Satisfactory uses a consistent LocalAppData SaveGames root across Steam and Epic, but the account-ID directory underneath is important: a player who switched storefronts can have more than one valid subfolder. SaveEditor recommends comparing timestamps and preserving all relevant .sav generations rather than uploading or editing the first file found. This is also a format-version-sensitive game, so an external calculator saying “unsupported save version” can simply mean that tool has not caught up with a new game build.
Which storefront context matters
Documented Satisfactory PC launchers/storefronts: Steam, Epic Games Launcher. Steam and Epic can create different account-ID subfolders under the same root. Selecting the wrong folder can make the correct .sav look missing. The active storefront/account should be identified before any restore because cloud and local storage may not use the same path or container across editions.
Documented cloud behavior
Steam Cloud and Epic cloud are documented. Cloud conflicts are especially relevant when switching machines or branches. Cloud synchronization is useful for continuity, but it can also turn a restore into a conflict-resolution event. Let synchronization settle before making a manual backup, and keep an offline copy outside any folder monitored by the launcher or operating-system sync service.
Local save roots still matter
The researched local save boundary is Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%FactoryGameSavedSaveGames<account-id>; the known file or folder pattern is *.sav files; the filename normally reflects the save/session name, with multiple autosave/manual versions possible.. A cloud-enabled game still has concrete local data involved in ordinary play, and that local context is what you need when identifying which copy was modified most recently.
Avoid accidental overwrite loops
Back up the complete account-ID folder, not just the latest autosave. Keep several generations before moving between Early Access/Experimental/current builds or using an external calculator/editor. When restoring, close the game and launcher, preserve both the current local copy and the backup you want to test, then place the intended data in the matching profile/storefront location. Do not repeatedly open the game between different copies without noting which side the cloud client selected.
Compatibility and conflict checks
A third-party tool rejecting a .sav can mean the tool has not yet added the current Satisfactory save version; it does not prove the game file itself is corrupt. If progress disappears or rolls back, If the expected .sav is absent, look one level below SaveGames for all account-ID folders and compare timestamps. If an external parser rejects it, test the save in the game before diagnosing damage. Resolve identity/path/cloud questions first. A cloud conflict is not proof that the save itself is corrupt, and a successful upload is not proof that files from another storefront are compatible.
Verification context: Reviewed against current PCGamingWiki and Official Satisfactory Wiki save-file documentation, including the account-ID subfolder and current cloud-conflict guidance.