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How to Back Up and Restore a V Rising Server

A practical V Rising backup and restore guide covering dedicated-server paths, client and Cloud Saves, settings precedence, autosaves, patch recovery, and transfers to dedicated servers.
Length11 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Back up a V Rising world only after a clean server shutdown, copy the complete world folder and persistent settings, and keep the original until the restored server has been tested. Dedicated-server worlds normally live under save-dataSavesv4<save-name> when the server is launched with -persistentDataPath .save-data. Client worlds use a different local or Cloud Saves path, but the game’s Load Game menu can reveal the exact session folder.

The safest backup and restore method

A reliable V Rising recovery copy has four properties: it is made after the server has stopped cleanly, it contains the entire session directory rather than one autosave file, it includes the persistent configuration files, and it is stored outside the live server directory. During a restore, stop the target server, preserve its current files as a safety copy, place the backed-up world under the target Savesv4 directory, match the folder name to -saveName, and verify the world and settings before deleting anything.

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This approach works for a dedicated server and for moving a client-hosted world to a dedicated server. Cloud-backed client saves need an additional precaution: the game’s synchronization service can put externally changed files back when the game launches, so use the in-game save-management controls when replacing or deleting a cloud session.

Where V Rising stores saves

Dedicated-server saves

A dedicated server writes data beneath the location supplied to -persistentDataPath. A common launch argument is:

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-persistentDataPath .save-data

With that argument, the important directories are:

  • save-dataSavesv4<save-name> for the world/session folder.
  • save-dataSettings for persistent server configuration.

The v4 directory is part of the current path references and is version-sensitive. Confirm the folder used by the server build you are running before copying files. If your launcher points to an absolute or different relative path, use that configured location instead of assuming it is beside the executable.

Client-hosted local saves

When Cloud Saves are not being used, client sessions are normally under:

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%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowStunlock StudiosVRisingSavesv4

Session folders use generated identifiers, so the folder name may not resemble the world name shown in the game. The dependable way to identify a session is to open V Rising’s Load Game menu, select the world, and choose Go to Directory.

Client-hosted Cloud Saves

With Cloud Saves enabled, sessions are normally under:

%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowStunlock StudiosVRisingCloudSaves<SteamID>v4

The <SteamID> component is account-specific. Again, use Load Game and Go to Directory to locate the exact world rather than guessing from the generated folder names.

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What to back up

Copy the complete world folder

Copy the entire selected session directory, including its autosave files and every file beneath it. Copying only the newest-looking autosave is not a full backup: it can remove recovery points or omit data the server expects when loading the session. A complete folder also makes a client-to-dedicated transfer possible without reconstructing the save by hand.

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Copy persistent settings

Save the persistent Settings directory alongside the world. At minimum, preserve:

  • ServerHostSettings.json, which includes host-level choices such as the server name and selected save.
  • ServerGameSettings.json, which contains gameplay rules.
  • Any server administration files used by your deployment.

Keeping these files in persistent data protects custom configuration from installation-folder updates. A world can also contain JSON files that override the base persistent settings, so a settings backup is not sufficient by itself unless you inspect both locations.

Keep backups outside the live directory

Copy the world and settings to a separate storage location, such as a different drive or an archive directory that the server never writes to. Label each archive with the world name and a UTC date, for example castle-world-2026-10-15T21-30Z. Retain at least one older recovery point when disk space permits. The official guidance recommends frequent backups and an additional backup before patching or starting the server after a patch.

Back up a dedicated V Rising server

  1. Announce maintenance and stop new activity. Ask players to log out. A player or automated process writing during the copy can leave a partially updated session.
  2. Stop the server cleanly. Use the service manager, hosting panel, or console command that performs a normal shutdown. Do not kill the process unless it is unresponsive; the clean stop allows the latest save to flush.
  3. Confirm the persistent-data path. Read the launch command and find the value after -persistentDataPath. For -persistentDataPath .save-data, open save-dataSavesv4 and save-dataSettings.
  4. Select the correct save folder. Open Savesv4 and identify the folder corresponding to the server’s -saveName. If the server uses -saveName world1, the expected world directory is ...Savesv4world1.
  5. Copy the whole world directory. Include all files and subdirectories, especially the autosave files. Do not edit or rename files inside the copy while the server is stopped.
  6. Copy the persistent settings directory. Preserve ServerHostSettings.json, ServerGameSettings.json, and administration files used by the server.
  7. Store and label the archive. Put both copies outside the live server path and record the UTC timestamp, world name, server build, and whether the copy was made before an update.
  8. Restart only after the copy is complete. Confirm that the server starts normally, then keep the archive untouched as your recovery source.

For a high-value world, make a second copy to separate storage. A backup that remains on the same disk as the live server does not protect against disk failure or an accidental directory deletion.

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Restore a dedicated-server world

  1. Stop the target server cleanly. A restore while the server is running can be overwritten by the next save or leave files from two different world states mixed together.
  2. Make a safety copy of the current state. Copy the target server’s current Saves and Settings directories to a separate, clearly labeled location. Do this even when the current world appears corrupted; it may contain recent progress that is not present in the older archive.
  3. Open the target persistent-data path. Follow the target launch argument after -persistentDataPath, then open its Savesv4 directory.
  4. Place the backed-up world folder there. Copy the complete archived session folder into Savesv4. Do not nest it one directory too deep; the files should be directly inside the folder that represents the save.
  5. Match -saveName to the folder name. If the restored folder is named world1, launch the server with -saveName world1. Renaming the folder is also possible, but the launch argument and directory name must agree.
  6. Restore the intended persistent settings. Copy the archived Settings directory into the target persistent-data path. Check ServerHostSettings.json for the intended server name and save selection, and check ServerGameSettings.json for gameplay rules.
  7. Inspect save-local JSON files. JSON files inside the world folder can override the base persistent settings. If the restored server ignores a value in ServerGameSettings.json, compare the save-local files and remove or reconcile an override that conflicts with the configuration you intend to use.
  8. Start and validate. Confirm the expected world loads, then check player progression, the server name, and important gameplay rules. Keep the pre-restore safety copy until players have connected and confirmed that the state is correct.

Why restored settings sometimes appear to be ignored

V Rising can combine installation defaults, persistent-data settings, and settings stored inside an individual save. The -persistentDataPath argument determines where the persistent Settings and Saves directories live. Installation-folder defaults may be replaced during an update, which is why custom files belong in persistent data.

Save-local settings can take precedence over the base persistent files. This explains a common restore symptom: the server starts with the expected world but retains an old rule, name, or other option. Stop the server, compare the JSON files inside the save with ServerHostSettings.json and ServerGameSettings.json, and reconcile the conflicting value. Do not blindly delete every JSON file; preserve files whose purpose you have not identified, and retain the pre-restore copy so you can recover from an incorrect edit.

Move a client-hosted world to a dedicated server

  1. Identify the session in the game. Open Load Game, select the world, and choose Go to Directory. This avoids confusing generated session identifiers with another world.
  2. Make an external backup first. Copy the complete session folder before changing its name or moving it. The original is your fallback if the first transfer fails.
  3. Stop the dedicated server. The destination must not be writing while you install the copied session.
  4. Copy the session into the destination. Place it under the dedicated server’s persistent-data Savesv4 directory.
  5. Give it a simple save name. Rename the copied folder to a clear name such as castle-world, then launch the dedicated server with -saveName castle-world.
  6. Review configuration files. A client session may contain ServerHostSettings.json or other per-save settings. Reconcile those files with the dedicated server’s persistent Settings rather than allowing an old client configuration to silently control the new server.
  7. Test before removing the client copy. Check the world, player progression, server identity, and gameplay rules. Keep the original client session until the dedicated instance has been accepted by the players.

The transfer changes where the files are served from; it does not automatically merge two worlds. Choose one source session and copy that complete folder. If players have made progress in both locations, preserve both archives and decide which state is authoritative before starting the destination.

Cloud Save synchronization hazards

Cloud Saves can resynchronize files changed outside the game. If you close V Rising, replace or delete a Cloud Saves folder in Explorer, and then launch the game, synchronization may restore the previous files. That can make a correct-looking manual replacement appear to have failed.

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  • Use the game’s own save-management interface when deleting or replacing a cloud-backed session.
  • Keep an external copy before making the change.
  • After the game reports the desired session, use Go to Directory to verify which folder is active.
  • For a dedicated-server transfer, make the backup while the client session is available, then copy the folder to the dedicated server’s persistent path.

If you do not want synchronization involved in a transfer, work from a separately stored copy and leave the original Cloud Saves session intact until the dedicated server has been validated.

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Autosaves, rollback points, and update risk

The AutoSaveCount setting controls how many autosave files are retained. Increasing it creates more rollback points but consumes more disk space. Autosaves are useful for recovering from a recent mistake, but they are not a substitute for copying the complete session folder: they remain inside the live world directory and can be lost with it.

Make an external backup before a game or server patch, and make another before starting the server for the first time after a patch. Stunlock Studios’ official instructions say: “It is highly recommended to backup the save files often and before patching or before starting the server after having patched.” A patch can expose a corrupted state or introduce a persistence-format change, making the previous copy essential.

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The v4 folder name is version-sensitive. If a future server build uses a different folder version, follow that build’s documented path rather than forcing a backup into an older directory. Keep the old archive unchanged so it remains usable with the build that created it.

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Choosing a recovery approach

Approach Recovery-point depth Clean-shutdown discipline Configuration fidelity Client-to-dedicated portability Cloud synchronization exposure
Manual folder backup Determined by how often you archive and how many dated copies you retain Required before each copy High when the complete world and persistent Settings directory are copied High; the complete session folder can be copied and renamed Must be managed carefully for Cloud Saves
Rolling autosaves Controlled by AutoSaveCount Created by the server, but still stored in the live session They do not replace a separate settings backup Not a transfer method by themselves Remain subject to the client’s save location and synchronization behavior
Managed hosting Depends on the provider’s backup and retention policy The service may simplify operation, but confirm how it stops and copies the server Convenient file access can preserve settings, but retain your own copy Possible when the host permits complete save-file access Cloud-backed client files should still be copied and controlled before upload

Managed hosting can simplify uptime and access to server files, but it does not eliminate the need for an independent backup. A provider account, panel, or storage volume is not the same as a copy you control outside that service.

Verification checklist after a restore

  • The server starts without reporting a missing or different save.
  • The loaded map and structures match the expected world.
  • At least one player’s progression, character, and inventory are present.
  • The displayed server name is the intended value from ServerHostSettings.json.
  • Important gameplay rules match ServerGameSettings.json after save-local overrides are checked.
  • The server is writing new saves in the expected Savesv4<save-name> directory.
  • Players can connect and remain connected through a save cycle.
  • The pre-restore target copy and the original transfer copy are still available.

Common failures and fixes

The server creates a new empty world

Check the persistent-data path in the launch command, then verify that the copied folder is directly under Savesv4. Confirm that -saveName exactly matches the folder name. A correct backup in the wrong persistent path is invisible to the running server.

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The world loads but has old rules or the wrong name

Inspect both persistent settings and JSON files inside the save. A save-local override may be taking precedence. Reconcile the conflicting value while the server is stopped, then restart and validate again.

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The transfer appears to revert after launching the client

This is most likely Cloud Save synchronization restoring the cloud copy. Use the in-game save-management interface, keep an external backup, and verify the active folder through Load Game and Go to Directory.

The newest progress is missing

The copy may have been made while the server was still running, or an older dated archive may have been selected. Repeat the backup after a clean shutdown and record the UTC time. Do not overwrite the older archive until the new copy has been checked.

A patch causes startup or persistence problems

Stop the server and preserve the current post-patch files. Restore the pre-patch world and settings to a separate test location or the target after making the required safety copy, then check the server build’s expected save-folder version. Never delete the only pre-patch archive while diagnosing the issue.

Recommended backup routine

For a small private server, make a dated external copy whenever the world has meaningful progress and always before patching. For an active community server, retain multiple dated recovery points, increase AutoSaveCount only when the additional disk usage is acceptable, and document the launch arguments, especially -persistentDataPath and -saveName. Test a restore occasionally on a separate instance; a backup is trustworthy only after you have demonstrated that the files can be loaded.

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Stunlock Studios’ transfer guidance recommends backing up the full session folder so the original remains available if the first transfer fails. That principle applies to every restore: copy first, change second, validate third, and keep the source until players have confirmed the result.

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