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Why the shutdown step matters
A running Valheim server can be writing world data while you copy it. In particular, copying a legacy .db file during a save can capture an incomplete database. The resulting archive may exist and appear normal but fail to load or roll back recent progress. Treat a backup as a point-in-time snapshot: stop the server cleanly, wait until the process has ended, then copy the files.
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Never overwrite your only working copy while testing a restore. Keep the current world in a renamed folder (or with a different file name) until the backup has loaded and players have confirmed that structures, inventories and map progress are present.
Find the Valheim world file location
The path depends on the operating system, the save format and whether the server was started with a custom directory. Check the launch command or hosting panel before copying anything.
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Windows dedicated server
The default location is:
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimworldsExpand %USERPROFILE% for the Windows account that runs the server. A service account can therefore have a different save directory from the account you use interactively.
Linux dedicated server
Community and hosting guides report these default locations:
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~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_localWhich directory you see depends on the save format and server build. Check both, and inspect the launch user’s home directory rather than assuming it is the home directory of your own login.
A custom -savedir path
A startup argument can override the default save path. Look for -savedir in the service file, shell script or panel startup settings. For example:
valheim_server -savedir "%SAVE_PATH%" -world "MyWorld"This syntax is illustrative; preserve the quoting style used by your own operating system and panel. The important point is that the directory supplied to -savedir is where the world and permission files are stored instead of the defaults above.
If you cannot find a world in either default location, inspect the complete startup command for -savedir before creating a new world. Starting the server once with a different account or directory can create a second, apparently empty save location.
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Identify your world format before backing up
Valheim has two layouts that require different backup handling. Do not mix a pair of legacy files with a 1.0 folder backup.
| World format | What you will see | What to copy | Restore name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy | A world-name pair such as WorldName.fwl and WorldName.db |
Both files, from the same save point | The name before .fwl and .db |
| Valheim 1.0 folder format | A folder named for the world under worlds_local, containing multiple data pieces and backup folders |
The entire world folder, including its contents and subfolders | The uploaded folder’s name |
Legacy .fwl and .db saves
The .fwl file stores world metadata, while the .db contains the world database and progress. Both are required. A backup containing only the .fwl file is not a restorable world; losing the .db means losing the corresponding progress.
Valheim 1.0 folder saves
In the 1.0 layout, each world is represented by a folder in worlds_local. Data is split into smaller pieces, and saving writes only changed chunks. That does not make individual files safe to copy: the folder is the unit that must be preserved. Copy the folder itself, all of its contents and any backup subfolders.
Because the 1.0 layout can contain many files, a panel’s whole-volume backup is useful when it includes worlds_local. For a manual backup, download the complete folder through the panel file manager or FTP/SFTP rather than selecting a few recently modified files.
How to back up a Valheim server
- Announce a maintenance window. Ask players to log out and record the intended snapshot time. A backup made after players disconnect is easier to verify.
- Stop the server. Use the panel’s Stop control or stop the service on Linux/Windows. Do not copy files while the server process is still running. Wait for the process to exit instead of merely closing a console window.
- Confirm the save directory. Check the default path for your operating system and then check the startup command for
-savedir. Use the directory that the running instance actually uses. - Choose the complete world. For a legacy world, select the matching
WorldName.fwlandWorldName.db. For a 1.0 world, select the entire folder named for that world underworlds_local. - Copy or download the data. A host panel normally offers a file manager, an Upload/Download control or a Backups tab. Download the save folder through that interface or use FTP/SFTP. If a panel backup snapshots the whole server volume, verify that the world directory is included.
- Store the snapshot separately. Put the copy on a different disk, NAS or remote storage from the live server. Give it a timestamp and retain more than one generation so a damaged or accidentally overwritten backup is not your only copy.
- Verify the copy. Confirm that both legacy files are present and non-empty, or that the 1.0 folder contains all of its subfolders and files. Compare the folder name with the world name in the startup settings. A file listing is not proof that the contents are complete, so keep the server stopped until the transfer has finished.
- Restart the server. Start it with the same settings. Join with an administrator account and check a few known landmarks, a character inventory and the map before declaring the backup successful.
Panel-hosted servers
Some control panels provide a Backups tab that snapshots the server volume, including worlds_local. Read the panel’s restore description: a full-volume snapshot and a world-only upload are different operations. For a 1.0 save, one community procedure recommends placing the world folder at the top level of a ZIP archive, then using the panel’s Upload Save tool. This avoids uploading loose files into the wrong directory. Follow the panel’s documented archive layout if it specifies one.
Scheduled backups on Linux
Daily compressed archives of worlds_local are a common community practice. Schedule the job only after arranging for the server to stop, or use the hosting panel’s snapshot feature, so the archive is not made while files are changing. Retention periods and exact cron syntax vary by installation and were not established by an official Iron Gate document; test one scheduled archive by restoring it to a separate instance before relying on it.
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Planning a dependable backup routine
A one-time download protects only against one incident. Decide what the timestamp means: for example, label an archive with the date and time at which the server was stopped, not merely the time an FTP transfer ended. Keep the live server and its backup on separate storage so a failed disk, accidental deletion or bad upload does not remove both copies. If your host offers whole-volume snapshots, confirm that the snapshot includes the active save directory and not only configuration files.
Keep an untouched original when changing formats. A legacy pair may be converted during its first load in the 1.0 format, so the converted folder should not become the only copy until you have joined the world and checked it. A second, older archive is useful if the newest snapshot was made at the wrong time or contains an unnoticed problem. The exact number of generations and schedule is an administrative choice; the essential safeguards are a stopped server, a complete save and an independently stored copy.
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How to restore a Valheim world
Restoration is safest when the current data is preserved rather than deleted. The following sequence works for both self-hosted and panel-hosted servers, with the file selection adjusted for the format.
- Stop the server completely. A restore while the process is running can be overwritten by the next save.
- Open the actual save directory. Use the path from
-savedirif present; otherwise use the Windows or Linux default for the format. - Move the current world aside. Rename the legacy pair, for example by adding
-before-restore, or rename the 1.0 world folder. Do not delete it until the restored world has been tested. - Upload the backup into the same directory. Restore both files for a legacy world. For a 1.0 world, upload the complete folder, not just files copied from inside it. Check that you have not created an accidental extra nesting level such as
worlds_local/MyWorld/MyWorld/.... - Match the world name. Set the startup option
-worldto exactly the uploaded folder name for a 1.0 world, or to the name before.fwlfor a legacy pair. Do not point the server at an old name while testing a differently named upload. - Start the server and wait. Watch the console or panel status for a successful load. The first load of a converted legacy world can take several minutes without visible progress.
- Validate in game. Check the spawn area, a distant structure, containers, player inventories and the explored map. If anything is missing, stop the server and return to the preserved pre-restore copy rather than saving over the restored data.
What to check after a restore
Do not stop at a successful process start. Join with an administrator account and inspect both nearby and distant locations, because a partial or wrong snapshot may look fine at spawn. Open several containers, verify a character’s inventory, confirm that the explored map is present and check a structure that players built shortly before the backup. Compare these observations with the snapshot timestamp. If the expected progress is absent, stop the server before it creates a newer save and test an older verified archive.
Legacy worlds converting to the 1.0 format
When a legacy .fwl/.db world is loaded for the first time in the 1.0 format, the server converts it into the folder layout and writes a backup first. Keep your own untouched copy of the original pair before testing the conversion. The conversion can appear idle for several minutes; stopping the process during that period risks leaving an incomplete result.
After conversion, future backups must target the new world folder under worlds_local. Do not continue backing up only the old pair if the server has switched to the folder layout. Let the first conversion finish, then stop the server again before making your own post-conversion archive.
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Troubleshooting a missing or failed restore
The server creates a new empty world
- Recheck
-savedir; the server may be reading a different home directory or custom path. - Confirm that
-worldmatches the uploaded folder or legacy base name. - Check for an extra archive directory level. The server must see the world folder directly inside
worlds_local, not inside a second folder created by the ZIP extraction. - Verify that the process runs under the account whose save directory you inspected.
The legacy world will not load
- Make sure the
.fwland.dbnames match exactly and came from the same backup. - Restore the pair while the server is stopped; never copy only the database.
- Try the original files in a separate test instance so the preserved production copy remains untouched.
The 1.0 world loads but recent progress is absent
- Confirm that you backed up the complete folder, including all data pieces and backup subfolders.
- Check the snapshot timestamp against the last known save. Copying during a save can produce an incomplete point-in-time folder.
- Look for an older verified snapshot rather than repeatedly restarting with the same suspect archive.
The world name works on one system but not another
Guides disagree about case sensitivity: one says capitalization does not matter, while another reports that Linux servers treat names as case sensitive. Use identical capitalization in the folder (or file base name) and the -world setting, and verify behavior on your own server before standardizing an automated restore.
The newest save appears to be missing
Some players report that a newer world can remain in a Steam userdata remote location until it is moved to local storage. This behavior was not confirmed by a retained official source, so treat Steam Cloud as a possible explanation rather than a guaranteed recovery method. For a dedicated server, rely on the server’s active save directory and a verified local backup instead.
Permissions, transfers and archive pitfalls
Use the same account and connection method consistently when possible. A panel file manager, FTP or SFTP transfer can show a successful upload even when the archive was extracted one level too deep. Before starting the server, browse the destination and verify that the expected world folder is directly under worlds_local. For legacy saves, verify that the two filenames share the same base name; renaming only one breaks the pair.
When using a ZIP for a 1.0 world, put the world folder itself at the archive’s top level if the panel’s Upload Save tool expects that layout. Do not zip only the folder’s contents unless the panel explicitly says to do so. Preserve all subfolders, including backup directories, and wait for the upload or extraction operation to finish before restarting. A partial transfer should be discarded and repeated from the separately stored source.
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- Server stopped and process fully exited.
- Actual save path confirmed, including any
-savediroverride. - Legacy: matching
.fwland.dbcopied together. - 1.0: complete world folder copied from
worlds_local. - Backup stored outside the live server with a timestamp.
- Current world moved aside before restoration, never deleted first.
-worldmatches the uploaded folder or file base name.- A test join confirms structures, inventories and map progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Valheim dedicated-server saves on Linux?
Check ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds and ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local. The correct home directory is the one belonging to the account that launches the server. If the startup command includes -savedir, use that custom directory instead.
What files make up a legacy Valheim backup?
Copy the matching WorldName.fwl and WorldName.db files from the same stopped-server snapshot. The .fwl contains metadata and the .db contains the world database and progress; either file alone is insufficient.
What is the Valheim 1.0 world folder?
In the 1.0 layout, each world is a folder under worlds_local. It contains multiple data pieces and backup subfolders. Back up and restore the complete folder, not selected files or only its contents.
Can I copy a Valheim world while the server is running?
Do not copy it while the process is running. A save may be in progress, especially for a legacy .db, producing an incomplete snapshot. Stop the server, wait for the process to exit, then transfer the files.
How do I restore a Valheim world without losing the current one?
Stop the server, rename or move the existing world aside, and upload the backup into the same save directory. Set -world to the uploaded folder or legacy base name. Delete the preserved copy only after an in-game validation succeeds.
Why does my restored server start with a new world?
The server is usually reading a different save path, the -world value does not match, or the upload has an extra directory level. Recheck -savedir, the launch account and the exact folder or file base name.
How should I upload a 1.0 world through a hosting panel?
Follow the panel’s archive instructions. One community procedure places the world folder itself at the top level of a ZIP and uploads it with the panel’s Upload Save tool. Confirm that extraction produces worlds_local/WorldName/..., not a nested duplicate folder.
What happens when a legacy world is first opened in Valheim 1.0?
The server converts the .fwl/.db pair to the folder format and writes a backup first. The first load can take several minutes with little visible progress, so keep your own untouched copy and do not interrupt the conversion.
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Are Valheim world names case-sensitive?
Guides conflict: one reports that capitalization does not matter, while another reports case sensitivity on Linux. Use identical capitalization in the folder or file base name and the -world setting, then verify the behavior on your own server.
The Bottom Line
For a reliable Valheim backup, stop the server, identify its real save directory, and copy the complete world unit: the matching .fwl and .db for a legacy save or the entire folder under worlds_local for 1.0. Store that snapshot separately, preserve the current world before restoring, match -world exactly, and validate the restored map, structures and inventories before removing anything.
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