How To Delete Cloud Saves On Steam

How to Delete Cloud Saves on Steam: A Comprehensive Guide

Meta Description: Learn how to delete your Steam cloud saves, freeing up space and resolving potential game conflicts. This guide covers various methods for deleting individual saves or entire game profiles. We'll also address troubleshooting common issues.

Cloud saves are a fantastic feature, automatically backing up your game progress. However, sometimes you need to delete them – perhaps to start a fresh game, troubleshoot glitches, or simply free up storage space. This guide will walk you through deleting your Steam cloud saves, covering different scenarios and troubleshooting common problems.

Understanding Steam Cloud Saves

Before diving into deletion, it's helpful to understand how Steam cloud saves work. Essentially, they're automatic backups of your game data stored on Steam's servers. This allows you to continue your progress on different computers or after reinstalling a game. However, corrupted saves or conflicts between different save files can sometimes cause issues. Deleting cloud saves can be a solution in these situations.

Method 1: Deleting Individual Saves (If Supported by the Game)

Not all games handle cloud saves the same way. Some games allow you to delete individual save files within the game itself.

1. Launch the Game: Start the game you want to delete a save from.
2. Locate the Save Management Menu: The location varies wildly between games. Look for options like "Load Game," "Save Game," "Options," or a similar menu. Some games might have a separate "Profile Management" section.
3. Select and Delete: Once you find the save management feature, select the save file you wish to delete and choose the delete option. The process might involve confirmation prompts.

Important Note: This method only deletes the save locally. It usually doesn't affect your cloud save. If your game supports cloud syncing, the deleted save will likely be re-downloaded from the cloud unless you also delete the cloud save (using methods below).

Method 2: Deleting Cloud Saves Through Steam (Complete Game Deletion)

This method deletes all cloud saves for a specific game. Use this with caution!

1. Open Steam: Launch the Steam client.
2. Navigate to your Library: Find your game library.
3. Right-Click the Game: Right-click on the game with the saves you want to remove.
4. Select "Manage": Choose "Manage" from the context menu.
5. Choose "Backups and Cloud Saves": Select this option.
6. Delete Cloud Saves: You'll find an option to delete the cloud saves. Confirm the deletion. This will remove all cloud saves associated with that game.

This action permanently deletes your cloud saves from Steam's servers. There's no undo option, so proceed with caution.

Method 3: Deleting Local Saves (Pre-Cloud Save Deletion)

Before deleting cloud saves, it's often beneficial to delete your local saves first. This can prevent re-downloading of potentially corrupted data.

The location of your local save files varies greatly depending on the game. Common locations include:

• %USERPROFILE%\Documents
• %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local
• %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming
• The game's installation directory

Warning: Deleting files from the wrong location can damage your system. Be absolutely certain you’ve identified the correct save file folder before deleting anything.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Saves Not Deleting: Some games aggressively re-download cloud saves, even after deletion. Verify that your Steam client is fully closed before manually deleting local save files.
• Corrupted Saves: If you suspect corrupted saves, deleting both local and cloud saves is the best approach. Start a new game to verify the issue is resolved.
• Game Still Accessing Cloud: Ensure the game isn't running in the background before you delete cloud saves. Try restarting your computer for good measure.

By following these steps, you can effectively manage and delete your Steam cloud saves. Remember always to back up important data before performing any deletion actions. If you have any further questions or encounter unexpected problems, consult the Steam support documentation or the game's specific help section.