At some point, every co-op group runs into the same question: how do we get this save file from one person’s computer to another? Maybe the host is going on vacation and someone else needs to keep the world going. Maybe a friend wants to try something in the world on their own time. Maybe you just want a backup on someone else’s machine.

Whatever the reason, sharing game saves between players is something the games themselves rarely make easy. Here is a breakdown of every method available, from the most manual to the most automated.

Method 1: Copy-Paste Through Chat Apps

The simplest method is to find the save file on your computer, compress it into a zip file, and send it to your friend through Discord, WhatsApp, or whatever messaging app you use. Your friend downloads it, extracts it, and drops it into their game’s save folder.

Where to find save files: Save file locations vary by game. Most store saves in one of these places:

  • %AppData% or %LocalAppData% (Windows)
  • The game’s install directory under Steam
  • Documents/My Games/

You can usually find the exact path by searching “[game name] save file location” online.

The problems:

  • You need to know the correct files and folder structure for each game
  • Discord has file size limits (25 MB for free users) that some saves exceed
  • There is no version tracking, so it is easy to send or load an outdated save
  • If multiple people are sharing saves back and forth, confusion is inevitable

This method is fine as a one-time emergency solution. As a regular workflow, it will cost you progress sooner or later.

Method 2: USB Drive or Local Network Transfer

If you and your friends are in the same physical location, you can copy the save onto a USB drive and hand it over. You can also use a local network share to transfer files between computers.

The problems:

  • Only works if you are physically together
  • Still requires knowing the correct save file paths
  • No help for groups who play online from different locations

This one is niche. It works for LAN parties but not much else.

Method 3: Shared Cloud Storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive)

A step up from chat apps is creating a shared folder on a cloud storage service. After each session, the host uploads the save to the shared folder. Before the next session, whoever is hosting downloads the latest version.

The setup:

  1. Create a shared folder on Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive
  2. Share it with your co-op group
  3. After each session, the host uploads the save files
  4. Before hosting, download the latest save from the folder

The problems:

  • Relies on the host remembering to upload after every session
  • Sync conflicts can occur if two people upload at similar times
  • Cloud storage treats game saves like any other file and has no concept of which version is “correct”
  • Managing multiple game saves in one folder gets cluttered fast
  • Some save folders contain dozens of files with cryptic names, making it hard to know what to copy

This is the best of the manual methods, but it still requires discipline from every player in the group. One forgotten upload or one wrong download and you have a problem.

Method 4: Steam Cloud (Limited)

Some games use Steam Cloud to sync save data, but this only syncs saves for the individual player across their own devices. It does not share saves between different Steam accounts. Steam Cloud is designed for playing your own saves on your desktop and your laptop, not for sharing co-op worlds with friends.

There is no built-in Steam feature for sharing save files between players.

Method 5: SaveSync (The Automated Solution)

SaveSync is a purpose-built tool on Steam that automates the entire save sharing process for co-op games. Instead of manually finding files, zipping them, uploading them, and hoping everyone grabs the right version, SaveSync does it all for you.

How it works:

  1. Install SaveSync from Steam
  2. Create a sync group and invite your friends
  3. Select the game you want to sync
  4. SaveSync automatically manages save uploads and downloads
  5. Any player in the group can pull the latest save and host

SaveSync knows where each game stores its saves, handles versioning so the latest save is always clearly identified, and works within Steam so there is no external account to create. It supports 27 games and the list is actively growing.

What makes it different from cloud storage:

  • It is built specifically for game saves, not generic files
  • No manual upload or download steps
  • Versioning is built in so you never accidentally load an old save
  • Works directly through Steam with your existing friends list

Pick the Method That Fits Your Group

If you need to share a save once, sending a zip file through Discord works fine. If you play co-op regularly and want your whole group to have access to the latest save at all times, the manual methods will eventually fail you. SaveSync was built for exactly that scenario.