Troubleshoot Cloud conflict in Steam Client / Steam Cloud

What to do first

Record Cloud conflict, verify the affected product and environment, correct the confirmed prerequisite, and retry once under the same conditions.

This is a general troubleshooting guide, not an announcement of a current outage.

Affected products and symptoms

Product
Steam Client / Steam Cloud
Versions and conditions
Steamsupported Windows / macOS / Linux
Error codes and identifiers
Cloud conflict

Symptoms

  • The operation fails with Cloud conflict.
  • The same failure is reproducible in Steam Client / Steam Cloud.

Causes and conditions

The official article identifies a product, compatibility, storage, update, network, file, or configuration condition that must be resolved before retrying.

Before you start

  • Exit the game and launcher normally; record the account, title, complete error, and occurrence time.
  • Before changing local saves or settings, find the developer-documented save location and copy it to another folder.

Precautions

  • Launching through a sync warning or conflict can overwrite newer progress with an older save.
  • Do not bulk-delete the game, userdata, or save folders without a backup.
Steam Client / Steam Cloud troubleshooting sequence: Collect conflict evidence; Back up local saves; Choose the intended copy; Verify in game
Procedure overview created by FaultNote. Read the precautions and full instructions before changing settings. Read the full steps

Step-by-step instructions

  1. 01

    Collect conflict evidence

    #

    Do not start the game. Record timestamps and sizes for both copies and compare the last played device and known progress.

  2. 02

    Back up local saves

    #

    With Steam and the game closed, use the developer's documented save location and copy that folder elsewhere. Do not overwrite all userdata.

  3. 03

    Choose the intended copy

    #

    Use the last known device and progress, not timestamp alone. Confirm the backup before selecting because the other copy can be overwritten.

  4. 04

    Verify in game

    #

    After sync, inspect slots, progress, and playtime, then exit normally. Let another device finish syncing before opening it.

Check the result

  • Cloud conflict no longer appears and the operation completes.
  • The selected version and settings remain after restart.
  • A second test shows no new display, input, save, or synchronization problem.

If the problem continues

  • Restore reversible settings from the notes and escalate without deleting user data.
  • Prefer the PC maker or administrator procedure for OEM drivers and managed networks.
  • Protect account names, tokens, and save contents before sharing logs.

Scope of this guide

Troubleshooting guide — A general diagnostic guide based on official support. It does not claim a current incident or a version-specific fix.

Frequently asked questions

Should I always choose the newest timestamp?

No. Clock drift or a fresh empty save may look newer; rely on the last played device and actual progress.

Can I undo a wrong choice?

Cloud overwrite may be irreversible, which is why a local backup must precede selection.

Official sources and dates

Source publication or resolution date: Not specified. Sources checked: 2026-09-05. The check date is not the date the problem first occurred. Interface labels can vary between versions and display languages.

Related troubleshooting guides

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