Synth Riders Leaderboard Scores Missing: Steam Sync Fix

If your Synth Riders leaderboard scores are missing on Steam, the cause is almost always a sync or account-link issue between the game, Steam, and the Synth Riders online service. This guide walks you through the most common fixes, from verifying your Steam connection to forcing a manual resync of your local score data.

How Synth Riders Leaderboards Work

Synth Riders uses a hybrid system. Your scores are stored locally on your PC in a save file, and then uploaded to the game’s online leaderboard service when you finish a song while connected to the internet. The leaderboard you see in-game is a mix of your local best scores and the global online rankings. If the upload fails or the local file gets out of sync, your scores can appear missing or stuck at an old value.

Steam itself doesn’t host the leaderboards; it only provides the platform for the game and the Steam Cloud sync for your save files. The actual leaderboard data lives on Kluge Interactive’s servers (the developer). This means a problem can be on your end, on Steam’s end, or on the game’s server side.

Common Causes of Missing Scores

• Steam Cloud sync errors: If Steam Cloud fails to sync your local save file, your recent scores may be overwritten by an older version.
• Offline mode: Playing in Steam Offline Mode prevents any leaderboard uploads.
• Account link issues: Your Steam account may not be properly linked to the Synth Riders online service, especially after a reinstall or a new PC.
• Antivirus or firewall blocking: Security software can block the game’s connection to the leaderboard servers.
• Corrupted local save data: A crash or power loss during a save can corrupt the local score file.
• Server-side hiccups: Occasionally, the game’s servers have temporary issues that delay or lose score submissions.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

1. Check your internet connection and Steam status. Make sure you’re online in Steam (Steam > Go Online) and that your connection is stable. A quick way to test is to open the Steam Store page in the overlay.
2. Restart Steam and the game. Close Synth Riders completely, then right-click the game in your Steam Library and select “Exit Game.” Restart Steam and relaunch the game. This often forces a fresh connection to the leaderboard servers.
3. Verify the integrity of game files. In Steam, right-click Synth Riders > Properties > Installed Files > Verify Integrity of Game Files. This checks for corrupted or missing game files and re-downloads them if needed. It won’t delete your scores.
4. Disable Steam Cloud for the game (temporarily). Go to Properties > General > uncheck “Keep game saves in the Steam Cloud for Synth Riders.” Run the game, play a song, and see if your score appears. If it does, the local file was out of sync with the cloud. Re-enable the cloud after testing.
5. Check your firewall/antivirus. Temporarily disable your firewall or add an exception for SynthRiders.exe and Steam.exe. If scores start working, you’ve found the culprit. Re-enable your firewall and add the exceptions permanently.
6. Manually resync your local scores. Navigate to your Synth Riders save folder (usually %LOCALAPPDATA%\SynthRiders\ or Documents\SynthRiders\). Look for a file named scores.dat or similar. Back it up, then delete it. Restart the game. The game will create a new, empty local file. Your online scores should still be on the server; you can re-download them by playing a song or checking the leaderboard (if the game has a “re-download scores” option). If not, you may have to re-earn them.
7. Re-link your Steam account. In the game’s settings, look for an “Account” or “Online” section. There may be an option to “Link Steam Account” or “Reconnect.” Log out and log back in if possible.
8. Contact support. If none of the above works, the issue is likely on the server side. Visit the Synth Riders official Discord or support email (check the game’s Steam page for links) and provide your Steam ID and a description of the issue.

Why Scores Disappear After a Reinstall or New PC

When you install Synth Riders on a new computer, Steam Cloud should download your save file. However, if the cloud sync is delayed or fails, the game starts with a fresh local file. Your online leaderboard scores are tied to your Steam account, not the local file. So, even if your local scores are gone, your online scores should still be visible on the global leaderboard when you play the same song. To get them back locally, you need to trigger a re-download of your scores. Some games do this automatically; others require you to play the song again to “re-upload” your best score. If you had a score of 1,000,000 and your new local best is 900,000, the game will show 900,000 until you beat 1,000,000 again. This is a common misconception: your high score isn’t lost, it’s just not being displayed because the local file doesn’t have it.

Steam Cloud vs. In-Game Leaderboards

It’s important to distinguish between the two. Steam Cloud is a file sync service; it syncs your local save files (which include your scores) across devices. The in-game leaderboards are online rankings hosted by the developer. If Steam Cloud is disabled or failing, your local scores won’t transfer to a new PC, but your online leaderboard entries (if they were successfully uploaded) will still be there. If the in-game leaderboard is missing your scores, that’s a different problem—usually a connection issue or an account linking problem.

Preventing Future Score Loss

• Always exit the game properly. Don’t force-quit via Task Manager or Alt+F4. Use the in-game quit option to allow the game to save and upload scores.
• Keep Steam Cloud enabled. It’s your best defense against losing local scores.
• Play online. Ensure you’re connected to the internet when playing, even if you’re just doing solo play. The game uploads scores in the background.
• Back up your save folder. Periodically copy the SynthRiders folder from %LOCALAPPDATA% to a safe location.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my scores disappear after a Steam update?

Steam updates can sometimes trigger a cloud sync conflict. When the game updates, Steam may try to sync your save file, and if there’s a mismatch, it might ask you which version to keep. If you accidentally chose the wrong one, your scores could be overwritten. Always choose the version with the most recent timestamp.

Can I recover scores that are missing from the leaderboard?

If the scores were never uploaded to the server, they are likely lost. If they were uploaded, they should still be on the server. Contact support with your Steam ID and the song names; they may be able to restore them. For local scores, check if Steam Cloud has an older version of your save file (right-click the game > Properties > Updates > View Steam Cloud files).

Why does my score show as 0 on the leaderboard?

This usually means the score submission failed. It could be a temporary server issue, a firewall block, or a problem with your Steam account link. Try playing the song again after restarting the game and checking your connection.

Does playing in Steam Offline Mode affect leaderboards?

Yes. In offline mode, the game cannot connect to the leaderboard servers, so your scores won’t be uploaded. They will be saved locally, but they won’t appear on the online leaderboard until you go online and play the song again (or the game re-syncs).

How do I force a full resync of my Synth Riders save data?

Exit the game. In Steam, right-click Synth Riders > Properties > Updates > click “View Steam Cloud files.” Delete the files there (or back them up). Then, uncheck “Keep game saves in the Steam Cloud” and check it again. This forces Steam to re-upload your local files. Launch the game; it should download the cloud version. If not, you may need to manually place your backed-up local files into the save folder.

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