The authoritative location for a Valheim dedicated-server world is the directory in its launch command. Find -savedir [PATH] in the server’s startup script or service definition first. That argument overrides Valheim’s default save directory and contains worlds plus permission files. If no -savedir is present, Windows servers normally use %USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim, while Linux servers use ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim.
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For the regular desktop game, first determine whether the world is stored in Steam Cloud or locally. Those modes use different folders, and Steam Cloud paths include both your Steam account number and Valheim’s app ID, 892970. macOS, Windows and Linux also have different local roots. The instructions below show how to identify the right path, recognize current save files, and move or restore a world safely.
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Quick reference: the paths that matter
Use the first applicable rule rather than searching every folder. A dedicated server’s explicit -savedir setting takes precedence over all defaults. For a normal Steam installation, the cloud/local choice determines the root.
| Use case | Platform | Default or current path |
|---|---|---|
Dedicated server without -savedir |
Windows | %USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim |
Dedicated server without -savedir |
Linux | ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim |
| Steam Cloud world | Windows | C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata<account number>892970remoteworlds |
| Local world | Windows | %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimworlds_local |
| Steam Cloud world | macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/Steam/userdata/<account number>/892970/remote/worlds |
| Local world | macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local |
| Steam Cloud world | Linux | ~/.local/share/Steam/userdata/<account number>/892970/remote/worlds |
| Local world | Linux | ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local |
The Windows Steam path shown assumes Steam’s default installation. If Steam is installed on another drive or in another directory, start at that Steam installation directory and then follow userdata/<account number>/892970.
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Dedicated-server saves: inspect the launch command first
Why -savedir is decisive
Iron Gate’s dedicated-server documentation defines -savedir [PATH] as an override for “the default save path where Worlds and permission-files are stored.” The server process, not the Steam desktop client, owns this setting. A service unit, Docker entrypoint, batch file, shell script or control-panel field may supply it.
Open the command that actually starts the server and search for -savedir. The value can be an absolute path such as /srv/valheim/data or a Windows path such as D:Valheimsaves. Back up and inspect that exact directory. Do not assume that the folder containing the server executable, the Steam client or the game installation is also the save root.
The -world argument selects a world
The startup option -world WorldName tells the server which world name to load. If that name already exists in the configured save directory, the server opens it; if it does not, Valheim creates a new world with that name. The option does not change the save location. A server can therefore appear to “lose” a world when its command points to a different -savedir or uses a different spelling for -world.
Steam backend and crossplay are separate from the save path
Iron Gate states that omitting -crossplay uses the Steam backend, so only Steam users can see and join that server. Adding -crossplay selects the PlayFab backend for supported platforms. Neither backend choice replaces -savedir; the world remains on the local filesystem configured for the server process.
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Finding a world in the regular game
Steam Cloud storage
Steam Cloud saves are under Steam’s userdata tree. The numeric directory identifies your Steam account, and 892970 is Valheim’s application ID. Current platform references place cloud worlds in the remote/worlds subdirectory:
- Windows:
C:Program Files (x86)Steamuserdata<account number>892970remoteworlds - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Steam/userdata/<account number>/892970/remote/worlds - Linux:
~/.local/share/Steam/userdata/<account number>/892970/remote/worlds
If more than one numeric account directory exists, use the account that launches Valheim. A second Steam account on the same computer can have a separate copy of the game’s cloud data.
Local storage
Local worlds use Valheim’s platform-specific worlds_local directory:
- Windows:
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheimworlds_local - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local - Linux:
~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local
A world will not appear in the local folder merely because you played it on that computer. If the save-management screen marks it as cloud storage, it remains under Steam’s userdata path until you move or copy it to local storage.
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Opening hidden folders
Windows hides AppData, macOS hides Library, and Linux hides directories whose names begin with a dot. The fastest method is to paste the complete path into the file manager: use the address bar in File Explorer, Go to Folder in Finder, or the location field in your Linux file manager. On Windows, typing %USERPROFILE% in File Explorer resolves your account folder automatically. On Linux, ~ means your home directory.
How to tell whether a save is cloud or local
Open Valheim’s save-management screen and check the storage indicator beside the world. The cloud and local symbols identify which storage mode is active. Use that indicator as the source of truth before browsing folders. A cloud world uses Steam synchronization; a local world is read directly from the platform’s worlds_local directory.
Cloud synchronization can make two copies appear current at different times. Wait for Steam to finish synchronizing before copying a cloud save, and avoid editing the same world simultaneously on two computers. A dedicated server does not read the desktop game’s cloud database directly: it needs a complete world set on the server’s local filesystem, normally under its configured -savedir.
Recognizing current Valheim save files
Folder-based modern saves
Current references describe modern saves as a folder named for the world. Inside it, files can include _main.<n>.fwl2 for metadata containing the world name, seed and ID, along with _main.<n>.db2, _main.<n>.chunks and individual .chunk files for world data. The numeric portion represented by <n> can vary as Valheim rotates or updates files.
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Do not copy only the file that looks like the world name. The metadata, database and chunk data form one save set. Missing a chunk or metadata file can leave the world absent from the in-game list or cause incomplete terrain and objects after loading.
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Older paired-file instructions
Guides that mention only <world>.fwl and <world>.db may describe an older save format. Those names are not proof that a current installation is broken. Match your backup procedure to the files actually present in your game version, and preserve every related file, including rotating .old files when they exist.
Move a world to a dedicated server
- Identify the destination. Read the server launch command and record the full value after
-savedir. If the option is absent, use the documented default for that server’s operating system. - Confirm the world name. Note the exact name shown in Valheim’s save manager and use the same spelling after
-world. World names are not interchangeable with character names. - Convert cloud storage to a local copy if necessary. In the save-management screen, use Valheim’s cloud/local controls to place a copy in local storage. A headless server cannot fetch a desktop Steam Cloud world through the game interface.
- Stop the destination server. Shut it down cleanly before copying anything. Never overwrite files while the server is running and writing its database or chunks.
- Copy the complete save set. Copy the entire world folder or all files belonging to that world into the destination
-savedir. Include current metadata, database and chunk files together, plus relevant.oldor rotating backup files. - Copy permission files when appropriate. The
-savedirroot also stores server permission files. Preserve them if you want to retain banned, permitted or admin entries; do not confuse those files with the world itself. - Set the startup name. Change or verify
-world WorldNameso it exactly matches the imported world. Keep the explicit-savedirin the command. - Start and verify. Launch the server, connect with a test character and check terrain, structures, inventory-related world state and recent progress. Stop again before making any corrective replacement.
Keep the original desktop copy untouched until the server has loaded successfully. An independent copy outside both Steam Cloud and the server directory gives you a rollback if synchronization or an import goes wrong.
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Iron Gate’s dedicated-server guide documents these default timings:
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| Setting | Default interval | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Regular save | 1,800 seconds (30 minutes) | Normal world-save interval |
| Short backup | 7,200 seconds (2 hours) | Short-cycle rotating backup |
| Long backup | 43,200 seconds (12 hours) | Long-cycle rotating backup |
| Retention | One short backup and three long backups | Default number retained by the server |
These are server defaults, not a guarantee that every host, wrapper or administrator leaves them unchanged. A managed service, container image or custom command may override the intervals or retention.
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- Stop the server and wait for the process to exit.
- Copy the entire configured save directory to a different disk or machine.
- Keep the world folder or file set intact; do not rename individual components.
- Record the date, server version and world name with the backup.
- Only then restart the server.
The built-in rotating backups are useful for recovering from a recent mistake, but they are not an independent copy if the same disk fails or the save directory is deleted. Keep at least one offline or separately mounted copy for important worlds.
Restoring an older state
Stop the server first, move the current world set out of the active -savedir, and place the chosen backup’s complete set in its place. Preserve the displaced files until the restored world has been tested. If the backup contains .old files or a numbered folder, restore the matching metadata, database and chunk files together rather than mixing dates.
Why a world is missing and what to check
It is not in the AppData folder
On Windows, the world may be in Steam Cloud under userdata rather than in AppDataLocalLow. Check the save-management indicator and then inspect remote/worlds. A dedicated server may also use an entirely different path supplied by -savedir.
The server creates a new world
- Verify that the server is using the same
-savedirwhere you copied the files. - Check the exact capitalization and spelling of
-world. - Ensure you copied the complete current save set, not just an older
.fwlor.dbfile. - Confirm the server account can read and write the destination directory.
The imported world does not appear in the list
Look for the modern folder-based files, especially _main.<n>.fwl2 and _main.<n>.db2, and verify that they are inside the expected world directory rather than one level too deep. A cloud copy may still be in the Steam tree, so create or select a local copy before transferring it to a headless server.
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Recent progress is missing
Check the save time and the backup date. If Steam Cloud and a local copy both exist, you may have copied the older one. On a server, the latest regular save can be up to the configured save interval old; with Iron Gate’s default, that interval is 30 minutes. Restore only after stopping the process and preserving the current files.
Quick Recap
Choosing the right storage model
| Storage choice | Ownership and access | Best use | Main caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Cloud | Steam synchronizes the account’s copy under the app-ID tree | Playing the same desktop world across Steam installations | Not directly available to a headless server; conflicting copies can synchronize |
| Local desktop save | Valheim reads the platform’s worlds_local directory |
Manual control and straightforward export | Not automatically synchronized between computers |
| Dedicated server default | The server process owns the OS-specific default directory | A simple installation with no custom data layout | Easy to overlook when the service runs under another user account |
Dedicated server with -savedir |
Administrator chooses the filesystem root | Separate disks, containers, migrations and scheduled backups | Every backup and restore operation must use the configured path |
| Built-in rotating backups | Server creates short- and long-cycle copies | Recovering from a recent in-game mistake | Limited retention and usually stored with the live data |
| Independent offline copy | Administrator controls a separate destination | Protection from disk failure, deletion or bad synchronization | Requires a manual or external backup routine |
Key points to remember
- For a dedicated server, inspect the startup command and treat
-savediras authoritative. - Steam Cloud uses
userdata/<account number>/892970/remote/worlds; local saves use the operating system’sworlds_localdirectory. - Hidden folders such as Windows
AppData, macOSLibraryand Linux dot-directories can be opened by pasting their paths into the file manager. - Current saves may be folder-based with
.fwl2,.db2and chunk files; older paired.fwl/.dbadvice is version-specific. - Stop the server before copying or restoring, and preserve the complete save set plus relevant rotating files.
- Iron Gate’s documented defaults are a 30-minute save interval, two-hour short backups, 12-hour long backups, one short backup and three long backups.
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