To download a Terraria server world, stop the server, open its file manager or SFTP connection, find the server’s Worlds directory, and download the world file. A vanilla world is one .wld file. A tModLoader world requires that .wld file plus its matching .twld sidecar; download both together and keep their filenames identical apart from the extension.
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The exact folder name depends on whether the world is on your own computer, a Linux dedicated server, a Docker container, or a hosting panel. The procedures below identify the files, show the common locations, and explain how to avoid copying an incomplete or wrong world.
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Terraria saves a vanilla world as one file ending in .wld. The filename is normally the world name, so a world called MyWorld appears as MyWorld.wld. Downloading that file gives you the map, tiles, chests, NPC housing, and other vanilla world data.
tModLoader adds a second file containing mod-specific world information. Alongside MyWorld.wld, you may see MyWorld.twld. The two files are a pair: the base name must match exactly, including capitalization where the operating system preserves it. If you copy only the .wld, the world can load without modded data, show missing content, or fail to load depending on the mods involved.
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| Server type | Files to download | What happens if a file is missing |
|---|---|---|
| Vanilla Terraria | One matching .wld file |
There is no separate mod-data sidecar. |
| tModLoader | The matching .wld and .twld files |
Modded world data may be lost or the world may not load correctly. |
Do not confuse a world file with a player file. Players use .plr files, while a world uses .wld (and, for tModLoader, .twld). Downloading a player file will not produce a playable copy of the server map.
Before downloading: stop the server and identify the active world
Stopping the process is the safest way to obtain a consistent copy. Terraria writes changes while players are connected and during shutdown. If you download while the server is saving, the copy can represent an older state or be incomplete. In a hosting panel, use the Stop or Power off control and wait until the status clearly shows that the server is offline. Do not merely close the browser tab or disconnect your own game client.
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- Record the exact world filename before downloading.
- Check the file’s modified time after the server has stopped; it should reflect the latest shutdown.
- For tModLoader, look for a
.twldwith the same base name before starting the transfer. - Do not delete, rename, or overwrite anything until your downloaded copy opens or is safely stored.
Downloading from a hosted server panel
Most game hosts provide either a browser-based File Manager, SFTP access, or both. The buttons and folder names vary, but the process is the same: stop the server, navigate to the world directory, download the required files, and preserve them locally.
1. Stop the server
- Sign in to the hosting control panel.
- Open the Terraria or tModLoader server instance.
- Choose Stop and wait for the panel to report an offline or stopped state.
2. Open the files
Choose File Manager, Files, or a similarly named option. If the host supplies SFTP credentials instead, connect with an SFTP client using the hostname, port, username, password or key, and the directory assigned to your server. The panel’s documentation is authoritative for those connection details because hosts use different account layouts and ports.
3. Locate the Worlds directory
There is no universal hosted-panel path. Common layouts include saves/Worlds, saves/worlds, and tml/saves/worlds. Folder capitalization matters on many Linux-based servers, so open the directory that the panel exposes rather than creating a new folder with a guessed name. If you see several save directories, open the one containing the world named in the server settings.
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4. Download the files
- In a vanilla server, select the required
.wldfile and choose Download. - In tModLoader, select both the matching
.wldand.twldfiles. Download them separately if the panel has no multi-select option. - Save both files into one local folder without changing their names.
If the File Manager downloads a directory as a ZIP archive, extract it locally and confirm that the archive contains the expected world files. Keep the original archive as an additional backup until you have verified the extracted copy.
5. Verify the local copy
Compare the downloaded filenames with the active world name and check that the files have a non-zero size. A browser download that was interrupted can leave a partial file with the right name. If the panel displays a file size, compare it with the local file before disconnecting. For a tModLoader world, confirm that the .wld and .twld share the same base name.
Where Terraria stores worlds on a local computer
If you run the server on your own computer, you can copy the file directly from the operating system’s save directory. The location differs by operating system and by which account launches a dedicated server.
Windows
The default vanilla Windows directory is:
Documents/My Games/Terraria/WorldsOpen File Explorer, select Documents, then My Games, Terraria, and Worlds. Copy the desired .wld. A tModLoader installation may keep its worlds in a tModLoader-specific data directory rather than the vanilla Terraria directory; use the folder that contains the world loaded by your tModLoader server and copy both extensions.
Linux dedicated server
For a dedicated Linux account named terraria, the commonly used default is:
/home/terraria/.local/share/Terraria/Worlds/For a regular Linux user, the equivalent path is:
~/.local/share/Terraria/Worlds/The leading dot in .local means the directory may be hidden in a graphical file manager. Enable hidden files or use a terminal to list it. On a shell, change into the directory and list the files:
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cd ~/.local/share/Terraria/Worlds
ls -lIf the server runs under a separate service account, use that account’s home directory. A root shell’s ~ points to /root, not to the account that owns the Terraria process, so check the service configuration or process owner before searching.
macOS
A community-reported location is:
~/Library/Application Support/Terraria/WorldsThis path has lower confidence than the Windows and Linux locations because it is reported by a single community source. If it is not present, search your user Library for a Worlds folder and confirm that it contains the world currently used by the server. Avoid replacing a file until you have identified the active server directory.
Downloading a tModLoader world correctly
tModLoader’s world state is split between the normal map file and the sidecar file. Suppose the directory contains:
Adventure.wld
Adventure.twldDownload both. Do not rename one to match a different world, and do not pair Adventure.wld with Test.twld. Keep the two files in the same local folder when you archive or move them. If you use a ZIP file, select both files before compressing so they remain together.
The .twld file is tied to the modded state that created it. Loading the world with a different mod list can still produce errors or missing content even when both files are present. Before attempting to use the copy, note the server’s tModLoader version and enabled mods. Those details are not part of the world filename, so preserving them separately helps you reproduce the original environment.
Docker tModLoader world path
In a Docker-based tModLoader installation, the world path used inside the container is commonly:
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/tModLoader/Worlds/your_world.wldReplace your_world.wld with the actual filename. The matching .twld, when present, is in the same /tModLoader/Worlds/ directory. A container path is not automatically a host path: Docker may map that directory to a volume elsewhere on the machine. If you cannot see /tModLoader/Worlds/ from the host, inspect the container’s mounted volumes and copy the files from the mapped host directory, or use a container file-copy command supplied by your deployment method.
Stop the container before copying or replacing the files. Otherwise the server can write over the copy while you are transferring it.
Using SFTP when the panel has no download button
SFTP presents the server’s files in a two-pane interface: your computer on one side and the remote server on the other. Connect with the credentials supplied by the host, then browse to the panel’s save directory. Download the .wld and, for tModLoader, the matching .twld into a local folder.
- Stop the server in the host panel.
- Open the SFTP client and connect to the assigned host and port.
- Navigate through the remote folders until you reach
Worldsor the host’s equivalent save directory. - Select the required files and choose the client’s download action.
- Wait for each transfer to finish before closing the SFTP client.
- Check the local filenames and sizes, then disconnect.
SFTP permissions can prevent you from seeing a directory even when the server can use it. If the account cannot read the file, ask the host to adjust permissions or provide a panel download; do not change ownership blindly on a production server.
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The same files can be moved to another Terraria server, but uploading is more sensitive than downloading because an overwrite can destroy the only live copy. Keep the original downloaded backup in a separate location before making changes.
- Stop the destination server completely.
- Open its File Manager or SFTP connection.
- Enter the destination’s actual Worlds directory; it may use a different capitalization or a path such as
saves/Worlds,saves/worlds, ortml/saves/worlds. - Upload the vanilla
.wld, or upload both matching.wldand.twldfiles for tModLoader. - Do not overwrite an existing world until it has been renamed or copied as a backup.
- Set the server configuration to use the uploaded filename, then start the server and watch its console for load errors.
A vanilla world should be opened by a vanilla server, while a modded world needs the compatible tModLoader installation and its required mods. Moving only the .wld from a modded server can remove the information stored in the sidecar. Conversely, placing a .twld beside a vanilla world does not turn a vanilla server into a modded one.
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Common problems and fixes
The Worlds folder is empty
Confirm that the server is stopped and that you are looking at the account or container that actually runs it. A Linux service account has a different home directory from your personal login, and Docker may store files in a mounted volume rather than the visible host folder. Check the server startup settings for the world name and search for that exact filename.
You downloaded a file but the server still shows an old map
The server may be pointed at a different directory or filename. Compare the configured world name with the uploaded file, including spelling and extension, and verify that the upload completed. Stop the server again before replacing anything and preserve the old file first.
The tModLoader copy loads without modded progress
Look for the matching .twld beside the .wld. If the sidecar was omitted, renamed, or paired with another world, restore both files from the original server backup. Also check that the destination uses the same required mods and a compatible tModLoader version.
The downloaded file is suspiciously small or will not open
Repeat the transfer while the server is stopped and wait for the client or browser to report completion. Compare the local size with the remote size shown by the panel or SFTP client. Do not delete the remote copy until a complete local backup exists.
File names appear with unexpected capitalization
Linux paths and filenames are case-sensitive. Treat Worlds, worlds, and WORLDS as different directories, and preserve the exact world filename used by the server configuration.
A safe backup routine
For a one-time download, keep the original files untouched and store the copy in a dated folder. For recurring backups, stop the server before each copy, retain several dated versions, and include a note identifying whether the backup is vanilla or tModLoader. Keep the .wld and .twld together, and test a copy on a non-production server when the world is especially important.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsDo not rely on a filename alone to identify a backup. Record the server type, world name, tModLoader version when applicable, and the date of the copy. This makes it possible to choose the correct backup after a failed upload or a mod change.
Quick Recap
Quick checklist
- Server stopped and reported offline.
- Correct Worlds directory identified for the operating system, panel, or container.
- Active world filename confirmed.
- Vanilla: matching
.wlddownloaded. - tModLoader: matching
.wldand.twlddownloaded. - Transfers completed and local file sizes checked.
- Backup stored separately before any overwrite.
- Mod list and tModLoader version noted for modded worlds.
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