To back up a ROM collection safely, first make a separate copy of the files and related emulator data, then configure sync for the folders you actually need. Sync keeps devices up to date, but it can also copy accidental deletions or bad changes; an independent, restorable backup is what lets you recover.
What to include in a ROM collection backup
A ROM folder is only one part of a playable library. Before moving or syncing anything, identify where your setup stores each data type. Emulators and frontends vary, and one sync feature may cover only some of them.
- ROM files: The game files themselves, wherever your emulator or frontend expects them.
- Battery saves: Persistent in-game progress, often stored separately from ROMs. RetroArch groups its game saves with save states in its “Save Files & States” category, but they remain distinct kinds of data.
- Save states: Snapshots of an emulator session. Do not assume they are interchangeable with battery saves or compatible with a different emulator core or version.
- Configuration and system files: Emulator settings and, where applicable, BIOS files.
- Library data: Playlists, artwork, and frontend metadata, which may live outside the ROM and save folders.
Make a checklist of the folders and files your particular setup uses. RetroArch Cloud Sync, for example, offers controls for save files and states, configuration, thumbnails, and system files, but it does not automatically cover every item in a RetroArch library.
Make a recoverable backup before enabling sync
Copy the existing collection and relevant emulator data to a separate storage location before changing folder layouts or turning on synchronization. Keep this baseline copy outside the folders being actively synced. Otherwise, a deletion or unwanted change can be replicated to both devices and leave you without a clean copy.
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Use version history or a non-destructive option when available, and verify the backup by checking that expected folders and files are present. For confidence, restore a sample file to a temporary location and confirm it is readable. A sync indicator confirms a transfer, not that every data category was included or that a future restore will work.
Choose a method for your devices and data
| Method | Best fit | Storage model | Checks and limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| RetroArch Cloud Sync | A library managed primarily through RetroArch | WebDAV on supported platforms; iCloud or iCloud Drive on Apple platforms, according to Libretro’s Cloud Sync guide. | Choose the data categories you need, match save and state folder sorting settings on every device, review conflicts, and note that retroarch.cfg and content_*.lpl playlists are excluded. |
| Syncthing | Sharing selected folders directly between devices | Peer-to-peer exchange when devices are online together; Syncthing says it does not upload data to the cloud. | Set the correct folders and paths, confirm the devices have connected, and maintain a separate backup because replicated deletions can propagate. Some filesystem attributes and metadata are platform- and settings-dependent. |
| Manual copy to external storage | An independent backup or one-time transfer | Local removable storage | Keep the copy separate from live sync, check the expected folders, and test a sample restore before relying on it. |
Steam Cloud is not a general backup service for arbitrary ROM folders or emulator data. Steamworks describes it as a feature configured for supported Steam applications and their file groups; coverage depends on each application’s configuration.
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Set up RetroArch Cloud Sync carefully
RetroArch’s documented Cloud Sync options include WebDAV for supported platforms and iCloud or iCloud Drive for Apple platforms. The guide identifies the following categories and defaults; review the controls on your own installation rather than assuming a setting covers the whole library.
- Save Files & States: Includes `.srm` game saves and save states; enabled by default in the guide.
- Configuration: Enabled by default. The main `retroarch.cfg` file is nevertheless excluded from Cloud Sync.
- Thumbnails: Off by default.
- System files: Off by default. BIOS and other system files may be large, so consider whether they belong in this sync set.
RetroArch also excludes playlist files named `content_*.lpl`. Back up `retroarch.cfg` and playlists separately if you need them on another device. These exclusions mean a successful Cloud Sync does not by itself preserve all configuration or library metadata.
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Match save and state folder sorting
On each device, make the “Sort Saves into Folders” and “Sort Save States into Folders” settings match. RetroArch’s guide says these settings must use the same organization—by core name and content directory—on both devices for the files to merge correctly. A file can transfer successfully but still be missed if the receiving setup looks in a different path.
Close content and resolve conflicts
RetroArch compares local and server manifests. If both copies have changed since the previous sync, it records a conflict instead of overwriting either version; you must resolve conflicted files manually. Libretro advises: “Always close the running content (Close Content) and return to RetroArch’s main menu before quitting RetroArch.” Its guide says this allows the latest saves to sync. With “Destructive Cloud Sync” off, files that would otherwise be deleted or overwritten are backed up locally under `cloud_backups`.
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Sync with Syncthing without treating it as a backup
Syncthing replicates file creation, modification, and deletion among configured devices. Its FAQ explains: “Therefore Syncthing does not upload your data to the cloud but exchanges your data across your machines as soon as they are online at the same time.” Set up only the folders you intend to share, then check that devices have connected and that files arrived in the locations your emulator uses.
Syncthing always synchronizes file contents and modification times, but permissions and other attributes depend on platform, filesystem, and settings. Some links and metadata are not preserved in every case, so do not rely on it for byte-for-byte preservation of all filesystem details. It also does not by itself provide a historical backup: if a file is deleted on one machine, that deletion can be replicated. Keep an independent copy or configure a separate versioning/backup method.
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Find the right paths when moving to another device
Paths depend on emulator, operating system, installation method, and frontend. On SteamOS with EmuDeck, its RetroArch documentation describes save and state symlinks under `Emulation/saves/retroarch/`, targeting folders inside `$HOME/.var/app/org.libretro.RetroArch/config/retroarch/`. On Steam Deck, `$HOME` is `/home/deck`, and `.var` is hidden by default. These are EmuDeck/SteamOS-specific examples, not universal RetroArch paths.
If files appear to sync but saves do not show in-game, compare the source and destination paths, filenames, core/content folder organization, and emulator configuration. Do not assume a save state will load under a different core or version; compatibility is not established by copying the file.
Quick Recap
Use a safe transfer sequence
- Inventory: List the ROM, save, state, configuration, system-file, playlist, artwork, and metadata locations used by your setup.
- Create a baseline: Copy those files to independent storage outside the live sync folders.
- Configure the transfer: Choose RetroArch Cloud Sync, Syncthing, or a manual copy based on device support, path compatibility, simultaneous-edit behavior, and recovery needs.
- Align paths and settings: Make destination folder layouts match what the emulator expects; for RetroArch, match save and state sorting settings.
- Transfer while not playing: Close content, let the transfer finish, and avoid writing to the same library from multiple devices at once.
- Verify and restore-test: Check expected files and paths, then restore a sample from the independent backup to a temporary location.
Common mistakes that put saves or metadata at risk
- Assuming sync covers everything: RetroArch Cloud Sync excludes `retroarch.cfg` and `content_*.lpl` playlists, while other tools may also omit data you expected.
- Playing on two devices at once: Concurrent changes can create conflicts or produce a result you did not intend. RetroArch advises against using the same library on multiple devices simultaneously.
- Relying on sync as the only copy: Sync can replicate deletions and unwanted edits. A separate backup is needed for recovery.
- Copying files into the wrong layout: A synced save may be invisible if the emulator expects another path or folder organization.
- Assuming platform services cover ROM folders: Steam Cloud applies to supported applications and their configured file groups, not arbitrary folders by default.
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