Moon Sweepers Save Backups: Location, Timing and Version Safety

Find the backup folder

On Windows, paste this path into File Explorer’s address bar:

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\DragDropGames\MoonSweepers\Backups

This is the backup directory, not a verified manual import destination. The patch notes do not document a manual restore procedure.

Know which snapshot you have

Rule in version 1.0.4	What it means for your world
Up to five full backups per slot	A rotating set, not unlimited history.
First backup around one minute into a session	Starting and immediately closing does not establish a new scheduled snapshot.
Further backups every 30 minutes	A backup can precede your latest actions.
Stored outside Steam Cloud	Cloud sync and local backup history are different systems.

A world will not load: choose the safe branch

1. Check the version. A world written by 1.0.4 cannot open in older builds. Downgrading is not a documented recovery method.
2. Preserve the files. Copy the backup folder elsewhere before manual experiments. Do not delete a slot or overwrite it to follow an unverified fix.
3. Use automatic recovery first. The developer says damaged saves are checked and repaired when a world loads; after a crash, checks also run on the next start. This is a described feature, not a guarantee for every damaged world.
4. Record a persistent failure. Include the version, affected slot, whether it followed a crash and the message displayed when contacting game support.

The preceding 1.0.3 patch addressed heavily cleaned worlds that appeared damaged even though their files were intact. Identify the version before assuming a world is lost.

Related checks

For crew-session differences, check whose upgrade matrix applies. For robot-only symptoms, use the J.O.O.N.A.S branches. See platforms and co-op for supported-platform boundaries.

Sources and scope

Checked 27 October 2026 against the developer’s 1.0.4 and 1.0.3 announcements. This is a non-destructive reading of documented changes; recovery was not reproduced on a damaged save here.