# Yearn storage cleanup: back up before deleting games and saves

Language: en
Canonical: [Yearn storage cleanup: back up before deleting games and saves](<https://allluckly.cn/en/guides/yearn-backup-delete/>)
中文：[中文 HTML](<https://allluckly.cn/guides/yearn-backup-delete/>)
English: [English HTML](<https://allluckly.cn/en/guides/yearn-backup-delete/>)
Published: 2026-10-23T00:00:00+08:00
Modified: 2026-10-23T10:34:09+08:00
Author: Bison

Distinguish ROMs, save states, in-game saves and screenshots before cleanup, keep independent copies and confirm which data each deletion affects.

English translation of the [Chinese original](<https://allluckly.cn/guides/yearn-backup-delete/>), translated on 2026-10-23. The article body uses automated translation; app descriptions, historical reading notes and video subtitles receive separate editorial checks. Original publication dates, attribution, code and version notes are retained.

Before freeing space in Yearn, distinguish deleting game files from merely hiding an entry in a list. The app's Delete Game operation handles the game and associated saved data; it is unsuitable for casual display cleanup. This guide keeps an independent copy first, then decides what to remove, distinguishing backup files from a successful restore.

## List what needs to be kept for this game

At minimum, record the original game file, platform, current app version, save-state slots and in-game save status. For disc images, keep the index and tracks together; decide separately whether screenshots need retaining. Two ROMs with the same filename can be different versions, so include source and version notes in the backup.

Start organizing unimportant practice material and temporarily retain important progress that you can still load. Do not use deletion as a substitute for removing a favorite simply to make a list look cleaner. Removing a favorite changes a shortlist; deleting can remove actual files. Their consequences differ.

## Save and end the current session first

Save through the game's own menu, then use Yearn's manual save state to retain a clear checkpoint. After verifying that it loads, exit the current game through the app menu and end the session. Avoid copying while the game continues writing the same data, or the copy may combine material from different moments.

Record the scene and slot timestamp corresponding to the backup. Even if you only inspect the files later, do not immediately treat the new backup folder as a complete replacement for the original app. It is first an independent copy for protection and investigation; whether a restore will recognize it correctly requires a separate check.

## Keep a copy through file sharing

Yearn enables system file sharing. On a Mac, connect and trust the iPhone or iPad, open the device's Files tab in Finder, find Yearn, and copy the documents you want to keep into a separate backup folder on the computer. If the entry is missing, check the connection and device trust first rather than trying to change internal app permissions.

Name the backup folder by date and purpose, such as Yearn\_before-cleanup\_date. Preserve the existing hierarchy of folders such as ROMs, SaveStates, Saves and Screenshots rather than flattening everything into one directory. An unfamiliar identifier does not mean a save is useless. Do not rename internally associated files just to make their names look nicer.

## Check that the copy really left the original device

After copying, inspect the backup location on the computer: confirm the files exist, their sizes are reasonable and the folders are complete. Make sure the copy is on the computer or your chosen independent storage, rather than still being only in the device's sharing list. If necessary, keep another copy in storage you control so that cleaning both the phone and computer cannot remove every copy.

This verifies the file copy, not a completed emulator restore. After reimporting, reidentifying a game or changing devices, you still need to check whether the app finds the corresponding saved data. Until you have actually loaded and checked the progress, avoid deleting the only app environment that can still run it and recognize its saves.

## Confirm the scope of deletion again

Return to the game library and use Delete only on a practice game you clearly no longer need, reading the confirmation carefully. Do not rapidly delete several similarly named entries. Handle one, then check the resulting list. Deletion in the app and deletion from the source folder happen in different locations; clearing one does not automatically mean the other is cleared.

Deleting a game may also affect its associated saves. To shorten the recent or favorites list, use the corresponding history or favorite controls without deleting the game. Uninstalling the entire app has a wider impact: first ensure every needed file is retained. An enabled iCloud sync switch is not proof of a complete app backup.

## Use separate material for restore practice

To test a backup, choose a practice sample that will not overwrite important progress. Check a ROM through the normal import process and confirm it starts. For saved data, confirm that the app finds the corresponding record and actually loads it. Copying a folder back is not, by itself, a successful restore.

If saved data is not recognized, leave the original backup untouched and investigate using a copy. Record the game file, app version, directory structure and loading behavior, then ask support for help. Do not guess what internal identifiers mean and rename files in bulk, or overwrite the original pre-cleanup backup with the result of a failed restore.

## Questions and final checks

**Do I still need a file copy when iCloud sync is enabled?** Sync and backup serve different purposes. A sync status does not preserve a specific historical checkpoint for you, nor does it prove that the ROM, BIOS and every related item are in the cloud.

**The backup folder is large. Can I keep just one state file?** Keeping an isolated file can lose important context before you understand its associations and restore process. Retain the complete relevant folders and original game material first, and simplify only according to a method you have verified.

Before finishing cleanup, you should be able to identify the independent copy's location, exactly what was deleted, the usable progress that remains, and any restore steps still unverified. If these facts are unclear, delay deletion. Retaining control of the material is easier than trying to recover it after it is lost.

## Related tutorials and sources

Continue reading [The limits of cloud sync](<https://allluckly.cn/en/guides/yearn-icloud-saves/>) and [Original files and their dependencies](<https://allluckly.cn/en/guides/yearn-rom-formats/>). For the file-sharing steps, see [Apple: share files through Finder](<https://support.apple.com/zh-cn/119585>).

Information dated October 23, 2026. Public release information comes from [Yearn App Store description](<https://apps.apple.com/cn/app/id6756637059>) and [Apple release lookup](<https://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=6756637059&country=cn>), and lists version 1.0.2. Check compatibility with your game and saved state using the save, exit and load steps in this guide.