You’ve spent hundreds of hours—maybe thousands—grinding for that P100 Dwight or trying to get the perfect perk loadout on your Blight. Then you switch from Console to PC, or maybe you pick up a Steam Deck, and suddenly everything is gone. It feels like a gut punch. Honestly, for the longest time, Behaviour Interactive (BHVR) made the whole dead by daylight account link process feel like trying to solve a Lament Configuration in the dark.
But things changed recently.
The introduction of the Behavior Account system was supposed to fix the fractured progression between platforms. It’s not perfect. It’s definitely not "one-click easy" for everyone. But it is the bridge we needed. If you’re staring at a Level 1 Trapper on a new platform while your legacy skins rot on an old one, you need to understand how the Cross-Progression system actually functions in 2026.
The Reality of Cross-Progression Right Now
Let's be real: licensing is a nightmare. This is the biggest hurdle for any dead by daylight account link attempt. Because Dead by Daylight is basically a museum of horror icons, every single license holder—from Netflix (Stranger Things) to Lionsgate (Saw)—has a say in how their content moves between storefronts.
Currently, the system supports Steam, Epic Games Store, Windows Store, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
Wait. There's a catch.
There's always a catch with BHVR. While your character levels, bloodpoints, and iridescent shards generally migrate without a hitch, certain premium currencies and platform-specific exclusives might stay locked in their original "home." For example, if you bought 500 Auric Cells on Nintendo Switch, don't expect to see them when you log into Steam.
Why Your DLC Might Not Show Up
You'd think buying a chapter once would mean you own it everywhere. Nope.
If you bought the Resident Evil chapter on PlayStation, and then you link your account to PC, you might find Jill Valentine and Nemesis are still locked on the PC version. You’ll keep your prestige levels and the perks you’ve unlocked for other characters (thanks to the prestige system), but the "license" to play that specific character often stays tied to the platform's storefront. It sucks. It’s expensive. But it’s the legal reality of digital rights management.
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The exception? Original characters. If you bought characters like The Clown or The Spirit using Iridescent Shards (the in-game currency you earn just by playing), those usually travel with you because they aren't tied to a third-party contract.
Setting Up Your Dead by Daylight Account Link
Ready to actually do it? You need to head to the official Behavior Interactive website. Don’t trust random third-party "account merger" sites you see in shady YouTube descriptions; those are just phishing for your Steam credentials.
- Create a Behaviour Account. This is the "hub" that holds everything together.
- Go to the 'Linked Accounts' section. This is where the magic happens.
- Login to your primary platform. If you've been a PlayStation main for five years, link that first.
- Authorize the second platform. Log into your Steam or Xbox account via the portal.
- The Synch. The system will ask you to confirm that you want to merge the progress.
Important: Once you merge, the "highest" value usually takes precedence for certain things, but for Bloodpoints, they typically aggregate up to the cap. If you have 1 million on Switch and 1 million on PC, you aren't going to magically have 2 million if the cap is currently lower, though BHVR has tweaked these limits recently to be more forgiving during merges.
What Happens to Your Skins?
Cosmetics are the soul of this game. If you can't wear your "Mr. Puddles" Clown suit on every platform, what's even the point?
Generally, skins purchased with Shards or Auric Cells move across the dead by daylight account link without issue. However, platform-exclusive skins—like the Bill Overbeck outfits that were originally tied to Steam’s Left 4 Dead crossover—can be finicky. Most "event" items, like the ones from the Lunar New Year or the Anniversary Masquerade, will successfully migrate to your central Behaviour account.
If you notice a skin is missing, don't panic immediately. The sync can sometimes take up to 24 hours to fully propagate across the servers. If it's been two days and your Golden Rooster outfit is still missing, that's when you open a ticket with BHVR support. They’re surprisingly helpful with account merges, mainly because they want you playing (and spending) on as many platforms as possible.
Common Mistakes People Make
Most people mess this up because they get impatient. They try to link accounts while the game is running on one of the platforms. Don't do that. Shut the game down everywhere.
Another big one? Linking the wrong "primary" account. While the system is designed to merge progress, the initial "seed" of your account identity is important.
Also, be aware of the "unlinking" penalty. If you decide you don't want your accounts linked anymore, there is often a cooldown period (sometimes up to 60 days) before you can link to a different account of the same platform. This is to stop people from "sharing" accounts or selling high-prestige accounts to friends.
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The Nintendo Switch Problem
The Switch is the "weird kid" of the DBD family. Due to the hardware limitations and Nintendo's specific eShop policies, the dead by daylight account link for Switch was delayed significantly compared to Steam and Epic. Even now, the performance difference is so massive that playing on Switch and then moving to PC feels like playing a completely different game.
Just remember that if you move from PC to Switch, your frames will drop, and your "skill check" timing will feel completely off due to the inherent input lag of the console. The progress stays, but your muscle memory might not.
Managing Your Bloodpoints and Perks
One of the coolest parts of the link is the perk sharing. If you have a P3 Nurse on PC, her perks (Stridor, Thanatophobia, etc.) become available to all your killers on your newly linked Xbox account. This saves you an astronomical amount of time. You no longer have to hunt through the Shrine of Secrets for a perk you technically already own on another machine.
- The Shared Inventory: Items, Add-ons, and Offerings are pooled. If you have 500 "Escape Cakes" on PC, you can use them on your PS5.
- The Rift: Your Rift progress is universal. You can grind out tiers on your laptop during a lunch break and see the rewards waiting for you on your console at home.
- Player Level: Your overall devotion level merges, often resulting in a nice jump in level depending on how much you’ve played on both sides.
Is it Worth It?
Honestly? Yes. Even with the annoying DLC licensing issues, having your progress synchronized is a massive quality-of-life upgrade. The days of being "locked" to a single piece of hardware are over. If you get a new PC, you shouldn't be punished by losing your rare legacy cosmetics or the thousands of hours you've put into the Fog.
The dead by daylight account link represents a shift in how BHVR views its community. They realize the game is an ecosystem now, not just a standalone product.
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Actionable Next Steps
If you're ready to merge your accounts, follow these steps to ensure you don't lose anything in the process:
- Screenshots: Before you start the link, take screenshots of your current Bloodpoint totals, Shards, and high-prestige characters on both platforms. This is your insurance policy if the sync fails.
- Verify Emails: Ensure the email address you use for your Steam/Epic/Console account is one you actually have access to. You will need to click verification links.
- Check the DLC Store: Once linked, go through your roster. If a character you "own" is locked, check the in-game store. Sometimes you just need to "re-claim" it for zero cost, or you might realize it was a platform-specific purchase that didn't carry over.
- Consolidate Your Spend: Moving forward, try to buy Auric Cells and DLC on your "main" platform (usually PC/Steam due to better sales) to keep your billing history simple and centralized.
- Update the Game: Make sure the game client is fully updated on all devices before you log in for the first time after a merge. This triggers the data pull from the Behavior servers.
By centralizing your progress, you're not just saving time; you're protecting the "investment" of your time in the Fog. Whether you're a survivor main looping killers on a controller or a nurse main blinking through walls with a mouse, your progress is finally yours to keep, regardless of where you play.
Ensure your Behaviour Account is secured with Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) immediately after linking. Since this account now holds the combined value of all your platforms, it's a prime target for account thieves. Protect your grind.