Transferring a co-op save to another player is one of those tasks that sounds simple until you actually try to do it. The host has the save file. Another player needs it. How hard can it be?

In practice, it is one of the most common sources of lost progress in co-op gaming. Different games store saves in different locations, with different file structures, and sometimes with machine-specific data baked in. This guide walks through every method for transferring co-op saves between players, from fully manual to fully automated.

Why You Might Need to Transfer a Co-Op Save

There are several common scenarios where transferring a save becomes necessary:

  • The original host can no longer play. They might be taking a break from the game, dealing with hardware issues, or simply moving on. Someone else needs to pick up hosting duties.
  • Schedule conflicts. The host plays at different hours than the rest of the group. Transferring the save lets someone else host during off-hours.
  • Rotating hosts. Some groups prefer to share hosting responsibilities so the burden of running the session does not fall on one person every time.
  • The host’s PC cannot handle hosting anymore. Performance issues, internet problems, or hardware failures can make one player a poor host.

Whatever the reason, the need is the same: get the save from player A’s computer to player B’s computer, intact and functional.

Step-by-Step: Manual Save Transfer

If you want to do this the old-fashioned way, here is the general process. The exact file paths differ by game, so you will need to look up the save location for your specific title.

On the Host’s Machine (Sender)

  1. Close the game completely. Do not transfer saves while the game is running.
  2. Locate the save folder. Common locations on Windows include:
    • %AppData%\[GameName]\
    • %LocalAppData%\[GameName]\
    • Documents\My Games\[GameName]\
    • The game’s Steam installation folder under steamapps\common\
  3. Copy the entire save folder, not just individual files. Many games use multiple files per save (world data, player data, config files).
  4. Compress the folder into a .zip file to make sharing easier.
  5. Send the .zip to the other player via Discord, Google Drive, or another file sharing method.

On the Receiver’s Machine

  1. Download and extract the .zip file.
  2. Close the game if it is running.
  3. Navigate to the same save folder location on your machine.
  4. Back up your existing save before overwriting anything.
  5. Paste the transferred save files into the correct folder.
  6. Launch the game and verify the world loads correctly.

Common Issues With Manual Transfers

  • Wrong file paths. Every game stores saves differently. Putting files in the wrong location means the game will not see them.
  • Incomplete transfers. Missing even one file from a save folder can corrupt the load.
  • Player data conflicts. Some games tie player profiles or Steam IDs to save data. The new host might load in as a different character or lose personal inventory.
  • Version mismatches. If the sender and receiver are on different game versions, the save may not load at all.

Using Cloud Storage as a Middleman

A shared Google Drive or Dropbox folder can streamline transfers slightly. Instead of sending files through chat, the host uploads saves to a shared folder and the next host downloads from there.

This reduces friction but does not solve the fundamental problems. You still need to know the correct files, remember to upload and download at the right times, and deal with potential version conflicts if multiple people access the folder simultaneously.

The Automated Approach: SaveSync

SaveSync eliminates the manual work entirely. It is a Steam tool designed specifically for this use case: transferring co-op saves between players without the file juggling.

How it simplifies transfers:

  • SaveSync already knows where each supported game stores its saves. No searching through AppData folders.
  • It transfers the complete save, not just the files you think are important.
  • Versioning is automatic. The latest save is always clearly marked and available to every group member.
  • Any player in the sync group can pull the latest save and host, at any time.

Instead of walking your friend through a twenty-minute process of finding, copying, sending, and placing files, you both just use SaveSync. The transfer happens in the background.

When to Use Which Method

Manual transfer makes sense if you are doing this once for a game SaveSync does not yet support. Follow the steps above carefully and you should be fine.

SaveSync makes sense if you play co-op regularly with the same group and want to eliminate the risk and hassle of manual transfers. It currently supports 27 games including the most popular co-op titles, and more are added regularly based on community requests on the SaveSync Discord.

Your co-op world is worth protecting. Transfer it properly.