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To preserve a Ubisoft Connect PC save, finish one final in-game save, disable cloud-save synchronization, close both the game and Ubisoft Connect, and copy the complete game folder from C:Program Files (x86)UbisoftUbisoft Game Launchersavegames<account-ID> to a dated USB archive. Keep the original files untouched, verify the copy, and make a second copy in another location. This protects local progress if cloud saves become unavailable, but it does not convert a PC save for a console or another game edition.
What a Ubisoft service shutdown does—and does not do
A decommissioning notice applies to specific games, platforms and online features. It is not automatically a notice that every Ubisoft Connect save will stop working. In Ubisoft’s announcement published on 27 October 2023, the company scheduled additional online-service decommissions for 25 January 2024. The listed products and platforms were Assassin’s Creed II (Xbox 360), Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (Mac), Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360), Assassin’s Creed Revelations (PC), Ghost Recon Future Soldier (PC), Heroes of Might and Magic VI (PC), NCIS (PC), R.U.S.E. (PC), Splinter Cell: Conviction (Xbox 360), and Trials Evolution (PC).
Ubisoft said those closures would “only affect certain online functionalities” and that purchased games would remain playable. The practical effect depends on the title: a single-player campaign may continue to launch while an online feature, authentication service, leaderboard or multiplayer component no longer works. Check the current Ubisoft notice for the exact game and platform rather than assuming that a shutdown announcement covers your copy.
There is also an account-access risk. Section 8.3 of Ubisoft’s Terms of Use 5.0 states: “In the event of termination of your Account, you will no longer have access to your Account and you will lose all your save files and in-game progression related to the Services.” A local copy is therefore worth making before changing an account, reinstalling the launcher or relying on a service that may later be unavailable.
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What you need before copying a save
- A Windows PC with the Ubisoft Connect installation that contains the save.
- The Ubisoft account used to play the game. The account-ID folder is part of the path, so a different account can have a different save directory.
- A USB flash drive or another removable drive with enough free space for the complete game-specific folder.
- A second storage location for valuable progress. This can be another drive or a cloud-storage account; cloud storage should be the second copy, not the only copy, because access still depends on the provider and your account.
- The game and Ubisoft Connect fully closed during the file copy.
- A note recording the game title, platform or store edition, Ubisoft account, backup date and original path.
Do not move the source folder, edit its files, rename individual files or encrypt the archive unless the game’s own support instructions specifically tell you to. A backup is most useful when it preserves the files exactly as the game created them.
Where Ubisoft Connect stores PC saves
The default Ubisoft Connect PC save location is:
C:Program Files (x86)UbisoftUbisoft Game Launchersavegames<account-ID>
Inside the account-ID folder are game-specific subfolders, generally identified by numeric names. The number is not a human-readable title, so identify it by checking the folder contents and modified dates after you have made a final save. If Ubisoft Connect was installed in a different Windows location, use that installation’s Ubisoft Game Launchersavegames directory instead of creating a new folder at the default path.
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Save locations and formats can vary by title. The path above describes Ubisoft Connect PC’s documented structure; it is not a universal location for console saves, Steam versions, or every Ubisoft release. Preserve the complete relevant folder and record which edition produced it.
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Step-by-step: make a safe USB backup
1. Create the final in-game save
- Start the game from the same Ubisoft account that owns the progress.
- Save normally through the game’s own save command or checkpoint system.
- Wait for any in-game save indicator to finish, then exit to the desktop. Do not begin copying while the game is still running.
This gives the files a known recent state. A backup made while the game is writing can contain a partial or mismatched set of files.
2. Turn off cloud-save synchronization
In Ubisoft Connect PC, open the launcher’s settings and disable the Cloud Save Synchronization option, following Ubisoft’s current support procedure and wording. The purpose is to stop a later launch or sign-in from replacing the local version with a cloud version, or from uploading an unintended local version over the copy you want to preserve.
Leave synchronization disabled while you inspect, copy or restore files. If the launcher presents a conflict dialog, do not choose an option until you know which timestamp and folder contain the desired progress.
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Exit the game first, then quit Ubisoft Connect rather than merely closing its window. Check the Windows notification area and close the launcher there if it remains active. A running process can keep a save file locked or write a newer file after you begin the copy.
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4. Open the save directory
- Open File Explorer.
- Browse to
C:Program Files (x86)UbisoftUbisoft Game Launchersavegames, or to the equivalentsavegamesfolder under your custom Ubisoft Connect installation. - Open the folder named for your Ubisoft account ID.
- Identify the numeric subfolder belonging to the game you just saved. Use recent modified dates and the contents of the folders; do not rely on the number alone.
If you cannot find the expected folder, confirm that you are using the Windows account and Ubisoft account that actually ran the game. Also check whether the game was launched through another edition or store integration, because its save handling may differ.
5. Copy the complete folder, never move it
- Insert the USB flash drive and create a dated parent folder, such as
Ubisoft-Saves-2026-10-19. - Copy the entire numeric game folder into that dated folder. If you want a self-contained archive that is easier to identify later, include the account-ID folder and keep the game folder intact beneath it.
- Wait for Windows to finish copying before disconnecting the drive.
- Keep the original folder in its Ubisoft location until the backup has been checked and, ideally, duplicated.
Copying preserves the source in case the removable drive fails or the archive turns out to belong to a different edition. A USB drive is independent of Ubisoft’s servers and can be stored separately from the PC.
6. Make a second copy
For progress that would be difficult to replace, duplicate the dated archive to another physical drive or to a cloud-storage account. Use the second location as redundancy, not as a replacement for the USB copy. Cloud access can depend on a provider, an account login and an available network service; those dependencies are exactly why a shutdown-related backup should include an offline copy.
7. Verify the archive
- Open the copied folder on the USB drive.
- Confirm that it contains the same game-specific files and subfolders as the source.
- Check that the copied files have recent modified dates corresponding to the final save.
- Compare the folder’s visible contents and size with the source. If Windows reports an error, repeat the copy before deleting or changing anything on the PC.
- Safely eject the USB drive only after the verification is complete.
Do not open a save in an editor or change its filename merely to make the archive easier to recognize. Keep a separate text note beside the archive with the title, account, platform or store edition, date and original path.
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Backup methods compared
| Method | Independence from Ubisoft services | Restoring the complete PC folder | Portability to another Windows PC | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USB flash drive | Offline copy does not require Ubisoft service availability | Copy the preserved folder back according to the game’s support instructions | High when the same game edition and account are used | Loss, damage or failure of a single removable drive |
| Second physical drive | Independent of Ubisoft services and of the first drive | Same folder-based process as the USB archive | High for a matching Windows installation | The two copies can be lost together if stored in the same place |
| Cloud-storage account | Depends on the storage provider, network access and account access | Download the unchanged archive, then restore the local folder | High for a matching Windows installation | Account or service availability; it should not be the only copy |
| Ubisoft cloud synchronization | Depends directly on Ubisoft account and service availability | Convenient when available, but synchronization can present a conflict | Limited to the game and edition that recognize the save | A later sync can overwrite the local version you intended to keep |
How to restore a saved copy later
Ubisoft’s PC restore guidance treats a backup as a replacement for an earlier local save. Restore only after identifying the same game, account and edition that created the archive.
- Close the game and Ubisoft Connect.
- Temporarily keep cloud-save synchronization disabled.
- Preserve the current local folder by renaming it as a temporary backup or copying it elsewhere. Do not delete it until the restored version has been tested.
- Restore the backed-up game folder to the relevant account-ID directory, following the game-specific Ubisoft support instructions for the title.
- Start the game and check the expected campaign, profile or progression.
- Only after confirming that the restored progress is correct should you consider re-enabling cloud synchronization. If a conflict appears, choose deliberately based on the verified local copy rather than accepting the first prompt.
A restore can recover an earlier PC state; it cannot make a PC save readable by a console edition or guarantee compatibility with a different release. Keep the original archive untouched so you can try again if the first restore does not produce the expected progress.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Important limits: platform, edition and account
PC to console is not a file copy
The documented Ubisoft restore process concerns PC saves. Console storage systems and game editions can use different locations, formats and account rules. Copying a Windows folder to a console, or importing it into a console edition, is not a supported universal conversion.
Steam, other PC stores and Ubisoft Connect editions may differ
A game purchased or launched through another PC store can still involve Ubisoft Connect, but the recognized save path and synchronization behavior can vary by title and edition. Record the store version and executable you used. Before transferring a save to another installation, read that game’s Ubisoft support instructions and keep the original files unchanged.
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The account matters
The folder is nested under the Ubisoft account ID, and Ubisoft’s Terms of Use tie save files and progression to the Services and the account. A copied folder does not by itself transfer ownership or bypass an account restriction. Keep the account identifier and the sign-in details needed to run the same game with the archive.
Troubleshooting common backup problems
The save folder is missing
- Confirm that the game has been launched and saved at least once on this Windows installation.
- Check the exact Ubisoft Connect installation drive rather than assuming the default
C:path. - Look for the account-ID folder under
savegames; do not search only for the game’s name because the game folder can be numeric. - Verify that you did not save progress under another Ubisoft account or another edition of the game.
Windows says a file is in use
Exit the game and Ubisoft Connect, including the launcher icon in the notification area. If the file remains locked, restart Windows and copy before launching the game again. Never force a move of a locked file when the goal is preservation.
The launcher asks whether to use local or cloud data
Stop at the prompt. Compare the dates and contents of the local folder and your verified archive. Keep synchronization disabled while deciding, and retain both versions until you have tested the one you intend to use. Choosing automatically can overwrite the desired state.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe restored game starts with old or missing progress
Exit without making another save, then restore the known-good archive again while cloud synchronization remains off. Check that the folder was placed under the correct account-ID directory and that the backup belongs to the same title, platform and edition. If the game uses title-specific instructions, follow those before attempting another launch.
The USB copy will not open
Do not format or repair the original source as a first response. Try the second copy, another USB port or another computer, and compare the archive against the untouched local folder. A second independent copy is the recovery path when a removable drive becomes unreadable.
Quick Recap
Shutdown checklist
- Identify the exact title, platform and edition named in the service notice.
- Make a final in-game save and exit completely.
- Disable Ubisoft Connect cloud-save synchronization.
- Copy the complete numeric game folder under the correct account-ID directory.
- Keep the source in place and verify the USB archive.
- Store a second copy separately.
- Label the archive with the title, account, platform, edition, date and original path.
- Before restoring, disable synchronization, preserve the current local folder and test the restored copy.
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