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Exit Caves of Qud, copy the complete active save folder to a separately named location, and preserve the nearby Mods directory. On Steam, the active data is commonly inside SyncedSaves; local saves may instead be in Saves. Keep the untouched backup until Diaspora starts successfully and your character loads with the expected inventory, location, quests, and mods.
The official Caves of Qud site has announced Diaspora for December 3, 2026. Because the available documentation does not promise that every existing save and mod combination will migrate cleanly, a dated folder copy is the practical rollback point.
What to back up before Diaspora
Back up the whole relevant save tree rather than trying to identify one file. A Caves of Qud save can be accompanied by multiple long-ID folders, configuration data, and mod files. Copying only the file that appears newest can leave you without the world or character data needed to restore a run.
Your backup should contain:
- The active folder under
SyncedSavesor the localSavesdirectory. - Any other save folders you want to retain. Do not delete older long-ID folders just because they are not the newest.
- The surrounding
Modsdirectory, especially if the character or world depends on custom content. - A note of any custom
-savepathlaunch argument.
Use a destination that is separate from the game installation. A dated folder on another drive or removable storage makes it clear which copy is the untouched pre-Diaspora state.
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Find the active Caves of Qud save location
The correct path depends on your operating system, whether Steam Cloud is being used, and whether you supplied a custom save path. Start with the platform path that matches your installation, then check for the Saves subdirectory.
Windows Steam Cloud saves
In Windows File Explorer, click the address bar, paste this path, and press Enter:
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowFreehold GamesCavesOfQudSyncedSaves
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Windows local saves
Also check the local path:
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowFreehold GamesCavesOfQudSaves
Use this location when your installation is keeping local data outside the synchronized tree. If both locations contain saves, do not guess which one is authoritative. Compare modification dates, inspect the run you recognize, and back up both complete trees if there is any uncertainty.
macOS Steam Cloud saves
In Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder…, enter:
~/Library/Application Support/com.FreeholdGames.CavesOfQud/Synced
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Open its Saves subdirectory. The tilde represents your macOS home folder, so the visible path will begin with your user account once Finder resolves it.
Linux Steam Cloud saves
Open your file manager, use its location field (often Ctrl+L), and enter:
~/.config/unity3d/Freehold Games/CavesOfQud/Synced
Open the Saves subdirectory inside that location. Hidden directories such as .config may need to be shown in the file manager.
Local macOS and Linux saves
Both macOS and Linux also have documented local Saves directories. Their exact placement can vary with the platform’s data conventions and the game build. If you do not see the run in the synchronized path, search the Caves of Qud data directory for a folder named Saves, then use the modification dates and the character details to identify the active tree.
Custom -savepath locations
If you launch the game with a -savepath argument, that argument overrides the default locations. Check your Steam launch options or shortcut target and copy the save tree from the specified directory instead. Also record the argument in a text note beside the backup; without it, you may restore files to the wrong place later.
How to identify the current run
SteamDB’s Caves of Qud cloud-save metadata and the PCGamingWiki path reference document the platform locations, but they do not provide a universal file name that identifies your preferred character. Several long-ID folders can therefore look interchangeable.
- Close the game before inspecting dates. A running game can still be writing data.
- Switch the folder to a details view and sort by Date modified.
- Open folders only for inspection; do not edit or rename files inside the original save tree.
- Use the newest plausible folder as a starting point, then confirm it matches the character and world you last played.
- If you cannot distinguish the folders confidently, copy the complete
Savesdirectory instead of selecting one.
A Steam Community discussion about duplicating a save recommends copying SyncedSaves and sorting multiple saves by their most recent date. That is useful practical guidance, not a compatibility guarantee, which is why retaining every relevant folder is safer than pruning the backup.
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Step-by-step backup procedure
1. Exit Caves of Qud completely
Save normally, leave to the main menu if appropriate, and quit the game. Wait until the game window and its process have closed before copying anything. Do not begin the copy while a save is being written.
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Use the Windows, macOS, Linux, or custom--savepath location above. Steam users commonly find the active tree at SyncedSaves, but check the local Saves path when the synchronized folder does not contain your current run.
3. Choose the copy scope
For maximum recovery flexibility, copy the entire Saves tree. If you have confirmed one relevant long-ID folder and need a smaller backup, copy that complete folder, including every file and subfolder within it. Never copy just a single file selected by extension or timestamp.
4. Create a dated backup folder
On the destination drive, create a name such as CavesOfQud-pre-Diaspora-2026-10-19. Add the game version if you know it, for example CavesOfQud-pre-Diaspora-2026-10-19-version-known. A descriptive name prevents a later post-install copy from being mistaken for the original.
5. Copy the save data
Drag or copy the complete selected folder into the dated destination. Leave the originals untouched. If your source is ...CavesOfQudSyncedSaves, preserve that folder structure inside the backup so you can recognize where the files belong during restoration.
6. Copy the Mods directory
The official Caves of Qud Technical Guidebook states: “You can create mods for the game by creating a Mods folder in your game save directory.” Copy that surrounding Mods directory alongside the saves. Preserve its relative location in the backup rather than scattering individual mod folders into a different directory.
7. Record the launch configuration
Write down any custom -savepath value, launch arguments, and the date of the copy. If you use a nondefault Steam library or a manually maintained mod setup, note that as well. This small record tells you exactly where the files came from and where a restoration should go.
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8. Verify the copy before installing
Open the destination and confirm that the expected long-ID save folder or complete Saves tree is present, along with Mods when applicable. Compare the copy’s folder size and file count with the source at a basic level. Do not delete the source to “test” the backup; the original is your second recovery copy.
Choosing a separate backup destination
The important property is separation from the game installation. A different folder on the same disk is convenient, but a separate physical location gives you protection if the installation or drive develops a problem. The research for this topic verifies no particular storage product, price, or capacity, so choose a generic destination that can hold the complete tree.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Removable storage | Must fit the complete save and Mods copy; save trees are usually small, but check available space before copying. |
Separate from the game installation while disconnected; protect it from loss or accidental overwriting. | Highest portability; easy to keep offline. | A simple rollback copy you can store away from the computer. |
| Another local drive | Usually ample capacity for multiple dated backups. | Separate from the installation when it is a different physical drive; a second folder on the same drive is less protective. | Lower portability, but fast and convenient for repeated copies. | Frequent backups and keeping several pre-update states available. |
Whichever destination you choose, keep the pre-Diaspora copy read-only in practice: do not point the game at it for ordinary play, and do not overwrite it with files created after installation.
Install Diaspora only after the backup is complete
Diaspora has been announced as launching on December 3, 2026. Install or enable it only after the dated backup has been copied and checked. If the installer or game client offers to update files, allow that process to finish before testing the save; interrupting an update creates a different recovery problem from an incompatible save.
Do not immediately overwrite the backup with a newly saved character. First launch the updated game and load the backed-up run. A successful menu launch by itself is not enough evidence that the migration worked.
Post-install verification checklist
Use the same character and world state you backed up, then check each item before deciding that the backup can be retired:
- Character identity: The expected character loads rather than a new or older run.
- Inventory: Important equipment, currency, implants, mutations, and other carried items are present.
- World position: The character appears in the expected location, with the surrounding map behaving normally.
- Quest state: Completed, active, and failed quests retain their known statuses.
- Mod behavior: Any required custom content is present and functioning, with no missing-content warnings that affect the run.
- Save and reload: Make a test save if appropriate, exit normally, and confirm that the same state loads again.
Keep the original dated backup even after a successful first load. Retain it until you have played far enough to establish that the updated installation is stable for this particular character and mod set.
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What to do if the save fails after installation
The available documentation does not establish a universal compatibility guarantee for every old save combined with every mod and expansion state. A failed load can therefore be a compatibility issue, a changed mod set, or a damaged post-install copy. Treat the backup as a rollback point rather than repeatedly experimenting on it.
- Exit the game. Do not continue saving after an incorrect or partially loaded state appears.
- Preserve the changed state. Before restoring anything, copy the current post-install
Savestree to a separate folder. This preserves evidence and gives you a way back if the problem is later identified. - Disable or remove the newly added content as appropriate. Use the game’s available mod or expansion controls rather than deleting random files from the original backup.
- Restore only after making that extra copy. Replace the active save tree with the untouched pre-Diaspora copy, keeping the same directory structure and honoring any custom
-savepath. - Test methodically. Launch, load the character, and check the inventory, location, quests, and mod behavior again. Change one variable at a time so you can identify whether the failure follows the expansion or a mod.
Never restore by merging individual files from the backup into a partially changed tree. A complete folder replacement is easier to reason about and avoids leaving a mixture of old and new state.
How to restore a backed-up save
Windows
- Quit Caves of Qud and wait for it to close.
- Open the active location, such as
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowFreehold GamesCavesOfQudSyncedSaves, the localSavespath, or your custom-savepath. - Rename the current active
Savesfolder to something such asSaves-post-Diaspora-failed. Renaming preserves it for later troubleshooting. - Copy the backed-up
Savesfolder into the same parent directory. - Restore the backed-up
Modsdirectory to its original relative location when the run requires it. - Launch the game and verify the character and world state.
macOS
- Quit the game.
- Use Finder’s Go > Go to Folder… to open
~/Library/Application Support/com.FreeholdGames.CavesOfQud/Syncedor the documented local save location. - Rename the current
Savesdirectory instead of deleting it. - Copy the backed-up
Savesdirectory into the same parent path and restoreModsif required. - Start the game and perform the verification checklist.
Linux
- Exit the game.
- Open
~/.config/unity3d/Freehold Games/CavesOfQud/Syncedor the applicable local/custom directory. - Rename the current save tree to preserve the failed state.
- Copy the backup into the original location, maintaining the
Savessubdirectory. - Restore the backed-up
Modsdirectory and test the run.
If Steam Cloud or another synchronization process presents a conflict, avoid deleting either copy while deciding which state is correct. The manually dated backup remains the known pre-install version; keep it intact until the restored run has loaded and saved successfully.
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Common mistakes to avoid
- Backing up while the game is open: The copy may catch files during a write.
- Copying one guessed file: The required run may depend on other files or folders.
- Ignoring
SyncedSaves: Steam users often have the active data there rather than in the localSavesdirectory. - Deleting older long-ID folders: You may remove a valuable alternate run or make identification harder.
- Leaving out
Mods: A save that depends on custom content may not behave the same after restoration. - Forgetting
-savepath: Restoring to a default directory will not affect a game configured to read another location. - Overwriting the original backup: A post-install save should never replace the pre-install rollback copy.
- Testing only the title screen: The meaningful test is loading the character and checking inventory, position, quests, and mod behavior.
Practical decision: back up one folder or the whole tree?
Copy one complete long-ID folder only when you have positively identified the desired run and have limited storage or a specific archival need. Copy the complete Saves tree when multiple runs exist, dates are ambiguous, or you want the simplest restoration procedure. The larger copy is usually the safer choice because it preserves the alternatives without requiring you to interpret the folder IDs later.
In either case, preserve Mods and document the source path. The combination of save files, mod directory, and path note is what makes the backup reproducible on the same installation after a failed Diaspora launch.
Compatibility boundary
Diaspora’s announcement establishes the expansion and its December 3, 2026 launch date, while the documented path references explain where Caves of Qud stores synchronized and local saves. Those sources do not state that every existing save, mod, and expansion combination will migrate without changes. Plan accordingly: make the copy before installation, test the actual character after installation, and use the preserved folder as the rollback point if the result is not usable.
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