You Just Unlocked a Rare Cosmetic on Another Platform
You spent hours grinding the Rift on your PlayStation, finally earning that exclusive outfit for your favorite Killer. But when you fire up Dead by Daylight on your PC, it’s gone. Your progress, your hard-earned items, your entire identity in the Fog is locked to a single console or storefront.
This fragmentation is a common pain point for players who own Dead by Daylight on multiple devices. Whether you’re switching from console to PC for better performance, playing with friends on a different ecosystem, or simply taking advantage of a sale, losing your progress feels like a major setback.
Fortunately, Behaviour Interactive introduced a system to bridge these divides. Linking your Dead by Daylight accounts through a Behaviour Account is the official, sanctioned way to unify your progress. This guide walks you through the entire process, clarifies what does and doesn’t transfer, and provides solutions for the most common hiccups you might encounter.
Understanding Cross-Progression and the Behaviour Account
Before diving into the steps, it’s crucial to understand the core mechanism. Cross-progression in Dead by Daylight is not a direct peer-to-peer link between your Xbox and Steam accounts. Instead, it functions through a central hub: the Behaviour Account.
Think of your Behaviour Account as the central profile for your identity in Behaviour Interactive’s games. You link your various platform accounts (like Steam, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, and Epic Games Store) to this single Behaviour Account. Once linked, the game uses this account to synchronize your progress across all connected platforms.
It’s also important to manage expectations. When the feature launched, Behaviour Interactive established a clear set of rules for what transfers and what might not. Knowing this upfront prevents frustration later.
What Unifies When You Link Accounts
The good news is that the most important elements of your progression carry over. This includes your player level, your Bloodweb progress for both Survivors and Killers, and all unlocked Perks and their tiers. Your entire inventory of Items, Add-ons, Offerings, and Iridescent Shards is also shared.
Cosmetics form a major part of the transfer. Any outfit, weapon, or charm you purchased with Auric Cells or Iridescent Shards, or earned through the Rift or promotional codes, will be available on all linked platforms. This includes DLC character cosmetics.
Your collection of unlocked Characters, both Survivors and Killers, will be accessible everywhere. If you bought the Nightmare Edition on Xbox, you’ll have Freddy Krueger on your linked PC account.
Notable Exceptions and Limitations
A few categories do not transfer due to platform policies and technical constraints. Platform-specific currency, namely Auric Cells, often does not carry over. Auric Cells purchased on PlayStation typically remain in your PlayStation wallet, and the same applies to other storefronts. However, any Auric Cells you earn in-game (for example, from the Rift) are usually part of your shared inventory.
Platform-exclusive cosmetics are another key exception. If you redeemed a code for a cosmetic only available on the Epic Games Store, that item will likely only appear when playing via the Epic Games Store, even if your accounts are linked. Always check the fine print on exclusive content.
Leaderboard rankings and individual platform achievements or trophies are also separate. Your global rank resets seasonally anyway, but your achievement progress is tied to the platform’s ecosystem (Steam Achievements, PlayStation Trophies, etc.).
Finally, this is a one-time merge for existing progress. When you first link a new platform account, the game compares your progress on that platform to the progress stored in your Behaviour Account. It then merges them, keeping the higher of the two for most items. After this initial merge, all future progress is synchronized in real-time.
Step-by-Step Guide to Linking Your Accounts
The process is straightforward if you follow these steps in order. The most critical step is ensuring you start on the platform with the most progress, as that will become your primary data source during the merge.
Creating or Accessing Your Behaviour Account
You cannot link accounts without a Behaviour Account. If you don’t have one, you need to create it first.
Visit the official Dead by Daylight website or go directly to the Behaviour Account portal. Look for a “Sign In” or “My Account” option. Choose to create a new account. You’ll need a valid email address. Use one you have regular access to, as it will be used for verification and recovery.
Follow the standard registration process: enter your email, create a secure password, and agree to the terms of service. Check your email for a verification link and click it to activate your account. If you already have a Behaviour Account from another game like Meet Your Maker, you can use the same one.
Initiating the Link from Your Primary Platform
Now, launch Dead by Daylight on the platform where you have the most progress, your highest player level, and your rarest items. This is your “main” account.
From the game’s main menu, navigate to the Settings or Options screen. Look for a tab or section labeled “Account,” “Cross-Progression,” or “Behaviour Account.” The exact wording varies by platform.
Select the option to link your account. The game will prompt you to sign in to your Behaviour Account. Enter the email and password you just created. The game will then formally link this platform account to your Behaviour Account. You should see a confirmation message on screen.
At this point, the progress from this primary platform is now anchored to your Behaviour Account profile.
Linking Your Secondary Platforms
With your primary account successfully anchored, you can now bring your other platforms into the fold. The process is nearly identical but comes with a crucial warning.
Launch Dead by Daylight on your second platform (e.g., your Xbox if you started on PlayStation). Go to the same Account/Cross-Progression section in the settings menu.
Select the option to link an account and sign in with the same Behaviour Account credentials you used before. Here is the critical part: the game will display a warning message. It will state that linking this account will merge its progress with the progress already stored in your Behaviour Account.
The system performs a “merge,” not an “overwrite.” It compares items and levels and generally keeps the higher of the two. For example, if you are Player Level 50 on your primary account and Level 20 on this secondary one, your Behaviour Account will reflect Level 50. If you have a prestige character on the secondary account but not on the primary, that prestige will be added.
Read the warning carefully. If you are absolutely sure you want to proceed, confirm the link. The merge process happens automatically. Once complete, your unified progress will be available on both platforms. Repeat this step for any additional platforms (Nintendo Switch, Epic Games Store, etc.).
Resolving Common Cross-Progression Issues
While the system is generally reliable, players occasionally run into snags. Most have straightforward solutions.
The “Account Already Linked” Error
This is one of the most frequent issues. It means the platform account you are trying to link (e.g., your Steam ID) is already associated with a different Behaviour Account. This can happen if you accidentally created multiple Behaviour Accounts in the past.
The solution is not to create another Behaviour Account. You must use the existing one. Try to recall which email you might have used. Use the “Forgot Password” feature on the Behaviour Account login page for any emails you suspect. If you truly cannot access the old Behaviour Account, you will need to contact Behaviour Interactive support for help unlinking the platform account. They will require proof of ownership of the platform account.
Missing Items or Progress After Linking
If you log in after the merge and find specific cosmetics or items missing, don’t panic immediately. First, completely close and restart the game on that platform. Sometimes a fresh sync is needed.
If the items are still missing, verify the exceptions listed earlier. Are the missing items from a platform-exclusive bundle? Were they purchased with platform-specific currency that hasn’t transferred? If it seems like a genuine bug, the best course of action is to gather evidence. Take clear screenshots of your inventory on the platform where the items exist and where they are missing. Note the exact names of the items.
Contact Behaviour Interactive support through their official website. Provide your Behaviour Account email, the affected platform accounts, a detailed description of the missing content, and your supporting screenshots. Support tickets are the only way to resolve these kinds of data-specific issues.
Linking the Wrong Account or Wanting a Fresh Start
What if you linked your casual PlayStation account to your competitive PC profile by mistake? Behaviour Interactive is very clear: account linking is permanent and irreversible for players. Once two platform accounts are merged under one Behaviour Account, they cannot be separated.
This is why the warning message before the final link is so important. If you desire a fresh start on a new platform without your old progress, your only option is to play on that platform using a completely different platform account. For instance, you would need to create a new PlayStation Network ID to start fresh on PlayStation, as your main PSN ID is permanently tied to your merged progress.
Strategic Tips for a Seamless Experience
A little planning goes a long way in ensuring cross-progression works for you, not against you.
If you are a new player about to buy Dead by Daylight on a second platform, consider starting the link process immediately after your first login on the new platform, before you earn any significant progress there. This creates a clean merge.
Be mindful of where you purchase Auric Cells. If you plan to buy a new Chapter or cosmetic bundle, consider doing it on the platform you use most often, as any leftover Auric Cells may be stuck there.
Keep your Behaviour Account credentials secure and memorable. Use a password manager. This single account is now the key to all your progress across every device. Enabling two-factor authentication if it becomes available is a very wise move.
Before any major linking operation, it doesn’t hurt to take a few screenshots of your most valuable inventory items on each platform. This creates a personal backup log, just in case you need to reference it for a support request.
Your Unified Journey Through the Fog Awaits
Linking your Dead by Daylight accounts dismantles the barriers between your gaming setups. It transforms your collection from isolated pools into a shared arsenal, accessible whether you’re on the couch with a controller or at a desk with a mouse and keyboard. The process, centered on the Behaviour Account, is a permanent commitment designed to preserve the value of your time and investment.
Start by identifying your primary platform with the most progress. Create or secure your Behaviour Account, and initiate the link from that primary platform first. Then, carefully bring your other accounts into the fold, understanding the merge process and its permanence. Watch for the common pitfalls like pre-linked accounts or platform-exclusive content, and know how to engage with support if needed.
With your accounts successfully linked, you can finally focus on what matters most: surviving the Trial, hunting as the Killer, and expanding your collection, no matter which screen you’re playing on. The Fog is vast, but now your presence within it is truly unified.
