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For a dedicated Valheim server, the startup command is the answer: find its -savedir [PATH] option and inspect that directory. It overrides Valheim’s default save root. Without it, dedicated-server worlds and permission files are stored under %USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim on Windows and ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim on Linux. A regular game installation is different: its world is either in Steam Cloud’s account folder or in the platform’s local worlds_local directory.
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Start with the server’s -savedir setting
A headless server does not necessarily use the same folder as the Steam desktop client. Iron Gate’s dedicated-server guide defines -savedir [PATH] as the option that “overrides the default save path where Worlds and permission-files are stored.” That makes the launch script, service file or container command authoritative.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsOpen the command that starts the server and look for -savedir. The value may be an absolute path such as /srv/valheim-data, a Windows path such as D:Valheimsaves, or a path supplied by a hosting panel. Check that directory for the world files and the permission files; do not assume they are beside the Steam installation.
The separate -world argument tells the process which world name to load. If that name already exists in the configured save root, the server opens it. If it does not, Valheim creates a new world with that name, which is a common reason an apparently “missing” world seems to have vanished.
If -savedir is absent, use the documented defaults below. Iron Gate also notes that omitting -crossplay uses the Steam backend, so only Steam users can see and join the server; adding -crossplay selects the PlayFab backend for supported platforms. That networking choice does not change where the files are saved.
Default dedicated-server locations
| Operating system | Default save root when -savedir is omitted |
What is stored there |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | %USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim |
World data, permission files and rotating backups |
| Linux | ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim |
World data, permission files and rotating backups |
| macOS dedicated process | Not stated in Iron Gate’s dedicated-server defaults | Use the explicit -savedir value when running a macOS server |
On Windows, AppData is hidden by default. On Linux, both .config and the directories below it are hidden because their names begin with a dot. In a file manager, paste the complete path into the location bar rather than browsing manually. If Steam or the server is installed on another drive, that does not alter a path explicitly supplied with -savedir.
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Desktop game saves: Steam Cloud and local storage
A normal Valheim installation can keep a world in Steam Cloud or on the computer’s local disk. Open Valheim’s save-management screen to see the cloud or local indicator for each world. Steam Cloud paths include your numeric Steam account directory and Valheim’s app ID, 892970; the local paths do not.
| Platform | Steam Cloud world path | Local world path |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata<account number>892970remoteworlds |
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimworlds_local |
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/Steam/userdata/<account number>/892970/remote/worlds |
~/Library/Application Support/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local |
| Linux | ~/.local/share/Steam/userdata/<account number>/892970/remote/worlds |
~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local |
The <account number> directory is Steam’s numeric account identifier. If Steam is installed outside C:Program Files (x86)Steam, begin at that installation’s userdata directory and then follow <account number>892970remoteworlds. Windows hides AppData, macOS hides Library, and Linux hides dot-directories, so a direct path is usually faster than clicking through folders.
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Cloud ownership matters when moving a world to a server. A dedicated process reads the local filesystem path configured for that process; it does not log into your desktop Steam Cloud account. If the source world is cloud-only, use Valheim’s save-management controls to move or copy it to local storage first, then transfer the local files.
How to find the files on each operating system
Windows
- For a dedicated server, open its batch file, shortcut or service definition and record the value after
-savedir. Paste that value into File Explorer. - For a desktop local world, press
Win+R, enter%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimworlds_local, and press Enter. - For a cloud world, replace the Steam installation root if necessary and open
userdata<account number>892970remoteworlds. - Sort by date and inspect the folder or file set whose name matches the world shown in Valheim’s save manager. Do not copy only the newest-looking file; current saves can consist of several related files.
macOS
- In Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter
~/Library/Application Support/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_localfor local saves, or~/Library/Application Support/Steam/userdata/<account number>/892970/remote/worldsfor cloud saves. - For a server, inspect the launch command and open the exact directory supplied to
-savedir; the desktop paths do not prove where a separately run server writes.
Linux
- For a local desktop world, open
~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local. In a terminal,ls -la ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_localreveals the hidden path. - For Steam Cloud, inspect
~/.local/share/Steam/userdata/<account number>/892970/remote/worlds. Steam installations using another library location may place theuserdatatree under that installation instead. - For a dedicated server, run
grep -R -- '-savedir' /path/to/your/start-scriptwhen you know the script location, or inspect the systemd unit, Docker command or panel configuration. Open the resulting path rather than guessing from the desktop game’s location.
Recognize the save format before copying
Current Valheim versions may show a folder named for the world rather than the older two-file pattern. The modern reference uses files such as _main.<n>.fwl2 for metadata (world name, seed and ID), _main.<n>.db2 for database data, plus _main.<n>.chunks and individual .chunk files for world chunks. The numeric <n> distinguishes rotating or versioned members of the set.
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Older guides that mention only <world>.fwl and <world>.db describe a legacy format. Those extensions can still be useful when diagnosing an older installation, but do not delete newer files because they do not match that pattern. Treat a folder and all files inside it as one save set.
Move a world to a dedicated server
The safest migration preserves the complete save set and makes the server’s naming options agree with it.
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- Stop anything writing the source. Exit Valheim on the desktop and stop the dedicated server. Copying while a world is being saved can produce a partial set.
- Identify storage mode. In Valheim’s save manager, check whether the world is cloud or local. If it is cloud, move or copy it to local storage before attempting a headless import.
- Copy the complete world set. Copy the named world folder or every associated current-format file together. Include relevant
.oldfiles and rotating backup files when they are present; keep the originals until the server has loaded successfully. - Choose the server save root. Either create a dedicated directory and add
-savedir /your/path(or the Windows equivalent), or use the default root for the server’s operating system. - Place the files at the expected level. Put the world set directly in the save root used by the server, not inside an extra directory created by an imprecise drag-and-drop. Preserve filenames and capitalization.
- Set the world name. Change the startup command’s
-worldvalue to the existing world name. Do not add a file extension unless the server’s documentation specifically requires one; Valheim resolves the save set from the world name. - Start and verify. Watch the console for the selected world, join with a test character, and check that terrain, inventories and structures are present. Only after verification should you remove the source copy or old server-generated world.
File ownership is another Linux failure point. The account that runs the service must have read and write access to the configured save root and its files. If the server creates a new world despite a correct name, stop it, check permissions and confirm that the copied files are in the exact -savedir directory rather than a parent or child folder.
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Built-in backups and safe restoration
Iron Gate’s dedicated-server guide documents these default timers:
| Operation | Default interval |
|---|---|
| Regular save | 1,800 seconds (30 minutes) |
| Short backup | 7,200 seconds (2 hours) |
| Long backup | 43,200 seconds (12 hours) |
| Default retention | One short backup and three long backups |
These are rotating server backups, not an independent disaster-recovery copy. For a restore, stop the server first, preserve the damaged save set as evidence, then place the chosen backup’s complete file set in the active save root. Start the server with the matching -world value and test before allowing players back in. An offline copy on separate storage protects against deletion, disk failure and a backup rotation that has already overwritten the needed point in time.
Why a world is not where you expect
- It is not in Windows AppData: the game may be using Steam Cloud, or a dedicated server may have an explicit
-savedir. Check the save indicator and startup command. - The server shows a fresh map: verify the
-worldspelling, confirm the files are directly inside the configured save root, and make sure the service account can read them. - Only old
.fwland.dbfiles appear: you may be looking at a legacy save or an older backup. Compare the whole directory with the current folder-based format before converting or deleting anything. - A cloud world cannot be imported: move it to local storage through Valheim’s save-management screen, then copy the resulting local set to the server.
- The path appears empty: enable hidden files, paste the path directly, and check that you are using the same operating-system account that owns the save. On Linux, a leading dot in
.configor.localis significant. - Recent progress is missing: stop the server and inspect the active set together with its
.oldand rotating backup members. A copy made during a save may be incomplete, so restore from a known consistent set.
Storage choices at a glance
| Storage choice | Who controls the files | Best use | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Cloud | Steam account synchronization | Playing the same desktop world on supported computers | It is not the filesystem a headless server reads directly |
| Local desktop save | Your computer and its backups | Manual copies, editing and server migration | You must protect the files yourself |
| Dedicated server default root | The server operating-system account | A simple installation with no custom data layout | Paths differ by operating system and may be hidden |
Dedicated server with -savedir |
The directory and service account you configure | Separate disks, containers, managed hosts and predictable backups | A wrong path or permission can make Valheim create a new world |
| Built-in rotating backups | Valheim’s server process | Recovering from a recent mistake | Limited retention; they are not an offline copy |
The practical rule is simple: use the launch command to locate a server save, use the cloud/local indicator to locate a desktop save, and always migrate or restore a complete, stopped save set. Once the world is in the directory selected by -savedir and the -world name matches, the server can load the same map without relying on Steam Cloud.
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