Where Steam stores your cloud saves and why you might delete them
Steam keeps copies of your game saves on Valve's servers so you can pick up where you left off on any computer where you're logged in. These cloud saves take up storage space in your Steam account, and sometimes you'll want to remove them — whether you're clearing out saves from games you no longer play, starting fresh with a game you want to replay, or freeing up space because you're near your limit.
The process differs depending on whether you want to delete cloud saves for a single game or wipe them all at once. Steam doesn't give you a button that says "delete cloud saves" in the main menu, which is why many people don't realize it's possible. The deletion happens through your account settings on Steam's website, not through the Steam client on your computer.
Key Takeaways
- Cloud saves are deleted through your Steam account settings on the web, not through the Steam app on your computer.
- You can delete cloud saves for individual games or clear all cloud saves at once from the Storage section of your account.
- Deleting a cloud save does not delete the save file on your computer — only the copy stored on Steam's servers.
- After you delete a cloud save, Steam will upload a new one the next time you close that game, unless you disable cloud saves for it first.
Delete cloud saves for one game through your Steam account
Open a web browser and go to steampowered.com. Log in with your Steam account if you're not already signed in. Click your account name in the top right corner and select Account from the dropdown menu.
On the left side of the page, click Storage. You'll see a list of all games that have cloud saves stored on your account, along with the size of each save file. Find the game you want to delete the cloud save for and click on it. A menu will appear with options — click the trash icon or the Delete button next to the game name. Steam will ask you to confirm the deletion. Click Delete again to finish.
The cloud save is now gone from Steam's servers. If you still have that game installed on your computer, the local save file remains untouched. The next time you close that game, Steam will upload a new cloud save unless you've turned off cloud saves for that specific game in its settings.
Delete all cloud saves at once
If you want to clear out your entire cloud save storage instead of removing saves one by one, you can do this from the same Storage page. Log into your Steam account on the web, go to Account, then click Storage.
At the top of the Storage page, you'll see your total cloud storage usage and a button or option to manage it. Look for a Delete all or Clear all option — the exact wording varies depending on when Steam last updated this interface. Click it, and Steam will ask you to confirm that you want to delete all cloud saves. Once you confirm, every cloud save associated with your account will be removed from Steam's servers.
This action is permanent and affects all your games at once. Your local save files on your computer are not affected. After you delete all cloud saves, Steam will begin uploading new ones the next time you close any game that has cloud saves turned on.
Prevent Steam from uploading a new cloud save after deletion
If you delete a cloud save but don't want Steam to create a new one when ready, you need to disable cloud saves for that game before you play it again. Open the Steam client on your computer, right-click the game in your library, and select Properties. Click the Updates tab on the left side.
Uncheck the box next to Enable Steam Cloud synchronization for [game name]. Click Close to save the change. Now when you close that game, Steam won't upload a new cloud save. You can turn cloud saves back on for that game at any time by checking the same box again.
Understand the difference between local saves and cloud saves
A local save is the save file stored on your computer's hard drive. A cloud save is a copy of that file that Steam uploads to its servers. When you delete a cloud save through your Steam account settings, you're only removing the copy on Steam's servers. Your computer's local save file stays exactly where it is and remains unchanged.
This is why you can safely delete cloud saves without worrying about losing your progress — as long as you still have the game installed on your computer, your actual save file is still there. If you want to delete the save file on your computer as well, you'll need to do that separately through your game's save folder or through the game's own menu options.
What happens when you delete a cloud save on a shared computer
If multiple people use the same computer with different Steam accounts, deleting a cloud save from your account only affects your saves. Other users' cloud saves remain on Steam's servers and will continue to sync normally when they play.
However, if you and another user share a Steam account on the same computer, deleting a cloud save will affect both of you. Before you delete any cloud saves on a shared account, make sure the other person doesn't need those saves. If you each have your own Steam account, you can manage your cloud saves independently without affecting each other.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting a cloud save delete my save file on my computer?
No. Deleting a cloud save only removes the copy stored on Steam's servers. Your local save file on your computer is not affected and remains exactly as it was. You can continue playing with that save file normally.
Can I recover a cloud save after I delete it?
Steam does not provide a way to recover deleted cloud saves. Once you confirm the deletion, it's gone. If you still have the local save file on your computer, you can keep playing with it. If you've also deleted the local save, the save is unrecoverable.
Why would I want to delete a cloud save?
Common reasons include starting a game over and wanting a fresh playthrough, removing saves from games you no longer play to free up storage space, or clearing out old saves that are taking up room in your account. Cloud storage is usually generous, but if you're near your limit, deleting unused saves can help.
If I delete a cloud save, will Steam upload a new one automatically?
Yes, the next time you close that game, Steam will upload a new cloud save unless you've disabled cloud saves for that game first. To prevent this, turn off cloud synchronization in the game's Properties before you play it again.
Can I delete cloud saves for games I've uninstalled?
Yes. You can delete cloud saves for any game through your Steam account settings, whether the game is currently installed on your computer or not. The cloud save exists independently on Steam's servers and can be removed at any time.