Elden Ring PC stuttering and save backups: troubleshoot without losing progress

On Windows with Steam, first make a separate copy of your save, then test one performance change at a time. The game files and your character save are different things: verifying the installation is useful for damaged game files, but it is not a substitute for a backup.

Back up the save first

1. Save and exit the game normally. Wait for any Steam Cloud synchronization to finish; if Steam reports a conflict, do not choose a version until you have checked which one contains your latest progress.
2. Press Win + R, enter %APPDATA%\EldenRing, and open the folder. Steam's Windows save is normally in a numbered account folder containing ER0000.sl2; confirm that folder exists on your machine. This path is for the Steam Windows version, not a console or a different game.
3. Copy the entire numbered folder to a separate backup location. Keep the original in place. Name the copy with the date and retain more than one dated copy so an older backup is not overwritten.

Before restoring anything, exit the game and copy the current save folder somewhere safe too. Steam Cloud may offer a conflict between local and cloud copies: check timestamps and progress carefully, and keep both copies until you know which is correct. Do not replace the current save or select an older cloud copy blindly. The steps above create a backup; they do not verify that a restore has succeeded on your machine.

Test the stutter

Start the game and reproduce the same scene for a short comparison. Check System → Graphics → Ray Tracing Quality and try disabling ray tracing: Bandai Namco notes that it can be unintentionally enabled on PC and cause unstable performance. Retest the same scene before changing another setting.

If that does not help, lower a graphics setting or resolution one step, apply it and retest. Record what changed; don't alter every option at once. Bandai Namco also notes that third-party applications controlling mouse behavior can cause unstable frame rates, so temporarily close such a tool if you use one and compare again.

For missing files or crashes, in Steam open Library → right-click Elden Ring → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files. Wait for the check to finish, then retest. Steam warns that some local configuration files may fail verification normally; the result alone does not prove the save is damaged. If issues persist, record your PC specs, driver version, game version, scene and exact error for support.

Sources: Bandai Namco PC performance notes, Steam file verification, Steam Cloud support, SteamDB save location. The location listing is third-party; verify it on your own PC.