Where Are Project CARS Save Files Located?
Project CARS keeps tuning XMLs in Documents and career progress in the Steam userdata folder.
Last updated
Project CARS divides its data the Slightly Mad way. Car setups, tuning files, and graphics settings are XML files in a Documents folder. Career progress lives separately in the Steam userdata tree under the game's AppID.
Back up both or back up neither. Documents covers your setups and options, userdata covers the career. The game was delisted in 2022, so cloud sync is the only safety net left for the career half. Copy both folders before reinstalling.
Where Project CARS stores this, by platform
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Project CARS
Setups, tuning, and graphics XML files. Copy for settings migration; career progress is not here.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\[SteamID]\234630\local
Career progress (AppID 234630, local folder). The half that Steam Cloud syncs. Copy with Steam closed for manual transfers.
~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/234630/pfx/
Proton prefix for the Windows build (AppID 234630). Both the Documents XMLs and the userdata career appear inside the prefix.
Frequently asked questions
I backed up Documents but my career is gone. Why?
The XML files are settings and setups, not progress. Your career lives in the userdata folder, so a Documents-only backup restores tuning but not the career itself.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.