Stop the server before changing its world setting or deleting files. For a reversible reset, change the configured world name—usually labeled World or SavegameName—to a new name, save, and restart. Valheim will create or load the world selected by the -world argument, so returning to the previous name brings the old world back. A permanent same-name reset requires a backup, a stopped server, and deletion of that world’s .db and .fwl files (plus matching .old copies when present).
Choose the kind of reset you actually need
“Resetting a server world” can describe two different operations. Decide first, because one preserves your existing map while the other destroys the selected save.
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| Method | What you do | Reversible? | Scope | Access needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New world name | Change World or SavegameName, then restart | Yes. Change back to the former name to load the old world | Creates or selects one differently named world; other saves remain | Hosting control panel or startup configuration |
| Targeted file deletion | Stop the server and remove the selected world’s .db and .fwl files |
Only if you made a usable backup first | One named world, including matching .old files when present |
File manager, FTP, or shell access |
| Delete-all-saves control | Use a host panel’s command that removes every save | No. GPORTAL states this action cannot be undone | Every server world | Host control panel |
If you simply want a fresh map while keeping the established world, rename the configured world. Deleting files is appropriate only when you intentionally want that save gone or need to reuse its exact name.
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If you rent a Valheim server and want a safety net before any destructive reset, Godlike.Host offers up to three free backups a day with restore, plus SFTP/FTP access and a Pterodactyl-based panel with a config editor, so backing up and switching world names stays simple.
Before touching settings or files
Complete these checks in order. They prevent the most common mistake: deleting a world that is not the one currently selected.
- Stop the server cleanly. Do this from the host panel or by stopping the dedicated-server process. Do not edit or delete a live save.
- Record the active world name. Check the panel’s World or SavegameName field, or the startup entry containing
-world. - Find the active save directory. On a self-hosted server, check whether startup includes a custom
-savedir; that option overrides the normal location. - Make a backup before destructive work. Copy the selected world files to storage outside the active save directory. Keep the original names so they can be restored if necessary.
- Decide whether the old world must remain selectable. If yes, use a new world name instead of deleting anything.
A backup is not the same as merely seeing .db.old or .fwl.old beside the current files. Those older copies may help recovery, but a separate copy gives you a clear rollback point.
How Valheim selects a world
The dedicated server loads the world named by its -world argument. For example, Iron Gate documents -world "Dedicated" as the argument that creates or selects a world called Dedicated. If that name does not yet have save files in the active directory, Valheim generates a new world; if matching files exist, it loads them instead.
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This is why changing only the name is a safe reset technique. The former files are not altered; the server simply points at a different name. Changing the argument or panel value back to the old name selects the previous save again.
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Reset a hosted server on Shockbyte
Start a new world while preserving the old one
- Open the Shockbyte control panel and stop the server.
- Open the Config tab.
- Change the World value to a new name that is not the existing world name.
- Save the configuration.
- Start the server.
- After startup, join and confirm that the new map is being generated. Keep the old world name recorded; selecting it later returns to that save.
This approach leaves the previous world in place and is the right choice for a trial map, a new biome run, or a group that may want to revisit its original build.
Permanently remove one Shockbyte world
- Stop the server from the control panel.
- Open Files and navigate to
savedata/worlds. - Identify the files whose base name matches the world you intend to reset.
- Delete
<worldname>.dband<worldname>.fwl. - If they exist, delete the matching
<worldname>.db.oldand<worldname>.fwl.oldfiles as well. - Restart the server with that world name selected.
- Confirm that the server creates a newly generated world rather than loading the previous map.
Do not delete every file in the directory when you intend to reset only one world. Matching the complete base name limits the operation to the selected save.
Reset a hosted server on GPORTAL
Create a new world and keep the old save
- Stop the server.
- Change SavegameName to a new name.
- Select Create new world.
- Save the setting and start the server.
- Verify the new map in game before inviting players back.
The former world remains associated with its old name. To return to it, stop the server and restore the previous SavegameName rather than deleting files.
Delete only the selected GPORTAL world
- Stop the server.
- Connect to the server by FTP.
- Open
/save/world_local. - Locate the
.dband.fwlfiles belonging to the target world. - Delete that world’s matching files.
- Start the server with the desired SavegameName.
GPORTAL also exposes a delete all savegames control. It removes every server save and cannot be undone, so it is unsuitable when another world must be retained. Use the FTP method for a one-world reset.
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Reset a self-hosted dedicated server
Find the directory Valheim is actually using
Iron Gate documents the -savedir [PATH] option for overriding the location of worlds and permission files. Check the startup script or launch configuration before browsing for saves. The documented default locations are:
| Platform | Default save directory |
|---|---|
| Windows | ../%USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim |
| Linux | ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim |
A custom -savedir takes precedence over these defaults. Deleting files from a default folder while the server uses a custom path will not reset the active world; it may instead put unrelated saves at risk.
Keep a startup configuration that survives updates
Iron Gate’s dedicated-server guide says: “We recommend that you make a copy of this file and enter the required information in the copy instead of the original, since the original file will be reset each time it is updated in Steam.” Keep your custom startup script or launch copy, and make changes there so an update does not restore the original settings.
Perform a reversible reset
- Stop the dedicated-server process cleanly.
- Open the custom startup script or launch configuration.
- Change the value after
-worldto a new name. - Leave the existing save directory in place unless you are deliberately changing it.
- Save the copied configuration and start the server.
- Connect and verify that the new world is being generated.
To go back, stop the process, restore the former -world value, and start again. The old files remain available under their original name.
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Perform a permanent same-name reset
- Stop the server process and wait for it to exit.
- Confirm both the active
-savedirand the exact value after-world. - Copy the matching world files outside the save directory.
- In the active save directory, remove only
<worldname>.dband<worldname>.fwl. Remove matching.db.oldand.fwl.oldfiles when they are present and you intend a complete reset. - Start the server with the desired
-worldvalue. - Check the first connection and confirm that the map is new before restoring player activity.
The key safety boundary is the combination of a stopped process, a verified save path, and a filename match. Skipping any one of those checks can leave the old map loaded or affect the wrong world.
Which files belong to a Valheim world?
| File pattern | Role in a reset | Action for a full reset of that named world |
|---|---|---|
<worldname>.db |
Primary world database identified by the world name | Back up, then delete if you want a new map under the same name |
<worldname>.fwl |
World metadata file paired with the database | Back up, then delete with the matching .db |
<worldname>.db.old |
Older database copy that may be present | Include it when you are intentionally removing the old save completely |
<worldname>.fwl.old |
Older metadata copy that may be present | Include it when present and when the reset is meant to remove all copies |
The base name must match the configured world name. Do not remove an unrelated world merely because its files are in the same directory.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use automatic backups on a self-hosted server
Iron Gate’s dedicated-server options include automatic backup parameters. The documented example values are:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute-backups 4keeps four backups.-backupshort 7200sets the short backup interval to 7,200 seconds.-backuplong 43200sets the long backup interval to 43,200 seconds.
These settings do not remove the need for an independent copy before a destructive reset. Treat automatic backups as an additional recovery layer, and verify that your startup configuration actually contains the options you intend to use.
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Why start a new Valheim world?
New content does not retroactively replace terrain that players have already explored. In its Ashlands guidance, Iron Gate recommends backing up worlds and explains that relevant content generates properly in previously unexplored areas. If your group has already explored the terrain where new content should appear, starting a new world can be the practical way to experience it without relying on unexplored pockets.
That decision is different from deleting a world. A new world name lets you preserve the established base, map discoveries, and player progress while giving the group a clean map for new exploration.
Troubleshooting after a reset
The old map still loads
- Stop the server again and check the configured World, SavegameName, or
-worldvalue for spelling and capitalization. - On a self-hosted installation, confirm that the process uses the same
-savediryou inspected. A custom path can make a reset in the default directory ineffective. - Check whether the old files were renamed rather than removed, or whether another copy exists under the active world name.
The server starts an unexpected world
- Compare the panel’s world field or startup argument with the filenames in the active save directory.
- Look for a second server instance using a different configuration or save path.
- Stop all relevant processes before changing the setting again, then start only the intended instance.
The world disappears after an update
Check the startup file first. Iron Gate warns that the original dedicated-server file can be reset when Steam updates it, which is why a copied custom file is recommended. Reapply the intended -world and -savedir values in that maintained copy.
You deleted the wrong files
Stop the server immediately and do not create additional saves under the same name. Restore the backed-up .db and .fwl files to the active directory, including the matching older copies if those were part of your backup, then restart with the exact original world name. If no independent backup exists, recovery depends on whatever older copies or host backups remain; a delete-all-saves operation cannot be undone on GPORTAL.
Quick Recap
Reset checklist
- Choose a new name for a reversible reset, or deletion for a permanent same-name reset.
- Stop the server before editing configuration or files.
- Record the exact selected world name.
- Verify the active save directory and any custom
-savedir. - Back up the matching
.dband.fwlfiles before deletion. - Include matching
.db.oldand.fwl.oldfiles when present and relevant. - Restart with the intended
-worldor panel value. - Confirm the map in game before players resume normal activity.
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