BG3 screenshot of a blue female tiefling in a sweater looking up

Baldur’s Gate 3: How to Fix Save Failed Issue in BG3

Stuck at "currently syncing"? We'll save you.

BG3 has a “Save Failed” issue currently setting many players back, making them lose saves and corrupting game data. If you’re in this boat, we’ll tell you how to fix save failed issue in BG3.

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BG3 Save Failed: How to Fix Save Failed Error by Bartering

Some players have suggested the Save Failed issue stems from a problem with trading in BG3, and reported a solution by toggling between trade and barter. To try this fix, follow these steps:

  1. Go into a trader.
  2. Toggle to barter.
  3. Give one of anything.
  4. Close the barter window.
  5. Go to a different trader.
  6. Open trade with them (the menu should default to barter this time).
  7. Give one of anything to them.
  8. Close the barter window.

Or, these steps when starting trading with any new trader:

  1. Start as normal
  2. Change the option to “trade” instead of “barter”
  3. Sell items as usual
  4. Toggle back to barter
  5. Give away 1 item as barter
  6. Close the barter window

If you are going to trade anywhere in Act 1, use a place with 2 traders, like the Myconid Colony.

One player had success with 1 trader by:

  1. Doing the normal trading process
  2. Swapping to barter
  3. Give 1 gold coin
  4. Exit the trading process
  5. Re-enter trading using the trading button in the bottom left
  6. Giving another 1 gold coin as barter
  7. Exiting via the X at the top right

Players have reported having to repeat these steps 2-4 times sometimes before the game seems to remember it’s in barter mode.

Overall, the main advice to anyone with the “save failed” BG3 bug is to keep attempting to talk to different vendors and giving away 1 trash item and backing out while it’s still in “Barter” mode, but be warned that it might take you a few tries

Tip:

You may have to try this method to fix your Save Failed error a few times before it’ll work. If you’re not seeing results, don’t give up immediately!

These fixes were brought to attention by Reddit user Joleme, and many players have reported success with it. But if this fix doesn’t end up helping you out, we have some more solutions for you to try below.

BG3 Save Failed: How to Fix “Currently Syncing” Cloud Save Error in BG3

To fix the “Can’t Save” issue, you’ll need to disable cloud saving and cross-play saving before deleting your corrupt save files from the Baldur’s Gate 3 folder. When the “currently syncing” message appears and doesn’t go away, Steam is having trouble syncing your cloud save data for whatever reason. Rather than banging your head against the wall, it’s best to just disable it outright and stick to saving your game the old-fashioned way.

Here’s how to disable Cloud Saving and Cross-play Saving in Baldur’s Gate 3 on PC:

BG3 Save Failed: How to Disable Steam Cloud Syncing for BG3

Steam properties menu screen for Baldur's Gate 3, with a red square around the Steam Cloud section under the General tab.
Screenshot by Prima Games

Make sure the game is closed before doing the following steps:

  • In your Steam games library, right-click on Baldur’s Gate 3.
  • Select Properties.
  • Under the General tab, toggle the “Keep game saves in the Steam Cloud for Baldur’s Gate 3” option OFF.
  • Launch Baldur’s Gate 3.

BG3 Save Failed: How to Disable Cross-saving in BG3

BG3 screenshot of the in-game options menu, with a red square around the Cross-save option under the Gameplay tab.
Screenshot by Prima Games

While in-game, open up the Baldur’s Gate 3 options menu:

  • Click the Gameplay tab.
  • Under “Save Options,” toggle the “Cross-save” option OFF.
  • Restart Baldur’s Gate 3.

BG3 Save Failed: How to Delete a Corrupt Save File in BG3

Warning:

This method will likely delete your Baldur’s Gate 3 save files, so it should only be used as a last resort. If disabling cloud-saving and cross-saving doesn’t work, you may have to try this option.

If you’re still having “save failed” issues saving your game, it could be due to a corrupt save file. Try the following steps to get rid of the culprit:

  • Open Windows Explorer, or click the magnifying glass (search button) on your taskbar.
  • Copy and paste: %LocalAppData%\Larian Studios\Baldur’s Gate 3\LevelCache
  • Press Enter.
  • Delete all folders within the LevelCache folder.
  • Launch Baldur’s Gate 3.

How to Backup BG3 Save Files on PC

You can backup your BG3 save files on PC by locating the save file in your directory, and duplicating it. By default you should find your BG3 save file in this location: C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur’s Gate 3\PlayerProfiles\Public\Savegames.

This will vary for some people, especially if you’ve moved the save game location or chosen a different path, but generally, this will be the default location for the game’s save files.

Hopefully, these steps can help you troubleshoot and rid yourself of any unexpected BG3 save failed errors in the future. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a massive game with lots to see and do, so you definitely don’t want a pesky bug to ruin the fun. To optimize your experience even further, click here to find out if you should run DirectX11 or Vulkan for Baldur’s Gate 3.


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About the Author

Matt Vatankhah

Matt's writing career began when he joined Prima Games in 2022. As Managing Editor, he tries to make sure everything you read looks as pretty as possible. He's had a passion for video games all of his life and really loves Final Fantasy, retro FPS, roguelikes, and metroidvanias. He will absolutely stomp you in Tetris.