To move an existing The Forest world to a dedicated server, stop the server, back up the complete numbered save folder (such as Slot1), upload that folder to the server’s multiplayer-save directory, select the matching Save Slot, and set Init Type to Continue. After saving the settings, restart the server and verify the world before anyone builds or stores new items.
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What you are moving
The Forest stores a world in a numbered slot folder. The folder contains the files that describe the terrain state, buildings, inventory data and other progress. A dedicated server does not use the single-player directory directly: it needs a copy of the slot in its own multiplayer-save location.
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The migration is therefore a file-and-configuration operation, not an in-game export. You must transfer the entire slot folder, preserve its name, and tell the server which slot to load. Uploading individual files, renaming the folder, or leaving the server in its default “New” initialization mode can result in a blank world.
Before you begin
- Have access to the local computer that contains the save.
- Have the server control panel’s file manager or FTP/SFTP details. The panel should also expose a Save Slot selector and an Init Type selector, or provide equivalent configuration fields.
- Know whether the panel calls its destination
/savesMultiplayerorTheForestDedicatedServer_Data/Multiplayer. Providers use different layouts. - Make sure nobody is connected while files are being replaced.
- Keep enough local disk space for a backup copy of the slot.
Find the local save folder
Windows
On Windows, open File Explorer and paste this path into the address bar:
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%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowSKSTheForest
Open the folder named with your long numeric Steam ID. Inside it, choose Singleplayer or Multiplayer, depending on where the world was created. You should see numbered folders such as Slot1, Slot2 and so on.
The folder name is significant. If you intend to upload Slot1, the server must later be configured to load slot 1. Do not open the slot and upload only some of the files inside it; select the complete Slot1 folder itself.
Other client platforms
Path names differ outside Windows. A commonly documented layout is shown below; the server-side destination can still differ by hosting panel.
| Client platform | Documented save root | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | C:Users<YourUserName>AppDataLocalLowSKSTheForest<YourSteamID> |
Singleplayer or Multiplayer, then a numbered slot folder |
| Linux | /home/<YourUsername>/.config/unity3d/SKS/TheForest/Saves |
The corresponding numbered save slot |
| macOS | /Users/<YourUsername>/Library/Application Support/unity.SKS.TheForest |
The corresponding numbered save slot |
If a platform path is hidden, enable hidden files in the operating system’s file browser. If you cannot find the expected folder, confirm that you are looking at The Forest, not Sons of the Forest; the games use different save locations and this procedure does not substitute one game’s files for the other.
Back up the slot before changing anything
Copy the entire numbered folder to a separate location before uploading. For example, copy Slot1 to an external drive or a clearly named local backup folder. Keep the original untouched until the server has loaded the world successfully.
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If the server already contains a save in the target slot, download or copy that server-side folder before replacing it. A backup gives you a recovery point if the wrong slot is selected, an upload is interrupted, or the existing server world is overwritten.
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Stop the dedicated server
Use the hosting panel’s Stop command and wait until the status shows that the process has ended. Do not upload over a running server: it may keep files open, write a new state after your transfer, or leave a partially replaced slot. If the panel has separate “restart” and “stop” controls, choose a full stop for the file-transfer phase.
Upload the complete slot folder
Choose the transfer method
Use the panel’s browser file manager when it supports folder uploads. Otherwise connect with an FTP client such as FileZilla using the host’s supplied address, port, username and password. The exact interface is different, but the required result is the same: the numbered folder must arrive intact on the server.
Choose the server destination
Common destination labels are:
/savesMultiplayerTheForestDedicatedServer_Data/Multiplayer
Open the directory identified by your provider for multiplayer saves. Do not assume that a similarly named root directory is correct; some panels expose a virtual home directory while others show the game’s installation tree. If the provider documents one of the paths above, follow that panel-specific layout.
Transfer and preserve the name
- With the server stopped, open the multiplayer-save directory.
- If you are replacing an existing slot, move the old folder out of the way or download it as a backup rather than deleting it immediately.
- Upload the whole local folder, for example
Slot1. - Wait for the file manager or FTP client to report completion. A large world can take time; do not start the server during an active transfer.
- Confirm that the destination contains the uploaded numbered folder and that its name is unchanged. Do not rename
Slot1to a descriptive title.
If the panel creates an extra nesting level, correct it before starting the server. The expected structure is the multiplayer-save directory containing Slot1, not Slot1/Slot1 created by accidentally uploading a folder inside a same-named folder.
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Set the server to load the uploaded world
Match Save Slot
Open the server configuration editor and set Save Slot to the number represented by the folder name. For Slot1, choose 1; for Slot2, choose 2. Some panels use a numeric field, while others provide a drop-down list. The label may be shortened, but it must refer to the world slot rather than a player slot.
Set Init Type to Continue
Set Init Type to Continue. A panel may display the same choice as “Continue your Current Save.” This tells the dedicated server to load the files you uploaded. If Init Type remains New, the server can create a fresh world even when the slot folder is present.
Apply the configuration
Save or apply the panel settings before starting the process. If the panel has separate “save configuration” and “start” actions, save first, confirm that the values remain visible, and then start the server.
Restart and verify the migration
- Start the dedicated server after the upload and configuration have completed.
- Wait for the server to finish loading before joining.
- Connect with the same game version and check landmarks, buildings, terrain changes and stored items that you recognize from the local world.
- Ask another player to join if possible, so you can confirm that multiplayer access works and that the world remains stable when a second connection is present.
- Only after verification should you let players make substantial changes or remove the backup.
A successful login alone is not proof that the correct save loaded. A newly generated forest can still accept players normally, so compare unmistakable structures or terrain modifications from the original world.
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You can upload a world created in the local Singleplayer area, but the dedicated server loads it through its multiplayer-save directory. Select the slot folder from the single-player branch, copy it as a backup, and upload that complete folder to the server’s multiplayer destination. The server-side directory—not the name of the local parent folder—determines where the dedicated process looks.
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The former host’s character data deserves special attention. One hosting guide warns that the host player starts a new character when joining an uploaded save. As a precaution, place valuable items in a safe location or hand them to another player before migration. The world itself can transfer while the original host’s expected inventory does not appear in the same way.
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The server starts a completely new world
Check both configuration values, not just the files:
- Confirm that Save Slot matches the uploaded folder number. An uploaded
Slot1requires slot 1. - Confirm that Init Type is Continue, not New.
- Save the configuration and restart after correcting either value.
If those settings are correct, stop the server again and verify that the slot folder is directly inside the provider’s multiplayer-save directory rather than one level deeper.
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Browser file managers sometimes refresh slowly, and FTP clients can display a cached directory listing. Refresh the listing, then check the exact path expected by the provider: /savesMultiplayer and TheForestDedicatedServer_Data/Multiplayer are common but not interchangeable labels. If the folder is present in one path while the server reads another, the process will behave as though no upload occurred.
The server reports a missing or invalid save
Stop the server and inspect the transfer. The folder should retain its original name and contain all of its contents. An interrupted transfer, a permission failure, or uploading only the files inside the folder can leave an incomplete slot. Re-upload from the untouched local backup after removing or relocating the incomplete server copy.
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The world loads, but the host has no expected inventory
This is a known migration caveat for the former host character. Store critical resources in a shared, safe location before migration or transfer them to another player. Do not treat a missing personal inventory as proof that the world upload failed; verify the world state separately.
The old server world was overwritten
Do not continue experimenting on the only copy. Stop the server, preserve the current folder, and restore the backup you made before replacement if you need the previous state. For future migrations, download or copy the server’s existing slot before uploading a new one.
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These paths and settings apply to The Forest. Sons of the Forest has different save paths and server procedures. Confirm the game’s title before moving any files.
What to check when choosing a server host
The migration is easiest when the host exposes the controls and file access needed for this workflow. Compare providers on the practical capabilities below rather than assuming every panel uses the same directory names.
| Capability | Why it matters for a save upload | Questions to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Browser file manager | Lets you upload a complete slot without installing a separate client. | Can it upload folders, show hidden files and confirm transfer completion? |
| FTP or SFTP access | Provides an alternative for large folders or panels with limited browser controls. | Are credentials, ports and the correct remote directory documented? |
| Save Slot editor | Allows the server to target the number in the uploaded folder. | Is the slot number visible and saved independently of startup commands? |
| Init Type editor | Lets you choose Continue instead of allowing a new-world default. | Is the setting labelled Continue or “Continue your Current Save”? |
| Backups and restore | Protects an existing world before replacement and provides recovery after a mistake. | Can you create, download and restore a dated backup? |
| Path documentation | Prevents uploads into a directory the server never reads. | Does the help documentation identify the multiplayer-save path for your panel? |
| Stop and restart controls | Ensures files are not changed while the game process is writing them. | Can you perform a full stop, confirm the stopped state, then restart? |
| Support quality | Useful when the panel’s virtual paths differ from generic instructions. | Can support identify the actual save directory and inspect configuration values? |
Final migration checklist
- Save folder belongs to The Forest, not Sons of the Forest.
- Correct Steam ID and
SingleplayerorMultiplayerbranch were used. - Complete numbered folder, such as
Slot1, was copied and backed up. - Dedicated server was fully stopped before file changes.
- Folder was uploaded directly to the provider’s multiplayer-save directory.
- Folder name was not changed or nested accidentally.
- Save Slot matches the number in the folder name.
- Init Type is set to Continue.
- Configuration was saved before restart.
- World landmarks and shared items were checked after joining.
- Important host inventory was secured because character data may not migrate as expected.
The Bottom Line
The reliable sequence is: back up the numbered slot, stop the server, upload the entire folder to the server’s multiplayer-save directory, select the matching Save Slot, choose Init Type Continue, save the settings, and restart. If a fresh world appears, check the slot number, initialization mode and remote directory before uploading again.
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