The error can also occur on Xbox consoles. The underlying cause is still a corrupted profile or save data.
Press the Xbox button, go to My games & apps -> See all -> Highlight Shadow of the Tomb Raider -> Press the Menu button (three lines) -> Manage game and add-ons . Go to Saved data , select your profile, and choose Delete from console . Restart the game to force it to download a fresh, uncorrupted profile copy from the Xbox network. For PlayStation (PS4 / PS5)
Steam Cloud can sometimes force-download a corrupted profile or conflict with local changes.
: Open the game settings in the launcher and disable cloud saves for the title.
Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files Epic: Manage → Verify shadow of the tomb raider failed to load profile
Sudden power outages or PC restarts while the title is active.
If you are playing on Steam or the Epic Games Store, apply these solutions sequentially. 1. Allow the Game Through Windows Defender / Antivirus
This method forces the game to rebuild its profile recognition without destroying your data.
Launch the game to see if it loads a local profile. If it works, re-enable Steam Cloud later and choose to upload your "local file" when a conflict prompt appears. 4. Revert to a Backup Save File The error can also occur on Xbox consoles
This article provides a deep dive into why the “Failed to load profile” error appears on PC (Steam, Epic Games), PlayStation, and Xbox, and offers a complete, step-by-step guide to fixing it.
Click and select the Shadow of the Tomb Raider executable file. 3. Verify Integrity of Game Files (Steam)
Launch the game – it will create fresh profile files. If it works, copy your old game.sav file back (not the profile settings).
Add SOTTR.exe from your game's installation folder to the whitelist. 2. Run the Game as an Administrator Go to Saved data , select your profile,
If you recently switched computers, or if your documents folder is syncing with OneDrive, your save path might be misdirected. Ensure that the Documents\Shadow of the Tomb Raider folder is located on your local hard drive and not solely stored in a cloud folder like OneDrive (which can change the file path). If OneDrive is active, pause its sync or change the folder location to "Keep on this device" to ensure the game can detect the profile.dat correctly. Alternatively, you can copy the entire numbered folder from your old PC's documents into the new PC's documents directory; the local detection overrides the cloud conflict.
Which you are playing on (Steam, Epic Games, or Console).
Repeat these exact steps for the actual SOTTR.exe file located inside your game's installation directory. 3. Verify the Integrity of Game Files
The "Failed to load profile" error in Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Launch the game. It will say “Creating new profile.” This is fine. Let it create a fresh profile.
Instead of relying on a single auto-save, manually create new saves at base camps whenever possible. Rotate your use of save slots. This ensures you have a recent, uncorrupted fallback if one file becomes damaged.