakening save file location matters when you want a manual backup, need to restore progress after a bad change, or plan to move between Windows and Steam Deck. Search results often list several guessed Local, LocalLow, Roaming, and Steam userdata paths. Those generic locations are misleading for this game: the current full-game Steam Cloud configuration points to the DS/Saved tree inside the installed game.

This guide separates the July 2026 retail release from the earlier Demo and Playtest. It also treats a save as a group of related files rather than one file that can safely be copied while the game is running. The developer specifically recommends backups and warns that damage caused by modification tools is outside official support, so the safest workflow is always close, copy, verify, and preserve the original.

DragonSword Awakening save file location on Windows

The most reliable route does not assume that Steam is installed on C: or that the game uses your first library.

1. Open Steam Library.
2. Right-click DragonSword: Awakening and select Properties.
3. Open Installed Files and choose Browse.
4. In the folder Steam opens, enter DS, then Saved, then SaveGames.
5. Open the numeric folder that represents your Steam3 account ID.

The relative path is:

DragonSword Awakening\DS\Saved\SaveGames\<Steam3AccountID>\

For a default Steam installation, the full path is commonly:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\DragonSword Awakening\DS\Saved\SaveGames\<Steam3AccountID>\

An alternate library may instead begin with something like D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common. That is why Browse is better than pasting a fixed drive path. The title shown in Steam contains a colon, but the Windows installation folder is normally named DragonSword Awakening without one.

Which files belong to each save slot?

Steam's current full-game configuration synchronizes several patterns from the account folder. Keep them together when backing up or restoring:

• *_Slot*.db is the slot database family and contains the core progress associated with a numbered slot.
• *.bak files are backup companions. Do not assume one is safe merely because its extension says backup; preserve it before experimenting.
• *.sav files contain additional Unreal Engine save data used alongside the database.
• *.png files can belong to the slot presentation or preview data.
• *.bak-journal may appear while database work is in progress. Its presence is another reason not to copy the folder while the game is open.

The configuration file DS/Saved/Config/Windows/GameUserInputSettings.ini is also included in Steam Cloud, but it is not your story progress. Back it up when preserving controls or input settings; do not replace the whole Saved directory merely to recover a character slot.

Because the game uses multiple related formats, copying one attractive-looking .db file is less dependable than copying the complete numeric account folder. A full folder copy also gives you the best chance of keeping slot previews, supporting data, and the last known backup in agreement.

How to back up your save safely

A reliable DragonSword Awakening save file location backup takes less than a minute:

1. Return to a safe point in game and exit through the normal menu.
2. Wait for Steam to finish its Cloud status update. Do not start the copy while Steam says it is synchronizing.
3. Use Properties → Installed Files → Browse and open DS/Saved/SaveGames.
4. Copy the complete <Steam3AccountID> folder.
5. Paste it outside every Steam library, such as a personal backup drive or documents backup folder.
6. Rename the copied folder with the date and a useful note, for example DSA-save-2026-08-19-before-final-boss.
7. Leave the original folder unchanged.

Store at least two generations when the progress matters. One backup made immediately after a problem can preserve the problem; a small rotation gives you an older recovery point. A zip archive is convenient for storage, but restore the extracted files rather than asking the game to read directly from an archive.

Steam Cloud is synchronization, not a versioned backup service. It is excellent for carrying current progress to another device, but a damaged or unwanted current save can also become the copy that syncs. A dated manual copy protects against that different failure mode.

How to restore a DragonSword save backup

Restoration is where Steam Cloud can help or undo your work depending on timing. Use a controlled sequence instead of dropping files into an open game.

1. Close DragonSword completely.
2. Make a fresh safety copy of the current <Steam3AccountID> folder, even if the current progress seems broken.
3. In the game's Steam properties, temporarily turn off Steam Cloud.
4. Exit Steam if it is still holding or synchronizing the files.
5. Replace the current account folder contents with the complete contents of the known-good backup. Keep the original account-folder structure.
6. Start Steam and the game with Cloud still disabled.
7. Open Load Game and verify the slot, play time, and location before continuing.
8. Exit the game normally so the restored state closes cleanly.
9. Re-enable Steam Cloud.

If Steam displays a conflict, compare the device name and timestamps. Choose the restored local data only when you have confirmed that it is the intended copy; selecting the newer-looking entry blindly can put the unwanted Cloud version back. Keep both safety backups until the restored game has launched, loaded, saved, exited, and synchronized successfully.

Backups from another Steam account are not guaranteed to work by renaming the numeric folder. The folder and slot databases are account-associated, so this page does not recommend cross-account conversion, downloaded “100% saves,” or unsupported editing tools.

Steam Cloud, sync conflicts, and moving devices

The official Steam store lists Steam Cloud support, and SteamDB records the exact full-game file patterns under the installed SaveGames folder. Community testing also reports successful continuation from a Windows desktop on Steam Deck, which matches the intended Cloud workflow.

Before changing devices:

1. Exit the game normally on the first device.
2. Wait until Steam shows Cloud status as up to date.
3. Open Steam on the second device while online and allow its download to finish.
4. Check the slot timestamp in Load Game before playing.

Do not launch both copies and advance them independently while one device is offline. Steam may then have two legitimate but different versions with no automatic way to know which story progress you value. If that happens, stop and back up both local account folders before resolving the conflict.

Steam's userdata/<SteamID>/4570720 area may contain Cloud synchronization state, but it is not the primary path published for this game's active slot files. Begin with the installed DS/Saved/SaveGames folder and use Steam's own Browse command to avoid editing Cloud metadata by mistake.

Steam Deck save file location and transfer

The DragonSword Awakening save file location on Steam Deck uses the same relative DS/Saved/SaveGames/<Steam3AccountID> structure. The simplest method is device-independent:

1. Switch the Deck to Desktop Mode.
2. Open Steam and right-click the game.
3. Choose Properties → Installed Files → Browse.
4. Follow DS/Saved/SaveGames and open the numeric account folder.

For an internal-storage library, the install often sits below:

/home/deck/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/DragonSword Awakening/

MicroSD and custom library paths vary, so do not treat that line as universal. The Browse command lands in the active installation regardless of library location. If your goal is simply to continue a Windows save on Deck, allow Steam Cloud to sync instead of manually copying files. Use manual copies as backups or as controlled recovery tools.

What to do when the save folder is missing

An empty SaveGames folder usually means you are viewing the wrong product, library, or account context. Check these causes in order:

• The full game has not created a slot: launch it, create or load a slot, then exit normally.
• The wrong Steam library is open: use the game's Installed Files page rather than navigating from memory.
• You opened the Demo or Playtest: their installation names and save layouts differ from the retail DragonSword Awakening folder.
• You stopped at SaveGames: full-game files sit one level deeper in the numeric Steam3 account folder.
• Windows redirected writes: if Steam is under a protected Program Files location and the expected folder stays empty, search for *_Slot*.db below %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore. This is a fallback for Windows file virtualization, not the normal first path.
• Steam Cloud has not downloaded yet: verify that Steam is online, the correct account owns the slot, and synchronization has completed.

Avoid generic searches for folders named DragonSword : Awakening under LocalLow or Roaming. Those locations are repeated by template-based save sites, but they do not match the retail UFS configuration. Search for the distinctive _Slot database pattern if Steam's Browse workflow still produces no result.

Starting over, deleting saves, and Demo files

The retail game provides three separate slots through Load Game, so most players can start again without deleting anything. Use an empty slot and preserve the old run until the new game is confirmed.

If you intentionally want to erase every local slot, first create an external backup and temporarily disable Steam Cloud. Otherwise Steam can interpret the missing files as local loss and download its existing copies again. Delete only from the numeric account folder you have verified, not the wider DS/Saved directory, because that wider tree also contains configuration and other runtime data.

Do not paste Demo saves into the retail account folder. The Demo used its own DragonSword Awakening Demo installation and a different synchronized file layout. Treat Demo progress and full-game progress as separate products, and keep old Demo files only as an archive rather than using them to overwrite retail slots.

DragonSword Awakening save file location FAQ

Where is the DragonSword Awakening save file location on Windows?

Open the game's installation folder in Steam, then go to DS/Saved/SaveGames and open the folder named with your Steam3 account ID. A common default path is C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/DragonSword Awakening/DS/Saved/SaveGames/<Steam3AccountID>, but Steam's Browse button is more reliable when the library is on another drive.

Which folder should I copy for a complete backup?

Copy the entire SaveGames/<Steam3AccountID> folder after closing the game. Keep every .db, .bak, .sav, .png, and related file together instead of copying only the Slot database. Store the copy outside the Steam library and include the backup date in its folder name.

Does DragonSword Awakening support Steam Cloud?

Yes. Steam lists Steam Cloud as a supported feature, and the current Steam Cloud configuration includes the slot databases and related save files. Wait until Steam shows the game as up to date before copying files or changing devices.

Where is the save on Steam Deck?

Switch to Desktop Mode, open Steam, choose Properties → Installed Files → Browse, and follow DS/Saved/SaveGames/<Steam3AccountID> inside the installation. The Browse workflow is safer than a fixed Linux path because internal storage, microSD libraries, and custom library locations differ.

How do I restore an older save without Steam Cloud overwriting it?

Close the game, make a new backup of the current account folder, temporarily disable Steam Cloud for the game, and replace the account folder with your known-good copy. Launch once to verify the intended slot, exit cleanly, then re-enable Cloud and inspect timestamps carefully if Steam presents a conflict.

Why is the SaveGames folder empty or missing?

Confirm that you opened the full game's active Steam library, not the Demo or Playtest folder. Start the full game, create or load a slot, exit normally, and check again. If Steam is installed under Program Files and the folder remains empty, search the game folder and Windows VirtualStore for *_Slot*.db.

Can I delete the files to start a new game?

The full game provides three save slots, so use an unused slot first. File deletion is unnecessary for an ordinary restart. If you deliberately reset every slot, make a backup and temporarily disable Steam Cloud or it may download the deleted files again.

Can I move a Demo save into the full game folder?

Do not overwrite a retail slot with Demo files. The Demo and full game use different folders and file sets, and Demo progress was not intended as a supported retail transfer. Keep any Demo backup separate from the DragonSword Awakening full-game account folder.

The safe rule is consistent across Windows and Steam Deck: locate the active installation through Steam, close the game, copy the whole account folder, and keep a dated original outside the library. That workflow answers the immediate path question while also protecting the progress you went looking for.