Elden Ring / GAME HISTORY

Elden Ring Steam Cloud Conflict: Which Save Should You Keep?

Bandai Namco’s advisory explains both sync directions and recommends a separate local backup.

By Patchlo Editorial Desk · Published October 26, 2026 · Sources checked October 26, 2026

Scope: PC Elden Ring and the publisher’s Steam Cloud conflict advisory. This is not a console repair or a guarantee of recovering an already-overwritten save.

The direction matters as much as the timestamp

The conflict message means the local file and the cloud file disagree. Choosing the cloud option without checking can replace newer local progress with an older uploaded copy. A successful synchronization can therefore leave the player with less progress than before.

The publisher’s advisory says to inspect each last-update date and time, then select the data you want to keep. The word “cloud” does not make one copy automatically safer or more recent.

What each choice does

Bandai Namco names the two choices explicitly. “Download to this machine” loads the Cloud Files onto the PC. “Upload to the STEAM Cloud” sends the Local files up instead. Identify which copy contains the progress you want before choosing a direction.

1. Keep a separate backup of the local save before resolving the conflict.
2. Compare the displayed last-update dates and times for Local files and Cloud Files.
3. Identify the copy whose progress you want to retain.
4. Choose Upload for that local copy, or Download to use the cloud copy, following the direction shown in the dialog.

Back up before resolving the conflict

The advisory recommends keeping local save data elsewhere in case an older cloud file overwrites it through an operational error. A backup preserves another copy before the decision; it is not a promise that Steam can recreate progress already lost. The notice confirms the symptom and handling advice, but does not establish a timestamp-algorithm diagnosis or the exact patch date claimed in some retellings.