To reset a 7 Days to Die server, stop it completely, back up the save, remove the active world folder under Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>, and—if it is a randomly generated world—remove the matching terrain folder under GeneratedWorlds/<world name>. Then either set a new WorldGenSeed or change GameName, save the configuration, restart, and allow the server to generate the world.
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What a “world reset” actually deletes
A server world has two related parts. The save contains player progress, discovered locations, inventories, entities, quests, and the world state. A randomly generated map (RWG) also has generated terrain data. Deleting only the save can leave that terrain available for the server to load again, so a complete RWG wipe removes both locations.
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The Tool Desk
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Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>. - RWG terrain: normally
GeneratedWorlds/<world name>.
The exact parent directories depend on the host. Some control panels expose Saves/Saves and Data/Worlds instead of the names above. Treat the paths as a layout to identify, not as a guarantee that every host uses the same root. If UserDataFolder or SaveGameFolder is set in serverconfig.xml, those settings override the default save location.
Choose the reset method before touching files
Full wipe: remove the old save and terrain
Use this when the previous world should no longer be available on the server. You stop the server, make a backup, delete the save folder, delete the matching RWG terrain folder, change the seed, and restart. It frees the old world from the active file tree, but recovery then depends on the backup.
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Rename route: start a new save without deleting the old one
Changing GameName to a new value makes the server create a separate save while leaving the old save on disk. This is the reversible choice: players can return to the previous world by restoring the old GameName and matching settings. It uses additional disk space and requires you to keep track of the two names.
| Decision point | Full wipe | Change GameName |
|---|---|---|
| Reversible | Only if you retain and restore a backup | Yes; the previous save remains on disk |
| Old files | Save and, for RWG, terrain folder are removed | Old save remains; no deletion is required |
| Risk of loading the old world | Low after both matching folders are removed and the name/seed is changed | Low, provided the new name is unique |
| Disk use | Releases the old world after backup retention is handled | Higher because both saves remain |
| Best use | Permanent seasonal or administrative wipe | Testing a new map or preserving a world for later |
Before you begin
Confirm that you have the right server access
You need the host’s file manager, SFTP/FTP access, or shell access, plus permission to edit serverconfig.xml. A player who can only join the game cannot safely perform a file-level reset.
Record the active names and settings
Open serverconfig.xml while the server is stopped, or use the panel’s configuration editor, and record:
GameWorld— the world type or map name.GameName— the save-directory name.WorldGenSeed— the seed used for RWG generation.WorldGenSize— the map-size setting.UserDataFolderandSaveGameFolder, if present.
These values also help you identify the correct directory. A typo can make the server create a different world while leaving the intended save untouched.
Make a restorable backup
Stop the server first, then download or copy the entire active save directory. For an RWG map, include its matching folder under GeneratedWorlds as well. Keep the backup outside the live server directory and label it with the old GameWorld, GameName, seed, map size, and date. A configuration-only backup is not enough; it cannot restore player and terrain state by itself.
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- Explore – Huge, rich environments, with unique biomes and worlds up to 100 square kilometres in size.
- Craft – Handcraft and repair weapons, clothes, armour, tools, vehicles, with hundreds of recipes and schematics.
- Build – Design your fort with traps, electricity, auto turrets, and gadgets to survive in a fully destructible and mouldable world.
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Step-by-step: permanently wipe the current world
1. Stop the server completely
- Use the host panel’s Stop action or the server console’s normal shutdown command.
- Wait until the panel reports that the process is stopped and the console is no longer writing save messages.
- Do not edit
serverconfig.xmlor delete folders while the process is running. A live process can write the old state back or leave a partial save.
2. Back up the save and RWG terrain
Copy the active Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName> directory. If the world was randomly generated, also copy GeneratedWorlds/<world name>. If your host uses a different tree, follow the configured UserDataFolder/SaveGameFolder locations and the panel’s documented world-data directory.
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3. Identify the exact save folder
Navigate to the save root and match the directory names against the recorded GameWorld and GameName. Do not delete the entire Saves directory: that can remove unrelated worlds. Delete only the folder belonging to the active game.
4. Delete the active save
Remove Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName> (or the equivalent path shown by your host). If you chose the rename route instead, leave this folder in place and skip to the configuration step.
5. Delete the matching RWG terrain folder
For a randomly generated map, remove the terrain directory named for that world under GeneratedWorlds. The folder name must match the generated-world name, not merely the save name. Deleting the save but leaving this terrain folder can allow old terrain to be reused.
6. Set a new seed or a new game name
Edit serverconfig.xml and choose one of these routes:
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- New map, same save name: replace
WorldGenSeedwith a new value. Keep the other world settings intentional, includingWorldGenSize. - Separate, reversible save: change
GameNameto a unique name. This creates a new save while preserving the old directory. You can also change the seed if you want a different RWG layout.
Changing only the seed is not sufficient when a world with the resulting name already exists. The server may load that existing world rather than generate another one. A unique GameName, or removal of the colliding save and terrain directories, avoids that name collision.
7. Save the configuration and restart
- Save
serverconfig.xmlwithout changing unrelated settings. - Start the server from the host panel.
- Leave the process running while it generates the new map. Generation can take several minutes, and the first start may appear idle while files are created.
- Join only after the server reports that it is ready. The first player should spawn into a new, empty progression state rather than the previous world.
How naming and matching determine what loads
The server does not select a world from the seed alone. To reload an existing save, the relevant naming and generation values must line up. The documented matching set is GameWorld, GameName, WorldGenSeed, and WorldGenSize. If any of these differs from the old configuration, the server creates a new world instead of opening that save.
This rule explains two common surprises. First, changing a seed may appear to do nothing when an existing world with the resulting name is still present. Second, changing a setting accidentally can create a fresh world even though the old files remain on disk. Before deleting anything, write down the old values; before restoring anything, make them match exactly.
Where files may be located
Typical dedicated-server layout
The commonly documented arrangement is:
Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>
GeneratedWorlds/<world name>
serverconfig.xmlHost-specific layouts
Managed hosts sometimes add another directory level, such as Saves/Saves, or place generated maps under Data/Worlds. Use the panel’s file tree and search for the folder containing the active GameName; do not assume that a path copied from another host has the same root.
Client-side Linux terrain cache
On a Linux client, generated terrain is reported under ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/. Removing a server save does not automatically remove every player’s local cache. If one player’s client still displays stale map data, close the game and inspect that local generated-world folder; do not delete it unless you intend to clear the local cache and have confirmed the server itself is already reset.
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Finding the seed when you need to document or reproduce a map
Guides disagree about where the original seed is recorded. Depending on the build and host packaging, check both locations inside the generated-world data:
GenerationInfo.txt, where the original seed is described on line 2.map_info.xmlinside the relevantGeneratedWorldsworld folder.
Treat these files as records of the map that was generated, not as substitutes for the active server configuration. Copy the value carefully if you are documenting the old world or attempting to reproduce it.
Seed reproducibility is also version-sensitive. A later game build can alter generation behavior, so the same seed is not a guarantee of an identical map after an update. Keep the game version with your backup notes if reproducing a specific layout matters.
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Verification checklist after the restart
- The server console completes generation instead of immediately loading the old save.
- A new directory appears under the configured save root with the new
GameName, or the old directory is absent after a full wipe. - For RWG, a new matching directory appears under
GeneratedWorlds. - Players begin with the expected fresh-world state rather than their old positions, inventories, quests, or discovered map.
- The server’s
GameWorld,GameName,WorldGenSeed, andWorldGenSizevalues are the ones you intended.
If the old world appears, stop the server before trying another change. Continuing to play can overwrite the state you meant to preserve and make diagnosis harder.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting a reset that did not work
The old terrain came back
Check whether you deleted only the save. Stop the server, locate the matching GeneratedWorlds/<world name> directory, and remove it after confirming it is covered by your backup. Also check for a second generated-world root such as the host’s Data/Worlds directory.
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- Build - Take over a ruin, or build from the ground-up. Design your fortress to include traps and defensive positions to survive the undead - the world is fully destructible and moldable.
- Cooperate or Compete - Includes two player split screen mode, with additional online multiplayer modes and features to be revealed in the near future.
- Create - Unleash your creativity and build the ultimate world by yourself friends. Enjoy unlimited access to nearly 400 in-game items and 1,200 unique building blocks in creative mode.
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The server generated nothing and loaded an existing world
Look for a name collision. A world with the same resulting name may still exist, even if you changed WorldGenSeed. Use a unique GameName or remove the colliding save and terrain folders while the server is stopped.
A completely different world appeared unexpectedly
Compare the current configuration with your notes. A mismatch in GameWorld, GameName, WorldGenSeed, or WorldGenSize causes a new world to be created. Restore the intended values, then restart; do not overwrite the backup.
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Inspect UserDataFolder and SaveGameFolder in serverconfig.xml. Those settings can redirect saves. Then check the host’s own directory tree for an extra Saves level or a Data/Worlds location.
The panel says the server is stopped, but files keep changing
Wait for the process to exit fully and check for a separate restart task, scheduled restart, or second server instance. File operations are safe only when no server process is writing to the world.
Players still report old map information
First verify the server-side save and generated-world folders. If the server is demonstrably new, a player’s Linux client may still have the previous terrain cache under ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/. Clear only that local cache after closing the game and after preserving anything the player needs.
Restoring the previous world
A restore requires more than copying back one directory. Stop the server, put the backed-up save and (for RWG) generated-world folder back into the same configured roots, and restore the original GameWorld, GameName, WorldGenSeed, and WorldGenSize values. If the backup was made on another game build, expect generation behavior to depend on that version; keep the backup’s version information with it. Start the server only after the files and configuration agree.
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Practical reset plans
Seasonal wipe with no rollback requirement
- Stop the server and create a dated archive of the save and RWG terrain.
- Delete the active save and matching generated-world folder.
- Choose a new
WorldGenSeedand verifyWorldGenSize. - Restart, wait for generation, and verify new player state.
Trial map while keeping the established world
- Stop the server and back up the current files.
- Change
GameNameto a unique trial name. - Choose a new seed if a different RWG map is desired.
- Restart and test the new save.
- Return to the original
GameNameand matching values to bring the old world back.
Reproduce a known map
- Record the original game build,
GameWorld, seed, and map size. - Use the documented seed from
GenerationInfo.txtormap_info.xml. - Use a new
GameNameto avoid loading an existing save by accident. - Keep expectations realistic: a game-version change can alter the generated result even with the same seed.
Key rules to remember
- Never delete or edit world files while the server is running.
- Back up both the save and RWG terrain before a permanent wipe.
- For a complete RWG reset, remove both the active save folder and its matching generated-world folder.
- Changing
GameNameis the safest reversible option. - A new seed can still load an existing world if names collide.
- Check redirected folders and host-specific layouts before concluding that files are missing.
- Keep the four matching configuration values together when restoring or reproducing a world.
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