How to Back up your Valheim server and Restore data from a save.

Surviving the brutal biomes in Valheim requires hard work, from building towering mead halls to hoarding iron scraps. Losing your progress to a corrupted save file is every Viking's worst nightmare! With recent game updates, Valheim shifted from standalone save files to a unified world folder system containing your .fwl2, .db2, and .chunk files.

Whether you want to back up your current server, transfer your local single-player world, or restore an earlier save point, managing your save files is quick and straightforward. This guide will walk you through step-by-step how to safely handle your world folders using the File Manager or FTP!

Important Save File Note

This guide applies exclusively to the 1.0 update save format. Old servers with pre-release saves will have loose legacy save files sitting inside the worlds_local/ directory alongside the new WORLDNAME folder once it updates and runs on 1.0. Brand new servers will only have the WORLDNAME folder with everything neatly contained inside.

Step - By - Step Guide

Before modifying, uploading, or downloading any save data, always turn off your server to prevent file corruption.

1. Navigate to Actions > Shutdown on your server panel dashboard to safely turn off your server.

   

Part 1: Backing Up Your Server World

1. Open the File Manager on your server dashboard (or connect via an FTP client like FileZilla).

   

    

2. Navigate to your server's save directory at: Server/saves/worlds_local/.

   

    

3. Locate the folder that matches your active world name (for example, MyWorld).

   

    

4. Download this entire world folder directly to your local computer. This folder contains all necessary map and object data for your server world.

   

Part 2: Restoring a Backup or Transferring a Local Save

1. On your local computer, locate your local single-player world folder. By default, local saves are stored at C:\Users\USER\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local\.

   

    

2. Select the entire world folder (such as NewWorld1) containing your _main.fwl2, _main.db2, and .chunk files.

   

    

3. Open your server's File Manager or FTP client and navigate back to Server/saves/worlds_local/.

4. Upload your complete world folder directly into the worlds_local directory.

   

    

5. Open the Basic Settings tab on your server panel menu.

   

    

6. Update the World Name variable to match the exact name of the world folder you just uploaded (e.g., change MyWorld to NewWorld1).

   

    

7. Navigate to Action > Restart to boot up your server with your restored save file active!

   

Troubleshooting and Tips

If your server fails to load your restored world or boots into a brand-new map, run through these quick troubleshooting checks:

• World Name Mismatch: The server matches the save folder name strictly by text. If your setting in Basic Settings does not match the folder name in worlds_local character-for-character, the server will ignore your upload and generate a fresh world folder.
• Missing Inner Files: Ensure you upload the complete world folder intact. If any chunk files or the _main.ok completion file are missing, the server engine may mark the world as unreadable.
• Legacy World Conversions: If you have legacy .db and .fwl files from older versions of Valheim, uploading them into Server / saves / worlds_local / will prompt the server to automatically convert them into the new unified folder format upon the next boot.
• Always Stop the Server First: Never copy, delete, or upload save folders while the server is active. Always use Actions > Shutdown beforehand to ensure save files are closed and unlocked.

Conclusion

Keeping regular backups of your Valheim world guarantees that your hard-earned fortresses and resources remain safe from data loss. By simply moving the world save folder into your worlds_local directory and aligning your server configuration, you can freely transfer local saves and restore backups in minutes. Secure your files, reboot your server, and set sail back into the Tenth World!

If you encounter any issues or have further questions, feel free to contact our support team for assistance! 

Happy gaming!