How to Reset Your Progress and Still Keep an Old Save File (DISCONTINUED)

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to start all over again from reputation 0, having no skills, the starter weapons, and no perk decks? If so, you can clear your progress; however, there's one issue: what if you don't want to lose your previous save in case you don't like the reset? In this guide, we'll be solving that problem so you can keep your old save in case you want to swap back to being maxed out in everything.

This guide includes pictures for each step also, for those who are more visual learners!

2023 UPDATE: For those who are wondering whether this method still even works five years after this guide was publish, I'm glad to inform you that it still does! OVERKILL still has not changed the simple save system it has had since the launch of the game.

THIS GUIDE IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED

Unfortunately, I am no longer updating this guide or any of my other guides that I've made previously for PAYDAY 2 due to the fact that I am no longer interested in the game. Any or all info in this guide may be incorrect due to changes made to the game.

DISCLAIMER

I am not responsible for the following things that may happen in the process of resetting your game progress:

-Loss of your save file
-Corruption of your save file
-An overwritten save file

In other words, DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK! I WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE JEOPARDY OF YOUR SAVE FILE! IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THE STEPS PROVIDED AND CORRECTLY BACK UP YOUR SAVE FILE!

Step 1: Getting to Your Save File

We're going to need to get to the save file folder. Some people know where it is, but others don't.

The save file folder can be found by going to:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\44582815\218620\remote

Now, some people may have installed Steam on a different drive, rather than the one that their OS sits on, but that's an easy fix. All you have to do is replace the letter "C:" with the letter of your drive of where your Steam install folder is at.

For example, if you installed Steam on your "D:" drive, you just simply go to:
D:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\44582815\218620\remote

Had you done this correctly, you should come up to this exact screen, showing two save files for PAYDAY 2 (shown below).



If the text is too small to read, just click on the picture to enlarge it.

Step 2: Backing Up Your Save File

Now, here's what you do: highlight save098, copy it, and now paste it somewhere else on your PC. Preferably on another drive to avoid losing it. And be safe, make multiple copies if you feel the need. I'm not responsible if you manage to screw this step up and lose your previous save file.

As for save000, you won't need to copy that. That save is your skill tree and perk deck data, but resetting won't touch it. It's only modified when you make changes to your perk deck or skill trees.



Here looks like a good place.

Step 3: Resetting Your Progress

Now just start up PAYDAY 2, go over into the Options menu, and click Clear Progress



When it asks you to confirm it, obviously hit Yes



Now, you'll have no cash, the starter weapons, and Dallas as your main character.

Step 4: Turning Off Cloud Synchronization (Optional)

Bascially, the Steam cloud will take your save file and upload it to the cloud in case you login to your Steam account from another machine to play PAYDAY. While this is a good feature, it may hinder the ability to reset due to the fact that your save file is still in fact there, only it's stored in the cloud and not on your machine. So if you were to login on another machine, you may end up with your other save file. This may or may not happen, but disabling it for now should ensure that it doesn't.

So, we're going to disable that by right clicking on PD2 and going to Properties, and heading over to the Updates tab.

Restoring Your Previous Save File

If, for some reason, you should not like the reset and want to swap your other save file back, just simply copy your old save file and go back to:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\44582815\218620\remote

And when you're prompted to copy and replace the file, click yes. This will replace your old save file.

Then, restart PAYDAY 2, and you should have everything restored as shown below.

FAQ

• Will I Show Up as a Cheater After This?
  No. For one, FBI Files will always update after a certain amount of time to correctly reflect your in-game stats. FBI Files also does not even have an official cheater tag for cheated stats, that was a feature on a long ago decommissioned site, formerly known as PD2 Stats.
  
  As for in-game mods that detect cheaters, those only do simple checks for stats such as: skills, how many skill points used for the appropriate level, and if you have multiple perk decks equipped via a trainer or not. At worst, you'll be kicked for joining high difficulty lobbies for being too low of a level.

• Can I use a save file from another player's account?
  No. OVERKILL has actually implemented a check somewhere in the save file that somehow links it to that player's account, which I'm speculating is done via your Steam ID. If the game detects that your account doesn't match the one you got the save file from, the game will error out and tell you that it is from someone else's account and have you continue from the start.

Questions or Comments?

If you have any, do not hesitate to list them below in the comments section if you need help or are suggesting something for this guide.

Thanks for viewing this guide and I hope it helped.

Dead Kitty

Changelog

• February 24, 2018 @ 6:20am - Guide published.
  
• February 24, 2018 @ 6:29am - Removed a sentence that had some wrong info.
  
• July 31, 2020 - Fixed grammar, spelling, and formatting mistakes.
  
• March 9, 2023 - Added a new FAQ section and confirmation this guide is still relevant in 2023.

[professional testicle heister]

i mean switching as in logging onto the other acct, but yeah they are linked

[DK]

Of course. Just keep in mind that save files are linked via your Steam ID, so if you try loading a save file from one account on another account, you'll get an error that the save file doesn't belong to you, thus not being able to use it.

[professional testicle heister]

you can also just create a 2nd acct, family share the game with that acct & there you go, though it is a little annoying to switch between 2 accts but it's still simple

[Some Kiddo]

instructions clear thanks you

[DK]

As far as I'm aware, this method still works. I've been out of PAYDAY 2 for years now, so I'm not familiar with game changes made during 2017 and after. I've only updated my guides last year as a final update to ensure content was relevant up to that point.

As I said though, proceed at your own risk. If you do not feel comfortable removing your save file in its original folder in fear of losing progress, then don't do it.

[Harley]

are you sure this works? as a person with over 400 hours in this game i want to try some challenges like beating the game without shooting, and things like that but im not sure if this will save my files, it probably will and im just paranoid but i've put too many hours into this to not ask

[DK]

It's possible, but I don't recommend it. You'll likely corrupt it in the process; and, I don't have any clue on how you could open the contents of it and edit it.

[Erginbird]

I'm assuming that there isn't a way to edit your save file.

[DK]

I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe asking about this issue on the forums could maybe help? If not, good luck on getting this fixed. Have a good one and take care.

[sixJ]

I think it's time to leave the game. Thank you for your help. Thank you very much.