: Never Alt+F4 or unplug your console while the turning-logo autosave icon is spinning on the screen.
Windows security or antivirus software may block the game from writing to or reading the Documents folder.
If the profile still fails to load, try these secondary steps: shadow of the tomb raider failed to load profile
, a common issue often caused by synchronization bugs between local files and cloud storage. 1. Re-sync Local Profile with Cloud (Steam)
Some security software flags profile.dat as a false positive. : Never Alt+F4 or unplug your console while
The "Failed to load profile" error in Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a common glitch, often caused by a corrupt profile.dat
The error is a well-known issue that occurs when the game's configuration file or cloud sync data becomes corrupted. This bug blocks access to the main menu and prevents players from starting a new game or continuing their journey. Fortunately, your actual campaign save files are usually safe , and deleting the local profile.dat file while temporarily adjusting cloud synchronization settings will resolve the issue. This bug blocks access to the main menu
A significant number of players on high-end Windows 11 rigs (version 24H2) have reported that the game fails to load profiles specifically when DirectX 12 is active. When the game splash screen (the small launcher window before the main menu) appears, look for the option. Change the "Graphics API" dropdown from DirectX 12 to DirectX 11 . This forces the game to utilize an older, more stable renderer, which has been proven to bypass profile loading conflicts. Many users on the Steam forums confirmed that changing this setting solved the infinite loop where the game continuously asked to create a new profile, whereas downgrading GPU drivers did not provide a solution.
If is turned on, click Allow an app through Controlled folder access . Click Add an allowed app -> Browse all apps .