Quick Links
TheSteam Deckis a clever device that’s much more than a rival to the Nintendo Switch. It’s a capable handheld with PC-like features, allowing it to play a library of demanding games on the go. Part of the appeal of playing a portable gaming device is the ability to stop and start a game without worrying about losing progress.
The Steam Deck can save games using the cloud, the internal system, and individually. The cloud saving option is excellent because it makes it so players will never lose a save. Moreover, the save will transfer from the Steam app on a desktop to the Steam Deck and vice versa. Cloud saving also works withmultiple users on the same Steam Deckconsole.
Updated June 30, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn:Part of this guide shows you how to install the Decky Cloud Save plugin. This is one of the most effective ways to use cloud saves for gaming and utilizes your chosen third-party methods to save your games. However, the latest Steam Deck update has broken the Decky Loader app that’s required to run it. This guide is updated to include a fix to restore your Decky program and restore your plugins and settings.
Enabling And Disabling Cloud Saving On The Steam Deck
With the Steam Deck in hand, use the following steps to control cloud saving for all games:
Enable Cloud Saving For Individual Games
Players can toggle the cloud-saving feature for individual games if they prefer. The steps to accessing a game’s saves are as follows:
Transferring A Cloud Save From PC To The Steam Deck
Playing games between a Steam Deck, a laptop, or a PC makes the Cloud saving option a vital tool. To ensure that the cloud saving option is active from the Steam App, use the following instructions:
How To Manually Access Save Files On The Steam Deck
Steam Deck users can manually access their save files on the Steam Deck and make copies if required. Use the following steps to access the Steam Deck’s save files:
Install Decky Cloud Save On The Steam Deck
An alternative method for managing your Steam Deck’s save is to install a plugin called DeckyCloud and sync your external cloud saving systems like Dropbox, Google Drive, and One Drive. To use these services on the Steam Deck’s Gaming Mode, you must install the Decky Loader program for the plugin.
Enable Developer Mode
Keeping the Steam Deck in Stable Mode maintains better compatibility with third-party programs like Decky Loader.
Install Decky Loader
If the Decky Loader menu and plugins vanish, recheck your Developer Mode settings using the steps above. The Steam Deck’s software updates can interfere with the Decky Loader program, but re-enabling Developer Mode and CEF Remote Debugging should restore Decky Loader, your plugins, and all your settings.
Install Decky Cloud Save
With the Decky Loader program installed and the Steam Deck in Gaming Mode, press the QAM button (the button with the three dots) to access the new menu with theplug icon.
Using Decky Cloud Save
You need an account with OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox to access external cloud saving.
How To Restore Decky Loader After A Steam Deck Update
The latest Steam Deck update allows for the deactivation of the Decky Cloud save feature. The program may vanish entirely when the Quick Access Menu button is pressed. Typically, altering the Developer Mode setting can fix this issue; however, the latest update has disabled the Decky Loader program along with all its plugins. To restore Decky Loader and its plugins, use the following steps.
If you haven’t set up a sudo password yet, the system will prompt you to create one. Choose something memorable, as the sudo password can only be reset by restoring the Steam Deck to its factory settings.
