Valheim World Save Location (Windows, Linux, Servers) 2026

On Windows, Valheim worlds are saved in %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local. On Linux and on most dedicated servers the same folder is ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local. Since Valheim 1.0, each world is a folder of chunk files instead of the old .db and .fwl pair. Characters are saved separately in characters_local, next to worlds_local.

Where are Valheim saves on each platform?

The quickest way on Windows: press Win + R, paste %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim, and press Enter. AppData is hidden by default, which is why people cannot find it by browsing.

Characters live in characters_local in the same parent folder. Admin, ban and whitelist files (adminlist.txt, bannedlist.txt, permittedlist.txt) sit in the parent Valheim folder on a server.

Is my world saved locally or in Steam Cloud?

Valheim lets you store each world and character either locally or in Steam Cloud. If your world is not in worlds_local, it is probably a cloud save. To move it:

1. Click Start Game and pick a character.
2. Select the world and click Manage saves.
3. Move the world to local storage.

Local saves are easier to back up and to upload to a server. Cloud saves follow you between PCs, but Steam Cloud has size limits and you cannot see the files as easily.

What files make up a Valheim world?

That depends on when the world was last saved.

Since Valheim 1.0 (September 2026), each world is a folder named after the world. Iron Gate moved to this format so only the changed parts of a world are rewritten on each save. Inside you will find files like:

Treat the folder as one unit. Copy, move and back up the whole folder, never individual files from it.

Before 1.0, a world was two files:

• WorldName.fwl: the world's name and seed.
• WorldName.db: everything that changed, including builds, items and terrain.
• .old versions of each are the previous save, kept as a fallback.

Old worlds convert to the folder format the first time Valheim 1.0 loads them, and the game makes a backup before converting. Iron Gate's 1.0 FAQ covers what happens to old worlds.

How do you back up a Valheim world?

On your own PC:

1. Close Valheim (or stop the server) so nothing is mid save.
2. Open worlds_local.
3. Copy the world's folder (or its .db and .fwl for an old world) somewhere safe: another drive, a USB stick or a cloud folder.
4. Add the date to the copy's name so you know which is which.

Back up before every boss fight you are nervous about, before big patches, and before installing or removing mods. It takes seconds and is the only real undo Valheim has.

Does Valheim make its own backups?

Yes. Valheim keeps automatic backups next to the live world, and since 1.0 each backup is its own folder. On a dedicated server you control the schedule with launch options:

-saveinterval 1800 -backups 4 -backupshort 7200 -backuplong 43200

Those are the defaults: save every 30 minutes, keep 4 backups, take the first 2 hours after start and the rest every 12 hours. A server that restarts often may never reach the 12 hour mark, so a shorter -backuplong (for example 21600, 6 hours) is sensible for groups who play in the evenings.

To restore one in game, select the world, click Manage saves and pick the backup. On a server, stop it, move the broken world folder aside, copy the backup folder into place with the world's original name, and start again.

How do you move a world to a dedicated server?

Copy the whole world folder from worlds_local on your PC into worlds_local on the server, then set the server's world name (-world) to the folder name exactly. If the names do not match, the server quietly creates a brand new world. Full steps and fixes are in how to upload a Valheim world to a dedicated server.

Going the other way works the same: stop the server, download the folder, and drop it into worlds_local on your PC. It then shows up in your world list.

Where does a dedicated server keep the world when using -savedir?

The -savedir launch option moves the whole save root. With -savedir "D:\ValheimData", worlds go in D:\ValheimData\worlds_local and the admin and ban lists in D:\ValheimData. It is useful when you run more than one server on a machine, or want saves on a different drive. If your server ignores a world you uploaded, check its start script for a -savedir value first. Our guide on making a Valheim server covers the other launch options.

Can I copy a world from console to PC?

No. Worlds created on Xbox, PlayStation or Switch cannot be copied to a PC or a server, because there is no way to reach the console's save files. Console players can still join a PC hosted or dedicated server through crossplay and bring their character.

FAQ

Where are Valheim world files on Windows?

In %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local, unless the world is saved in Steam Cloud, in which case it is under Steam\userdata\<id>\892970\remote\worlds.

Where is the Valheim .db file now?

Since Valheim 1.0, there is no single .db file. Each world is a folder containing _main.N.db2, _main.N.fwl2 and chunk files. Old .db and .fwl pairs convert on first load.

Where are Valheim character saves?

In characters_local next to worlds_local. Characters are separate from worlds, so each player keeps theirs when joining any server.

How do I restore a Valheim world backup?

In game, select the world, click Manage saves and choose a backup. On a server, stop it, replace the world folder with the backup folder under the same name and start it again.

Why is my Valheim world missing from worlds_local?

It is probably saved to Steam Cloud. Use Manage saves in the world list to move it to local storage.

The easy option

On our Valheim servers the world sits in .config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local, reachable from the Files tab or over SFTP for big world folders. You can press Backup before a boss fight and keep 3 backups, and the server backs up before game updates, so a bad patch never costs you the world.