How to Use Xbox Cloud Storage: Storing and Backing Up Your Games

Microsoft’s Xbox video game console has had many iterations over the years. The company has improved its hardware and software, but the latest two have something the previous versions do not: cloud storage. You can access it if you own an Xbox 360 or Xbox One. In this article, we’ll show how to use Xbox cloud storage to improve the quality of your gaming life.

The Xbox Live service enables you to access cloud storage and save your game session to its servers. Though it’s a far cry from the flexibility offered by our best cloud gaming services, it’s still pretty cool and will allow you to play games at a friend’s house without lugging your console along.

Xbox cloud storage also acts as a backup should your console give up the ghost, making it a decent gaming alternative to our best online backup providers. Read our article on the difference between storage and backup if you want to know more about the concepts involved.

How to Setup Xbox Live Cloud Storage

To use cloud storage and save your games, you’ll need the following.

• An Xbox Live Gold or regular subscription
• A console connected to the Xbox Live service
• 514 MB of storage space on your console

After that go to the Xbox Dashboard, select “settings,” and then “system.” Go to “storage,” “cloud saved games,” then “enable cloud saved games.” That reserves a local cache on your console and allows you to save or move saved games to the cloud. You’ll also be able to access your Xbox 360 saves from your Xbox One console.

Your save is cached locally while playing, then moved to the cloud when you exit the game. Note that if you disconnect from Xbox Live while playing, your save won’t be stored in the cloud once you exit the game.

You can look at the status of your saved games transferring to the cloud in the “active downloads” list. To do that, press the “guide” button on your controller, go to “games & apps” then “active downloads.” Even if you turn off your console, it will only shut down once the save files are safely in the cloud.

Managing Your Saved Game

Proper management will allow you to continue playing your game the way you want. Plus, using cloud storage should help you avoid mishaps such as unintentional deletion or power loss.

Moving to the Cloud

When you start a new game, you’ll usually see a prompt asking where you want to save your game. You can now select “cloud saved games” as the storage device. After that, every time you sign in to your profile and play the game, it will be saved to the cloud.

If you want to store an existing saved game to the cloud, you can simply move it. Do the following:

• Sign in to your profile
• Go to “settings.” ”system,” then “storage”
• Select the storage device that holds the saved game you want to move
• Choose “games” to select the one with your save
• “Move”
• Select “cloud saved games”

You can move, copy, or delete saved games in the cloud, just like they were stored locally. To learn more about that option, click here. Now, you will be able resume playing Red Dead Redemption 2 on your friend’s Xbox.

Loading on a Different Console

Using your saved game on a different console is easy. Just do the following:

• Sign in to your Xbox profile
• Turn on “cloud saved games”
• Start the game with the save in the cloud

After you’re done playing, your game save will once again be stored in the cloud. Each game on Xbox One has its own storage. As a user’s game library grows, the cloud does, too. In short, Xbox One users get unlimited cloud storage, but they can’t store other content such as add-ons or arcade games using it.

Deleting Saved Games

You can delete your saved games from the “my games & apps” menu on your home screen.

• Press the Xbox button to open the guide and select “my games & apps”
• Highlight the game, press the “menu” button on your controller and select “manage game”
• Scroll down the menu on the left until you reach “saved data,” then highlight the saved data for your gamertag on the right side and press the “A” button on your controller.
• You’ll see a prompt asking you to confirm the deletion
• “Delete from console” removes the local copy, so you will still be able to access the saved game from the cloud
• “Delete everywhere” removes your saves from this console, every other you play on and the cloud
• “Cancel” leaves your data intact

Turning Off Xbox Cloud Storage

There are two options to disable cloud storage for game saves.

Option one is to move saved games out of the cloud, then turn off cloud saves. Here’s how:

• Move your saves the same way as explained above.
• From the Xbox 360 Dashboard, go to “settings” then “system”
• Select “storage”
• Highlight “cloud saved games” and press the Y button on your controller
• Select “disable cloud saved games”

Option two is to keep saved games in the cloud and turn off cloud saves for a single console. Follow these steps:

• From the Xbox Dashboard, go to “settings” then “system”
• Select “storage” then your primary storage device
• Select “system items” then “cloud storage console copy”
• Select “delete”

There will be a prompt asking you to confirm that you want your saved games to remain in the cloud and future updates to them to not be synced to your console.

Problems with Xbox Cloud Storage

Like with all software, using cloud storage with Xbox might throw you an error. Below are the most common as well as some easy fixes.

Game not supported

That means the game is not designed to be saved on the Xbox Live servers. Your only choice is to use the local cache.

We couldn’t sync your info with the cloud

That pops up when you can’t connect to the Xbox Live servers and generally means there’s a problem with your internet connection. Look for a problem on your end. If you can’t find anything, contact your internet service provider.

Your cloud saved games and the saved game copies on your console are out of sync

The Xbox One has detected two versions of your saved games and doesn’t know which to use. You’ll have to help your console by deciding which save file you want to use.

Xbox One network problem

Issues in your Xbox One settings may cause  network-related problems. To check for that, go to the Xbox Dashboard, select “settings” > “all settings” > “network” > “network settings” > “test network” button. The test result should show you the problem.

Final Thoughts

Now you’re armed with the knowledge you need to manage your Xbox cloud storage. Using it, you’ll be able to enjoy your gaming more, whether you’re playing on multiple consoles or at a friends house. You may want to check out our article on the best VPN for gaming to keep your online activity safe, however, as well as your ping low.

Besides games, Xbox cloud storage isn’t particularly good for anything else, so check out our best cloud storage plans if you’d like to store documents and photos. If you know any Xbox tips or tricks that we missed, let us know in the comments below. Thank you for reading.