Persona 5 Royal is another title where the storefront determines the storage model. Steam keeps user-scoped files under the SEGA P5R directory, while the Microsoft Store/Xbox app build relies on WGS. A useful backup must therefore capture the correct container for the copy you actually play. SaveEditor.com does not present the existence of third-party conversion workflows as proof that every platform save is directly compatible; the Game Hub separates location facts from conversion claims.
Which storefront context matters
Documented Persona 5 Royal PC launchers/storefronts: Steam, Microsoft Store / Xbox app. The Steam and Microsoft Store versions use different storage systems. Account/profile IDs are part of the path and should be preserved when documenting or restoring a backup. 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 Xbox Cloud are documented for the corresponding storefronts. 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: Steam: %APPDATA%SEGAP5RSteam<user-id>savedata
Microsoft Store: %LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesSEGAofAmericaInc.F0cb6b3aer_s751p9cej88mtSystemAppDatawgs<user-id> | Linux / Steam Play: Steam Play: <SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/1687950/pfx/; the known file or folder pattern is Steam savedata directory records; Microsoft Store WGS container records. 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
Copy the complete Steam savedata directory or the complete Microsoft Store WGS data for the active profile. Keep the original untouched before any cross-platform conversion experiment. 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
Do not assume Steam, Microsoft Store, or decrypted PlayStation saves can be interchanged by filename. Conversion is a separate operation from backup. If progress disappears or rolls back, If the game starts without expected system/save data, verify the storefront, active user ID, and cloud state before overwriting anything. Proton users should also use a current compatibility layer when diagnosing old save-creation issues. 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: Storefront-specific PC paths, cloud support, and the documented note about decrypted PS4 conversion were reviewed against current PCGamingWiki coverage.