Backup Valheim Dedicated Server – World Folder Paths / Guide

During Valheim’s Early Access period, backups are absolutely essential (especially for dedicated servers).

My server has already been hit by the dreaded “world eater” bug” twice:

• Once during the very first major update
• Again during a normal server restart

When this happens, the world still loads using the same seed, so the terrain looks correct but every player-built structure, modification, and world change is completely gone.

Your bases disappear. Your progress disappears. Everything.

While Iron Gate continues patching and improving stability, the safest approach is simple:

Back up your world every single time you restart the server or install an update.

This guide will show you exactly where your world files are located, how to back them up, and how to restore them if disaster strikes.

Valheim Dedicated Server World Folder Location

Your Valheim dedicated server world files are stored in the following folder:

%userprofile%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds

Or manually:

C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds

You can paste either path directly into Windows File Explorer.

Which Files Need to Be Backed Up?

Inside the worlds folder, you’ll see files for your active world.

For example, if your world is named:

BestLand

You should see:

BestLand.db
BestLand.fwl

These are the two files you must back up.

What They Do

.db File

This is the important one.

It stores:

• Buildings
• Terraforming
• Player-made modifications
• World progression
• Everything you care about

.fwl File

This file is much smaller and appears to contain world metadata.

Even though it’s tiny, it updates frequently and is clearly required for a complete restore.

Always back up both files together.

Backup Instructions

The easiest backup method is also the fastest.

Quick Manual Backup

1. Select both files:
   • yourworld.db
   • yourworld.fwl
2. Press:

Ctrl + C

3. Then press:

Ctrl + V

Windows will automatically create copies like:

yourworld - Copy.db
yourworld - Copy.fwl

Or:

Copy (1)
Copy (2)

This works perfectly for simple backups before updates or restarts.

Better Backup Options

For longer-term protection, consider:

• External hard drives
• Network shared folders (CIFS/SMB)
• NAS storage
• Another PC on your network
• Cloud storage
• FTP backup destinations

I personally recommend naming backups using the current date, for example:

BestLand_2021-03-15.db
BestLand_2021-03-15.fwl

This makes it much easier to restore the correct version later.

The most important rule is:

Make sure both files are copied somewhere safe.

Automating Backups

You can also automate the entire process using a simple script.

For example:

• Scheduled Windows batch scripts
• PowerShell backups
• Linux shell scripts
• Automatic FTP uploads
• NAS sync jobs

Even a basic script that copies the two files before every restart can save your entire server.

Highly recommended.

How to Restore a Backup

If your world gets wiped, restoring is fortunately very simple.

Step 1: Shut Down the Server

Completely close the dedicated server first.

Do not attempt file restoration while the server is running.

Step 2: Remove the Current Files

Delete or move the broken versions of:

world.db
world.fwl

Step 3: Rename Your Backup Files

Take your backup copies and rename them back to the original file names.

For example:

From:

BestLand_2021-03-15.db
BestLand_2021-03-15.fwl

Back to:

BestLand.db
BestLand.fwl

Remove any:

• Copy (1)
• Copy
• Date stamps
• Custom naming

The filenames must match exactly.

Step 4: Start the Server Again

Launch the dedicated server normally.

Give it a minute or two before trying to connect.

Valheim servers often take some time to finish loading, and the console window may scroll for a while before it’s ready for players.

Be patient. It’s normal.

Final Recommendation

During Early Access, I strongly recommend this rule:

Restart Server = Backup First

Update Server = Backup First

Every single time.

It takes less than 30 seconds and can save hundreds of hours of progress.

It’s worth it.

Other Helpful Valheim Guides

If you also want to protect your single-player progress, check out my guide on:

Backing Up Valheim Local Worlds and Characters

And if your dedicated server is lagging badly, you may also want this guide:

Valheim Dedicated Server: Raising Send / Receive Limits

Both are worth reading if you’re running a serious Valheim server!