Starsand Island / Version 1.0
starsand island early access save transfer 1.0
Starsand Island Save File Location, Backup, and Transfer
Where are the Starsand Island save files on Steam PC, and how do I back them up?
Starsand Island Save File Location, Backup, and Transfer
On Windows Steam, community reports place Starsand Island saves under %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\SeedLab\StarsandIsland\. Open that folder in File Explorer, confirm the Steam account and store version, then close the game before copying it to a separate backup. Reported subfolders vary, so do not rename or replace files based on one example. Save transfer and cross-platform multiplayer are separate questions; neither a backup nor Steam Cloud guarantees cross-store compatibility.
Evidence: Needs verification
Prerequisites
- Back up the existing save before launching a new build.
- Record the platform, store version, and save date.
- On Steam/PC, keep both the Esc-key and controller Start-menu paths available for comparison.
- Keep a separate test save if you need to compare old and new behavior.
Evidence: Needs verification
What to do now
Text walkthrough. Matching, reusable gameplay screenshots are not available for these steps. No image here is presented as our own playtest.
Locate the existing save folder
In File Explorer, open %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\SeedLab\StarsandIsland\. This is the community-reported Windows Steam location; confirm the Windows user and store.
- Look for this
- An existing folder belonging to your current installation, not an empty directory you created.
- Before moving on
- The existing save folder and its contents can be inspected.
- If it does not match
- If it is absent, check account and store differences. Do not invent replacement folders or rename unknown files.
Screenshot unavailable: A real Starsand Island save-folder capture with personal account details redacted.
Steam save-files discussion — M2Persona · Community report · Not playtested by us.
Close the game and copy, do not move
After closing the game, copy the existing StarsandIsland folder to a separately named backup outside the live save directory. Leave the original untouched.
- Look for this
- Both original and backup folders still present.
- Before moving on
- The copy exists separately and contains the expected files.
- If it does not match
- A shortcut, empty folder or copy inside the live folder is not a separate backup.
Screenshot unavailable: Original and backup folder properties, without exposing personal paths.
Steam save-files discussion — M2Persona · Community report · Not playtested by us.
Verify the copy before testing an update
Compare the copied files with the originals before testing an update on the game. Keep the store, build and save date with your backup notes.
- Look for this
- Matching copied file contents and an unchanged original folder.
- Before moving on
- The backup is a separate intact copy. This does not prove restoration or cross-store compatibility.
- If it does not match
- If files are absent or a sync conflict appears, stop before replacing the live save.
Screenshot unavailable: File comparison and the game's original save entry; restoration still untested.
Steam save-files discussion — M2Persona · Community report · Not playtested by us.
Check that it worked
- An intact separate copy exists and the original remains untouched.
- A backup is not claimed to be a tested restore, cross-save or Game Pass-to-Steam transfer.
Troubleshooting
- Load Game time looks wrong
- The 1.09.7731 display fix is separate from lost-file recovery.
- Different store or platform
- Do not overwrite either original save based on this Windows Steam path alone.
- If the save menu does not appear, test the other input path, then verify whether a recent save timestamp exists before exiting.
- Do not overwrite the backup while investigating a migration issue.
- Verify the save location and account before assuming the file is gone.
- If the save loads but multiplayer or Moonlit Forest content looks wrong, test those systems separately.
Evidence: Needs verification
Exceptions and branches
- A save can load while individual quests or systems still need a version-specific check.
- Some Steam reports describe the Esc or controller menu failing to open; test the other supported input path and do not assume the save did not happen.
- Platform saves and PC saves may follow different migration rules.
- A community success report does not prove every Early Access save will transfer.
Evidence: Needs verification
Steam PC save file location
A Steam Community reply and a separate Reddit player report agree on the Windows root %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\SeedLab\StarsandIsland\. The Reddit example continues into steam, an account-number folder, and Save/Role_1; other public references show steam.pre. These are examples, not a universal current-build path. Inspect the folders actually present and the Steam account before copying anything. This source check is not an in-game reproduction.
Evidence: Community report
Back up before investigating a missing save
Exit the game before copying the whole existing folder to a separate backup location. Copy, do not move or delete, and keep an unchanged original. A successful file copy is not proof that a transferred save will load. If the expected folder is missing, verify the Windows account, Steam account, and store first; a Game Pass installation should not be assumed to use the Steam path.
Evidence: Community report
Load Game time looks wrong: official 1.09.7731 fix
The September 23 Steam notes for Version 1.09.7731 describe a mismatch between the time shown on Load Game and actual in-game time. Check the available platform build and the loaded quest/progress state before treating the displayed time alone as proof of save loss. This is a display fix, not a guarantee of corrupted-save recovery or cross-store transfer.
Evidence: Official
Cross-save is not crossplay
Cross-save means moving or sharing a save between versions; crossplay means joining another platform's multiplayer session. A Reddit player reports one Xbox Game Pass-to-Steam transfer, but the author also says the method follows another thread. This is not two independent tests and is not an official migration guarantee. Cross-store and console transfer support remains needs-verification; do not replace the original save to test an unverified recipe.
Evidence: Needs verification
How to save on Steam/PC
The current Steam discussion answer is to press Start or Esc, then choose Save. The same discussion records input-specific failures, so verify the slot or timestamp and treat the control mapping as a community report rather than an official universal instruction.
Evidence: Community report
Early Access transfer boundary
This module has no official transfer statement strong enough to promise that every Early Access save will migrate cleanly into 1.0. The safe answer is backup, test, and record the exact platform/build result.
Evidence: Needs verification
FAQ
Where are the Starsand Island save files on Steam PC?
Community reports point to %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\SeedLab\StarsandIsland\. Open it in File Explorer, then inspect the account-specific folders actually present. Subfolder names vary between reports; this is not a verified path for Xbox, PS5, or Switch 2.
How do I back up a Starsand Island save without overwriting it?
Close the game and copy the whole existing StarsandIsland folder to a separate backup location. Leave the live folder and original files unchanged. Check that the copy exists before troubleshooting; this does not prove a cross-store transfer will work.
Does Starsand Island support cross-save?
This guide does not confirm universal cross-store or console save transfer. A Game Pass-to-Steam community report is not an official compatibility guarantee, and crossplay support is a separate multiplayer rule.
Why does Load Game show the wrong save time?
Official Version 1.09.7731 notes address a displayed save-time mismatch. Match your installed platform build to that fix and check the loaded progress, rather than deleting a save based only on its displayed time.
How do I save in Starsand Island?
On Steam/PC, open the Start or Esc menu and choose Save, then confirm the slot or timestamp if your build shows one. The control path is community-reported because some players report that the menu does not open with one input method.
- Official Starsand Island Steam announcements
- Starsand Island Steam store page
- Steam discussion: How to close the game?
- GamesRadar: Starsand Island save-anytime coverage
- Steam Community: save files — Windows save-folder reply
- Reddit: Game Pass-to-Steam report — folder example, not universal transfer proof