Moon Sweepers Crashes, Loading Freezes and Save Backups

Match the failure to a documented fix

Begin by noting when the failure occurs: shortly after loading, while switching tools, at startup or after leaving a world. The developer describes separate fixes for those situations. Match the symptom and version before treating a renderer change or save recovery as the relevant next step. Developer crash notes.

The distinction between these entries matters. A post-load freeze has a different documented fix from tool-switching freezes, while fewer stutters is not a claim that every crash has been eliminated. Versioned fixes and performance changes.

Check timing and version before changing renderers

1. Note whether the failure happens at startup, shortly after loading or during a particular action.
2. Compare that timing and context with the table.
3. Check your game version against the relevant patch.
4. Before using a renderer launch flag, distinguish the default renderer from the optional DirectX 12 setting.

Patch 1.0.5 specifically describes a repeatable freeze about half a minute after loading some worlds. The report covers both DirectX 11 and DirectX 12. Switching renderers is therefore not the stated correction for that particular loading-related failure. Loading-freeze fix.

Is -force-d3d12 the AMD crash fix?

No. Patch 1.0.4 makes DirectX 11 the default to prevent AMD GPU crashes. The Steam launch option -force-d3d12 selects DirectX 12 instead; it is an optional renderer choice, not the developer's AMD crash remedy. Renderer change and launch flag.

What if freezing happens when I switch tools?

Compare the situation with the 1.0.4 fix for switching tools while many robots are working. That entry is distinct from the later post-load freeze correction. Record the triggering action rather than grouping both symptoms under a generic loading problem. Tool-switching freeze fix.

Locate the documented Windows backups

The developer gives this Windows backup directory:

C:\Users\[user-name]\AppData\LocalLow\DragDropGames\MoonSweepers\Backups

Use your Windows user-folder name in place of the username placeholder. These backups are stored outside Steam Cloud, so do not assume this directory represents a synchronized cloud copy on another device. Windows backup location.

When does the game create backups?

Patch 1.0.4 documents up to five full world backups per save slot. It takes a backup one minute into every session and then every 30 minutes. Keep that schedule in mind rather than assuming a backup necessarily includes everything done immediately before a crash. Backup timing and retention.

Use the automatic post-crash checks

The developer says the game checks save files on the next start after a crash and repairs damaged files. When a world loads, the 1.0.4 protection can restore a damaged save or component from backups and notify you. This is an automatic recovery system, not a documented manual file-replacement procedure. Automatic repair behavior.

A practical sequence supported by those notes is:

1. Note the timing and context of the crash.
2. Start the game again so its documented post-crash save check can run.
3. Load the world and watch for a repair notification.
4. Read any notification before assuming the loaded state required no repair.

The earlier 1.0.3 protection also describes automatic load-time repair from a backup or recent snapshot. It validates a save before that save replaces the previous one and displays a message if repairs were required. Earlier save validation protections.

Does a loading failure prove my save is corrupted?

No. Patch 1.0.3 describes heavily cleaned, large worlds that appeared corrupted and would not load properly despite having intact save files. The developer supplied a loading fix for those worlds. Keep failure to load separate from confirmed file damage. Large-world loading correction.

Should I manually replace files to trigger repair?

The documented system checks files after a crash and repairs damaged saves or components during loading. Its described trigger is starting the game or loading the world, not a player copying a particular backup into place. Follow that automatic sequence rather than treating this guide as manual restoration instructions. Post-crash checks and load-time repair.

Respect the save-version warning

Patch 1.0.4 explicitly warns that saves made in 1.0.4 cannot be opened in older game versions. Do not treat a downgrade as a casual recovery step for those saves. The specific warning establishes that compatibility boundary, not a complete compatibility chart for every later release. Save compatibility warning.

Separate slow saving from loading freezes

Patch 1.0.4 reports much faster saving for large, heavily cleaned bases. It also removes the former wait at “Saving your progress...” when quitting or returning to the main menu. Those are saving-performance changes, separate from the documented post-load and tool-switching freeze fixes. Saving performance changes.

For machines that stop while the game remains responsive, use automation troubleshooting. For controls involved in rearranging structures, see the building and Move Mode guide.

Version and scope

Checked November 1, 2026: 1.0.5, dated October 28, is the newest released patch visible in the official feed. These are developer-reported changes, not reproduced fixes or measured guarantees; this guide does not provide individualized diagnosis, manual restoration, Linux backup paths, guaranteed recovery from missing or damaged backups, zero lost progress or protection from local disk loss. Developer updates.