How to fix the cloud sync error on the Steam Deck?

The Steam Deck brings PC gaming to a handheld device, relying on Steam’s extensive catalog. And with Steam Cloud, you don’t have to worry about losing your progress, stats, settings, and other information when switching between your Deck and the desktop. Cloud sync doesn’t always work as expected, but there are a few ways to troubleshoot the problem. Here’s how to fix the cloud sync error on a Steam Deck.

What is the Steam Deck cloud sync error?

Steam’s cloud sync lets users access their game saves (and other data) no matter which device they’re playing on. Problems with sync can result in this data being lost, or more likely, inaccessible except on the device which originally created it. Gamers will see an error message if sync fails, or a device can’t locate your most recent save files in the Steam Cloud.

There are a few reasons why you might come across this error. It could happen if cloud sync settings are disabled, the Steam servers are down, or you’re having network connectivity problems. Corrupted game files, platform mismatches, incorrect configurations, or outdated SteamOS and game versions could also cause the error to appear.

How to fix the Steam Deck cloud sync error

Check if Steam servers are down

Like any online service, the problem could be on Steam’s side, and if Steam servers are down, a sync error is unavoidable. Check sites like Steam Status or Downdetector to see if others are reporting problems. Valve also conducts weekly maintenance on its servers every Tuesday, and there might be outages during that time that will cause cloud sync errors on a Steam Deck.

Restart your Steam Deck

Sometimes, simply restarting a Steam Deck might do the trick. Press the Steam button on your device to launch the main menu and go to Power. Select Restart. If your device is unresponsive because of other software glitches, long press the power button to force-restart.

Update SteamOS and your games

You should always keep SteamOS and the games you’re playing updated to their latest versions, since it’s always possible that a bugfix is available. To update SteamOS, press the Steam button and go to Settings > System. Select Check for updates to see if new software is ready. If there is an update, you’ll see the Apply button.

To check for specific game updates, press the Steam button, go to Library > [game], then choose the gear icon on the right to open game settings. From there, go to Properties > Updates.

Doublecheck that cloud sync is enabled

Naturally, cloud sync won’t work if it’s accidentally disabled. First, press the Steam button, go to Settings > Cloud, and toggle on Enable Steam Cloud. If it’s already enabled, you can try toggling it off and on again.

Next go to Library > [game], select the gear icon, and go to Properties > General. Uncheck and check the Keep game saves in the Steam Cloud option. Then go to Properties > Local files and select Verify integrity of save files.

Force games to use Proton

Proton is a compatibility layer that makes it possible for SteamOS to run Windows games. Press the Steam button and go to Library > [game]. Go to Settings (the gear icon) > Properties > Compatibility, and check Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool. Then select Proton in the drop-down menu.

Check your network connectivity and firewalls

Assuming you have an active internet connection, it’s still worth checking if that connection is weak or unstable, or if network firewalls might be blocking traffic. In the latter case, however, your Deck might not be able to get online at all.

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