SteamWorld Build Save Location: There Is No Folder in AppData

Updated 30 Oct 2026 Source The Steam userdata path with the 2134770 App ID and the remote\Saves level, the explicit note that the game skips AppData entirely, the SteamID forming the middle of the path, the Saves-folder backup advice and the new-PC migration method from filepathgeek.com's SteamWorld Build save location page; the full path list for Windows, Microsoft Store and Steam Play (Linux), the separate Preferences configuration file location, and the cloud syncing status per storefront (Steam Cloud, GOG Galaxy, Xbox Cloud and Epic Games Launcher all enabled) from PCGamingWiki's SteamWorld Build entry; the Microsoft Store package path from wesave.cloud's save directory listing. Sources agree on every path; the Microsoft Store listing comes from a single source. Verified 30 October 2026. By Antewise Editorial

Data status: The facts on this page were checked against the source named above. Game values can still shift with a patch, so re-check anything that looks off.

Look in Steam’s house, not the game’s

If you have gone looking for a SteamWorld Build folder in %APPDATA% or %LOCALAPPDATA% and found nothing, that is not a mistake on your part. The game does not write to AppData at all.

It saves into Steam’s own userdata tree, under its App ID, one level deeper than most players expect. The robots live in Steam’s house rather than their own.

The paths

Platform	Save location
Windows (Steam)	`<Steam install>\userdata\<SteamID>\2134770\remote\Saves`
Microsoft Store / Xbox app	`%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Thunderful.SteamWorldBuild_8j53pwgd019sy\SystemAppData\wgs\<user ID>`
Steam Play (Linux)	`<SteamLibrary>/steamapps/compatdata/2134770/pfx/` — the folder structure inside mirrors the Windows path

Two numbers to know:

2134770 is the game’s Steam App ID. It is the folder that identifies the game.
Your SteamID forms the middle of the path. It is your numeric account ID, and it is what separates your saves from anyone else who has logged into the same machine.

If your Steam library is not on the default drive, start from your own install’s userdata folder and the rest of the path is identical.

There is a separate configuration file for preferences, at <game install>\SteamWorld Build_Data\Plugins\x86_64\steam_settings\2134770\remote\Preferences. That is settings, not progress.

Cloud syncing, by storefront

Storefront	Cloud saving
Steam	Yes — Steam Cloud
GOG	Yes — GOG Galaxy
Microsoft Store / Xbox	Yes — Xbox Cloud
Epic Games Launcher	Yes

This matters practically: because syncing is on by default everywhere, you usually do not need to touch these paths at all to move between machines. The reason to find them is the three cases where the cloud will not save you — a manual backup before a mod or a reinstall, a save you want to keep and keep playing, or a cloud conflict you need to resolve by hand.

How to back up or move a town

To back up: copy the entire Saves folder. One copy covers every mine shaft and every residential district at once, because the game keeps them all together in that single directory. There is nothing else to gather.

To move to a new PC: copy that Saves folder into the same userdata path on the new machine — <Steam>\userdata\<SteamID>\2134770\remote\ — before you launch the game through Steam. If you launch first, Steam Cloud will sync and you will be resolving a conflict instead of restoring a backup.

If you get a Steam Cloud conflict, it is because the local files and the cloud files were both modified without syncing between them, and Steam cannot pick a winner for you. Having the Saves folder copied out beforehand is the whole insurance policy.

Frequently asked questions

Where are SteamWorld Build save files on PC?

On Steam, at C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\[SteamID]\2134770\remote\Saves. The [SteamID] is your numeric Steam account ID and 2134770 is the game's App ID. If your Steam library is installed somewhere else, start from that install's userdata folder.

Why is there no SteamWorld Build folder in AppData?

Because the game does not write there. Unlike most PC games, it saves into Steam's own userdata directory under its App ID. Searching AppData for a SteamWorld Build folder will always come up empty.

Where are SteamWorld Build saves on Microsoft Store or Xbox?

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Thunderful.SteamWorldBuild_8j53pwgd019sy\SystemAppData\wgs\ followed by your user ID. This is the Microsoft Store / Xbox app version, and its saves are handled by Xbox Cloud rather than Steam Cloud.

How do I back up my SteamWorld Build town?

Copy the whole Saves folder. One copy covers every mine level and every residential district at once, because the game keeps them all in that single directory.

How do I move SteamWorld Build to a new PC?

Copy the Saves folder into the same userdata path on the new machine — <Steam>\userdata\[SteamID]\2134770\remote\ — before you launch the game through Steam.

Does SteamWorld Build use Steam Cloud?

Yes. Steam Cloud syncing is enabled, as is GOG Galaxy cloud on the GOG version and Xbox Cloud on the Microsoft Store version.

More SteamWorld guides

Sources

Figures and item data on this site are read from the game’s own reference wiki before publishing. Where a value could not be confirmed there, the page says so instead of filling the gap.