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.
Where Satisfactory stores PC saves
The researched save-location 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.. 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, 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. 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 and Epic cloud are documented. Cloud conflicts are especially relevant when switching machines or branches. 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
Steam and Epic use the same SaveGames root but place saves in account-ID subfolders. The game format changes across builds, so external tools may lag behind the current save version. The current filename/folder evidence is *.sav files; the filename normally reflects the save/session name, with multiple autosave/manual versions possible.. File-extension context: .sav 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 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. 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: Reviewed against current PCGamingWiki and Official Satisfactory Wiki save-file documentation, including the account-ID subfolder and current cloud-conflict guidance.