How to recover lost saved games in PC games

Losing a saved game on your PC after putting dozens of hours into a game is a major blow. Whether it's due to a Windows reinstall, a disk failure, accidental deletion, or a cloud issue , the feeling of seeing your progress vanish in an instant is devastating. The good news is that in many cases, you can still do something to recover it, provided you act quickly and follow the correct procedures.

In the following lines, you'll find a comprehensive guide with everything that's been learned from forums, communities, and technical documentation on the subject. We've gathered real tricks that other players have used to restore their save files on Steam, Game Pass, Microsoft Store games, and indie titles , as well as classic solutions like recovery from Windows.old, File History, System Restore, or specialized data recovery software.

Why are saved games lost on PC?

Before you start trying recovery methods, it's important to understand what usually breaks or deletes saved games , because depending on the cause you'll have more or fewer chances of success and one method or another will be more suitable for you.

One of the most common causes is performing a clean install or reinstallation of Windows without backing up the folders where game progress is saved. Many users assume that, because the games are from Steam, Epic, or other platforms, "everything is in the cloud," but that's not always the case.

Application or system crashes are also common due to incompatible drivers, corrupted files, or incomplete patch and DLC installations. These errors can corrupt save files, rendering games unusable or preventing them from even appearing in the load menu.

Hardware failures ( power outages, hard drive or SSD problems) are behind many data losses, including save files. A power outage at the moment of saving or a bad sector on the disk can corrupt a key player profile file.

Another source of problems is malware attacks and some overly aggressive antivirus programs . Malware can corrupt files, but there are also cases where the antivirus itself falsely identifies a saved game as suspicious and quarantines or deletes it.

Finally, we must not forget accidental deletions or poorly executed uninstallations : deleting a folder thinking they are temporary files, uninstalling a game by selecting options that delete user data, or messing with the Windows registry without really knowing what you are doing.

First scenario: recovering save files from Windows.old after reinstalling Windows

If you've reinstalled Windows (especially if you did a clean install; to avoid data loss, see Migrate to Windows 11 without losing data ) and your previous system was saved as Windows.old, you're in luck : there's a good chance your save files are still there and you can recover them.

When you reinstall, Windows may create the folder C:\Windows.old , which contains the previous installation, including user folders and, in many cases, game data. You can't run games from there, but you can copy the files you need to the new installation.

To recover your saves, the trick is to access your old user path. You need to navigate to something like: C:\Windows.old\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData. AppData is a hidden folder, so you'll have to type the path manually into File Explorer or enable the display of hidden files.

Within AppData, you'll find three main subfolders: Local, LocalLow, and Roaming . Many games (especially those from Steam and other launchers) save their progress in Roaming, but others use Local or even folders in Documents or Saved Games. It's best to search by game name or studio.

Once you locate the game folder (for example, inside Roaming, or in C:\Windows.old\Users\YOURUSERNAME\Documents\My Games\GAME_NAME), copy all its contents to a safe location on your new Windows installation. Then find the equivalent folder on your current system (usually the same path but without Windows.old) and paste the files there, replacing the existing ones.

The goal is to make the folder structure and names identical to the previous one, so that when you open the game, it recognizes those saves as if they had always been there . Windows will ask you to confirm the file replacement; accept to let the old saves replace the empty or new folders.

Common locations for saved games in Windows

A common question is where game saves are located in Windows 11. There's no single rule, but there are several standard locations where they almost always appear in the save files of most PC games.

Many games, especially classic PC games, save to the user's Documents folder. A typical example is the path:
C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\Documents\My Games\GAME_NAME
In Spanish systems, the folder may be called “Juegos guardados”, but if you type “My Games” in the address bar it will usually take you to the correct folder.

Other games use the folder Saved Games, on a route like:
C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\Saved Games\GAME_NAME
This route is very common, for example, in Microsoft titles or some modern shooters and RPGs.

Many games distributed through Steam and other clients also save to AppData. The most common paths are:
C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming\STUDIO_OR_GAME_NAME
C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local\STUDIO_OR_GAME_NAME

When you're unsure, a good practice is to Google "where does GAME_NAME save games" . Official documentation, forum threads, or guides often appear where other players have identified the exact folder and even the name of the critical save file.

Once you know the old and new paths, the process is always the same: copy from the old folder (Windows.old or old PC) and paste into the same path on the new computer or the current installation , keeping names and structure.

Steam: Cloud synchronization, backups, and local file restoration

Steam has two major mechanisms that directly impact your games: Steam Cloud (cloud synchronization) and the platform's own local backups . Both can work in your favor or against you if not managed properly.

First, many Steam titles offer cloud syncing . This means that, in theory, your save files are uploaded to Steam's servers and downloaded to any PC where you log in with your account. The problem is that if the sync fails, or if an empty or corrupted file is uploaded, that version can overwrite your good progress.

If you suspect the cloud is causing the problem, you can try disabling Steam Cloud for the affected game . Right-click on the game in your Library, go to "Properties," and look for the cloud sync option. With it disabled, the game will only use local saves, allowing you to manually restore files without them being overwritten by the cloud upon closing.

Steam also allows you to verify the integrity of game files . This option, found in the "Local Files" tab of the game's Properties, checks for and redownloads corrupted game files. It doesn't always fix lost save files, but it can resolve cases where the executable or a configuration file prevents the game from properly detecting saves.

Another very useful method is to restore from backups you've created yourself with Steam . From the "Steam > Game Backup and Restore" menu, you can choose "Restore from a previous backup" and select the game. If you created backups previously, you'll be able to recover earlier versions of your installed data, often including your save files.

Finally, if you've reinstalled Windows or changed your hard drive, you can point Steam back to an old library folder . From "Steam > Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folder," add the folder where your games are installed as a new library. Once it's detected, many titles will reappear in your library, and with any luck, your local save files will be intact.

Xbox Game Pass and Microsoft Store: tricks with AppData and the wgs folder

Game Pass games for PC and those from the Microsoft Store are a world apart. Microsoft manages its games with a folder system in AppData and automatic cloud synchronization , and sometimes that synchronization breaks down or uploads a corrupted file.

The save files for these games are usually stored in paths like this:
C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local\Packages\PACKAGE_NAME\SystemAppData\wgs
Each game has a long identifier (like BethesdaSoftworks.438957EDB7717_3275kfvn8vcwc in the case of some Bethesda titles), so you'll have to navigate a bit to find the correct folder.

Inside wgs you'll see subfolders with seemingly random names that contain binary files and, in many cases, one called container.1 or container.2 . These files are essential: they contain information about your games linked to the cloud.

Several players have managed to recover hours of progress by copying save files from a "good" (or old) folder to a newly created folder while the game was open. The key is that Game Pass syncs save files to the cloud when you close the game , so if you replace the content while the session is active, upon exiting, it will send that data to the cloud as if it were the current state.

The procedure, in summary, would be:

• Make a backup first of the entire wgs folder in case something goes wrong.
• Open the game and load any available save file.
• Create a new manual save file within the game. This will generate a new subfolder in wgs.
• With the game still open, go to that new folder, delete its files and Paste the files from the old save folder that you want to recover into it..
• If in the old files you have a “container.2” and in the new folder there is a “container.1”, delete the new one and rename the old one to “container.1”.
• Create an additional manual save file from within the game, so as not to overwrite your restore.
• Close the game to allow it to sync with the cloud.
• Reopen it and check if the games appear with the recovered hours.

In some cases, only container.1 will exist , not container.2; in others, it will be the other way around. The important thing is to respect the name the game expects in the new folder, replacing it with the correct file. This procedure isn't 100% guaranteed, but it has allowed many users to recover save files that seemed lost on Game Pass.

Recovering save files from another PC: manual copies to USB

If you still have access to your old PC or another computer where the save files are intact, the situation is much more favorable. The strategy here is to locate the save folder on the old computer and clone that structure onto the new computer.

For example, if on the old PC Metro Exodus saves to:
C:\Users\YOURUSER\Documents\My Games\metro exodus
You just need to copy that entire folder to a USB drive or external hard drive.

On the new PC, check if the path already exists (start the game, create a quick game, and exit to force folder creation if necessary). Then, paste the folder you brought from the old computer into the same path . If some intermediate folders don't exist, you can create them manually, respecting the names and capitalization as they appear in the source.

Keep in mind that, depending on your Windows version or language, the displayed names may change (for example, "Saved Games" instead of "My Games"), but the actual path usually still accepts the English name . Again, if you're unsure, type the path manually into the Explorer address bar.

This same approach works for virtually any PC game: locate, copy, and paste into the equivalent path. For titles that use multiple folders (for example, settings in one and saves in another), it's best to copy the entire set to minimize problems.

Using data recovery software when files have been deleted

If your save files aren't in Windows.old, on your old PC, or in the Recycle Bin, and you don't have any manual backups, you still have one more option: professional data recovery software . It won't work miracles, but it can save you if the files were recently deleted and haven't been overwritten.

Tools like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and similar alternatives perform a deep disk scan for remnants of deleted files. They can detect many types of formats, including those used by games to save progress, settings, and profiles.

The general process is usually as follows:

• Install the program in a different unit than where the deleted games were locatedto minimize the risk of overwriting recoverable data.
• Choose the partition or disk where the saves were located (for example, drive C:).
• Run a full scan and wait for the program to analyze deleted sectors and files.
• Use filters, search by folder name or extension to locate game files or save paths.
• Preview and select the files that appear to correspond to your saved games and retrieve them in another unit.
• Finally, copy those restored files to the game's current save folder and check if it recognizes them.

The success rate depends on many factors: the time elapsed since the erasure, how much you've used the drive since then, the type of drive (HDD vs. SSD) , and whether a quick or full format was performed. But when there are no backups, it's one of the few resources that can yield any useful results.

Recovering games from the Recycle Bin

It may sound obvious, but it's worth remembering: if you think you've accidentally deleted a game folder or save file, thoroughly check the Recycle Bin before trying anything more complex.

Open the Recycle Bin on your desktop and look for files or folders with the game's name, the studio's name, or paths you recognize (such as "My Games," "Saved Games," etc.). Sorting by deletion date can help you quickly locate the most recently deleted items.

If you find anything suspicious, right-click and select "Restore." The file will be returned to its original location on your hard drive. At that point, simply open the game and check if your save files reappear. If you don't see anything in the Recycle Bin, it's very likely the files have been permanently deleted, and you'll need to try other methods.

File History and System Restore in Windows

Windows includes two built-in features that can be used to go back in time and recover previous versions of files and settings : File History and System Restore.

File History is a continuous backup tool that, if you previously enabled it, saves versions of your files in Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, and some other directories. To use it:

• Open Control Panel.
• Go to “File History > Restore Personal Files”.
• Navigate through the history until you locate the folder where your games are saved (for example, "My Games" or the specific game folder).
• Select the version you are interested in and press the green restore button.

If you're lucky and the History made backups, you'll be able to recover a previous version of the save folder with your progress intact.

System Restore , on the other hand, isn't specifically designed for personal files, but rather for returning the system, drivers, and some program data to a previous state . If you had this feature enabled, you could recover your system to a state before your save files were deleted or corrupted.

The process for using System Restore is usually:

• Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
• Write rstrui.exe and press Enter.
• Select “Choose another restore point” and click “Next”.
• Select a restore point prior to the day you lost your save data.
• Follow the wizard and let Windows restart and apply the changes.

It's not a perfect solution and won't always affect save files, but in some cases it can restore settings and data from programs that the system considers protected , including some game saves that are deeply integrated with Windows.

How to avoid losing your saved games again

Once you've experienced the shock of losing your progress, you naturally don't want to find yourself in the same situation again. Prevention is the best tool you have to protect your games from future disasters.

The first step is to set up regular backups of your save folders . You can do this manually, by periodically copying the key paths (My Games, Saved Games, AppData\Roaming for certain games, etc.) to an external drive, or you can use better game backup software that automates the process and creates incremental backups.

It's also highly recommended to review the cloud sync settings for each platform (Steam, Epic, Ubisoft Connect, Game Pass, etc.). Enable cloud backups if they provide security, but always maintain a separate local copy. And if you discover that a sync issue has corrupted your saves, temporarily disable cloud backups while you manually restore your files.

Another key point is to properly configure your antivirus and protect a partition in Windows 11. Add the folders where your game saves are stored to the exclusions list to reduce the likelihood of false positives. And always keep your system clean of malware with regular scans, because an infection can wreak havoc on your game library.

Finally, when you're about to reinstall Windows, change your hard drive, or build a new PC , take five minutes to locate and copy all your save folders. This small step will save you hours of frustration later and make the entire migration much smoother.

With all of the above, you have a fairly comprehensive range of options for trying to recover lost saved games on PC, from simple solutions like checking the Recycle Bin or cloning the folder from an old PC, to more advanced techniques using Windows.old, Game Pass, and recovery software. The sooner you get started and the more organized you are when trying the different methods, the better your chances of bringing back those hours of gameplay that seemed irretrievable.