Hades is friendly to manual backup because its main PC save lives in the user Saved Games folder, but cloud recovery introduces a naming trap: files downloaded from Steam Cloud can have extra prefixes even though the game expects names such as Profile1.sav. SaveEditor recommends preserving the whole Hades directory and recording the active profile number. This makes it easier to recover both the main profile and companion temporary/versioned files without guessing which cloud-exported filename corresponds to the live save.
Choose the correct backup boundary
For Hades, the researched PC save location is Windows: %USERPROFILE%DocumentsSaved GamesHades ; Microsoft Store: %LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesSupergiantGamesLLC.Hades_q53c1yqmx7phaSystemAppDatawgs. The known save file or folder pattern is Profile1.sav / Profile2.sav etc.; temporary/versioned companion saves can exist alongside the active profile.. Back up the entire Hades directory, with special attention to the active ProfileN.sav and its temporary/versioned companions. Preserve filenames exactly in the local runtime folder. Copying the complete documented save boundary is safer than selecting one visually obvious file, because companion metadata, indexes, backups, or multiple slots can be required together.
Make an offline copy before changing anything
Close the game first, wait for the active launcher to finish writing, then copy the save data to a separate folder that the game and sync client do not watch. Label the copy with the game, storefront, profile, and date. Documented launcher context: Steam, Epic Games Launcher, Microsoft Store. Microsoft Store uses WGS. Steam/Epic normal PC installs use the Saved Games directory; a cloud-downloaded filename may not be the same as the runtime filename.
Account for cloud saves
Steam Cloud, Epic cloud, Xbox Cloud, and Nintendo Switch cross-save are documented. Before restoring an older backup, decide which copy should win. If the game or launcher starts while an older manual copy is in place, synchronization can replace it before you confirm that it works. Keep the untouched backup outside the live save path until the restored progress has been opened and saved normally.
Restore without changing format assumptions
Hades stores profile-oriented saves in the Saved Games/Hades directory. Steam cloud exports can include prefixed filenames that need their original names restored before the game recognizes them. Compatibility note: A cloud-download archive may prepend metadata to filenames; restoring the bytes without restoring the expected ProfileN.sav name can make a valid save appear missing. Restore into the matching storefront/profile context whenever possible. Do not rename a save extension, move a folder into a different container type, or assume a console/mobile copy is equivalent unless a tested migration path specifically says so.
Recovery fallback
If a profile is not detected, compare the filename to the expected ProfileN.sav naming and verify that the active profile number matches. Check WGS separately for Microsoft Store. If the restored copy fails, put the untouched original back first. Then compare location, account/profile, cloud state, and the full directory structure before trying a different backup. The objective is reversible recovery, not repeated destructive experiments on the only copy.
Verification context: Reviewed against current PCGamingWiki Hades save path/cloud data and Supergiant community support guidance identifying Profile1.sav.