Rust Force Wipe Schedule 2026 (Dates, Times and Time Zones)

Rust force wipe happens on the first Thursday of every month, when Facepunch releases the monthly update at around 2 PM US Eastern (7 PM UK). The next Rust force wipe is planned for Thursday 5 November 2026, then Thursday 3 December 2026. Every server must map wipe that day because old maps do not load on the new version.

When is the next Rust force wipe?

The next force wipe is planned for Thursday 5 November 2026 at around 2 PM Eastern (11 AM Pacific, 7 PM UK). The most recent one was Thursday 1 October 2026, when the Livestock update released.

Future dates follow the first Thursday rule. Facepunch has shipped on that rule every month in 2026 so far, but treat upcoming dates as planned until the patch notes go up.

Rust force wipe dates for 2026 and 2027

Dates near holidays, such as 7 January 2027, are worth double checking on Facepunch's news page closer to the time, since the studio announces any change to the release day there first.

What time is Rust force wipe in my time zone?

Force wipe follows the 2 PM Eastern release, which lines up with 7 PM UK time for almost the whole year. In UTC it is 18:00 in summer and 19:00 in winter. The exception is the week or two each spring and autumn when the US and UK change clocks on different dates, when the UK time can shift by an hour.

The release time is approximate. Updates often appear a little after 2 PM Eastern, and Steam can take a few minutes to push the client and server builds. Oxide and Carbon usually follow within a few hours.

Which Rust updates came out in 2026?

Here are the monthly updates since April 2026, as listed on Facepunch's news page:

Every one of them landed on the first Thursday, which is why community servers plan their whole calendar around that day.

What is the difference between force wipe and blueprint wipe?

A force wipe resets the map: bases, loot and the world are gone, but players keep the blueprints they learned. A blueprint wipe also resets learned blueprints, so everyone starts from scratch. Facepunch only forces a blueprint wipe when an update says so in its notes, and most months it does not. Community servers choose their own blueprint wipe rhythm, often monthly or on every force wipe.

Why does Rust force wipe every month?

Each monthly update changes the world format, prefabs and monuments, so a save from the old version cannot load on the new one. Rather than let servers break in random ways, Facepunch forces a map wipe on everyone. It also keeps the game fresh: a month is long enough for groups to build up and raid, and short enough that new players do not face fully geared clans forever.

What wipe schedule should a community server use?

Pick one and put it in your server name and browser tags, because players filter by wipe day.

Use the weekly, biweekly or monthly tag in the server.tags convar so the browser filters find you. Our server not showing guide explains tags in more detail.

How do I prepare my server for force wipe day?

1. Back up before the update, so you have a copy of configs and plugin data.
2. Update Rust as soon as it releases. Self hosters run SteamCMD with +app_update 258550 validate.
3. Update Oxide or Carbon, then check the console for plugins that fail to compile.
4. Delete the map and save files (and blueprints if you blueprint wipe). Our Rust wipe guide lists every file.
5. Change the seed or size if you want a new layout. See how to change Rust map size and seed.
6. Start the server and let the new map generate, which takes a few minutes.
7. Announce it in Discord with the exact time you open.

On a GamezServers Rust server, steps 2 and 3 happen on a single restart, and the file manager handles the rest from your browser, so wipe day is a ten minute job instead of an evening with SteamCMD.

FAQ

What day is Rust force wipe?

Force wipe is the first Thursday of every month. In 2026 it fell on 2 April, 7 May, 4 June, 2 July, 6 August, 3 September and 1 October.

What time does Rust force wipe happen?

Around 2 PM US Eastern, which is 11 AM Pacific and 7 PM in the UK. Servers can wipe a little later while the update rolls out and frameworks catch up.

Is there a forced blueprint wipe every month?

No. Force wipe only resets the map unless Facepunch's patch notes announce a blueprint wipe. Community servers can still wipe blueprints whenever they like.

Can my server skip force wipe?

No. Old maps do not load on the new version, so you must start a fresh map once the server updates. You can keep blueprints and plugin data if you want.

When is the December 2026 force wipe?

It is planned for Thursday 3 December 2026 at around 2 PM Eastern. Check Facepunch's news page on the day for the patch notes.