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To back up a 7 Days to Die world safely, stop the game or dedicated-server process, then copy the complete Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ folder to dated storage. For a procedurally generated (RWG) world, copy its matching GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ folder as well. To restore, stop the server, preserve the current save as a rollback copy, replace it at the exact effective save path, confirm GameWorld and GameName in serverconfig.xml, and start the server only after those names and folders match.
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Find the save folder first
The visible game installation directory is not necessarily where your world is stored. Local saves live under the game’s user-data directory, and a dedicated server can move that data with settings in serverconfig.xml. Use the launcher’s Open savegame folder action when it is available; it avoids guessing the operating-system path.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match| Platform | Standard 7 Days to Die data root | Save location beneath that root |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | C:Users%USER%AppDataRoaming7DaysToDie |
Saves<GameWorld><GameName> |
| Linux | /home/%USER%/.local/share/7DaysToDie |
Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ |
| macOS | %USER%/Library/Application Support/7DaysToDie |
Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ |
Replace the angle-bracketed portions with the real directory names. For example, a save named MyCoop on Navezgane is found under Saves/Navezgane/MyCoop/. The platform paths above are the defaults. They do not apply if the server configuration points elsewhere.
Check the path used by a dedicated server
Before copying anything, open the serverconfig.xml that the server actually starts with and read the effective values. A common backup failure is copying the standard folder while the running server is using an override.
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UserDataFolder: overrides the user-data root for all generated data.SaveGameFolder: overrides only the save-game location.AdminFileName: is relative to the save-game folder, so it can help confirm which save root is active.
In the reference configuration, UserDataFolder and SaveGameFolder are commented out by default. An override has no effect until its setting is uncommented and the server is started with that configuration. If the server is launched by a service, panel, or script, make sure you inspect the configuration that launch method supplies rather than an unused copy in another directory.
Record the resolved root, the GameWorld value, and the GameName value before making a backup. Those three pieces of information let you put a restore in the same location and prevent the server from creating a new-looking world beside the old one.
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The save is a folder, not a single file. Its basic structure is:
<saves-root>/Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/Copy the entire GameName directory. Do not select only the files that seem important or only the player folders; world and player state must remain together.
| Item | What it represents | Why it must be included |
|---|---|---|
Region/ |
Placed-block data, including bases, excavations, and other changes to terrain. | Without it, construction and digging can be absent even if the server starts. |
Player/ |
Each player’s character data. | It preserves inventories, progression, and the player state associated with the world. |
main.ttp |
World-level state such as the current day and time. | It keeps the calendar and other global state aligned with the rest of the save. |
map_*.dat |
Player exploration data. | It preserves explored areas and map information rather than resetting the map view. |
A backup that contains only Player/, only Region/, or only a file copied from inside the folder is incomplete. Preserve the directory hierarchy exactly, including the GameWorld and GameName directory names.
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Back up a local or dedicated-server world
The safest sequence is the same whether you use a local game or a standalone server: make the save quiescent, copy the whole folder, and keep the copy separate from the live data.
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- Save and stop the game or server cleanly. Exit the local game normally, or issue the server’s normal shutdown action and wait until its process has exited. Do not copy files while the process is still running.
- Confirm the effective folders. Recheck
UserDataFolder,SaveGameFolder,GameWorld, andGameName. If an override is active, use that path instead of the platform default. - Copy the complete save directory. Copy
Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/, including every subfolder and file, to a different disk or storage location. - Add a date and useful identity to the backup name. A name such as
MyCoop-Navezgane-2026-10-15-2200makes it clear which world and point in time the folder represents. Use a consistent format so snapshots sort chronologically. - Back up generated terrain when required. If
GameWorldis an RWG world, copy the matching directory underGeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/as well. Keep that directory with the save snapshot or record an unambiguous matching name. - Check that the copy is complete. Open the copied
GameNamefolder and confirm thatRegion/,Player/,main.ttp, and themap_*.datfiles are present when they exist in the live save. Compare the overall folder structure, not just one file. - Store the copy away from the live server. A second internal disk, external hard drive, SSD, or another controlled storage location protects the snapshot if the server’s primary disk fails. Do not treat a second folder on the same failing disk as a complete backup strategy.
- Start the server or game again. Once the copy is safely stored, restart and allow players back in. If anything looks wrong, stop and investigate using the untouched snapshot rather than overwriting it.
The copy is a point-in-time snapshot. It contains only progress written before the clean shutdown, which is why stopping first matters.
RWG worlds need their generated-world data
RWG (randomly generated world) saves depend on generated terrain data in addition to the normal save folder. For these worlds, back up both:
Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/
GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/The generated-world directory must correspond to the world used by that save. Keep the two folders together in your backup set and restore both when you restore the world. If you restore the save but omit its generated terrain, the server may not have the same terrain data available.
Shipped prefabricated worlds, such as Navezgane, normally do not need a copied GeneratedWorlds directory because their terrain files are already supplied with the game installation. You still need the complete Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ folder for bases, player state, time, and exploration.
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Do not confuse the save’s GameWorld name with the generated-world directory’s name. Record both exactly as they appear on disk; capitalization and spelling errors can point the server at a different world.
Choose a backup schedule and retention policy
There is no universal number of snapshots, mandatory interval, recovery-time objective, or published corruption rate for 7 Days to Die servers. Set those choices according to how much progress your players can afford to lose and how much storage and administration you can provide.
- Base the interval on acceptable loss. If losing a long building session is unacceptable, take snapshots more often than a server where occasional rollback is acceptable.
- Keep an untouched pre-restore copy. Before replacing a live save, preserve the current folder under a new name. It is your fastest way back if the selected snapshot is wrong or incomplete.
- Separate active and archival copies. Keep at least one copy that the running server cannot accidentally overwrite. An external USB drive or SSD is one practical option; another is a separately managed storage location.
- Use clear names and notes. Include the world, save name, timestamp, and whether generated-world data is included. Record why a snapshot was made if it follows a crash or major migration.
- Test a restore periodically. A folder that copied successfully is not proven until the server can start it and the expected day, bases, players, inventories, and explored map appear. Test on a separate instance or during maintenance so the live world is not endangered.
Never delete the only earlier snapshot immediately after creating a newer one. Keep the older copy until the new one has been opened and checked.
Restore a world after a crash or unwanted change
Restoration is a controlled replacement, not an in-place merge. Follow these steps in order.
- Stop the dedicated server completely. Ask players to disconnect, issue a clean shutdown, and wait until the server process exits. For a local game, exit to the desktop before touching the files.
- Identify the exact effective save path. Read the active
serverconfig.xmland resolve anyUserDataFolderorSaveGameFolderoverride. Confirm the currentGameWorldandGameNamevalues. - Preserve the current folder as a rollback snapshot. Rename or copy the current
Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/directory before replacing it. Use a name such asMyCoop-before-restore-2026-10-15-2230. Do not skip this step, even when the current world appears corrupted. - Select the backup to restore. Choose a dated snapshot whose contents and world identity are known. Confirm that it contains the complete
GameNamefolder rather than a folder one level above or below it. - Place the save at the exact target path. Put the backed-up
GameNamedirectory under the effectiveSaves/<GameWorld>/directory. Avoid accidental nesting such asGameName/GameName/; the files must be directly inside the directory the server expects. - Restore RWG terrain when applicable. For an RWG world, put the matching
GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/directory back in the effective generated-world location. For Navezgane or another shipped prefabricated world, use the installation’s supplied terrain files instead of inventing a generated-world copy. - Match configuration to the backup. In
serverconfig.xml, make sureGameWorldmatches the backup’s world directory andGameNamematches the save directory.GameWorldcan beNavezgane,RWG, or another existing world.GameNameselects the save-game name and its decoration seed, so changing it can make the server create or open a different save. - Start the server and wait for a full load. Watch for path or permission errors rather than assuming that a successful process start means the correct world loaded.
- Verify the restored state with a player account. Check the day and time, at least one known base, player inventory and progression, and a previously explored map area. For RWG, travel or inspect a known terrain feature to confirm the generated-world data is the intended set.
- Keep the rollback copy until verification is complete. Delete or archive it only after the restored world has been checked and players agree that the expected progress is present.
Diagnose a restore that appears to load the wrong world
The server starts a new world
- Recheck the active
UserDataFolderandSaveGameFolder; the server may be reading a different root than the one you replaced. - Compare
GameWorldandGameNamewith the restored directory names. A spelling difference points to another save. - Look for an extra directory level, such as
Saves/Navezgane/MyCoop/MyCoop/, which leaves the actual files outside the expected path.
Bases or excavations are missing
Those changes are stored in Region/. Stop the server, return to the rollback procedure, and verify that the restored snapshot contains the complete Region/ directory. A backup made while the game was writing can also be internally inconsistent; use an earlier clean snapshot if available.
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Players appear without their inventories or progression
Player character data is in Player/. Confirm that the restored Player/ directory came from the same GameName snapshot as Region/ and main.ttp. Do not combine a player directory from one date with world files from another unless you deliberately accept that mismatch.
The day or time is wrong
World-level state is held in main.ttp. Check that the file was included in the copied GameName folder and that you selected the intended dated snapshot.
The map is unexplored again
Exploration is represented by the relevant map_*.dat files. Make sure those files were copied and restored with the rest of the save. A missing map file can affect the map view even when bases and player inventories are present.
An RWG world has unexpected terrain
Confirm that the matching GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ directory was restored to the effective generated-world location. Also confirm that GameWorld and GameName identify the same snapshot. Do not substitute a generated-world folder from a different world or date.
The server reports access or file errors
- Check that the server account can read the restored folders and files.
- Make sure the process is stopped before you rename or replace anything.
- Inspect the folder nesting and spelling for every directory in the path.
- If the error began after an override was edited, restore the known-good configuration or correct the uncommented
UserDataFolderorSaveGameFoldervalue.
File-manager and command-line copying
A graphical file manager is often safest for a one-off backup: stop the server, navigate to the effective save root, copy the complete GameName folder, and paste it into a dated folder on separate storage. The launcher’s Open savegame folder action is useful for local saves.
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On Windows, an administrator may use a recursive copy utility such as robocopy; on Linux or macOS, a recursive copy utility such as rsync can preserve the directory tree. Substitute your real paths and quote paths containing spaces:
robocopy "C:pathtoSavesNavezganeMyCoop" "E:7DTD-backupsMyCoop-Navezgane-2026-10-15" /E
rsync -a "/path/to/Saves/RWG/MyCoop/" "/mnt/backups/MyCoop-RWG-2026-10-15/"These examples copy files; they do not stop the game, resolve configuration overrides, or create a valid RWG backup automatically. Perform the shutdown and path checks first, and copy the corresponding GeneratedWorlds directory separately for RWG. Review the destination after the command completes.
Local self-hosting versus managed hosting
The backup responsibility changes depending on who operates the machine. A self-hosted dedicated server gives you direct control of files, mods, settings, administration, and serverconfig.xml, but you must perform and verify the copies yourself. A managed service may offer persistent hosting and tools for scheduled backups, but the exact schedule, retention, restore access, uptime, and pricing depend on the service agreement.
| Decision point | Local self-hosting | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| File and mod control | Direct access to save folders and installed content. | Depends on the service’s file manager and policy. |
| Scheduled backups | You configure and maintain them. | May be offered, but frequency and retention are service-specific. |
serverconfig.xml access |
You can inspect and edit the effective file. | Access and editable settings vary. |
| Restore access | You can replace the folder directly after stopping the process. | Depends on whether the service provides downloads, snapshots, or a restore control. |
| Uptime and maintenance | Your hardware, connection, and maintenance determine availability. | The service handles infrastructure, subject to its published terms. |
| Recurring cost | Hardware, storage, electricity, and connection costs are yours. | A recurring hosting charge applies; exact amounts are not established here. |
Regardless of hosting model, retain a copy you can access independently of the running instance. If a provider does not let you download or restore the complete save and, for RWG, its generated-world data, ask how you would recover after an account, disk, or service failure before relying on its backup feature.
Pre-restore and post-restore checklists
Before copying
- Players are disconnected and the game or server process has stopped.
- The effective
UserDataFolderandSaveGameFolderare known. GameWorldandGameNameare recorded.- The entire
GameNamefolder is selected. - The matching RWG generated-world folder is included when applicable.
Before starting a restored server
- The current save was renamed or copied as a rollback snapshot.
- The backup is at exactly
Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/. - There is no accidental extra
GameNamedirectory level. serverconfig.xmlnames match the restored folder.- RWG generated-world data is in the effective generated-world location.
After starting
- The expected day and time are visible.
- A known base and excavation are present.
- Player inventories and progression are correct.
- Previously explored map areas remain explored.
- The rollback copy remains available until all checks pass.
Bottom line
Reliable 7 Days to Die recovery is a folder-and-configuration task: stop the process, copy the complete save, include RWG generated terrain when needed, and restore only after preserving the current state. Matching the effective paths and the GameWorld/GameName names prevents most “missing world” restores, while checking day/time, bases, players, and map data tells you whether the snapshot is genuinely usable.
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