To move an existing The Forest world to a dedicated server, stop the server, copy the complete numbered save folder (such as Slot1) into the server’s multiplayer-save directory, then select the matching Save Slot and set Init Type to Continue. On Windows, local saves are under %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowSKSTheForest<SteamID>. Hosting panels commonly use either /savesMultiplayer or TheForestDedicatedServer_Data/Multiplayer. Keep the folder name unchanged and make a backup before replacing anything.
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What you need before moving the save
This procedure applies to The Forest, not Sons of the Forest. The games use different save locations and server settings, so do not substitute a Sons of the Forest folder for a Forest save.
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- A complete local save folder: You need the numbered folder itself, for example
Slot1, not just one file copied from inside it. - File access to the server: Use the host’s browser file manager or an FTP client such as FileZilla, depending on what the panel provides.
- Permission to stop and restart the server: Files should not be replaced while the dedicated server is running.
- The server’s save controls: You must be able to choose a Save Slot and set Init Type to Continue, or use equivalent labels supplied by the host.
- A backup location: Keep an untouched copy of the local Slot folder and, if present, the current server slot.
Uploading while the server is active can leave the old world in memory or allow the game to write over the files you just transferred. Stopping first is the safest way to make the file copy and the configuration change take effect together.
Where The Forest stores local saves
Windows path
On Windows, open File Explorer and paste this path into the address bar:
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%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowSKSTheForest
Open the long numeric folder that represents your SteamID. Inside it, choose either Singleplayer or Multiplayer, depending on where the world was saved. You should then see numbered folders such as:
Slot1Slot2- Additional numbered slots, if you created them
The folder name is significant. If you intend to upload Slot1, leave it named Slot1; do not rename it to a descriptive title or remove the number.
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Linux and macOS locations
Client save locations documented for other platforms are:
| Platform | Local save root | What to open next |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | C:Users<YourUserName>AppDataLocalLowSKSTheForest<YourSteamID> |
Singleplayer or Multiplayer, then the numbered Slot folder |
| Linux | /home/<YourUsername>/.config/unity3d/SKS/TheForest/Saves |
Locate the relevant numbered save and preserve its folder structure |
| macOS | /Users/<YourUsername>/Library/Application Support/unity.SKS.TheForest |
Locate the relevant numbered save and preserve its folder structure |
The server-side directory is controlled by the hosting provider and may not resemble the client path. Use the labels shown in the provider’s file manager rather than assuming that the Windows path exists on the server.
Complete migration procedure
1. Make a dated backup
Close the game, then copy the entire Slot folder to a separate location such as an external drive or a clearly named backup directory. A useful name includes the slot and date, for example Slot1-before-server-upload. Do not work from the only copy. If the server already contains a world in the target slot, download or copy that slot as well before overwriting it.
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2. Confirm which world and slot you are moving
Open the Singleplayer or Multiplayer directory and identify the world you actually want. The folder number determines the setting you will later choose on the server. For example, uploading Slot2 requires Save Slot 2. If you select a different number, the server can load another world or create a new one even though the upload succeeded.
3. Stop the dedicated server
In the hosting control panel, select Stop and wait until the panel reports that the process has ended. Do not merely disconnect from the game while leaving the server running. The server must be stopped before you upload, replace, or rename save data.
4. Open the server’s multiplayer-save directory
Hosts commonly expose one of these destinations:
/savesMultiplayerTheForestDedicatedServer_Data/Multiplayer
The exact location depends on the provider and its panel layout. Open the directory that the provider identifies as the multiplayer save location. If you see both paths, use the one designated for saved multiplayer worlds by that panel, not an arbitrary directory with a similar name.
5. Upload the complete Slot folder
Use the browser file manager’s upload command, or connect through FTP/FileZilla if the host supplies FTP credentials. Upload the folder itself, including all of its contents. The resulting structure should be equivalent to:
.../Multiplayer/Slot1/
A frequent mistake is creating an extra nesting level, such as .../Multiplayer/Slot1/Slot1/, by opening the local folder and uploading its parent contents incorrectly. The server should see one numbered Slot folder directly inside the multiplayer save directory. Do not upload only individual files and do not change capitalization or numbering.
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6. Select the matching Save Slot
Open the server configuration editor after the upload. Set Save Slot to the number in the folder name. An upload of Slot1 therefore uses Save Slot 1; an upload of Slot3 uses Save Slot 3. Some panels display a numeric selector, while others use an equivalent slot field.
7. Set Init Type to Continue
Set Init Type to Continue. Some panels label this option Continue your Current Save. Do not leave the setting at New: New instructs the server to initialize a fresh world instead of loading the uploaded data.
8. Save the configuration and restart
Apply or save the settings, then start the server. If the panel has separate buttons for saving configuration and starting the process, perform both actions in that order. Wait for the server to finish starting before joining.
9. Verify the migrated world in game
Join the server and check several details that would be difficult to reproduce in a new world:
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- Terrain changes, cleared areas, or placed objects match the local world.
- Progress and unlocked content appear as expected.
- Other players can connect and see the same world state.
If the world is fresh, stop the server again before changing anything. Use the troubleshooting branches below rather than repeatedly starting and stopping with uncertain settings.
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Server paths and transfer methods at a glance
| Task | Browser file manager | FTP/FileZilla |
|---|---|---|
| Stop the server | Use the panel’s Stop control | Still required; FTP alone does not stop the game process |
| Find the destination | Open the panel’s multiplayer-save directory, commonly /savesMultiplayer or TheForestDedicatedServer_Data/Multiplayer |
Navigate to the same provider-defined directory shown in FTP |
| Transfer the save | Upload the complete numbered Slot folder | Upload the complete numbered Slot folder and wait for all files to finish |
| Preserve naming | Keep names such as Slot1 unchanged |
Keep names such as Slot1 unchanged |
| Configure loading | Set Save Slot to the matching number and Init Type to Continue | Set the same values in the hosting panel; FTP does not replace the configuration step |
Moving a single-player world to multiplayer
A world stored under Singleplayer can be selected for migration, but the server still expects the uploaded folder in its multiplayer save directory. Copy the complete numbered slot from the local single-player branch, then place that folder in the server’s multiplayer destination. The server settings must still point to the matching number and Continue mode.
World data and player-character data do not always behave identically during this move. In particular, hosting documentation warns that the former host player can start with a new character when joining an uploaded save. That means the world may contain your buildings and terrain changes while your expected inventory is absent.
Protecting valuable items before migration
Before creating the backup and uploading the world, place irreplaceable items in a safe in-game location or hand them to another player who will join after the migration. This gives you a way to recover important resources if the original host character does not retain its inventory on the dedicated server.
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The decisive feature is not a marketing label; it is whether the host exposes the controls and file access this procedure requires. Check these capabilities before renting or moving a world:
| Capability | Why it matters | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Browser file manager | Lets you upload a Slot folder without installing an FTP client | Upload, download, rename, delete, and folder-navigation controls |
| FTP access | Useful for large folders or panels with limited browser uploads | Documented FTP credentials, host name, port, and the server’s save path |
| Save Slot editor | Connects the uploaded folder number to the world the server loads | A numeric Save Slot field or clearly equivalent selector |
| Continue/New control | Prevents the server from generating a fresh world | Init Type set to Continue or “Continue your Current Save” |
| Backups and restore | Allows recovery after an accidental overwrite | On-demand backups, downloadable copies, and a documented restore action |
| Platform documentation | Clarifies local and server paths for your operating system | Separate Windows, Linux, and macOS guidance where applicable |
| Restart controls and support | Ensures configuration changes are actually applied | Clear stop/start status and support that can identify the correct save directory |
If a panel offers file access but no Save Slot or Continue control, ask support how those values are set before uploading. A successful transfer cannot compensate for a server that is still configured to initialize a new world.
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Troubleshooting an unsuccessful upload
The server starts a completely new world
- Stop the server.
- Confirm that the uploaded folder is directly inside the provider’s multiplayer directory, not one level deeper.
- Check that the folder name and number are unchanged, for example
Slot1. - Set Save Slot to that same number.
- Set Init Type to Continue rather than New.
- Save the settings and restart once.
A mismatched slot or a New initialization mode is the usual explanation when the panel shows an upload but the game loads an empty world.
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Verify that you are looking in the exact directory used by the provider. One panel may use /savesMultiplayer, while another exposes TheForestDedicatedServer_Data/Multiplayer. Check the transfer log for an incomplete upload, and make sure the server was stopped before the transfer. If the panel has separate server and game-data directories, do not assume that a similarly named folder is the save destination.
The world loads, but the host has no expected inventory
This can occur when a local host character is recreated on the dedicated server. The world’s structures and terrain may be intact even though that character’s inventory is not. Use the pre-migration backup and the items stored with another player or in a safe location to rebuild what is missing.
An existing server world was overwritten
Stop the server immediately and do not continue playing in the overwritten slot. Restore the server’s prior backup if the host provides one. If no server backup exists, restore the copy you made before uploading, then recheck the slot number and Continue setting before starting again.
The wrong game’s save was selected
Confirm that the path contains SKSTheForest on Windows, or the corresponding SKS/TheForest directory on another platform. Sons of the Forest uses different save paths and cannot be migrated with these instructions.
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Use this sequence whenever you need to retry the move:
- Stop the dedicated server and wait for a fully stopped status.
- Preserve the current server slot before deleting or replacing it.
- Remove only the incorrectly uploaded Slot folder, if the panel requires a clean replacement.
- Upload the backed-up complete folder with its original name.
- Match Save Slot to the folder number.
- Set Init Type to Continue.
- Save the configuration, restart, and verify recognizable world features.
Keeping one untouched local copy and one server-side backup prevents a configuration mistake from becoming permanent data loss.
Quick Recap
Final verification checklist
- The server was stopped before file changes.
- The complete numbered folder was backed up.
- The folder was uploaded directly to the provider’s multiplayer save directory.
- The folder name, number, and capitalization were preserved.
- Save Slot matches the uploaded folder number.
- Init Type is Continue or the equivalent “Continue your Current Save” option.
- The server was restarted after saving configuration.
- Buildings, terrain changes, and other world details were checked in game.
- Important host-character items were secured before migration.
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