The short answer
You do not need new hardware if an existing USB flash drive or external drive has enough free space and reads and writes reliably. A copy elsewhere on the same PC can protect you before a settings change, but a copy on the same physical drive will not protect against that drive failing. Consider buying storage if you need a separate backup but have no suitable place to store it or not enough free space.
Need a different check? Find a related guide or tool →First check whether you need to buy anything
- Check the game developer’s instructions for the save location and everything that needs copying. The installed game’s size is different from the size of its saves. The related save-location directory below can help (Japanese).
- If the game is working normally, save and close it, wait for Steam Cloud to finish syncing, then close the launcher. Check the target folder’s size in Properties.
- If data is already missing, corrupted or in a sync conflict, preserve what remains before launching or resetting anything. Buying a new SSD will not restore lost progress.
- Check the free space on storage you already own. Do not format someone else’s drive or a device containing other data, such as TV recordings, to reuse it.
Choose storage for what you want to protect
Choose based on the problem you want to solve and how you will use the equipment. This is not a performance ranking.
| Destination | Useful when | Limits and checks |
|---|---|---|
| Another folder on the same PC | You want a temporary copy before changing settings or mods | It does not protect against failure of the same physical drive. Different drive letters can still be on one physical drive. |
| An existing USB flash drive | It holds the backup versions you need and you can verify copying and reading | Small drives are easy to lose. Do not make this your only copy. |
| An external SSD or HDD | You want to retain versions from several games, or recordings as well | Check the connector, supported OS, free space and where it will sit. Speed alone does not guarantee data protection. |
| Steam Cloud | You want to sync progress between devices for supported games | The developer chooses which files sync. This is different from a backup that reliably retains any chosen point in the past. |
Estimate capacity: total save size × number of copies
Add up the sizes of the save folders you want to keep. Decide how many full versions to retain: the latest, a known-working copy, and a copy from before a major update, for example. Repeatedly overwriting a single copy can leave you with no working version when you notice corruption.
Example: if the total is 2 GB and you keep five full copies, you need about 10 GB. These are illustrative assumptions, not the save size of a particular game. Allow extra room for growth and other files. You do not need a 1 TB device for a small amount of data.
Add recordings, screenshots and installed game files separately if you also want to store them. An advertised read speed does not tell you how long writing many small files will take. Prioritize capacity and your actual use.
Check connectors, file-system format and placement before buying
“External” does not automatically mean ready to use with your PC. Match the exact model against the manufacturer’s compatibility information and the seller’s listing.
- Connector: check whether the PC has USB-A or USB-C, and which cable or adapter is included. Connector shape and transfer-speed standard are separate checks.
- OS and file system: decide whether you will use only Windows or also a Mac, then read the manufacturer’s format guidance. Do not format a drive that fails to work without first preserving its existing data.
- Individual file size: FAT32 has an approximately 4 GB single-file limit. If you also store large recordings or archives, check the destination’s file system as well as its free space (Microsoft).
- Physical design: a plug-in drive may obstruct a neighboring USB port; a cabled drive needs somewhere safe to sit. Do not move a laptop with the external device still connected.
- Purchase conditions: verify the model, capacity, included items, seller, OS support, returns and warranty. A recovery service does not guarantee that every file can be recovered.
Understand the difference between Steam Cloud, game-file backups and save backups
Steam explains that the developer chooses which files go to the cloud. Launching despite a sync error can cause conflicts or lost progress. Do not erase an old PC’s data just because you assume synchronization is complete.
Do not assume Steam’s game-file backup feature includes every save. Save locations differ by developer, so identify and copy the save folders separately (Steam).
External storage can also fail or be lost. Keep the original saves after copying, and clearly identify important known-working versions. This guide does not cover running games from an external drive or restoring an entire PC.
Copy the saves and verify the destination
- Confirm the game, store and account. After closing the game, copy the complete save folder into a backup folder named with the game, date and time. Do not cut the files or delete the originals.
- Compare file counts, folder counts and sizes, and check for copy errors. For a stricter comparison, see the hash-checking instructions in the related backup guide below (Japanese). Matching counts and sizes alone do not prove identical contents.
- Record the copy time, game version, mod status and verification method. A correct copy and a save the game can load are different things. Follow game-specific restore instructions and preserve the current saves before restoring.
- Wait for writing to finish, then use the OS’s safe-removal option. If it says the device cannot be removed, check which app is using it rather than pulling it out (Microsoft).
FAQ
Will buying an external SSD also fix crashes?
Adding a backup destination and fixing the cause of a crash are different tasks. Do not replace an SSD or GPU before identifying the problem. Record the error and conditions, then follow the relevant troubleshooting guide.
Should I buy the fastest SSD for backups?
It depends on save size and how often you copy them. If your existing device handles the copies reliably, you do not need another purchase. Check capacity for the versions you need, compatibility and copy verification before speed.
Can I delete the PC’s saves after copying them to an external drive?
No. The aim here is to keep an additional copy. Deleting the PC copy can make the game lose track of your progress, and leaving the files only on the external device makes it your only copy.
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Sources and editorial notes
We used the linked sources to explain what to check before buying. This is not a hands-on comparison, product test or ranking. Prices and stock are omitted because they change.
Steam Support: Steam Cloud files, conflicts and sync errors (Japanese)Steam Support: Game-file backups and save-data cautions (Japanese)Microsoft: File-system functionality comparison and file-size limitsMicrosoft: Safely remove hardware in Windows