To upload a Space Engineers world, stop the destination server, copy the complete world folder from %APPDATA%SpaceEngineersSaves<SteamID><WorldName>, and place it in the dedicated server’s configured Saves directory. With a managed host, the same operation is performed through the provider’s file manager or FTP/SFTP; some panels require the uploaded folder to be named World.
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Do not upload only an .sbs file. Preserve the entire folder, back up the server’s existing save first, and verify the folder name and dedicated-server configuration before starting.
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What you need before moving the world
This procedure applies to a Windows PC world being moved to a Space Engineers dedicated server. It covers both a server you administer yourself and a rented server that provides a control panel or FTP/SFTP access. Console hosting and provider-specific Xbox workflows are not established by the available documentation, so their paths and controls may differ.
- Access to the Windows PC that contains the world.
- Permission to stop and start the destination server.
- File access to the server’s configured
Savesdirectory. - A backup location with enough space for the current server world and the local world you are uploading.
- The same game and mod versions, or a plan to resolve any differences before loading the save.
Keen Software House’s dedicated-server guidance describes the operation directly: a world previously created in the game must be copied from the local AppDataRoamingSpaceEngineers save directory to the corresponding dedicated-server folder.
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Find the complete local world folder
Use the Windows Explorer path
- Open Windows File Explorer.
- Click the address bar, enter
%APPDATA%SpaceEngineersSaves, and press Enter. - Open the folder whose name is your numeric Steam ID.
- Open the folder named for the world you want to migrate.
The resulting path normally looks like %APPDATA%SpaceEngineersSaves12345678901234567My Survival World. The Steam-ID value in this example is illustrative; use the numeric folder that exists on your PC.
Check that you selected a world folder
A valid world folder normally contains several files, not just one. Typical entries include:
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|---|---|---|
SANDBOX_0_0_0_.sbs |
Main world data, including the simulated environment and entities. | Keep it with the rest of the folder. |
Sandbox.sbc |
World metadata and settings. | Keep it unchanged during the transfer. |
Sandbox_config.sbc |
Additional world configuration. | Keep it; check settings after the first launch. |
| Other files and subfolders | May contain player, session, blueprint, mod, or cache-related data used by the save. | Copy the complete folder rather than selecting individual files. |
If the folder does not contain the expected files, move up one level and check that you did not select the Steam-ID directory itself or a shortcut to a different save.
Back up the destination before replacing it
Uploading a world commonly means replacing the server’s current world. A replacement can remove progress that exists only on the server. Before deleting or overwriting anything, stop the server and copy its existing world folder to a separate local directory or download it through the host’s file tools.
Keen’s backup guidance notes that Steam Cloud does not save Space Engineers worlds. Back up the relevant local Saves folder yourself. For a portable backup or sharing copy, Keen also supports publishing a world to the Steam Workshop as private or unlisted; that is an additional copy, not a substitute for retaining the original files when you control a server.
Upload to a self-managed dedicated server
On a typical Windows dedicated-server installation, worlds are read from the server instance’s Saves directory, commonly %APPDATA%SpaceEngineersDedicatedSaves. An administrator may have selected a different instance or data path, so use the path configured for the server rather than assuming the default.
- Stop the server cleanly. Use the dedicated-server console, service manager, or your normal start/stop script. Do not copy over a save while the server is writing it.
- Make a backup. Copy the existing server world folder out of the dedicated server’s
Savesdirectory. Give the backup a date and a clear world name. - Open the destination. Browse to the configured dedicated-server
Savesfolder. If several server instances exist, confirm that you are editing the instance players actually connect to. - Transfer the whole folder. Copy the local world folder from
%APPDATA%SpaceEngineersSaves<SteamID>into the destinationSavesdirectory. Preserve every file and subfolder. - Apply the naming convention. Some setups load a folder named
World; others use the world name specified in the dedicated-server configuration. Follow the convention used by your startup configuration. - Start the server. Watch the console or log for the world being loaded. Do not make additional file changes while it is initializing.
- Join and verify. Confirm that the expected terrain, grids, player identity, ownership, settings, and mods are present before allowing normal play.
Upload through a managed host panel or FTP/SFTP
A managed host normally exposes the server files through a web file manager, FTP, or SFTP. The labels vary, but the sequence is consistent.
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- Stop the server in the control panel. Wait until the panel reports that it is offline. A running process can recreate or lock the old save.
- Open the Space Engineers save location. A common provider path is
/config/Saves/; your host may expose an equivalent directory with a different prefix. - Download or copy the current world. Keep this backup before deleting the existing folder.
- Delete or move the old world folder. Only do this after confirming the backup completed. Deleting the folder is what makes the uploaded world become the active save on many panels.
- Upload the local world folder. Upload the folder itself, not merely the files inside it. Depending on the file manager, you may need to compress the folder locally, upload the archive, and extract it on the server.
- Set the required folder name. Some provider instructions require the folder to be named
World. Other installations use the name configured inSpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg. Check both the actual folder name and the configuration value. - Start the server and inspect the result. Join only after the panel shows it is online, then verify that this is the migrated world rather than a newly generated one.
FTP and SFTP clients can display a successful transfer before every file has finished writing. Allow the client to complete all queued operations and check for failed or skipped files before starting the server.
Folder layout and naming rules
The most common loading failures come from putting the right files at the wrong level. The destination should contain the world folder in the location the server scans.
| Correct arrangement | Problem arrangement | Why it fails |
|---|---|---|
Saves/World/Sandbox.sbc |
Saves/Sandbox.sbc |
The world folder was opened and only its contents were uploaded; the server may not find a world directory. |
Saves/MyWorld/Sandbox.sbc |
Saves/MyWorld/MyWorld/Sandbox.sbc |
The folder was nested one level too deep, often after extracting an archive that already contained a top-level directory. |
| Folder name matches the configured world name | Folder name differs from World Name in the configuration |
Some dedicated-server setups use the configured name to select the save. |
After uploading, browse into the folder and confirm that files such as Sandbox.sbc are immediately inside it. If you must open another identically named folder to reach those files, correct the nesting before starting the server.
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Make the configuration agree with the uploaded save
The save’s Sandbox_config.sbc and the dedicated-server configuration can both affect what you see after launch. A server may start successfully while applying settings from its own configuration rather than the values you expected from the local session.
When a name mismatch matters
Some host documentation specifically calls out the World Name value in SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg when mods are involved. If the uploaded directory is named MyWorld but the configuration requests World, the server may load a different save or generate a new one. Either rename the directory to the required value or change the configuration using the method supported by your host, then restart.
Do not edit settings unnecessarily
Start with the files as copied. If the world loads but a setting appears different, compare the active dedicated-server configuration with the local save’s configuration and change one value at a time. Keep a backup before editing XML-based configuration files.
Verify the first launch
Use a short verification pass before inviting players back:
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- The server reports the intended world name rather than creating a default world.
- Known bases, ships, asteroids, and other grids are present.
- Your player identity and ownership are correct.
- World rules such as inventory, assembler, refinery, and progression settings match your expectations.
- The expected mods appear in the server’s active configuration and finish loading without errors.
- Another player can connect and see the same world state.
If the server loads an empty or newly generated world, stop it immediately. Continuing to play can create new files that make it harder to identify the original path mistake and can overwrite the save you intended to use.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a world that will not load
The server starts a blank or new world
- Stop the server.
- Check that the upload went into the active instance’s
Savesdirectory, not a similarly named test instance. - Confirm the folder is not nested one level too deep.
- Check the configured
World Nameand make it match the uploaded directory where required. - Remove or move the newly generated world only after preserving it as a diagnostic backup, then restart with the verified folder.
The save is visible but progress or settings are missing
Recheck that you transferred the complete folder, including Sandbox_config.sbc and all companion files. Uploading only SANDBOX_0_0_0_.sbs can omit metadata, ownership, or configuration. Compare the server’s active configuration with the local save after making a backup.
Mods produce errors or the server stops during loading
A world stores references to its mods, but the server still needs to obtain and run compatible versions. Compare the local world’s mod list with the dedicated server’s configured list. Confirm that the server and client are on compatible game versions and that every required mod is available to the server. Test by restoring the backup if a mod change leaves the save unbootable; do not remove mod references from the original without a separate copy.
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Ownership and identity data are part of the save and can depend on the account used to join. Verify that the complete original folder was uploaded and that players are connecting with the same platform accounts. Do not assume that changing a server name or creating a new world will recover ownership data.
The transfer reports missing files
Retry the upload with the server stopped. For FTP/SFTP, inspect the client’s failed-transfer queue and compare the local and remote file counts. If using an archive, extract it on the server and verify the final folder level before launching.
Choose the right hosting arrangement after migration
Uploading a save does not by itself determine how the world is hosted. The practical differences are control, availability, and recovery access.
| Consideration | Self-managed dedicated server | Managed provider server | Player-hosted session |
|---|---|---|---|
| File control | Full access to the server’s data path and configuration. | Access depends on the panel, FTP/SFTP permissions, and provider layout. | World remains on the host player’s PC. |
| Availability | Can run independently of an individual player’s game session if the machine and service stay online. | Typically runs independently while the rented service is online. | Stops when the hosting player exits. |
| Backups and restore | You create and store backups. | Use provider snapshots or download the save; retention varies by provider. | Back up the local Saves folder yourself. |
| Folder conventions | You control the instance path and naming. | Provider may require paths such as /config/Saves/ and a folder named World. |
No dedicated-server upload step is required. |
| Mod management | You maintain the server configuration and files. | Panel tools may simplify configuration, but the provider’s rules still apply. | Uses the host player’s game setup. |
| Migration support | Manual copying and troubleshooting. | May include file-manager tools or support, subject to the provider’s procedures. | World can later be copied from the local save directory. |
Restore the original server world if something goes wrong
- Stop the server.
- Move the failed uploaded folder out of the active
Savesdirectory instead of deleting it immediately. - Copy the dated backup back into the active location.
- Restore the original folder name and any matching configuration value.
- Start the server and confirm that the pre-migration world loads.
Keep both the failed upload and the original backup until the migration is stable. They can reveal whether the problem was a path, naming, version, or mod mismatch.
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Quick Recap
Final preflight checklist
- Server is stopped.
- Current server world is backed up outside the active
Savesdirectory. - Local source is the complete folder under
%APPDATA%SpaceEngineersSaves<SteamID>. - Destination is the correct dedicated-server instance.
- Folder is not missing a level or nested too deeply.
- Folder name follows the host’s convention and matches
World Namewhen required. - All transfer operations completed without errors.
- Game, server, and required mods are compatible.
- First launch was checked for terrain, grids, ownership, settings, and mods.
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