Slay the Spire is different from the usual one-folder save model: PCGamingWiki lists preferences, runs, saves, and betaPreferences as game data. That means “backup the save file” is incomplete advice. A user may restore card/progression information yet lose an active run or related preferences if only one directory is copied. SaveEditor therefore treats the four directories as one logical backup set for standard desktop builds while keeping the Microsoft Store package path separate.
Start with the least destructive explanation
When Slay the Spire progress appears missing, first verify the active PC location: Windows: Desktop builds: <path-to-game>preferences, <path-to-game>runs, <path-to-game>saves and betaPreferences ; Microsoft Store: %LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesHumbleBundle.SlayTheSpire_q2mcdwmzx4qjaLocalCacheLocalMicrosoftWritablePackageRootsaves. Expected files/folders: Multiple files across preferences, runs, saves, and betaPreferences rather than one universal slot file.. Many apparent save failures are actually profile, storefront, path-redirection, or cloud-selection problems rather than damaged game data.
Preserve every surviving copy
Back up preferences, runs, saves, and betaPreferences together before reinstalling or moving the game. On Microsoft Store, preserve the package-local save path separately. 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, GOG, Microsoft Store. The Microsoft Store sandbox path differs significantly from Steam/GOG. Standard desktop installs can keep data alongside game resources, so reinstall/move operations deserve an explicit backup first. Cloud notes: Steam Cloud and Xbox Cloud support are documented depending on edition. 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
Slay the Spire stores meaningful state in several sibling directories under the installation resources for standard desktop builds. Backing up only saves can omit preferences/unlocks or run state. Unlock/progression data and an in-progress run are not necessarily represented by the same file. A partial directory copy can therefore restore one aspect but not another. 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 ascension/unlocks or the current run do not match after restoration, compare all four data directories rather than repeatedly overwriting the saves folder alone. 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: Reviewed against current PCGamingWiki Slay the Spire save-data locations and multi-directory layout.