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IRON NEST Save File Location — Where Saves Are & How to Back Up (2026)

Where IRON NEST stores saves (%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronNestTeam\IronNest\), how Steam Cloud works, how to back up and transfer progress, and how to fix the save corruption bug from Patch 1.0.

Last Updated: August 12, 2026

IRON NEST Save File Location — Where Saves Are & How to Back Up (2026)

IRON NEST saves to a hidden Windows folder: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronNestTeam\IronNest\. Steam Cloud is supported, but the game's day-one patch fixed a save corruption bug, so manual backups are worth doing. This guide has the exact paths, the backup routine, and the fix.

Here's what you'll learn:

  • The exact save file location on Windows
  • How Steam Cloud factors in (and its limits)
  • A 30-second manual backup routine
  • How to transfer saves to a new PC
  • How to fix the corrupted-save issue

IRON NEST — the heavy artillery battery.
IRON NEST — the heavy artillery battery.

Official resources: Steam store page · IGN game page · Official site

The Save File Location (Windows)

IRON NEST stores its save data in AppData\LocalLow (the same family of folders many Unity games use):

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronNestTeam\IronNest\

Which on a typical install expands to:

C:\Users\[Your Windows Username]\AppData\LocalLow\IronNestTeam\IronNest\

What's inside: folders named with numeric strings (your Steam ID) containing .sav and .json files — your campaign progress and turret loadout data.

AppData is hidden by default

If you can't find it: open File Explorer → View → tick "Hidden items", then navigate C:\Users\[You]\AppData\LocalLow\IronNestTeam\IronNest\.

Steam Cloud — Yes, But…

IRON NEST supports Steam Cloud (listed on the Steam store page features). That means progress normally syncs across PCs automatically. But:

  • Cloud sync is the common failure point when saves go wrong — a crash mid-sync can let Steam overwrite a good local save with a blank one.
  • The day-one era saw save corruption reports — the developers shipped Patch 1.0 on day 2 explicitly fixing "save file corruption & failing to enter missions after a crash."
  • Cloud saves also mean the folder above may hold both your local saves and cloud-synced variants — don't be surprised by multiple numeric folders.
Don't trust cloud sync alone for this game

Given the documented corruption bug and indie Steam Cloud quirks, a 30-second manual backup after each session is cheap insurance — especially before a risky campaign mission or a mod install (see our mods guide).

The 30-Second Backup Routine

  1. Close IRON NEST (saves flush on exit).
  2. Open %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronNestTeam\IronNest\ (Win+R → paste → Enter).
  3. Copy the whole IronNest\ folder somewhere safe (Desktop, a game-saves\ folder, or a cloud drive).
  4. Label it with the date — e.g. IronNest-backup-2026-08-12.
  5. Repeat after each play session or before big events (new missions, mods, updates).

Restoring is the reverse: copy the backup folder back into place (merge/replace), then launch.

Transferring Saves to a New PC

  1. On the old PC, back up the folder (above).
  2. Install and run IRON NEST once on the new PC (creates the folder structure).
  3. Copy the backup's contents into %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronNestTeam\IronNest\ on the new machine.
  4. Launch — your campaign and loadouts should be there. (Steam Cloud may also sync it, but a manual copy is deterministic.)
Disable Steam Cloud temporarily for a manual transfer

If Cloud sync keeps reverting your manual restore, right-click IRON NEST in Steam → Properties → disable Cloud saves, do the transfer, then re-enable — otherwise Steam may overwrite your freshly-restored files.

Fixing a Corrupted / Missing Save

If the "Load Game" button is greyed out or progress is wiped:

  1. Update the game — make sure you're on Patch 1.0+ (the corruption fix shipped day 2).
  2. Restore from manual backup (copy your latest backup over the folder).
  3. Disable Steam Cloud temporarily, restore, then re-enable.
  4. Delete the corrupted config — if the game fails to launch or read state, removing the suspect .json config (after backing up) can let it rebuild.
  5. As a last resort, uninstall/reinstall — saves live outside the game install folder, so they survive reinstalls.

If you haven't backed up and the cloud copy is also gone, the corrupted save may be unrecoverable — which is exactly why the manual routine above is worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does IRON NEST save files?

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronNestTeam\IronNest\ — e.g. C:\Users\[You]\AppData\LocalLow\IronNestTeam\IronNest\. Saves are .sav/.json files in per-Steam-ID folders.

Does IRON NEST support Steam Cloud?

Yes, Steam Cloud is listed on the store page — but the day-one patch fixed a save-corruption bug, so manual backups are recommended.

How do I back up my IRON NEST save?

Copy the whole IronNest\ folder (in AppData\LocalLow) somewhere safe after each session. Restore = copy it back.

How do I transfer my IRON NEST save to another PC?

Copy the folder from the old PC into the same path on the new PC (run the game once first to create the folder). Disable Steam Cloud during the transfer to avoid overwrites.

How do I fix a corrupted IRON NEST save?

Update to Patch 1.0+, restore a manual backup, disable Steam Cloud, delete suspect config, then reinstall if needed (saves survive reinstalls).