How to Back Up a Game Server (Any Game, Step by Step)

To back up a game server, force a save from the console, copy the world or save folder plus the config files to somewhere that is not the server, and keep more than one copy. On a hosted server with a backup button, press it before every update or mod change and download a copy every so often. That covers almost every disaster.

The part people get wrong is not the copying. It is copying while the server is still writing to disk, and keeping the only copy on the same machine. Here is how to do it properly for any game.

The three rules of game server backups

Save before you copy. A world copied mid write can be corrupt. Run the game's save command first, or stop the server.
Keep backups off the server. A backup on the same disk dies with the disk, or gets deleted with the server.
Keep more than one. Corruption and griefing are often noticed days later. One backup from an hour ago does not help if the problem started yesterday.

The classic version is the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two different kinds of storage, one of them somewhere else. For a friends server, "the server, the host's backups and a zip on your PC" is a fine 3-2-1.

When to take a backup

Before every game update.
Before installing, removing or updating mods and plugins.
Before editing world settings or loot tables.
Before a wipe, so you can always look back at an old map.
Before moving the server to another host or plan.
On a schedule, daily or weekly, depending on how much your group plays.

Step 1: save the world

Every game has a way to flush the world to disk. Run it in the server console:

Game	Save command
Minecraft Java	`save-all` (or `save-all flush` to finish writing before it returns)
Minecraft Bedrock	`save hold`, then `save query` until it reports the files are ready, copy, then `save resume`
Terraria	`save`
Rust	`server.save`
ARK: Survival Ascended	`SaveWorld`
7 Days to Die	`saveworld`
Palworld	`Save` (or `/Save` in game chat as admin)
Project Zomboid	`save`

On GamezServers, games like Minecraft and Rust have a Save world button in the panel, so you do not need to remember the command.

For Minecraft Java, the safest manual backup pauses autosave while you copy:

save-off
save-all flush

Copy the files, then turn saving back on:

save-on

If your game has no save command, stop the server, copy the files, and start it again. A stopped server is always safe to copy.

Step 2: copy the right files

Back up the world and the configs. Mods and the game itself can be downloaded again, your world cannot.

Game	World or save	Also copy
Minecraft Java	`world/`, plus `world_nether/` and `world_the_end/` on Paper and Spigot	`server.properties`, `whitelist.json`, `ops.json`, `plugins/`
Minecraft Bedrock	`worlds/<level-name>/`	`server.properties`, `allowlist.json`, `permissions.json`
Terraria	The `.wld` file in the worlds folder	`serverconfig.txt`, `tshock/` if you use TShock
Factorio	`saves/*.zip`	`server-settings.json`, `mods/`
Valheim	`worlds_local/` (the world's `.db` and `.fwl` files)	`adminlist.txt`, `bannedlist.txt`, `permittedlist.txt`
Rust	`server/<identity>/`	`server/<identity>/cfg/`, `oxide/` or `carbon/`
ARK: Survival Ascended	`ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/`	`ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/`
Palworld	`Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/<world id>/`	`Pal/Saved/Config/`
Project Zomboid	`Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/<server name>/`	`Zomboid/Server/`, `Zomboid/db/`
DayZ	`mpmissions/<mission>/storage_1/`	`serverDZ.cfg`, the mission's XML files
Enshrouded	`savegame/`	`enshrouded_server.json`
7 Days to Die	The `Saves` folder	`serverconfig.xml`

Once the folder is on your PC, zip it. Worlds are thousands of small files, and one zip is far easier to store, move and keep track of. Name it with the date: world-2026-10-01.zip.

Step 3: get a copy off the server

Pick whichever is easiest:

Browser file manager. Fine for small worlds and config files.
SFTP. Best for large worlds and modded servers. Connect with FileZilla or WinSCP and drag the folder to your PC. What is SFTP for game servers explains how.
A script on a self hosted server. On Linux, a cron job with tar does the job:

tar -czf /backups/world-$(date +%F).tar.gz -C /srv/minecraft world world_nether world_the_end

Then copy /backups to another machine or cloud storage, and delete old archives so the disk does not fill.

Built in backups worth turning on

Some games keep their own rolling backups. They are not a replacement for copies off the server, but they help with "the last hour went wrong":

Valheim: the server keeps automatic backups. Launch options -saveinterval (seconds between saves, default 1800), -backups (how many to keep, default 4), -backupshort and -backuplong control them.
Factorio: autosave_interval (minutes, default 10) and autosave_slots (default 5) in server-settings.json keep rotating _autosave files in saves/.
Terraria: keeps a .wld.bak next to each world, the previous save.

How to restore a backup

Stop the server. Never restore into a running server, it will overwrite your restore on its next save.
Move the current world aside, for example rename world to world-broken. Do not delete it until the restore works.
Upload the backup and unzip it in the same place, with the same folder name.
Check the configs point at the right world name.
Start the server and check the console for errors before inviting everyone back.

If a restored world will not load, the backup was probably taken mid save. Try the one before it, which is exactly why you keep more than one.

Backups on GamezServers

Every server has 3 backups, one click each:

Backup button. It sits next to Start, Restart and Stop on your server's panel. Press it and a backup of the whole server is stored safely off the server. When you already have 3, the oldest is replaced.
Automatic backups before big changes. When you click Update game, switch server type or switch to another game, we take a backup first and only make the change once it has finished.
Your own copies. Download any file or folder from the Files tab, or grab everything over SFTP with the login from Settings.
Restoring. Open Settings, find Backups and click Restore next to the one you want. The server stops and every file rolls back to that moment. If you have your own copy instead, stop the server and upload it through Files or SFTP.

Our habit: press Backup before every change, and download a zip to your PC once a week. Three server side backups plus your own copy is a proper 3-2-1.

One warning: deleting a server deletes its files and its backups. Download what you want to keep first.

FAQ

How often should I back up a game server?

Before every change, plus on a schedule that matches how much you play. A daily backup suits an active community server. A weekly one is fine for a friends world that gets played on weekends.

Can I back up a game server while it is running?

Yes, if you save first and, for Minecraft, pause autosave with save-off while copying. If the game has no way to pause saving, stopping the server is the safest option.

How big is a game server backup?

It depends on the game and the world. A fresh vanilla Minecraft or Terraria world is small. Old, heavily explored worlds and modded servers can run into gigabytes. Zip them to save space and transfer time.

Do I need to back up mods?

Back up the mod list and configs at minimum. The mods themselves can be downloaded again, but having the exact versions saves time if an update breaks compatibility.

Can I use a backup to move my world to another server?

Yes. That is the same process as a restore. See how to move your world to a hosted server.

Get backups without thinking about them

Pick a game on the games page. Your server is live about 60 seconds after payment, with 3 one click backups and SFTP from day one.