Direct answer
What should I do?
On the new PC, update Silksong and launch it once, then quit. That creates the destination account’s numeric Steam ID folder (or default for a non-Steam build). Back up anything already inside it. From the old PC, copy—not move—the complete save folder and keep that copy untouched. Put a duplicate of the intended userX.dat into the matching destination folder, open the profile, save, quit, and open it again before removing anything from the old PC.
- Last reviewed
- Evidence basis
- Team Cherry’s official PC save folders and Steam Support documentation for Cloud and local network transfer exclusions.
- Applies to
- PC-to-PC transfer of an existing userX.dat for Steam or non-Steam builds using the documented Team Cherry folders.
- Before you start
- For a PC-to-PC transfer, use the destination account’s generated save folder and a matching game build. Keep both original folders until the copied profile opens and saves correctly.
Using this guide for the original Hollow Knight
The preserve-both-copies and verify-after-restarting steps below are useful for original Hollow Knight PC saves too. Use the original game on both computers and its own save folders; do not follow Silksong’s Steam ID/default sub-folder instructions. This is PC-to-PC copying within the same game, not Hollow Knight-to-Silksong conversion or console transfer. The editor inspects a file you select; it does not move files between computers or extract Microsoft Store/Game Pass WGS containers.
Open the Hollow Knight Save Editor to inspect a copied save, or check the Hollow Knight save file locations before copying files. The remaining instructions on this page refer to Silksong.
Move the save without losing either copy
- Update Silksong to the same game version on both PCs.
- On the source PC, close the game and copy the entire save folder to a dated backup.
- On the destination PC, launch the game once, create or identify the target slot, then close the game completely.
- Open Team Cherry’s documented platform path and choose the numeric Steam ID or default folder that the destination launch just created.
- Back up any existing destination userX.dat before copying the source file.
- Copy—not move—the source profile, keep the intended slot number, and launch the destination game to verify it.
Steam game transfer and save transfer are different
Steam’s local network transfer can copy installed game content, but Steam Support explicitly says it excludes local save games, configuration files, Steam Cloud files, Workshop content, and shader files. A successful game installation transfer therefore does not prove the Silksong profile moved.
Silksong’s PC save is stored in the Team Cherry folder documented by the developer, with Steam users separated into numeric sub-folders. Confirm that destination folder instead of placing the file beside the game executable.
Before the first Steam Cloud decision
- Preserve local copies from both devices before either one synchronizes.
- Do not open the same profile on both computers during the first test.
- If Steam presents a conflict, do not choose by “cloud” versus “local” alone. Compare the shown time and then verify the profile’s playtime, last bench, and inventory.
- Keep the source computer untouched until the destination save opens, saves, closes, and reopens successfully.
Check the destination before copying
Use these steps for PC save files in the same game. On each computer, launch the game once, close it, and find the account’s generated save folder before copying a duplicate of your preserved file.
Moving a file between different Steam accounts can also involve ownership and cloud behavior outside the save schema. Test a copy in the destination account’s own generated folder; do not overwrite both accounts’ only local copies.
Preserve the original before testing
Work on copies, change one thing at a time, and keep the original until the chosen save opens, saves normally, closes, and opens again.
How to Transfer a Silksong Save Between PCs FAQ
Does Steam Local Network Transfer move Silksong saves?
No. Steam Support says local save games and Steam Cloud files are excluded from that feature.
Where should user1.dat go on the new PC?
Inside the official Silksong platform folder, then inside the destination Steam user ID or default sub-folder—not beside the game executable.
Can I transfer a newer save to an older game build?
A save written by a newer build may be incompatible with an older build. Update the destination game first.
Sources and evidence
Official guidance defines the safe baseline. Community links document real player cases, but a successful report is not a universal or version-independent fix.
Official: Team Cherry: official PC save folders Official: Steam Support: local network transfer exclusions Official: Steam Support: Steam Cloud