PAYDAY 2 is an almost 4-year old game and has received more than 200 different updates over the course of its life, including hotfixes, that added a ton of new content and made it live on.
That means frequently updating the game to play the latest version and have access to all released content and the full playerbase.

However, for varied reasons (speedrunning, dissatisfaction with recent changes, missing seasonal events, curiosity) you might be tempted into playing previous updates that are no longer supported.
This guide will explain you how to download past updates for the game and how to install them on Steam.

Before starting, here are a few things you should know about playing updates different from the latest build:

• It is possible to play multiplayer with anyone who's installed the same version as you.
  
• Save files are compatible with any update, even if you own content that didn't exist at the time. Switching back and forth shouldn't affect your save files either, but better be safe and make a back up to avoid bad surprises.
  
• It is possible to use mods, be sure to use the BLT/hook/mod release that is compatible with your version (if mod author has a GitHub or any similar service, you can download any release from there).
  
• The process is memory heavy as you have to download several instances of PAYDAY 2, so GBs will quickly rack up on your hard drive. Similarly you might struggle if you have a slow internet connection.
  Be sure you have enough space on your hard drive to store backups of the game files and old update game files (approximately three times the total size of PAYDAY 2).
  
• As said above, you should make backups of the game and your saves before installing an old update to avoid having to redownload the latest version and file corruption.
  
• For those who are part of the Update 78 group, you should be familiar with all installation methods used here: they are almost the same, based on file replacement. This guide just expands the scope of it to all updates ever released (and even unreleased updates).

PAYDAY 2 speedrunners, you can check my other guide about speedrunning skips and glitches to find updates where they still work:
http://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=769258277

This part is specific to PAYDAY 2. However you have to know that the following method works with any game available on Steam. If you want to use it for other games, follow this Reddit guide that helped creating this one.



Once you have decided which version you want to play, you have to look for its manifest ID, which corresponds to its internal name on Steam servers.
You cannot use directly the name of the update as it isn't stored on Steam: anyway update names in announcements and actual game versions (that you can find in game in the bottom right corner of the main menu) use different notation systems, which are also different from Steam's.


Use this spreadsheet[docs.google.com] to find matching manifest IDs.


If you are a Linux player, use SteamDB's manifest list for the Linux depot[steamdb.info]. To find matching updates, use the following instructions until I upload a dedicated spreadsheet.

Open SteamDB's manifest list[steamdb.info] for PAYDAY 2.
You'll find a list of all updates from the most recent to the oldest, and their manifest ID.
Note that it seems to only go as far as May 30, 2014 which roughly corresponds to Update 29 (Shadow Raid release). It is impossible to find manifest IDs of prior updates, so you'll be unable to download them from Steam.

To find the update you want, you have to look for a date that roughly matches your update's original release on Steam.
You can find all release dates on Payday 2 Wikia (update #1 to #99[payday.wikia.com], update #100 to current version[payday.wikia.com]).

Example: you wish to download update 78. It has been released on September 24th, 2015.
Look for that date on SteamDB, you'll find the following line:

September 24, 2015 – 19:18:36 UTC

2 years ago

5811794148067204797

Update 78 manifest ID is 5811794148067204797.



Before trying to download the update, free up to ~35GB on your hard drive, you'll need that much space.

Open the Steam developer console in your Steam client.
Link to the console: steam://nav/console (open the link in your web browser).

Now you want to download the update's depot. Enter the following command in the console:
218620 is Payday 2's app ID, 218621 is the ID of the base game depot. Manifest ID corresponds to the game version.
If you are a Linux player, replace 218621 with 218632 which is the ID of the base Linux game depot.

Wait for Steam to download the depot. You won't see any indication of progress, but you can tell it's downloading by looking at the network usage on your downloads page.
The download can pause/resume if your connection goes out, but won't if you restart the client.

It can take a while as you are basically downloading a full version of PAYDAY 2, so up to ~35GB. Let it run while you're at work or sleeping for example.

Once the download is complete, Steam will display where the files have been downloaded to, usually it will be Steam\steamapps\content.



If you made a Steam backup of a game version back in the time, you should be able to restore old files through your client directly.
If you made a manual backup of all files, skip directly to the following guide sections.

Manifest IDs for updates prior to U29 seem to be impossible to find. However such updates can be restored provided you find a way to download old files, may it be via illegal sites or manual backups.
If you do have a backup of such pre-29 files/their manifest IDs, please upload them and leave a link in comments/write them in comments.

This Steam guide explains in detail how to make backups of your save files and how to restore them:
http://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=170416480

Browse to the folder of your main savegame: Steam\userdata\<random number>\218620\remote
Copy the savegame file save098.sav to your backup location of choice, but don't overwrite the copy of your main savegame. You can also copy save000.sav which corresponds to your option settings.



This part isn't strictly necessary, however following it will prevent you from having to redownload the entire latest version when you want to switch back to the up-to-date game.

Go into your PAYDAY 2 installation folder: Steam\steamapps\common\PAYDAY 2
Copy EVERYTHING in it into a separate backup folder.



You might want to disable Steam Cloud while you're playing an old version to avoid overwriting your actual cloud main save file with a potentially corrupted one.

In your Steam Library, right click on PAYDAY 2 and select Properties.
Check the Updates tab and uncheck Steam Cloud synchronization at the bottom.

This step isn't necessary but is heavily recommanded, as the game may not launch due to Steam detecting that it's outdated and trying to update it.

In the Updates tab of PAYDAY 2 Properties in Steam Library, you can disable automatic updates. Sometimes Steam will try to update the game regardless though.

To be sure that Steam will never try to update the game, go to the Steam downloading folder: Steam\steamapps\downloading
There, delete any 218620 folder that you may find, then create an empty 218620 folder. Right-click it and select Properties.

In the main tab, check Read only and then, select the tab Security. Click the Modify button, choose Users from the upper list, and then check the first box under Deny in the second list, to the right of Full control.

Installing the update is pretty easy. Copy all files in your Steam\steamapps\content\app_218620\depot_218621 folder (or the one where your files have been downloaded to, check Steam's console after downloading them), then paste them in your PAYDAY 2 installation folder that contains current files (that you should have backed up): Steam\steamapps\common\PAYDAY 2.

If you're asked to, fuse any folder and copy and replace any file. Deleting up-to-date files then pasting old files in the folder will make you crash on start-up, so don't do that and just replace current files.



Launch the game through Steam. Congrats, you can now enjoy your old update!

You can check the game version in the bottom right corner of the main menu (remember that the notation is different from update numeration).

It's no mystery that downgrading to versions that had fewer content than current ones can mess really hard with your save file. Especially if in-between updates reorganized how it is (over)written.
In particular, you'll probably encounter crashes when launching the downgraded game for the first time, most notably at the Press Any Key screen.

In that case, I'm sorry to inform you that you'll have to delete your precious save file in order to have a chance to play.
But do not worry! Remember step 3 where you backed up your save file? Now it's time to put this safety to use, and delete your saves without remorse and any fear.
If you haven't backed up your save file yet, go back to step 3 and follow the instructions there. It's your final chance before losing everything.


You'll want to delete both the regular userdata main save file, AND the backup save file (the game's, not yours!) to prevent it from loading.

For detailed info about save files: https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=170416480

Userdata file:
Browse to the folder of your main savegame: Steam\userdata\<random number>\218620\remote
Then simply delete the savegame file save098.sav you'll find there.
You can also delete the option settings save file save000.sav if you want - and have backed it up first - but it's usually unnecessary.

Backup file:
Repeat the same process as above, but this time in the local AppData folder: %localappdata%\PAYDAY 2\saves\<Steam profile ID>

Make sure Steam Cloud is disabled as well.
In your Steam Library, right click on PAYDAY 2 and select Properties.
Check the Updates tab and uncheck Steam Cloud synchronization at the bottom.


There! You can finally play and enjoy the game!
The game will create a fresh new save file, so you'll have to start from level 0 with no cash and unlocks all over again.
Well, not necessarily, but I won't detail how you can quickly restore your progress in this guide. Google is your friend. ;)

Delete the 218620 folder you created in your Steam\steamapps\downloading folder to prevent Steam from updating PAYDAY 2. You may need to uncheck the Deny boxes.

If you made a backup of up-to-date game files, copy them, then go to the PAYDAY 2 installation folder (Steam\steamapps\common\PAYDAY 2), delete any file inside and paste your up-to-date files.
If you didn't, launch Steam and reenable automatic updates in the game's properties. It should start redownloading the latest version. If it doesn't, restart Steam and/or launch and close the game. If nothing worked, reinstall the game.



Again, follow this awesome guide's instructions:
http://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=170416480

Make sure Steam is running.
Note: You could have Steam closed and launch it before step 4, but there's a small chance the more recent cloud backup will be downloaded automatically.

Go to your main savegame location:
Steam\userdata\<random number>\218620\remote
Overwrite the file save098.sav with your most recent backup of the file. If you made a backup of it, do the same for save000.sav.

Start the game, your progress should be back.
Note: If Steam synchronizes when you start the game, you will have to temporarily disable the Steam Cloud for Payday 2 and repeat the previous step. As soon as you restored your progress and saved once from within the game, you can turn it on again.

Do something in the game (such as opening and closing your inventory). This will make sure your local savegame is newer than the cloud backup.
Exit the game. Your restored progress will be uploaded to the cloud.

If you previously deleted the game's backup save file in AppData, it will be regenerated once you complete a heist. Or you can manually restore it as well.

Thank you for reading this guide, I hope it has been useful.

Please leave a comment if you:

• found a way to fetch pre-U29 manifest IDs/know pre-U29 manifest IDs Now possible!
  
• have uploaded the game files of a pre-U29 update or found a safe link to an upload of those files no longer necessary
  
• have any question about the guide
  
• are crashing and need technical support

Feel also free to look for players who are willing to play on the same update as you and to team up with you, as long as it doesn't spam the comment section too much.

Credits to:

• Reddit user /u/GMMan_BZFlag for providing the original, general guide to download old updates through Steam
  
• SteamDB[steamdb.info] for providing the manifest ID list
  
• Payday 2 Wiki[payday.wikia.com] for their update history
  
• YaPh1l[bitbucket.org]/gir489 and 90e[bitbucket.org]'s PAYDAY 2 Lua repositories for providing game versions including for unnamed updates
  
• The PAYDAY 2 Update 78 subreddit
  
• EnforcerKiller for having found a way to retrieve pre-U29 manifest IDs
  
• RAG for the backup guide
  
• kolekelley2[www.speedrun.com] for giving me a link to the original guide, Jigu and Ig for helping me dealing with crashes
  
• speedrun.com for their continued support
  
• above all, you for having read this guide