Encountering the error can be a major roadblock, especially when you are hours into Lara Croft’s journey. This error typically occurs when the game's profile.dat file becomes corrupted or when there is a conflict between your local save data and cloud synchronization .
Right-click the game in your Steam Library > Properties > General > toggle off Steam Cloud .
File Path: Documents\Shadow of the Tomb Raider\<Steam_User_ID>\
Alternatively, turn the feature off entirely while playing the game to see if the profile error resolves. ⚙️ Method 3: Verify Integrity of Game Files
Giving the game administrative access bypasses standard Windows file permission restrictions. Completely close your game launcher (Steam or Epic Games). Right-click your launcher icon and select . Go to the Compatibility tab. Check the box for Run this program as an administrator . Click Apply and OK . shadow of the tomb raider failed to load profile
The game attempts to load this composite data every time you launch it. If any part of that data chain is corrupted, missing, or being blocked by permissions or antivirus software, the engine throws the “Failed to load profile” error.
Alternatively, you can temporarily toggle to Off to test if the error resolves. 2. Run the Game and Launcher as an Administrator
This method is widely confirmed by the community as the most reliable fix for PC players. It forces the game to generate a fresh profile while keeping your actual progress saves intact.
Try to load your save. If it works, the game has reattached your progress to a new, uncorrupted profile header. Encountering the error can be a major roadblock,
Delete the file:
Since the Epic version has known bugs with cloud saves, players often recommend playing with the launcher in "Offline" mode to bypass profile checks.
If cloud files are corrupted, they will continuously overwrite your working local files. Open and right-click Shadow of the Tomb Raider . Select Properties and look under the General tab. Toggle Steam Cloud sync to Off .
, a common issue often caused by synchronization bugs between local files and cloud storage. 1. Re-sync Local Profile with Cloud (Steam) Right-click your launcher icon and select
: Discrepancies between local save data and Steam Cloud or console cloud storage.
When prompted about a file mismatch, select to overwrite the corrupted cloud data. Fixes for Console Users (Xbox & PlayStation)
Before diving into solutions, it helps to understand why this happens: