Project ZomboidHow to Move a Project Zomboid Save to a Dedicated Server
How to move a Project Zomboid save from co-op hosting to a dedicated server: which folders to copy, keeping characters, and what cannot be moved.
Updated Sep 30, 2026 · 5 min read
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To move a Project Zomboid save to a dedicated server, copy three things from the PC that hosted it: the world folder in Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/<servername>, the settings files in Zomboid/Server/ (<servername>.ini and <servername>_SandboxVars.lua), and the accounts database in Zomboid/db/. Upload them to the same places on the server, keep the server name the same, and start it. This works for worlds hosted with the in game Host button on the same build as the server.
What you can and cannot move
| Save type | Can it move to a dedicated server? |
|---|---|
| Co-op world hosted with the Host button, same build | Yes, this guide |
| Another dedicated server's world, same build | Yes, same steps |
| Build 41 world to a Build 42 server | No. Build 41 saves do not load in Build 42. Run the server on the legacy41 branch instead |
| Single player save | Not officially. Single player and multiplayer saves are stored differently, so start a new world on the server |
Before you start
- Stop the old host. Close the hosted game, or stop the old server with
quit, so everything is saved. - Back up. Copy the whole
Zomboidfolder somewhere safe before touching anything. - Check the build. The server must run the same build the world was made on.
- Match the mods. Every mod the world used must be on the new server, with the same Workshop IDs and Mod IDs, or the world can break.
Step 1: Find the files on the old PC
The Zomboid folder is in your user profile:
- Windows:
C:\Users\<you>\Zomboid\ - Linux and macOS:
~/Zomboid/
Inside it, find your server name. If you used the Host button without changing anything, it is almost always servertest.
| What | Where |
|---|---|
| The world: map, buildings, items, vehicles, zombies | Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/servertest/ |
| Server settings, mods, password | Zomboid/Server/servertest.ini |
| Sandbox settings | Zomboid/Server/servertest_SandboxVars.lua |
| Spawn settings, if present | Zomboid/Server/servertest_spawnregions.lua |
| Accounts and whitelist | Zomboid/db/servertest.db |
Copy all of them. The world folder can be large on long running saves, so zip it before uploading.
Step 2: Stop the new server and back it up
On the dedicated server, stop it so it does not write over your upload. If it already made its own world on first start, back it up or delete it, because you are replacing it.
Step 3: Upload to the matching folders
Upload each file to the same place inside the server's Zomboid folder:
- The world folder into
Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/ - The ini and lua files into
Zomboid/Server/ - The
.dbfile intoZomboid/db/
The names must match the server name the dedicated server starts with. If the server runs as servertest, keep everything named servertest. If it runs under another name, for example with -servername myworld, rename your files and folder to myworld to match: myworld.ini, myworld_SandboxVars.lua, Saves/Multiplayer/myworld and db/myworld.db.
For big worlds, an SFTP app like FileZilla or WinSCP is far more reliable than a browser upload.
Step 4: Check the ini and start
Open the uploaded ini with the server stopped and check:
WorkshopItemsandModslist every mod the world uses.DefaultPortandUDPPortmatch what the server is supposed to use. A home host might have changed them.Password,OpenandMaxPlayersare what you want now.
Start the server and watch the console until it reports that it has started. Then join and check your base.
What happens to characters
Characters of players who joined the co-op game are stored with the world, in the players database inside the save folder, and usually carry over when the whole folder moves. They log in with the same username and password as before.
The host's own character is the tricky one. In a co-op game the host's character is saved differently from everyone else's, and a dedicated server does not read it the same way. Often the host ends up with a fresh character while the world, base and items are all intact. Community guides describe ways to rename the host's local player files to rescue the character, but they depend on the build, so treat it as a bonus. The world moving over is the part that matters, and a fresh character can walk straight back to the base.
Common problems
- Server makes a brand new world: the folder or file names do not match the server name, or the world went into the wrong folder. Check
Saves/Multiplayer/<servername>. - Everyone spawns as a new character: the players database did not come across with the save folder, or the names do not match.
- Crash on load: a mod is missing or on a different version, or the world was made on another build.
- Settings reset after starting: you edited the ini while the server ran. Stop, edit, start.
The easy way
On a Project Zomboid server from GamezServers, you get an SFTP login in Settings for big uploads, a file manager to check the ini in the browser, and a one click Backup before you replace anything. Your world then stays online without anyone keeping a PC on. Setup takes about a minute, see how to host a Project Zomboid server.
FAQ
Where are Project Zomboid multiplayer saves stored?
In Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/<servername> in your user profile. The default name for hosted games is servertest.
Can I move a single player save to a server?
Not officially. Single player saves are not built for multiplayer, so start a new world on the server.
Can I move a Build 41 world to Build 42?
No. Keep playing it on a server running the legacy41 branch, or start fresh on Build 42.
Will my friends keep their characters?
Usually yes, as long as the whole save folder moves and they log in with the same username and password.
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