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Renpy This Save Was Created On A Different Device Link !!link!! Guide

This message is part of a Save Token Security system introduced in Ren'Py 8.1. It is a security feature designed to protect your computer from malicious save files when you transfer progress from a different device. How to Resolve the Message When you see this prompt, you generally have two choices:

Trust the Save: If you created the save yourself on a different device or trust the creator, you can select "Yes" to proceed with loading.

Create a Fresh Save: To stop seeing the message for that specific progress, load the save (by clicking "Yes"), then immediately save the game again in a new slot. This generates a new security token linked to your current device. Why You Are Seeing It

Device Transfer: You moved a save file from one computer/phone to another.

Cloud Sync: You are using a cloud service (like Steam Cloud or a manual sync) that downloaded a save created on another machine.

Edited Saves: If you used an online save editor, the resulting file will lack the security token for your specific device. For Developers

If you are developing a game and this message appears as a blank screen or causes an error, your custom confirm screen might be missing the necessary logic to handle these specific prompts. You need to ensure your UI can display the UNKNOWN_TOKEN and TRUST_TOKEN messages. Linking Saves Across Devices

If you want to sync your saves officially without manual file moving, look for the Ren'Py Sync feature in the game's menu if the developer has enabled it:

On Device A: Go to the Save menu and select Upload Sync to get a 10-character code.

On Device B: Go to the Load menu, select Download Sync, and enter that code. Note: This sync typically only lasts for 24 hours.

Are you trying to manually move files between specific platforms, like Android to PC?

Moving Ren'Py Saves: "This Save Was Created on a Different Device" Explained

If you’ve ever moved your visual novel progress from your PC to your phone, or upgraded to a new computer, you’ve likely encountered the message: "This save was created on a different device." renpy this save was created on a different device link

In most Ren'Py games, this isn't just a notification—it’s often a clickable link or a status warning. Here is everything you need to know about why this happens, how to sync your saves properly, and what to do if things go wrong. Why Does This Message Appear?

Ren'Py (the engine behind hits like Doki Doki Literature Club and The Letter) uses a specific file structure to track progress. When you load a save file, the engine checks the hardware ID and the file path of the original save.

If the engine detects that the save originated on a different operating system (e.g., moving from Windows to Android) or even just a different user directory, it flags the file. This is a safety feature designed to prevent:

Script Errors: If the game version on your new device is different from the old one, loading the save might crash the game.

Persistent Data Mismatches: Ren'Py tracks "Persistent Data" (like unlocked CGs or endings) separately from individual save slots. How to Sync Saves Between Devices

To get rid of the "different device" warning and resume your game, you need to move more than just the .save files. 1. Locate Your Save Folder

Ren'Py saves are rarely in the game folder itself. Depending on your OS, they are usually found here: Windows: %APPDATA%/RenPy/GameName-ID macOS: ~/Library/RenPy/GameName-ID Linux: ~/.renpy/GameName-ID Android: Android/data/com.developer.gamename/files/saves 2. Move the Persistent Data

The most common mistake is only copying save001.save. To ensure the "different device" link doesn't cause issues, you must also copy the file named persistent. This file tells the new device that you’ve already cleared certain paths or seen specific dialogue. 3. Using the "Link" Feature

In many modern Ren'Py builds, the "This save was created on a different device" text acts as a Sync Link.

Cloud Sync: If the developer has enabled Steam Cloud, simply opening the game on the new device should merge the data.

Manual Import: Some games have a custom "Import Save" button in the preferences menu. If you see the "Link" text, try clicking it; it may attempt to re-verify the save's integrity for the current device. Common Issues & Fixes "The save file is incompatible"

If you click the link and the game crashes or shows a "Pickle" error, it means the game versions are different. Ensure both devices are running the exact same version of the game (e.g., v1.5 on both). CG Gallery is Empty This message is part of a Save Token

If you moved your saves but your gallery is empty, you forgot the persistent file mentioned above. Move that file into the new save folder to restore your unlocks. Android "Scoped Storage" Problems

On newer versions of Android, you may not be able to see the /data/ folder. You might need to use a third-party file manager (like ZArchiver) or connect your phone to a PC via USB to manually drop the save files into the correct directory.

The "Ren'Py save created on a different device" warning is a built-in handshake between the game and your hardware. As long as the game version is the same, you can usually ignore the warning and click through to load your game. For a seamless transition, always move the entire save folder, including the persistent file, rather than just individual slots.

The message "This save was created on a different device" a security notification introduced in Ren'Py 8.1 as part of a new Save Token Security

. It is designed to protect users from potentially malicious save files that could harm their computer if modified by an untrusted party. Why the Message Appears Security Protection

: Ren'Py now tracks a unique "token" for each device. If you move a save file manually from one computer or phone to another, Ren'Py detects that the device token doesn't match the one in the save file. Verification Prompts

: Depending on the game's configuration, you may see two different prompts: UNKNOWN_TOKEN

: Asks if you trust the save's creator and anyone who could have changed the file. TRUST_TOKEN

: Asks if you trust the specific device the save was created on. How to Resolve or Bypass It

If you trust the source of the save (e.g., you moved it yourself between your own devices), you can use the following methods to clear the error: Official In-Game Method (Ren'Py Sync) Some modern games support Ren'Py Sync , a built-in cloud service. On the original device, select "Upload Sync" to get a 10-character code. On the new device, select "Download Sync"

and enter that code to transfer data securely without triggering security warnings. Manual Fix (PC) Navigate to your Ren'Py security folder: C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Roaming\RenPy\tokens\ security_keys.txt Open the file and delete everything except the string signing-key Back up this file first Load the save in-game and immediately save it again to generate a new, valid token for your current device. Manual Fix (Android) Use a file manager to find the game's save folder. security_keys.txt and delete all text inside except for signing-keys Alternatively, create a new security_keys.txt on a PC containing only the word Signing-key , set it to

, and transfer it to the device to replace the existing one. Common Issues Blank Screens The Solution: Match the save ID You need

: In some games, you might just see a blank screen instead of the prompt. This happens if the game's developer hasn't updated their "confirm" screen to include the new security message code. Missing Features

: Deleting security keys incorrectly can sometimes reset gallery progress or global settings if those were tied to specific device tokens. locating the specific save folder for a particular game or operating system? [RESOLVED] Save Files with no Stack? - Lemma Soft Forums

The Solution: Match the save ID

You need to edit the game script to force your current game to accept the ID of the save file.

  1. Find your Save ID:

    • If you still have the old device/game, open the options.rpy or gui.rpy file and look for a line starting with define config.save =.
    • If you do not have the old game, you can try opening the save file (it's often inside a .zip or .rpyc format, but you can open the save slot file using a text editor like Notepad++). Scroll through the garbled text; usually, the ID is visible as plain text near the top or bottom of the file structure.
    • Common default IDs look like: "MyGame-123456789" or just a long string of numbers/letters.

  2. Edit the New Game:

    • Go to the game folder on your new device.
    • Open options.rpy, gui.rpy, or create a new file called fix_save.rpy.
    • Add (or modify) the following line of code:
    define config.save = "THE_ID_YOU_FOUND_IN_STEP_1"
    • Example: If the old ID was solid_piece_987, the code should look like: define config.save = "solid_piece_987"

  3. Rebuild/Load:

    • If you are a developer, rebuild your game.
    • If you are a player, place this .rpy file inside the game folder of the installed game (alongside the other .rpy files). Ren'Py will read it on startup.

What it means (short)

Ren'Py embeds device- or environment-specific metadata in save files (version, UUID, and sometimes absolute paths). If the runtime detects a mismatch it warns the player to avoid loading incompatible or corrupted saves.

Method 3: The "Shared Drive" Trick (For Advanced Users)

You cannot link devices in real-time, but you can trick Ren’Py into reading from a shared location (like Dropbox or a NAS). This creates a pseudo-link.

Step 1: Check Ren'Py Version

Ensure that you're using the same version of Ren'Py that was used to create the save file. You can check the Ren'Py version in the game/script.rpy file or in the Ren'Py launcher.

Method 4: Use a save editor

Tools like UnRen or rpatool can unpack the game and patch 00common.rpy to disable the check.

Step 3: Forge the Link on the New Device

On the Target Device (where saves are locked):

  1. Close the game completely.
  2. Navigate to the same %APPDATA%/RenPy/[YourGameName] folder.
  3. Delete or rename the existing persistent file.
  4. Paste the persistent file from the original device.
  5. Copy your actual saves folder into the game directory.

The Result: When you launch the game on the new device, Ren’Py reads the forged persistent file, generates the same hash as the original device, and unlocks all your saves.

Warning: This will reset your "First Launch" preferences, gallery unlocks, and replay flags because those are stored in the persistent file. However, your progress inside specific save slots will remain intact.

For devs — how to avoid/handle it

  1. Normalize save metadata when possible
    • Avoid embedding device-specific absolute paths or transient UUIDs in persistent data.
  2. Use renpy.save and renpy.load safely
    • When using renpy.save(), keep the saved data limited to game state primitives and serializable objects. Avoid including OS-specific handles or open file objects.
  3. Implement explicit export/import
    • Provide an in-game “Export Save” that writes a single portable save file (e.g., JSON or compressed archive) containing:
      • game_version
      • persistent keys needed
      • slot index or timestamp
    • Provide an “Import Save” that validates and maps fields on load.
  4. Versioning and compatibility
    • Store a clear game_version and migration code. On load, run migrations to adapt older saves to the current format rather than refusing to load.
    • Example: keep a small “save_meta” dict: "game": "MyGame", "version": 1, "engine_version": "7.4.6"
  5. Graceful warning with options
    • If you must warn, offer: “Load anyway (may crash)”, “Attempt migration”, and “Cancel”. Log errors for later debugging.
  6. Testing across platforms
    • Regularly test save/load across Windows/macOS/Linux/Android and different Ren'Py versions. Add automated tests for save compatibility where feasible.

Sample user-facing post text (short)

"This game may show 'This save was created on a different device' when loading saves moved between platforms or after updates. If you can, open the save on the original device and use the game's export feature or copy the save files to the same folder on the new device. If that isn't possible, try loading an earlier save. Developers: add export/import, include a clear save version in metadata, and implement migration to avoid this issue."

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