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.
Start with the least destructive explanation
When Persona 5 Royal progress appears missing, first verify the active PC location: 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/. Expected files/folders: Steam savedata directory records; Microsoft Store WGS container records. Many apparent save failures are actually profile, storefront, path-redirection, or cloud-selection problems rather than damaged game data.
Preserve every surviving copy
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. Before renaming, moving, replacing, or opening candidate backups, copy them outside the live directory. Do not use the only surviving file as the test specimen for repair or editing.
Check launcher and cloud state
Storefront context: 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. Cloud notes: Steam Cloud and Xbox Cloud are documented for the corresponding storefronts. A sync client can reintroduce an older or newer version after a manual restore, so recovery work should keep local and cloud copies conceptually separate until the wanted progress is confirmed.
Use format and compatibility clues
Steam exposes a normal account-scoped savedata directory. The Microsoft Store build uses WGS. Decrypted PlayStation 4 saves have separate conversion considerations and are not treated as byte-compatible with the PC storefront containers. Do not assume Steam, Microsoft Store, or decrypted PlayStation saves can be interchanged by filename. Conversion is a separate operation from backup. If the file exists but is ignored, compare the complete directory structure, slot/profile naming, game edition, mods/DLC, and any companion metadata. Do not assume an extension change or generic checksum tool can repair a game-specific container.
Game-specific troubleshooting
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. If a known-good backup works, preserve it and create a fresh in-game save before further experiments. If no copy works, prefer read-only inspection and source-backed game-specific tooling over repeated writes.
Verification context: Storefront-specific PC paths, cloud support, and the documented note about decrypted PS4 conversion were reviewed against current PCGamingWiki coverage.