Quick answer
On Windows, Graveyard Keeper 2 saves are stored here:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Lazy Bear Games\Graveyard Keeper 2
The main save files use .dat and .info. To create a normal in-game save, sleep in your bed at home; waking up saves the game. Before moving or restoring files, close the game completely and copy the whole folder somewhere safe.
If Continue disappears after you have genuinely saved, check whether the .dat and .info files are still present and whether Steam Cloud has created a conflict.
How saving works in Graveyard Keeper 2
There is no normal manual Save button in the menu.
The regular save method is sleeping in the bed at home.
When the Keeper wakes up, the current game state is saved.
That matters because you can spend a long session:
exploring;
building;
questing;
fighting;
and then quit while assuming everything was automatically written.
If you have not slept recently, return home before exiting and create a clear save point.
Why won't the bed let me sleep?
At completely full Energy, ordinary sleep may not be available.
Spend a little Energy and try again.
That does not mean saving itself is broken.
If the confusing part is why sleep does not reduce Insanity, see Insanity and Tiredness Explained.
Windows save file location
The full game uses:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Lazy Bear Games\Graveyard Keeper 2
The fastest way to open it:
- 1
- 2
- 3
AppData is hidden by default, so using the full path is easier than browsing manually through your user folder.
Which files should you copy?
A save uses related files including:
*.dat
*.info
If you are backing up one slot, copy both.
The safest option is to copy the entire:
Graveyard Keeper 2
folder.
That avoids accidentally separating metadata from the actual save data.
How to make a backup
Before changing anything:
- 1
- 2
let Steam Cloud finish syncing;
- 3
- 4
copy it to another location;
- 5
add a date to the backup name.
For example:
GK2-backup-2026-09-26
Do not keep your only backup inside the live save directory. If that directory is overwritten or damaged, the backup can disappear with it.
How to restore a backup
Do this with the game closed.
A safe sequence is:
- 1
close Graveyard Keeper 2;
- 2
copy the current save directory somewhere else even if it appears broken;
- 3
put the backup .dat and .info files into the full-game folder;
- 4
- 5
- 6
once the save loads successfully, sleep to create a fresh save.
If Steam Cloud asks which version to keep, compare timestamps carefully. Do not automatically choose Cloud when the local restored copy is the one you actually want.
What if Continue is missing?
If you definitely slept and saved, a missing Continue option is not normal.
Check these in order.
1. Did you actually sleep after the session?
If not, some or all of that session may never have been committed to a normal save.
2. Are .dat and .info present?
Open:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Lazy Bear Games\Graveyard Keeper 2
If the files are gone, the issue is not simply the menu failing to display a slot.
3. Are you looking at the demo folder?
The demo uses:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Lazy Bear Games\Graveyard Keeper 2 Demo
The full game uses:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Lazy Bear Games\Graveyard Keeper 2
For demo migration specifically, use Demo Save Not Transferring — How to Fix It.
4. Check Steam Cloud
Cloud may contain the copy you need, but it can also create conflicts between an older cloud state and a newer local one.
Before restoring anything, preserve the files you currently have.
Steam Deck and Linux
On Steam Deck and Linux, the Windows build normally runs through Proton.
The full game's Steam AppID is:
4358690
Its prefix is typically below:
steamapps/compatdata/4358690/pfx/
Inside that virtual Windows environment, the path continues roughly as:
drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/LocalLow/Lazy Bear Games/Graveyard Keeper 2
The exact root of steamapps depends on which Steam library contains the game.
Do not delete the entire Proton prefix as a troubleshooting step until your saves are backed up.
Why demo saves were confusing on Steam Deck
The demo has a different AppID and therefore a different Proton prefix.
The full game could not automatically see that folder in some Linux/Steam Deck setups even though the demo save was still on disk.
That is a separate migration problem covered in Demo Save Not Transferring.
How often should you back up?
At minimum, create a backup before:
a major game patch;
manually moving save files;
reinstalling;
changing Proton versions;
experimenting with the save directory;
deleting the demo;
moving between devices.
If you have already experienced a missing Continue option, keep a separate copy after long sessions until you are confident the problem is gone.
What not to do
Do not edit .dat files casually
They are not ordinary text configuration files.
Do not copy only half of a save pair
Keep the related .dat and .info together.
Do not overwrite your only working copy
Always preserve the current state before restoring an older one.
Do not treat Steam Cloud as your only backup
Cloud sync is useful, but it is not the same thing as a deliberate versioned backup.
How to verify a restored save
A successful restore should pass all of these:
- 1
- 2
the slot shows the expected progress;
- 3
the game loads successfully;
- 4
the day, inventory and quests look correct;
- 5
sleeping creates a new fresh save;
- 6
relaunching the game still shows Continue.
Only then should you consider the recovery complete.
FAQ
Where is the Save button?
There is no normal standalone one. Sleep at home; waking saves the game.
Does quitting automatically save?
Do not rely on it. Sleep before exiting when the session matters.
What files should I back up?
The related .dat and .info files; copying the whole Graveyard Keeper 2 folder is safer.
Can Steam Cloud restore a deleted save?
Sometimes, if the desired version still exists there. Avoid syncing a new empty state over it before checking.
Is the demo path the same?
No. The demo uses its own Graveyard Keeper 2 Demo directory.
