Elden Ring concentrates multiple characters in a single profile-level .sl2 container, so the practical backup unit is the whole account folder, not one character slot. The nearby .bak file is useful as a possible recovery point but should itself be backed up before experimentation. Because Steam Cloud can synchronize the same profile, restoration should be deliberate: close the game, preserve current local files, decide which copy is authoritative, then allow cloud sync to resume.
Where Elden Ring stores PC saves
The researched save-location boundary is Windows: %APPDATA%EldenRing<user-id> | Linux / Steam Play: Steam Play: <SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/1245620/pfx/. The known file or folder pattern is ER0000.sl2
ER0000.sl2.bak. This is the practical starting point because launcher, profile, and storefront context can change which copy is active even when two folders look similar.
Storefront and profile differences
Documented launchers or storefronts: Steam. The account-ID subfolder is part of the save context. Avoid mixing files between Steam identities without a tool explicitly designed for that purpose. When looking for a missing save, identify the executable/storefront you actually launched and the user/profile that created the progress before copying anything between directories.
Cloud synchronization
Steam Cloud is documented. A cloud service should be treated as another copy of the save, not as proof that the local folder is disposable. Before a manual restore, let synchronization finish, make an offline backup, and avoid starting the game while files are being replaced.
What the files represent
The Steam PC profile uses an account-ID folder and the main ER0000.sl2 container. The .bak companion can provide an additional recovery point, but it should be copied before trying to restore it. The current filename/folder evidence is ER0000.sl2
ER0000.sl2.bak. File-extension context: .sl2, .bak A location guide does not claim that every file in the directory is safe to edit or that files from another storefront are automatically interchangeable.
If the save is not where expected
If a manual restore is immediately replaced, pause and inspect Steam Cloud synchronization instead of repeatedly overwriting the live folder. Preserve both local and cloud versions until you know which one is newer. Also check redirected Documents folders, Steam Play prefixes, account IDs, and launcher-specific containers where applicable. Preserve every candidate copy before testing a restore so troubleshooting does not destroy the only surviving version.
Verification context: Windows/Steam Play path and Steam Cloud support were reviewed against current PCGamingWiki coverage. Filename notes reflect the standard Steam PC profile layout.