Cities Skylines 2 Save Disappeared? Fixes That Work
If your Cities: Skylines 2 save has disappeared, it is almost always recoverable from the game’s cloud sync or local backup folders, not permanently lost. This guide explains where saves are stored, why they vanish, and step-by-step methods to restore them on PC and Xbox.
Why Saves Disappear in Cities: Skylines 2
Several common triggers cause saves to vanish, and knowing which one applies to you speeds up the fix:
- Cloud sync conflicts – Steam or Xbox Cloud Save can overwrite a newer local file with an older one, making it appear deleted.
- Game crashes during autosave – A crash while writing the save file can corrupt it, and the game may skip loading it.
- Manual deletion or moving files – Accidentally deleting the save folder or moving it to another drive breaks the game’s reference.
- Game update or mod issues – A patch or a broken mod can cause the game to fail reading saves, hiding them from the load menu.
- Windows User folder changes – If your username or OneDrive folder path changed, the game looks in the old location.
Where Cities: Skylines 2 Saves Are Stored
On PC (Steam/Game Pass), saves are stored in a specific folder under your user profile. The default path is:
C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Colossal Order\Cities Skylines II\Saves
Note that AppData is hidden by default. To see it, open File Explorer, click the View tab, and check Hidden items. On Xbox, saves are stored on the console’s internal drive and synced to the cloud; you cannot browse them directly, but you can manage them via the system settings.
How to Recover a Disappeared Save (PC)
Follow these steps in order, checking after each one whether your save reappears in the Load menu:
- Check the Saves folder directly – Navigate to the path above. If your .cok files are there, the game may just be failing to list them. Restart the game and try again.
- Look for backup files – The game keeps a
Backupsubfolder inside Saves. Copy any .cok files from there into the main Saves folder and rename them (e.g.,MyCity.cok). - Restore from Steam Cloud – Right-click the game in Steam → Properties → Installed Files → Browse to open the local folder. Then go to Steam → Settings → Cloud → Manage Steam Cloud and check the file history. You can download a previous version from the cloud if one exists.
- Disable Steam Cloud temporarily – Sometimes cloud sync overwrites your local save. Turn off cloud sync for the game (Properties → General → uncheck Keep games saves in the Steam Cloud), restart, and see if the save appears. If it does, copy it to a safe location, then re-enable cloud.
- Use Windows File History or Previous Versions – Right-click the Saves folder → Restore previous versions. If File History was on, you can pick an older copy of the folder.
- Check for OneDrive interference – If your Documents folder is redirected to OneDrive, the game might have written to a different location. Search your entire user folder for
*.cokfiles to find them.
How to Recover on Xbox
On Xbox Series X|S, saves are automatically backed up to the cloud. To force a sync:
- Go to My Games & Apps → highlight Cities: Skylines 2 → press the Menu button → Manage game and add-ons.
- Select Saved data → choose your profile → Delete from console (this only removes the local copy, not the cloud).
- Restart the game – it will re-download your cloud save. If the save still doesn’t appear, check if you have multiple profiles or if the save was on a different console.
Preventing Future Save Loss
Once you recover your city, take these steps to avoid a repeat:
- Enable multiple autosave slots – In the game’s Options → Gameplay, set Autosave to every 5 or 10 minutes and keep at least 3 rotating slots.
- Manually save before exiting – Use the in-game Save menu, not just the autosave, and give the file a distinct name.
- Back up your Saves folder regularly – Copy the entire folder to an external drive or cloud storage (like Google Drive) once a week.
- Be cautious with mods – If you use mods, disable them temporarily after a game update to see if they cause save reading issues.
- Check disk space – A full drive can prevent the game from writing saves. Keep at least 10 GB free.
Common Misconceptions
Many players think a disappeared save is gone forever, but that’s rarely true. The game does not delete saves automatically unless you manually delete them or a cloud sync conflict occurs. Also, a save that shows as “corrupted” in the load menu is often just a version mismatch – after a major update, old saves may not load until the game patches them. Wait for a hotfix or try loading the save after verifying game files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a save I deleted manually?
If you deleted the .cok file from the Saves folder, it may still be in the Windows Recycle Bin. Right-click the Saves folder and choose Restore previous versions if you have File History enabled. Otherwise, check your cloud backup – Steam Cloud keeps a history of file versions, and you can download an older copy.
Why did my save disappear after the latest update?
Game updates can change the save format. If the new version can’t read the old format, it may hide those saves. Check the game’s official forums for announcements about save compatibility. Often a hotfix restores access, or you may need to load the save in a previous version via Steam’s Beta branch.
Does the game have an autosave feature?
Yes, Cities: Skylines 2 has an autosave that runs at a default interval (usually every 10 minutes). You can change the interval in Options → Gameplay. Autosaves are stored in the same Saves folder with names like AutoSave1.cok.
What is the .cok file extension?
.cok is the save file format used by Cities: Skylines 2. It contains all the city data including buildings, roads, and progress. You can copy these files to back up your cities, but you cannot open them in other programs.
Will uninstalling the game delete my saves?
Usually no. Uninstalling the game does not remove the Saves folder in AppData. However, if you use a game uninstaller that also clears app data, it might. Always back up your Saves folder before uninstalling.
Are saves cross-platform between PC and Xbox?
No, Cities: Skylines 2 does not support cross-platform saves. Your PC saves are stored locally and in Steam Cloud, while Xbox saves are in the Xbox network. You cannot transfer them between platforms.
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