Whenever you launch your games, the Steam Cloud sync error pops up. The full error message is as follows:
“Steam was unable to sync your files for [game] with Steam Cloud. If you have launched this application from another computer, your application settings and/or progress may not be in sync with what is stored in the Cloud. If you launch the application now, you may lose those changes or progress.”
You can’t play the games due to this error. That can be frustrating. But don’t worry. In this post, you’ll learn the 7 possible solutions to fix this error. With the step-by-step guide, you can fix the error easily.
Before trying the methods, ensure you have tried restarting your PC. A simple restart may work like a charm for you.
Try these methods
Method 1: Run Steam as an administrator
Method 2: Delete the userdata folder
Method 3: Repair Steam library folder
Method 4: Verify the integrity of game files
Method 5: Check Microsoft OneDrive
Method 6: Disable antivirus software
Method 7: Reinstall Steam
Method 1: Run Steam as an administrator
Running Steam as an administrator may help fix the Steam Cloud sync error. You can try running Steam as an administrator and see if it works for you.
On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key, type “steam”, right-click on Steam from the result and then select Run as administrator. Launch the game then check to see if this error still occurs.
If the error is fixed, it means running Steam as an administrator works. In that case, you can make Steam run as administrator automatically every time it launches. To do so:
1) Go to the Steam installation directory. The default directory is C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam.
2) Right-click on the executable file “Steam.exe” and select Properties.
3) At the Compatibility tab, tick the checkbox Run this program as an administrator.
4) Click Apply -> OK to save the changes.
If Method 1 doesn’t work for you, continue to try Method 2.
Method 2: Delete the userdata folder
To fix the Steam Cloud sync error, you can try deleting the userdata folder. The userdata folder contains Steam Cloud files and other synchronized configurations. If the Cloud data in the userdata folder is corrupted, the Steam Cloud won’t sync properly. So deleting the userdata folder may help fix the error.
Deleting the userdata folder won’t cause any issues. The folder will repopulate after you relaunch Steam.
Here’s how to delete the userdata folder:
1) Close Steam.
2) Go to the Steam installation directory. The default directory is C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam.
3) In the Steam folder, locate and then delete the userdata folder.
Launch Steam then check to see if the Cloud sync error is fixed. If not, continue to try Method 3.
Method 3: Repair Steam library folder
The error can be caused by corrupted Steam files. To fix the error, you can try repairing corrupted files by repairing the whole Steam library folder. To do so:
1) Launch Steam.
2) Click Steam -> Settings.
3) Click Downloads -> Steam Library Folders.
4) Right-click on the path and select Repair Library Folder.
5) Once done, relaunch Steam and check to see if the error is fixed.
If the error still persists, continue to try other methods.
Method 4: Verify the integrity of game files
If this error only occurs to a specific game, to fix the error, you can try verifying the integrity of game files, as the error can be caused by corrupted files of that game.
You can follow these steps to verify the integrity of game files in Steam:
1) Launch Steam.
2) In your library, right-click on the game that has the Cloud sync error and then select Properties.
3) Click the Local Files tab and click the Verify integrity of game files… button. Then Steam will start verifying the game files. It may take several minutes for the process to finish. Please wait until the process is finished.
4) Once done, restart your computer.
5) Launch the game from Steam, then check to see if the error is fixed.
Method 5: Check Microsoft OneDrive
If you have Microsoft OneDrive enabled, you can check if your OneDrive is syncing your game files together with Steam. If yes, Steam may fail to sync.
In that case, to fix the error, you can wipe the sync files from your OneDrive then stop OneDrive from syncing your game files. You should only allow Steam to sync your game files.
Method 6: Disable antivirus software
If you have installed a third-party antivirus software, you can disable it temperarily then see if the error is resolved. If the error is resolved, then your antivirus software is the cause. The antivirus software may incorrectly identify Steam as a threat.
To fix the error, you can add Steam to the exception list of the antivirus software. Or you can disable the antivirus software while playing games.
After troubleshooting, ensure your antivirus software is re-enabled so your system won’t be exposed to threats.
Method 7: Reinstall Steam
If none of the above methods helps resolve the error, the last resort you can try is to reinstall Steam.
Important: You may be afraid that reinstalling Steam will uninstall all your games. Don’t worry. You can reinstall Steam without deleting your games (learn How to Reinstall Steam without Deleting Games).
How to reinstall Steam
1) Right-click on the Start menu button at the bottom left corner of desktop and then select Apps and Features.
2) In the right pane, scroll down and click on Steam. Then click on Uninstall and follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall Steam from your computer.
3) Restart your computer.
4) Download from Steam’s official website and install the latest version of Steam again.
Hopefully you find this article helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment below. I’ll get back to you ASAP.