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How to Upload a PC-Generated World to a Terraria Mobile Server

Copy the vanilla .wld file, stop the server, upload it to the active Worlds directory, set the startup world name, and match server and save versions before mobile players connect.
Length9 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Upload the vanilla Terraria .wld file—not the entire PC save folder—to the server’s active Worlds directory. Stop the server first, set its startup world to the uploaded filename, and verify that the server build can load the save version before mobile players connect. Keep the original file and its .bak backup because the first launch can update a world.

What you are transferring

A vanilla Terraria world is stored as a file ending in .wld. That is the portable world artifact a dedicated server can load. A Windows save may also have a matching .bak file. The backup is not the file you normally start; retain it separately in case the server changes or damages the primary save.

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Do not treat a modded save as interchangeable with a vanilla mobile save. tModLoader keeps saves in a separate directory and can create additional metadata such as .twld. A vanilla, mobile-compatible server should receive the vanilla .wld world, not tModLoader metadata. Mobile players generally need the vanilla/mobile-compatible server path rather than a modded server.

Preflight checks before moving anything

  • Make two backups: retain the untouched PC .wld and its .bak, and copy the world to a separate local folder before uploading.
  • Confirm the server type: use a dedicated-server build that supports mobile clients and the world’s game version.
  • Know the active storage location: managed hosts normally expose a server Worlds folder in their file panel; self-hosted servers use the configured worldpath or the server’s own Worlds directory.
  • Plan downtime: replacing a world while the process is running can leave the server using an old copy or overwrite your upload when it saves on shutdown.
  • Check memory: 505 Games lists 1 GB RAM as the minimum for Android and iOS mobile 1.4 devices and 1.5 GB as recommended for large worlds or heavier settings (2023). Actual requirements can change with later content updates.

Find the world on a Windows PC

Vanilla Terraria

  1. Close Terraria or leave the world before copying it, so the file is not being written.
  2. Open File Explorer and go to DocumentsMy GamesTerrariaWorlds.
  3. Identify the world you want by its filename and the .wld extension. Windows may hide extensions; enable View > Show > File name extensions if you need to confirm the suffix.
  4. Copy the .wld file to a temporary folder outside the Terraria directory. Copy the matching .bak, if present, to the same backup location, but do not rename the original until you have verified the server copy.

The filename you see here is important later: the server’s startup save setting must point to the uploaded world using the filename expected by that panel or server configuration.

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tModLoader worlds

tModLoader uses a separate save location and may associate a world with .twld metadata. Those files belong to a modded environment. If the destination is a vanilla mobile server, return to the vanilla Terraria save location and select a vanilla .wld instead. Uploading only part of a modded save can produce a world that fails to load or lacks mod content; uploading mod metadata to a vanilla server does not make mobile clients compatible.

Stop the server and open its world directory

Managed hosting panel

  1. Sign in to the hosting control panel for the Terraria instance.
  2. Press Stop and wait until the status confirms that the process is offline. Do not upload while the server is still starting, running, or stopping.
  3. Open the panel’s Files tab and enter the server’s Worlds folder. Some panels place it at the server root; others expose the path through a file browser. Use the folder that the startup configuration actually references.

The hosting workflow documented by BisectHosting uses this stop-then-Files-tab sequence. Folder names can vary between providers, so the decisive test is whether the startup configuration points to that directory.

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Self-hosted dedicated server

Stop the dedicated-server process cleanly, then locate the directory specified by its worldpath setting. If no custom path is configured, use the server’s own Worlds directory. Do not assume that the client’s Documents folder is the server’s active location: a dedicated server may run under another operating-system account or from another drive.

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Upload the PC world and select it at startup

  1. With the server stopped, drag the copied .wld file into the active server Worlds directory. Wait for the transfer to finish before closing the file panel.
  2. Open the server’s startup, launch, or configuration settings.
  3. Set the save/world name to the uploaded filename exactly as required by the panel. Preserve its spelling, spaces, capitalization, and extension rules; do not accidentally create a doubled suffix such as .wld.wld.
  4. Save the configuration, then start the server.
  5. Watch the console or startup log for a successful world load. If the process creates a new world instead, stop it before allowing players to join and correct the world-name setting or directory.
  6. Connect from a mobile client only after the server has completed startup. Have one player verify a few known landmarks, chests, and spawn areas before treating the migration as complete.

A first launch can write changes to the world. That is why the untouched PC copy and .bak should remain outside the server directory until you have tested the result.

Extract a world from Android Terraria

Android’s application-data location is usually inaccessible from an ordinary file browser, so the documented approach uses a USB data connection to a computer.

  1. Exit Terraria on the phone.
  2. Connect the phone to the computer with a USB cable that supports data, not charging only.
  3. On the phone’s USB notification, choose the file-transfer or MTP mode if prompted.
  4. On the computer, browse to the phone’s internal storage and then to Android/data/com.and.games505.TerrariaPaid/Worlds. The phone’s storage root may be displayed under a device name; that root is represented here as Phone.
  5. Copy the desired world file to a temporary folder on the computer. Preserve the .wld extension and keep the original phone copy until the server version has been tested.
  6. Disconnect the phone safely, then follow the server stop, upload, startup-name, and version checks described above.

Android file-access restrictions differ by operating-system version and file manager. If the folder is not visible, use a computer with MTP enabled rather than moving or renaming files at random; the goal is to obtain the actual vanilla .wld file.

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Extract a world from iOS Terraria

Terraria’s configuration documentation identifies the iOS location as Browse > On My (device) > Terraria. The exact export controls depend on the iOS version and the file-management interface available on the device.

  1. Open the Files app and choose Browse.
  2. Select On My iPhone or On My iPad, then open the Terraria folder.
  3. Locate the world file and use the Files app’s share, copy, or move command to place it in a temporary folder that you can access from the server-upload computer. If the game presents an in-app export command, use that command to create the copy.
  4. Confirm that the exported item is a vanilla .wld world before uploading it.
  5. Stop the server, upload the file to its active Worlds directory, set the startup save name, and perform the version check before starting it.

Apple’s file permissions and Terraria’s export options can change between iOS releases. If the world does not appear in Files, update the device’s sharing or export route rather than uploading an unrelated folder or archive.

Match the server and save versions before mobile players join

Version compatibility is the most important migration check after obtaining the file. The server build must be able to load the save’s Terraria version, and the server must be configured for mobile clients. A server that opens an older save with a newer build may update the file during startup. BisectHosting cautions: “Ensure the server version matches the desired saves version; otherwise it could be updated, preventing mobile players from joining the server.”

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Use this order:

  1. Identify the Terraria version that last saved the world.
  2. Check the dedicated-server build and its mobile-support settings.
  3. Back up the world before the first launch on that build.
  4. Start the server with no players connected and inspect the startup result.
  5. Only then test a mobile connection. If the server has advanced the save to a version the mobile client cannot use, stop it and restore the untouched backup before changing versions.

The official dedicated-server documentation distinguishes mobile-server settings, including a mobile-specific difficulty offset. That setting is separate from the world file itself: uploading a PC world does not automatically make an incompatible server build suitable for mobile players.

Troubleshoot a missing world or failed mobile connection

Symptom Likely cause What to check
The world is absent from the selection list Wrong folder, wrong extension, or a name mismatch Confirm the file ends in .wld, is in the directory used by worldpath or the hosting panel, and that the startup save name matches the uploaded filename exactly.
The server starts a fresh world The startup setting points elsewhere or the filename was entered incorrectly Stop the server, inspect the active Worlds directory, remove ambiguity between similarly named files, and correct the startup world value before restarting.
The server refuses to load the file Modded metadata, corruption, or an unsupported save version Use the vanilla .wld rather than .twld, restore the original backup, and run a server build that matches the save version.
PC clients can join but mobile clients cannot Server build or version is not mobile-compatible Verify the mobile-capable dedicated-server build, mobile-specific settings, and matching Terraria versions on the server and phones.
The file changes after startup The server migrated or saved the world during its first launch Stop the server, preserve the changed copy for diagnosis, and use the untouched PC backup when testing another compatible build.
Android world cannot be found USB connection is charge-only or Android data access is restricted Enable MTP/file transfer, use the path Android/data/com.and.games505.TerrariaPaid/Worlds, and copy the file to a computer before uploading.
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Backups and a safe rollback plan

Keep three distinct copies until everyone has verified the migration:

  • Original PC copy: never open or overwrite this copy on the server.
  • Automatic backup: the matching .bak, if Terraria created one.
  • Working server copy: the file currently in the server’s Worlds directory.

If the server updates the world unexpectedly, stop it before another save occurs. Rename or move the working copy out of the active directory, restore the original .wld, and correct the server version before trying again. Do not overwrite the only backup with a file that has already been migrated.

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Choose the right server and transfer method

Choice Advantages Trade-offs and requirements
Self-hosted dedicated server Direct control over files, server version, configuration, and backups. You must manage the process, locate worldpath, maintain uptime, and provide enough memory and network capacity.
Managed host with a file panel Stop controls, a browser-based Files tab, and simpler upload and startup settings. You must use the host’s active directory and configuration labels; folder paths and controls vary by provider.
Vanilla/mobile-compatible server Best compatibility path for Android and iOS players using an unmodded world. Cannot load tModLoader-only content or rely on .twld metadata.
tModLoader server Supports modded PC content when every client and the server use the same mod environment. Not the normal route for mobile clients; a modded save should not be uploaded to a vanilla mobile server.
USB transfer Copies the source file directly from Android or a local PC and keeps the transfer under your control. Requires a data-capable cable and, on Android, access to application data.
Cloud transfer Convenient when the source device and upload computer are in different places. Not required by the documented procedure; verify that the downloaded file remains the original .wld and has not been renamed or compressed incorrectly.

Memory and mobile performance considerations

505 Games’ 2023 mobile requirements list 1 GB of RAM as the minimum for Android and iOS mobile 1.4 devices, with 1.5 GB recommended for large worlds and heavier settings. Treat those figures as device requirements, not a guarantee that every dedicated server will perform well with a large multiplayer world. World size, active players, server software, and later game content can change practical needs.

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If the server repeatedly stops during loading, inspect its memory allocation and logs before assuming the .wld is corrupt. Test the same backup on a version-compatible server with enough available memory, and keep mobile clients on a supported Terraria release.

Final verification checklist

  • The uploaded file is a vanilla .wld.
  • The server was stopped before the file was added or replaced.
  • The file is in the directory used by the server’s worldpath or active host configuration.
  • The startup save name matches the uploaded filename exactly.
  • The dedicated-server build supports mobile clients and matches the world-save version.
  • The original PC world and .bak remain available outside the server directory.
  • A server-only test confirmed the expected world before mobile players connected.

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