
When save files are synced, achievements are also synced from the achievement.dat file. If in either circumstance the server cannot be connected the game will change the local files which will be synced the next time the player connected to the server. After the player legitimately saves a game the save is then upload to the internet. If more recently files have been legitimately saved on the system these files will be uploaded to the server. Whenever the player accesses the Load or Save menus the game connects with the server and downloads up to date save files. These can be found in a folder with the user's ID, within a " FINAL FANTASY VII" folder, within a "Square Enix" folder which is found in My Documents by default. Save files are stored locally on the computer. The Xbox One and Windows 10 versions uses Xbox Cloud Saves, but save files can't carry over between the two. The iOS version supports iCloud, which allows saves to be stored on iCloud. The game does not require cloud saving or the internet, and it can be played locally without a connection, provided it was first downloaded and installed, which would require internet access.

This allows a player to progress in the same save files despite playing from different hard drives.

The 2012 PC re-release allows a user's save files to be synced with the "cloud", an online server.
