Patch 1.0.12 adds Steam Cloud. For an existing campaign, first update and launch How to Fish on the computer that already contains the save you want, then exit the game once so Steam can upload it. Wait for synchronization before opening another device, and keep a dated local backup until the correct campaign opens there.
- Added
- Patch 1.0.12
- Existing saves
- Open and exit on source PC
- Before switching
- Wait for Steam sync
- Conflict safety
- Back up both local copies
Upload the existing save from the right computer
The official migration instruction is short but important: after installing Patch 1.0.12, play and exit How to Fish once on the PC where the wanted saves already exist. That exit gives Steam Cloud a chance to upload the local files.
Start with the device that shows the campaign, island progress, money, and equipment you intend to keep. Do not open a blank or older destination first and assume Steam will merge the two states.
- Protect the source
Close the game and copy the complete local How to Fish folder to a dated backup before the first cloud migration.
- Install Patch 1.0.12 or later
Fully restart Steam and let the game update on the source computer.
- Confirm the wanted campaign
Launch the game on that source computer and verify the expected save is present before creating or replacing anything.
- Exit once and wait
Close the game normally, keep Steam online, and wait until its synchronization indicator finishes before opening another device.
- Verify the destination
Open the second device only after sync completes, then confirm the island, equipment, and money before continuing play.
Move between Windows and Steam Deck safely
Steam Deck Verified and Steam Cloud are separate features: Patch 1.0.11 established Deck compatibility, while Patch 1.0.12 adds cloud saves. Use the same Steam account and upload from whichever device currently holds the wanted progress.
After the campaign opens correctly on the destination, make one ordinary save and exit, then confirm it reopens. Keep the untouched source backup until that round trip succeeds.
Handle two different local saves
The announcement does not document conflict merging, filename rules, quotas, or which timestamp wins when two devices already contain different progress. Close the game everywhere and back up each device separately before choosing a cloud-conflict option.
Compare the visible island, equipment, currency, and last-played time. Preserve the copy you are not choosing until the selected campaign has opened, saved, synchronized, and reopened successfully.
Separate cloud sync from corruption backups
Patch 1.0.11 added save validation and automatic backups for corruption. Patch 1.0.12 adds Steam Cloud synchronization. These protections solve different problems and neither replaces a manual dated copy before editing or conflict resolution.
If the destination stays blank, stop creating save slots. Return to the source, confirm the wanted campaign is still present, fully restart Steam, exit the current build once more, and report the exact source device, destination device, patch version, and Steam sync state if it still fails.
Frequently asked questions
Does How to Fish support Steam Cloud?
Yes. Official Patch 1.0.12 added Steam Cloud support.
How do I upload a save created before Patch 1.0.12?
Update the game, launch it on the computer that already contains the wanted save, then exit once and wait for Steam synchronization to finish.
Can I sync between Steam Deck and Windows?
Steam Cloud is designed to make the same account's files available across supported devices. Upload from the device with the wanted progress first and keep a local backup until the destination is verified.
Does Steam Cloud replace manual backups?
No. Sync can propagate an unwanted or damaged state. Keep dated local copies, especially before resolving a conflict between devices.
Sources
Facts were normalized and independently rewritten from the references below. Community strategies can become outdated after patches.