The short answer
Close ReStory before touching its files, then copy the complete Restory folder somewhere outside the game-data directory. The official support article says SaveData holds the five most recent saves from the current playthrough, while BackupSaveData holds a previous playthrough after you start New Game.
| Platform | ReStory data folder |
|---|---|
| Windows | %UserProfile%\AppData\LocalLow\Mandragora\Restory |
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/Mandragora/Restory |
| Steam Deck / Linux through Proton | ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/3812600/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/LocalLow/Mandragora/Restory |
Step by step
1. Open the save folder
On Windows, press Win + R, paste %UserProfile%\AppData\LocalLow\Mandragora\Restory, and press Enter. On macOS, use Finder’s Go to Folder command and paste ~/Library/Application Support/Mandragora/Restory.
Steam Deck uses the Windows version through Proton. The official support path includes Steam app ID 3812600; a custom Steam library can change the part of the path before steamapps.
2. Make a backup before troubleshooting
Exit the game completely. Copy the entire Restory folder to Documents, an external drive, or another clearly named location. Include the date in the copied folder name so you can tell backups apart.
This preserves more context than copying one .restory file and gives you a recovery point if the wrong file is selected.
3. Restore a previous save from the current playthrough
The official article says SaveData contains the five most recent saves. To go back within the current playthrough:
- Close the game and disable Steam Cloud temporarily.
- Back up the complete
Restoryfolder. - Open
SaveDataand identify the earlier.restoryfile by its modification time. - Preserve the current file before replacing it.
- Put the chosen save in the active location, launch the game, and verify the date and story state.
If the state is wrong, close the game again and restore your manual backup instead of trying several destructive replacements in a row.
4. Restore a playthrough moved by New Game
Starting New Game moves the previous playthrough into BackupSaveData. The official recovery sequence is:
- Close ReStory and disable Steam Cloud.
- Open
BackupSaveData. - Open the latest numbered folder.
- Copy its newest
.restoryfile. - Paste it into
SaveData, replacing the active save only after making a backup. - Launch the game and confirm the recovered playthrough.
Re-enable Steam Cloud only after confirming which local save you want to keep.
5. Do demo saves transfer to the full game?
No. In a Steam discussion, the developer says demo saves do not carry over because the full game received many changes and improvements. Treat the retail version as a new playthrough rather than attempting to rename or inject a demo save.
What not to assume
- Steam Cloud is not a substitute for a manual backup before file replacement.
- The newest timestamp is not necessarily the story state you want; verify it in game.
- A Windows path copied from another user may differ if their user profile or Steam library is elsewhere.
- Demo saves are not officially supported in the full game.
- Save editing is not a verified fix for a progression bug.
Sources
- Official ReStory save restore article — primary source for folder paths, five recent saves, BackupSaveData, and the restore sequence.
- Developer answer on demo save transfer — confirms that demo progress does not transfer to the full game.
- Official Steam store — confirms the current Windows and macOS release.