The safest 7 Days to Die backup is a complete copy of the active save folder made after the game or dedicated-server process has stopped. Copy Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ to dated storage, and include the matching GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ folder when the world was created with Random World Generation (RWG). To restore, stop the server, preserve the current save as a rollback copy, replace it at the exact effective path, verify GameWorld and GameName in serverconfig.xml, then restart and check the world before deleting anything.
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This approach keeps terrain, bases, excavations, player inventories, world time and exploration data together instead of restoring only the files that happen to be visible after a crash.
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What you must back up
A 7 Days to Die save is organized as <saves-root>/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/. The final GameName directory is the unit to copy. Do not select individual player or region files for a routine backup: those files describe parts of one save and can become inconsistent when separated.
| Location or file | What it contains | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
Region/ |
Placed-block data, including bases, construction and excavations | Restores the physical changes players made to the terrain |
Player/ |
Character data for each player | Preserves inventories and player progression |
main.ttp |
World-level state such as day and time | Prevents the restored world from reverting to an earlier clock state |
map_*.dat |
Player exploration data | Keeps explored areas and map information intact |
GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ |
Terrain generated for an RWG world | Allows the server to load the same procedurally generated landscape |
Shipped prefabricated worlds such as Navezgane normally do not require a copied generated-world directory because their terrain files are included with the game installation. RWG worlds are different: keep the generated-world folder that belongs to the save.
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Find the active save directory
Use the launcher when possible
The launcher includes an Open savegame folder action. Use it when available; it avoids guessing which user account, installation or data directory is active.
Standard data roots
If you need to browse manually, these are the standard data roots listed by the official Help Center:
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|---|---|---|
| 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>/ |
The placeholders represent the account name and the actual world and save names. A dedicated server may not use these defaults, so confirm the effective configuration before copying anything.
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Check serverconfig.xml for overrides
Read the configuration file that the server actually starts with. Two settings can change where data is written:
UserDataFolderoverrides the root used for generated data, including saves and generated maps.SaveGameFolderoverrides only the save path.
Both properties are commented out in the reference configuration by default. An override does nothing until its property is uncommented and assigned. Also note that AdminFileName is relative to the save-game folder; it is not a second save root.
After resolving these settings, identify the exact Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ directory the running server uses. Backing up a similarly named folder elsewhere will not protect the live world.
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Back up a dedicated server safely
- Announce a short maintenance window. Tell players when the world will be unavailable and ask them to log out normally. A clean shutdown avoids copying files while they are changing.
- Stop the server process. Use the server’s normal shutdown command or service control, then wait until the process has exited. Closing a terminal window or killing a process can leave an incomplete save.
- Read the effective configuration. Confirm the active
UserDataFolder,SaveGameFolder,GameWorldandGameNamevalues. Record the folder names exactly, including capitalization where the operating system treats it as significant. - Copy the complete save directory. Copy
Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/, including every subfolder and file, to a different disk or storage location. Do not move the original; the server needs it in place for the next start. - Copy RWG terrain data when applicable. If
GameWorldis an RWG world, copy the matchingGeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/directory from the same effective data root. Keep its world name associated with the save backup. For Navezgane or another shipped prefabricated world, this extra copy is normally unnecessary. - Give the backup an unambiguous name. Include the date and, if useful, the server or save name, such as
2026-10-15-myserver-rwg. Never overwrite the only known-good copy with a newer backup. - Check the copy before restarting. Open the destination and confirm that the final
GameNamefolder contains the expectedRegion,Player,main.ttpand map files. A copy that contains only an empty parent directory is not a backup. - Start the server and test normally. Have an administrator join, confirm the expected day and time, inspect a known base, check a player inventory and open the map. This test verifies that the backup operation did not accidentally alter the live folder.
For a local single-player game, follow the same rule: exit to the menu and close the game completely before copying. The launcher’s Open savegame folder action can take you to the correct location.
How RWG backups differ from Navezgane
Random World Generation (RWG)
An RWG save depends on both the normal save directory and the generated terrain directory. Restore the matching GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ folder alongside the save. If that folder is missing or belongs to another world, the server may be unable to reconstruct the terrain on which bases and roads were placed.
GameName controls the save-game name and decoration seed, while GameWorld identifies the world type or existing world, such as RWG or Navezgane. Keep both names exactly as they were when the backup was made.
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Navezgane and other shipped worlds
For a shipped prefabricated world, the installation already contains the terrain files. Restore the complete save directory and make sure the configured GameWorld points to the same shipped world. Copying an unrelated generated-world folder can create confusion and is normally not part of a Navezgane restore.
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Restore a world after a crash or unwanted change
- Stop the server completely. Wait for the process to exit before touching either the current save or the backup. If the server repeatedly crashes during shutdown, stop its service and verify in the process list that it is no longer running.
- Preserve the current state. Rename or copy the current
GameWorld/GameNamedirectory as a rollback snapshot, for exampleGameName-before-restore. Keep it untouched until the restored world has passed your checks. - Select the backup. Choose the dated copy that contains the desired progress. For RWG, also locate the generated-world directory that was paired with that backup date.
- Place the save at the effective path. Put the backup’s
GameWorld/GameNamefolder at the exactSaves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/location resolved from the active configuration. Avoid an extra nesting level such asGameName/GameName/; the server must see the save files directly inside the expected folder. - Restore RWG terrain if needed. Replace or restore the matching
GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/folder. Do not mix generated terrain from a different world or backup date. - Check configuration names. In
serverconfig.xml, verify thatGameWorldandGameNamematch the restored folder names.GameWorldcan beNavezgane,RWGor another existing world;GameNameselects the save-game name and decoration seed. - Start the server. Watch the startup output for path or world-loading errors. Do not let players join until the world has loaded successfully.
- Validate the result. Check the day and time, a known base and excavation, at least one player’s inventory, and map exploration. These checks cover the principal data areas stored in the save.
- Keep or revert. If the restored world is correct, retain the rollback snapshot until you have made and verified a new backup. If it is wrong, stop the server and put the preserved snapshot back instead of repeatedly experimenting on the only copy.
Troubleshooting common restore failures
The server starts a new world
This usually means the path or names do not match. Recheck the effective UserDataFolder and SaveGameFolder, then compare GameWorld and GameName in serverconfig.xml with the restored directory names. Also look for accidental double nesting.
The world loads but terrain, roads or bases are missing
For an RWG save, confirm that the matching GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ directory was restored from the same backup set. A save folder without its generated terrain can describe player changes that no longer line up with the loaded landscape.
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Players have old inventories or the wrong day
Verify that the entire GameName folder was copied, not only Region. Player data is in Player/, world time is in main.ttp, and exploration is in map_*.dat. Restore the complete folder again from a known-good snapshot.
The backup appears empty or incomplete
Stop the server, inspect the original and destination side by side, and check that the copy operation included hidden files and all subdirectories. If the source was copied while the server was writing, discard it in favor of an earlier clean backup and preserve the suspect copy for diagnosis.
The server cannot access the restored files
Make sure the account running the server can read and write the restored directories. A backup copied by another account or extracted with restrictive permissions may be visible to you but inaccessible to the service.
Choose a practical backup and retention plan
There is no universal backup interval, retention count, recovery-time objective or published corruption rate for 7 Days to Die saves. Set those choices according to how much progress your players can afford to lose. A busy public server may take copies more often than a private world that is played once a week; the important rule is that every copy is made after a clean stop and kept independently of the live folder.
- Use dated directories. Never overwrite the only known-good backup.
- Keep a second physical location. An external USB hard drive or SSD gives the complete save folder somewhere other than the server’s disk. Disconnect it or otherwise protect it from an accidental deletion on the server.
- Retain an untouched pre-restore copy. Before every restore, preserve the current folder even if it looks corrupted. It may contain progress that is absent from the older backup.
- Test occasionally. A backup is useful only if it can be placed at the effective path and loaded. Perform a test on a separate instance or during a maintenance window when practical.
- Document the configuration. Record the active data-root overrides and the
GameWorld/GameNamepair beside each backup so another administrator can restore it without guessing.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting for backups
The backup process changes depending on who controls the machine. The following comparison is about responsibilities, not a recommendation of a particular provider.
| Decision point | Self-hosted dedicated server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| File and mod control | Direct control of save files, mods and server settings | Depends on the host’s file manager, access method and policy |
| Scheduled backups | You choose the schedule, destination and retention | The service may offer backups, but frequency and retention must be confirmed in its terms |
serverconfig.xml access |
Full access to effective paths and world settings | Access may be full, limited or abstracted by a control panel |
| Restore access | You can stop the process, replace folders and roll back directly | Restore may be a panel action or a support request; verify whether RWG generated data is included |
| Uptime responsibility | You maintain the machine, operating system and network | The host handles infrastructure, while you still need to verify save integrity |
| Recurring cost | Uses your existing hardware and storage, plus any external backup media | Requires an ongoing hosting fee; exact pricing and backup terms vary |
Regardless of the model, ask one concrete question before relying on a provider’s backup feature: can you download and restore the complete GameWorld/GameName save and, for RWG, the corresponding generated-world directory?
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Final restore checklist
- The game or server process is stopped and no longer writing files.
- The backup contains the complete
Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/folder. - RWG backups include the matching
GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/folder. - The active
UserDataFolderandSaveGameFolderhave been checked. - The current save has been preserved as a rollback snapshot.
GameWorldandGameNamematch the restored folder names.- After startup, day/time, bases, player inventories and map exploration have been verified.
- The rollback snapshot remains available until the restored world has a new verified backup.
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