How to Upload a Valheim World to a Dedicated Server

To upload a Valheim world to a dedicated server, copy the world from worlds_local on your PC into the server's worlds_local folder, then set the server's world name to match exactly. Since Valheim 1.0 each world is a folder, so you move the whole folder. Worlds saved before 1.0 are a .db and .fwl pair and convert on their first load. Get the name wrong and the server simply makes a brand new world, which is the number one reason people think their upload failed.

Short answer

1. Stop the server.
2. On your PC, open %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local.
3. Copy your world's folder (1.0) or its .db and .fwl files (older saves).
4. Upload them into the server's worlds_local folder.
5. Set the server's world name (-world) to the folder or file name, exactly.
6. Start the server and wait for the world to load.

Step 1: Find your world on your PC

Your worlds are stored here on Windows:

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local

Paste that into the File Explorer address bar. On Linux the same folder is under ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local.

What you will see depends on when the world last saved:

The .old files next to them are automatic backups. You do not need them on the server, but keep them on your PC.

My world is not in worlds_local

It is probably saved to Steam Cloud. In Valheim, go to Start Game, select the world and use Manage saves to move it to local storage. Cloud worlds otherwise live under your Steam folder in userdata\<your id>\892970\remote\worlds. Moving it to local through the game is the cleaner option.

Worlds from a console cannot be copied to a PC server, because there is no way to reach the console's save files.

Step 2: Stop the server and back up

Stop the server before copying anything in. A running server writes its own world to disk and can overwrite what you upload. If the server already has a world, download a copy of it first. On a hosted server, press Backup in the control panel.

Step 3: Upload the world

Upload into the server's worlds_local folder, next to any worlds already there:

• Self hosted on Windows: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local on the server machine, or worlds_local inside the folder you set with -savedir.
• Self hosted on Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local.
• GamezServers: .config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local. For a world folder, use SFTP: in Settings, click Show SFTP login and connect with FileZilla or WinSCP. Small .db and .fwl pairs can go through the Files tab.

Keep the folder and file names exactly as they were. Do not add (1) or copy to them.

Step 4: Point the server at your world

The server loads whichever world matches its -world launch option. If none matches, it creates a new one with that name. So:

• World folder called Midgard means -world "Midgard".
• Files called Midgard.db and Midgard.fwl also mean -world "Midgard", without the extension.

Names are case sensitive on Linux. On a self hosted server, change -world in your start script. On GamezServers, the world name is a launch setting, so email support@gamezservers.com with the world's name if you need it changed.

Step 5: Start and wait

Start the server and watch the console. An old .db and .fwl world converts to the new format the first time it loads, and the server keeps a backup of the original files. On a big world this can take several minutes. Do not stop the server while it works, or you may have to start over from your backup.

When players join, they find their bases and builds exactly as they left them. Characters are stored on each player's own device, so everyone keeps their character and inventory.

Upload went wrong? Common fixes

• Brand new map instead of my world: the world name does not match the folder or file name. Check capitals and spaces.
• World loads but looks reset: a world with the same name was already on the server and loaded instead, or the server was running during the upload and saved over it. Stop, restore your copy, try again.
• Only half the files arrived: web uploads can time out on big world folders. Use SFTP.
• Server stuck loading: first time conversion of an old world. Give it time and check the console.
• A friend's map is blank: the explored map is saved with each character, not the world. A character that never visited this world starts with an empty map, even though the world itself is intact.

Moving the world back to your PC

It works the same in reverse. Stop the server, download the world folder from worlds_local, and put it in worlds_local on your PC. It then appears in your world list.

FAQ

Can I upload a single player Valheim world to a server?

Yes. Any world you created yourself can run on a dedicated server. Upload it and set the world name to match.

Do I need the .old files?

No. They are backups from earlier saves. Keep them on your PC in case you need to roll back.

Will my character come with the world?

Characters are separate from worlds and live on each player's device, so every player brings their own character when they join.

What is the difference between .fwl and .db?

In saves from before 1.0, .fwl holds the world's name and seed, and .db holds everything that changed: builds, items and explored terrain. You need both. In 1.0 they are replaced by a folder of smaller files.

The easy way

A hosted Valheim server takes world uploads over SFTP, keeps 3 backups you can make in one click, and stays online when you log off. See Valheim server hosting or the quick start for hosting a Valheim server.