How to Sync Co-Op Game Saves Between Linux and Windows
Sync co-op game saves between Linux and Windows players. SaveSync handles cross-platform save paths so anyone in your group can host.
Your co-op group has four players. Two are on Windows. One runs Linux Mint. One plays on a Steam Deck. You are all in the same Valheim world, and you have been building that base for three weeks. Then the host (one of the Windows players) goes on vacation, and the person on Linux wants to take over hosting duties.
The save file is on a Windows machine, stored somewhere in C:\Users\...\AppData\Local\.... The Linux player needs it in a Proton prefix directory buried inside ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/. These paths have nothing in common. Figuring out where to put the file, making sure the permissions are correct, and praying nothing corrupts in the transfer is an exercise in frustration.
This is the cross-platform save sharing problem, and most co-op groups with mixed operating systems run into it eventually.
Why Cross-Platform Save Sharing Is So Painful
Different Save Locations
The same game stores its save file in completely different places depending on the operating system. Take Valheim as an example:
On Windows:
C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local\
On Linux (via Proton):
~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/892970/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/
On Linux (native, where applicable):
~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/
Every game has its own structure, and every platform maps it differently. There is no universal standard. You cannot just take a Windows save path and swap the slashes.
File Permission Issues
Linux filesystems handle permissions differently than Windows. A save file copied from a Windows NTFS drive to an ext4 filesystem may have incorrect permissions. Files transferred through USB drives or cloud storage may lose their executable bits or ownership attributes. A file that works perfectly on Windows can fail silently on Linux if the permissions are wrong.
Proton Prefix Complexity
When a Windows game runs through Proton on Linux, it creates a virtual Windows filesystem inside a prefix directory. Save files end up inside this prefix, and the path is long, unintuitive, and includes the game’s Steam AppID (a number most players do not have memorized). Even experienced Linux users have to look up the prefix path for each game.
No Shared Standard
Steam Cloud syncs your own saves between your own devices. It does not help when multiple players need to share a single co-op world save. Google Drive and Dropbox can move files around, but they do not know where each game keeps its saves on each platform. Syncthing can synchronize directories, but configuring it to map a Windows path to a Proton prefix path requires manual setup for every game.
How SaveSync Handles Cross-Platform Sync
SaveSync was built to make this invisible. It knows where each supported game stores its save files on both Windows and Linux. When a Windows player syncs a save, a Linux player can pull it, and SaveSync places the file in the correct location for their platform automatically.
Here is how it works in practice:
- Player A (Windows) finishes a session and syncs the save through SaveSync
- Player B (Linux) opens SaveSync and pulls the latest save
- SaveSync places the save in the correct Linux/Proton directory for that game
- Player B hosts the session and everyone connects
No path lookups. No permission fixes. No Proton prefix navigation. The platform difference is handled by SaveSync, not by the players.
Setting Up Cross-Platform Save Sharing
On Windows
- Install SaveSync from Steam
- Create a sync group and invite your friends
- Select your game and sync your save after each session
On Linux or Steam Deck
- Install SaveSync from Steam
- Join the Discord server and grab the beta tester role to get access to the Linux build instructions
- Join your friend’s sync group
- Select the same game and pull the latest save when you want to host
Both platforms use the same sync groups. A group can have a mix of Windows, Linux, and Steam Deck players. SaveSync handles the platform translation for every sync.
Games That Work Cross-Platform with SaveSync
Most of SaveSync’s 27+ supported games run on Linux through Proton. Here are some of the most popular cross-platform co-op titles:
| Game | Windows | Linux (Proton) | Steam Deck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valheim | Yes | Yes | Verified |
| Terraria | Yes | Yes | Verified |
| Stardew Valley | Yes | Yes (Native) | Verified |
| Core Keeper | Yes | Yes | Verified |
| Don’t Starve Together | Yes | Yes (Native) | Verified |
| Project Zomboid | Yes | Yes | Playable |
| Satisfactory | Yes | Yes | Playable |
| Enshrouded | Yes | Yes | Playable |
| Raft | Yes | Yes | Playable |
| Palworld | Yes | Yes | Playable |
| Schedule I | Yes | Yes | Playable |
A few games (Minecraft, Vintage Story, Hytale) are still having their Linux save paths added and will be supported in upcoming beta updates.
Stop Fighting File Paths
Your co-op group should not need to understand Proton prefixes, AppData directories, or cross-platform file permissions just to let someone else host a game session. The save is the same data regardless of operating system. The only difference is where it lives on disk.
SaveSync makes that difference irrelevant. Your group shares saves, any player hosts, and the platform does not matter.
Get SaveSync on Steam and try the Linux beta today.