The short answer
Open %LOCALAPPDATA%\Pal\Saved\SaveGames and identify the user and world folders. With the game and Steam closed, copy the entire world folder elsewhere and compare its contents. Before restoration, preserve the current world; return the complete backup under the same user ID and world ID, then check progress with Cloud still paused.
Different symptom or still not fixed? Find the next check →Key facts
- Open the Steam save location
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Pal\Saved\SaveGames- Copy unit
- The entire WorldID folder under the correct user ID
- Folder structure
- SaveGames\<user ID>\<world ID>\Level.sav
- Copy check
- Compare files, file counts and Size, not Size on disk.
- Restore destination
- The original user ID and original world ID
Find your symptom
Start with your symptom. Skip steps that do not apply to your setup.
| What you see | What to check | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| I cannot identify the right world | Folder names and timestamps alone are not conclusive. | Step 2 |
| I copied it but have not checked it | Compare the source and destination contents. | Step 4 |
| I want to restore a backup | Preserve the current world and manage Cloud separately. | Step 5 |
| The world is missing or starts from character creation | Check IDs, folder nesting and the complete file set. | Step 6 |
Fixes, in order
Continue this issue
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Step 1｜Open the Steam SaveGames folder
Use the environment variable without entering a Windows user name.
Time: About 1 minute · Risk: low
- Close the game, let Steam finish synchronizing, then exit Steam.
- Press Windows+R, enter %LOCALAPPDATA%\Pal\Saved\SaveGames and press Enter.
- Open the user-ID folder and locate its world-ID folders.
If the path is absent, confirm that this is Windows Steam. Other stores and dedicated servers use different locations.
Results that did not fix the problem help the next reader too.
Step 2｜Narrow the world using your last session
A timestamp is a clue, not proof.
Time: About 2 minutes · Risk: low
- Record the intended world name and last-played time on the world selection screen, then close the game.
- In File Explorer Details view, compare the world folders under the user ID.
- Look for the source’s files such as Level.sav, LevelMeta.sav and Players; layouts can change, so names alone do not identify the world.
- If still uncertain, preserve all of SaveGames and record the user/world mapping before attempting any restoration.
Results that did not fix the problem help the next reader too.
Step 3｜Copy the whole world folder
Date the outer backup directory; keep the world ID unchanged.
Time: About 2 minutes · Risk: low
- With the game and Steam closed, copy the intended WorldID folder, or all SaveGames if identification is uncertain.
- Create a dated backup directory in Documents or on another drive and paste the copy inside it.
- Record the original user ID and world ID; do not rename the inner WorldID folder.
- Open the copied directory and compare it with the source in the next step.
A copy on the same drive can be lost with that drive. Keep important worlds on independent storage too.
Results that did not fix the problem help the next reader too.
Step 4｜Compare file counts and sizes
A completed paste animation does not prove that everything is present.
Time: About 2 minutes · Risk: low
- Open the original and copied WorldID folders separately and confirm that all original items, including Players and the world files, are present.
- In each folder’s Properties, compare file counts and Size. Do not compare Size on disk, which can differ by filesystem.
- Compare the Size of Level.sav and, if originally present, LocalData.sav. If you have since played the original, compare against the recorded backup-time state.
- If the copy is empty, incomplete or differs unexpectedly, close the game and Steam and make a fresh copy from the source.
Matching sizes checks completeness, not whether the game can load the data. Verify the restored progress separately.
Results that did not fix the problem help the next reader too.
Step 5｜Preserve the current world before restoring
Restore a coherent folder under the original IDs; do not mix individual files.
Time: About 5 minutes · Risk: medium
- In Steam, open Palworld Properties → General and temporarily disable this game’s Steam Cloud synchronization.
- Close the game and Steam. Copy the current WorldID folder outside SaveGames as the pre-restoration state, and inspect that copy.
- Create a separate holding folder such as %LOCALAPPDATA%\Pal\Saved\RestoreHold and move the original WorldID folder there. Leave the user-ID directory and unrelated worlds alone.
- Copy the preserved backup’s WorldID folder under its original SaveGames user ID, retaining the world ID and avoiding an extra nested directory.
- Start Steam and the game with Cloud still disabled, then check the restored world.
This restores your complete manually preserved world. Do not substitute the internal backup/local or backup/world directories. For the game’s built-in restoration, consult official Q&A 5-1 and preserve the current data before its overwrite. If you backed up all SaveGames, select the matching user and world first.
Results that did not fix the problem help the next reader too.
Step 6｜Verify actual progress before restoring synchronization
A world appearing in the menu is not enough.
Time: About 3 minutes · Risk: low
- Load the intended world and compare character, base and Pals with the backup-time progress.
- If the world is absent or asks for character creation, close without creating a new save. Recheck user/world nesting, Players and the chosen backup time.
- If the result is wrong, close the game and Steam, move the restored folder outside SaveGames and return the held pre-restoration WorldID folder under its original user ID.
- After verifying the intended progress, exit normally. When re-enabling Cloud, resolve any conflict using the verified progress and preserved copies, not the newest timestamp alone.
Check synchronization before opening another PC’s older save. If the Cloud choice is unclear, keep synchronization off and retain all preserved folders.
Results that did not fix the problem help the next reader too.
Avoid
- Do not rename the inner WorldID folder; date its outer storage folder.
- Do not delete the current world before pasting a backup. Preserve it separately.
- Do not mix user/world IDs or combine save files from different times.
Important cautions
- This procedure covers locally saved Windows Steam worlds only.
- Never replace saves during play or Cloud synchronization.
FAQ
Is having Level.sav in the copy enough?
No. Preserve the entire original world folder and compare all contents, counts and sizes. Even a complete copy still needs a progress check when restored.
Can I put a date in the WorldID folder name?
Put it in an outer backup directory instead. Restoration uses the original world ID under the original user ID.
Which side should I choose in a Cloud conflict?
Compare the backup context and progress you just verified. Do not choose until you know which side contains the intended state; retain the copies and leave Cloud off if uncertain.
Sources
English adaptation of the existing Japanese Windows Steam guide. Official server paths, port semantics and Steam requirements were rechecked. Existing save-layout and version-specific mod guidance is retained from the original review; this does not claim new game, restoration or network testing.
Pocketpair: official Q&A, in-game and older manual restorationPCGamingWiki: save location retained from the Japanese reviewSteam: Palworld features and PC requirementsSteam Support: per-game Cloud settings (Japanese)PalworldJapanese version of this page