How to Fix ‘Cloud Sync Error’ on Steam Deck?

The Steam Deck cloud sync error often occurs when the respective servers cannot be reached by the device. This can happen when you have a network firewall blocking the connection with the Steam servers. In such a scenario, you will have to disable the firewall to allow the connection without any issues.

In some scenarios, a platform mismatch with the game can also result in an error message. This happens when you use your Steam account on different platforms to play a game.

Syncing cloud saves can often cause an issue in such a situation due to a platform mismatch, and you will have to force the game to use Proton on your Steam Deck in these cases.

In this article, we will guide you through a number of methods that you can use to resolve the issue in question.

1. Check the Steam Server Status

The first thing you should do when starting to troubleshoot the problem in question is to check the Steam server status. Sometimes, the Steam server itself is down, causing syncing issues. In such a scenario, the issue is not on your end but with the Steam servers themselves.

To check the server status of Steam, you can visit the well-known SteamStat.us website. It provides an unofficial status of the Steam servers in real time. In case of any downtime or scheduled maintenance, you will be notified via the website quite easily. If the Steam servers are working just fine when you encounter the issue, proceed to the next method below.

2. Restart the Steam Deck

If the servers are not facing any issues, it is possible the problem is occurring due to a software inconsistency on your Steam Deck. In such a scenario, you can resolve the issue by simply restarting the Steam Deck.

Restarting the Steam Deck will reinitialize all of the computer’s parameters, which can mitigate any inconsistencies with the network drivers and more. This is very likely to resolve any syncing issues with your device. Restarting a Steam Deck is quite easy. Follow the instructions below to do this:

1. Press the Steam button on the left side of your Steam Deck.

   

2. This will bring up the Steam menu. Choose the Power option.

   

3. From the Power menu, select the Restart option.

   

4. The Steam Deck will restart now. If your Steam Deck restarts but is unresponsive, you can press and hold the Power button to make it force restart. 
5. Once the device boots up, see if the problem is still there. 

3. Use a different network

In some scenarios, the network connection you are using can also cause the problem in question to occur. This happens when the Steam servers cannot be reached due to an issue with the network’s DNS or any other irregularity. 

Alternative, there are also cases where your IP address is blocked by the target servers on Steam which prevents the Steam Deck from syncing the game save files. In such a scenario, you can try using a different network on your Steam Deck to see if that resolves the issue. 

If your Wi-Fi network offers various bands, we recommend trying out the 2.4 GHz frequency band instead of the 5.0 GHz band to see if that resolves the issue. If that does not have a positive impact, you can try switching to a different network altogether.

4. Re-enable Cloud Synchronization

An inconsistency in the cloud synchronization feature on your Steam Deck can also cause the error message in question. In such a scenario, you can try to mitigate the issue by disabling cloud sync and then enabling it again.

This will clear up any cloud sync cache on your Steam Deck and establish syncing connections from the start, which can resolve the issue. To re-enable cloud sync on your Steam Deck, follow the instructions below:

1. Press the Steam button on your Steam Deck to bring up the Steam menu.

   

2. From the Steam menu, navigate to Settings.

   

3. On the Settings screen, go to the Cloud tab.
4. Use thew Enable Steam Cloud toggle to disable synchronization.

   

5. After that, enable it again and see if that resolves the issue. 

In addition, if you encounter the error message only on specific games, you will need to re-enable cloud sync for those games from the properties window. To do this, follow the instructions below:

1. First, press the Steam button on your Steam Deck.

   

2. After that, navigate to the Library section.

   

3. From there, select the problematic game and open its details.
4. There, select the Settings icon next to the game.

   

5. From the menu that appears, choose Properties.

   

6. On the Properties window, use the Steam Cloud checkbox to disable and re-enable cloud sync.

   

7. See if that resolves the issue. 

5. Update Steam Deck 

Another potential cause of the problem in question can be an outdated or obsolete system software on your Steam Deck. Syncing issues are quite common with older versions of the Steam Deck software which is why keeping it up to date is vital.

Updating the Steam Deck is quite simple, and it does not take long either. In addition, you will not lose any progress or save files during the update, making it completely safe to do so. Follow the instructions below to update your Steam Deck:

1. Press the Steam button on your Steam Deck.

   

2. From the menu, choose the Settings option.

   

3. On the Settings screen, switch to the System tab.
4. After that, tap the ‘Check for Updates’ option to download and install any pending software updates. If there are any updates already available, you will see an ‘Apply’ option instead.

   

5. Once you have installed all of the pending updates, see if the problem persists. Your Steam Deck is likely to restart during the update process. 

6. Force Game to Use Proton

As it turns out, Steam Deck uses Linux and Proton. The games that are natively built for Linux run on it, as well as the games that are made for Windows, due to Proton. However, it is possible that Steam Deck isn’t forcing the use of Proton for Windows games, and you are getting this error due to a platform mismatch.

In such a scenario, you will need to force the game to use Proton to resolve the cloud sync error on Steam Deck. To accomplish this, please follow the instructions below:

1. Open the Steam menu by pressing the Steam button.

   

2. Navigate to the Library section.

   

3. Select your game and press the Settings icon.

   

4. Choose Properties from the menu that appears.

   

5. After that, switch to the Compatibility tab.
6. There, tick the Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool checkbox.

   

7. From the drop-down menu, choose Proton. 
8. See if that resolves the issue.

7. Disable Network Firewall (if applicable)

Finally, if none of the above methods have resolved the issue for you, it is likely that the problem is being caused by a firewall installed on your network. Firewalls are responsible for managing incoming and outgoing traffic on your network for security purposes.

Often, firewalls can trigger false positives, where they block a perfectly safe program from sending out requests on your network. This can cause various connectivity issues, including cloud sync errors on your Steam Deck. In such a scenario, you will need to disable the network firewall to see if that resolves the issue.

You can often find firewall settings in your network control panel or the router settings page. Once you have disabled the firewall, see if that resolves the issue.