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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchTo move an existing Valheim world to a dedicated server, make a backup, stop both the game and destination server, copy the complete save data, place it in the server’s active save directory, and start the server with -world set to the save’s exact name or prefix. Older saves are usually a matching .db and .fwl pair; current post-1.0 saves can be folders containing several numbered files, so uploading only one extension can produce a new or incomplete world.
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The procedure is the same in principle on a managed host and a self-hosted machine, but the controls differ. A hosting panel may provide an upload or world-import screen, while a self-hosted installation requires direct file access and, when necessary, the -savedir launch option.
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What is actually being transferred?
A Valheim world is not just a map image. Its save contains the generated world, seed, explored areas, structures, containers, progression and other persistent state. The server reads that state from its save directory when it starts. If the files are in another directory, or if the launch command points to a different name, Valheim has no reason to load your existing world and will create or open another one instead.
The format you see depends on the age and storage mode of the save. Traditional tutorials describe two files with the same base name: a .db database and a matching .fwl world file. Current post-1.0 saves may instead appear as a world folder with multiple numbered files. Treat the save as one complete unit. Do not select one file because its extension looks familiar, and do not combine files taken from different backups.
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Prepare the source and destination
Close Valheim before copying
Exit the game on every computer that may be writing to the source world. A running client can update the save while you are copying it, leaving a mismatched set of files. If the source world is hosted by another local or rented server, stop that server as well and wait until its process has fully exited.
Stop the destination server
Stop the destination instance from its control panel or service manager before uploading. A running server can keep old files open, save over your upload, or create a new world while the transfer is in progress. Do not restart it until the upload and launch configuration are complete.
Keep two independent backups
Copy the source save to a separate location before making any changes. Also preserve the destination server’s current save directory, even if you believe it is empty. Give each backup a date and a clear world name. Do not delete the original source until the imported server has been started and checked in game.
Find the existing world on the source computer
Windows
Iron Gate documents this default Valheim save root on Windows:
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheim
Look for the local-world area, commonly named worlds_local. The exact contents depend on whether the save is local, cloud-managed, or created by an older build. Sort candidate files or folders by modification time and identify the world you last played. A pair of files with the same base name is the classic layout; a folder containing numbered world files is the newer layout.
Linux
Iron Gate documents this default save root on Linux:
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~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim
As on Windows, inspect the local-world area and identify the active save by its name and recent modification time. A self-hosted Linux server may use this default only when its launch configuration has not selected another location.
Cloud-managed saves
If the world is stored in Valheim’s cloud storage, first use the game’s save-management controls to move or copy it to local storage. A cloud entry is not automatically a file in the local directory you can upload. After making a local copy, close the game and transfer that local copy. Keeping the cloud version untouched gives you a recovery point if the local export is wrong.
Identify the complete save set
Classic two-file saves
For an older save, locate the matching .db and .fwl files. The filenames before the extensions must match. Uploading only the database or pairing it with an .fwl from another world can result in an unreadable, empty, or apparently old world.
Post-1.0 folder saves
For current post-1.0 saves, you may see a folder named for the world and several numbered files inside it. Copy the folder and every file belonging to it, preserving the directory structure. Do not flatten the files into a different directory unless the destination host’s current import instructions explicitly require that layout.
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Do not mix generations or backups
A common mistake is to copy a new folder together with an older two-file pair, or to replace one numbered file with a file from an earlier backup. The server needs a internally consistent set from one point in time. If you are unsure which files belong together, make a fresh local copy from the game’s save-management screen and transfer that complete result rather than assembling files manually.
Upload the files to a managed server
Managed hosts normally expose either a web File Manager, an SFTP area, or a dedicated “upload world” or import control. Names and directory layouts differ by provider, so use the panel’s current Valheim instructions for the target save directory. The important checks are that the server is stopped, the complete save set is uploaded, and the files are placed in the directory used by that particular instance.
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- Stop the Valheim server in the panel and wait for its status to show that it is offline.
- Open the panel’s file manager or world-import tool. If it asks for an archive, create an archive that preserves the world folder and all of its numbered files; do not omit hidden or auxiliary files.
- Upload the matching
.db/.fwlpair or the complete post-1.0 world folder, depending on what your source contains. - Check the resulting path and filenames in the panel. An extra directory level, such as
worlds_local/worlds_local/..., means the server may not see the save. - Use the panel’s startup or world field to enter the exact world name or prefix expected by the uploaded files. Do not add a file extension unless the panel specifically requests one.
- Save the configuration, start the server once, and watch the startup log for the selected save directory and world. If the panel offers an import operation that sets the world automatically, still verify the resulting startup value.
Some panels create a default world the first time an instance starts. That is why importing while the server is running, or uploading after the initial launch, can leave you looking at a newly generated world. Stop the instance, replace or remove only the intended destination save, and then launch it with the imported name.
Upload files to a self-hosted server
Find the active save directory
A self-hosted server uses its default save root unless the launch command specifies another directory with -savedir. The directory on your desktop is therefore not necessarily the directory the server reads. Inspect the service file, startup script, or command line that launches the server and note whether -savedir is present.
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Copy the save safely
- Stop the server service and confirm that no Valheim server process remains.
- Back up the current destination save directory.
- Copy the complete source save into the directory selected by
-savedir, preserving names and subfolders. - Check ownership and permissions so the account that runs the server can read and write every uploaded file.
- Do not rename individual files. If you need a different world name, use the server’s world setting only when the destination format supports that name or prefix.
Set the launch options
Your existing startup command may contain many options, but the world selection is controlled by -world. A generic command fragment looks like this:
-world MyWorld -savedir /path/to/active/save
Use the actual name or prefix expected by your uploaded save, and replace the path with the directory used by your service. The executable, quoting rules and service syntax vary between operating systems and launchers, so add these options to the existing command rather than replacing the entire startup line with a copied example.
Iron Gate’s dedicated-server guidance states: “You may also choose an already existing World by entering its name.” The name must match exactly, including capitalization where the host or filesystem treats names as case-sensitive. A typo does not select the closest world; it can cause Valheim to initialize another one.
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Start the server and prove that the import worked
Start the destination server only after the files and launch settings are in place. The first successful start can take longer while the server reads the save. Check the console or panel log for the configured save directory and world name, then connect with a client.
Validate more than the world’s title. Confirm the following in a known location:
- The terrain and seed match the original world.
- Major bases, portals, chests and other structures are present.
- Previously explored map areas remain explored.
- World progression and defeated-boss state are correct.
- Recent building, inventory containers and other changes made before the transfer are present.
Leave the original backup untouched until these checks pass. If the imported server is correct, record the destination path, world setting and date of the migration so a later restore does not depend on memory.
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Both approaches can run the same save. The practical difference is who controls the filesystem, launch arguments and network edge.
| Decision area | Self-hosted server | Managed server |
|---|---|---|
| File control | Direct access to the machine, service files and the exact -world/-savedir options. |
Access is mediated by a panel, File Manager, SFTP account or provider import tool. |
| Upload and restore | You choose the copy method, archive format and backup schedule. | Panels may provide one-click imports, scheduled backups and restore controls, subject to provider limits. |
| Networking | You configure the firewall, port forwarding and service availability. | The provider handles the host network, but you must follow its current connection and firewall instructions. |
| Cross-platform play | You choose whether to add the crossplay option and configure the surrounding network. | Availability depends on the host’s supported backend and panel options. |
| Cost and limits | There is no provider-imposed slot or storage policy, but you supply hardware, bandwidth and maintenance. | Recurring cost, storage, backup retention, upload size and supported launch options vary by provider. |
Choose self-hosting when you need unrestricted access to files and launch arguments and are comfortable maintaining networking and backups. A managed service is easier when you want a browser-based import and restore workflow, but confirm that it exposes the save directory and lets you set the world name before committing to it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Ports, saving and crossplay settings
Default ports
Iron Gate’s current dedicated-server guidance lists ports 2456 and 2457 as the defaults: Valheim uses the configured port and the next port. If you keep those defaults, allow both through the server firewall and any router or hosting-panel rule that controls inbound traffic. If you select another base port, allow that port and its consecutive companion instead, and give players the host’s current connection details.
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Save interval
The official guide lists 1,800 seconds, or 30 minutes, as the default save interval. This is a server setting, not a file-transfer requirement. It does mean that changes made shortly before an unexpected shutdown may not be represented by the newest on-disk save, so schedule manual backups after important building or progression milestones.
When to use crossplay
Add -crossplay only when you need Valheim’s cross-platform backend. Iron Gate describes it as: “Runs the Server on the Crossplay backend (PlayFab), which lets users from any platform join.” Crossplay changes the networking backend; it does not convert, repair or relocate world files. A correctly uploaded world can run without this option, and adding it will not fix a wrong -savedir, an incorrect -world value or an incomplete upload.
Troubleshoot the common failure modes
The server creates a completely new world
- Stop the server again before making another copy.
- Verify that the files are inside the directory selected by
-savedir, not merely inside the game installation or a similarly named folder. - Compare the
-worldvalue with the uploaded save’s exact name or prefix. - Check for an accidental extra folder level created by an archive extraction.
- Confirm that the server was fully stopped during the upload and did not regenerate files afterward.
After correcting the path or name, remove only the unintended newly generated save after preserving it as a diagnostic backup, then start the server again.
The old world loads, but recent changes are missing
Re-copy the complete source save set and compare modification times with your backup. This symptom often means that an older backup was uploaded, one file in a pair was replaced without its companion, or a post-1.0 folder was only partially transferred. Do not combine the newest file with older files to “fill in” what appears missing; restore one internally consistent backup instead.
The world loads but looks empty or damaged
Stop the server and check that every file in the source folder was transferred, including all numbered files in a current save. For classic saves, confirm that the .db and .fwl names match. Compare the destination contents with the independent source backup. If the destination host’s importer requires a particular archive layout, rebuild the archive with the world folder at the level its instructions specify.
Players cannot see or join the server
- Check whether the selected networking backend matches the players’ platforms; use
-crossplayonly when that backend is required. - Verify the base port and its consecutive companion in the host firewall, router and panel settings.
- Confirm that the server is actually running after the import and that the host has not changed its connection address or instructions.
- Test the server locally or from an allowed network before changing world files; a connectivity problem does not indicate a bad save.
The server starts, then appears to overwrite the upload
Stop it immediately and preserve the destination directory as a backup. Inspect the startup log and service configuration for a different -savedir than the one you edited. Also check for two server instances using different launch scripts. Only after the active instance is identified should you copy the known-good save into its directory and restart.
The source uses a post-1.0 format but the tutorial mentions only two files
Ignore the two-file-only assumption. Use the complete folder and numbered-file set shown by the source save-management controls, and follow the destination host’s current import layout. The principle remains the same: preserve the entire save and point -world at its exact expected name or prefix.
Backing up and restoring after migration
Once the server is confirmed, establish a repeatable backup routine. Keep at least one copy away from the server machine and label it with the world name and date. Before a game update, host migration or major configuration change, stop the server, copy the complete active save and record the current -world and -savedir settings.
To restore, stop the server, preserve the existing destination directory, replace it with one complete backup in the correct format, verify the launch options, and start the server for the same in-game checks used after the original import. Never restore only a database file from a multi-file save, and never delete the last known-good backup before the restored world has been opened and checked.
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Quick Recap
Migration checklist
- Valheim and the source server are closed.
- The destination server is stopped.
- Independent source and destination backups exist.
- The save is local rather than cloud-only.
- The complete matching pair or complete post-1.0 folder has been identified.
- Files are in the destination’s active save directory.
-savedirpoints to that directory when a custom path is used.-worldmatches the save’s exact name or prefix.- Ports 2456 and 2457, or the chosen port and its companion, are allowed.
-crossplayis enabled only when the required backend is cross-platform play.- Seed, map, structures and progression have been checked before the original copy is removed.
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