Hearth and Hamlet Saved Files: Location & Transfer Guide
Hearth and Hamlet saved files: no official save location is documented, and demo saves will not carry over to the full release on August 19, 2026.
There is no official Hearth and Hamlet save file location documented yet, and demo saves will not carry over to the full game. The developer confirmed that demo progress ends when the demo ends — everyone starts fresh at launch.
The short answer
- Save location: Not officially documented — To be confirmed
- Demo → full release: No transfer, confirmed by the developer
- Demo v1.0.46: Made older demo saves incompatible
- Full-release saves: Details to be confirmed
- Plan for launch: Expect to start a new game
Will demo saves carry over to Hearth and Hamlet?
No. The developer, Phorust Studios, confirmed this twice on the Steam forums. In May, responding to “Will demo progress carry over to the full game?”: “At first I was hoping to have the save games carry over. But so much has changed under the hood that we will need to start new games.”
The answer was the same after the June update. Asked whether the full version could transfer demo saves, the developer replied: “Probably not. So much has changed in the game code, save system etc that even the latest patch requires a brand new start.”
That is the clearest answer available: expect a fresh start on August 19, 2026. If you were hoping to keep a maxed-out demo town, that town stays in the demo.
Where are Hearth and Hamlet save files stored?
No official documentation of the save path exists. The developer’s announcements, the official wiki and the Steam discussions all cover save compatibility, but none of them publish the save directory for the demo or the full game. The exact file location (and whether saves are stored locally or in Steam Cloud) is therefore to be confirmed.
Once the full game launches on August 19, the developer may document the save location — if it does, this page will be updated. In the meantime, do not rely on third-party “save file location” articles that claim to know the path; none of the official sources confirm one.
What we still don’t know about saves
A few save-related details are genuinely open questions as of the latest update:
- Save directory path — not published for the demo or the full game. To be confirmed.
- Steam Cloud support — not mentioned in any official source. To be confirmed.
- v1.0.46 demo saves in the full release — no official statement addresses this specific case; the developer’s forum answers point firmly at a fresh start, but full-release carry-over is unconfirmed in documentation.
- Save format stability after launch — whether future patches will break saves the way v1.0.46 did is unknown. The developer has acknowledged this happened once and apologized for it.
None of these gaps are unusual for a pre-release game. They simply mean the only officially confirmed rule right now is: demo progress does not transfer, so treat demo saves as temporary.
The v1.0.46 save compatibility break
The June 15 patch notes carry an explicit warning: “This update includes extensive backend changes to make the game more robust and flexible for full development. As a result, older save files are no longer compatible.”
In practice, that means a save from the April demo build (v1.0.x) no longer loads in the v1.0.46 build. The official known-issues page confirms the same: “Older Demo saves failing after the v1.0.46 backend changes.” If you were mid-town in April and updated, you had to start over — and the same backend work is why demo saves will not transfer to the full release. See the updates page for the full v1.0.46 changelog.
The 1.0.3 save research bug (historical)
There was one earlier save-related bug worth knowing about if you played the early demo. With the 1.0.3 patch, loading a 1.0.2 save could reset your unlocked or purchased research — though the research bonuses stayed active. The developer hotfixed it and confirmed the bug is fixed, but warned that saves loaded during the buggy window were permanently affected.
Two workarounds were offered: build any new building, which refreshes and re-unlocks research (but may let you re-purchase it and double its bonus), or simply start a new save. This affected only a narrow April window and is historical context, not a current issue.
Should you keep playing the demo?
That is a real decision, since demo progress is now known to be throwaway. One player reported maxing everything in the demo, including full storage, in roughly two and a half hours of relaxed background play. If you are close to finishing the demo content, it may still be worth completing for fun — the demo itself was described as short and quite enjoyable.
The developer’s own advice leans toward waiting. After the June patch, they told players: “this new patch is only a small extension, so feel free to skip it and wait for full release. Then you can start a fresh game.” If you already tried the demo, the remaining time before August 19 is a good moment to decide whether a few extra hours of throwaway progress is worth it — or whether you would rather keep the launch experience unspoiled.
If you would rather not spend hours on progress that will not carry over, skip the remaining demo time and wait for the full release. The full game launches August 19, 2026 at 17:00 UTC. See the release date page and demo page for more.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Hearth and Hamlet saves located? No official save path has been documented. To be confirmed.
Do Hearth and Hamlet demo saves transfer to the full game? No. The developer confirmed demo saves will not carry over; you will start fresh at launch.
Will my save from demo v1.0.46 work in the full game? No transfer has been announced. The developer has said the save system changed so much that even the latest demo patch required a brand new start.
Did v1.0.46 break old saves? Yes. Official patch notes say older save files are no longer compatible after the v1.0.46 backend changes.
Is there Steam Cloud save support? Not confirmed. Cloud save support is not mentioned in official sources. To be confirmed.
Is it worth playing the demo if progress resets? That is up to you. Players reported finishing the demo’s content in roughly two and a half hours, and the developer has said it is fine to skip the latest demo patch and wait for the full release.
Did the developer explain why saves do not carry over? Yes. They said the game code and save system changed so much that even the latest demo patch required a brand new start.
Preparing for launch? Check the system requirements and the beginner guide. For post-launch notes, follow the updates page.
Sources: Steam discussion: Save Game Research Bug · Steam discussion: transfer? · Steam discussion: demo vs full game · Hearth and Hamlet Wiki known issues page