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Show more results →Game saves: backup, restore and moving a world
Protect characters and buildings before an update. Learn which folders to keep and why the map alone is not enough.
Description
On PC, the world and save are separate data. Make a backup after exiting the game normally or stopping the server. Copying during a save may mix files from different moments. Paths below apply to Windows; a server may use a custom data directory.
Where are the saves?
On Windows, press Win+R, enter %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie and confirm. This is separate from the Steam installation. Do not publish the entire data directory: it can contain player information and server settings.
| Data | Default location or purpose |
|---|---|
| Save | %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\Saves\<world>\<save name> |
| RWG world | %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\GeneratedWorlds\<world> |
| Bundled worlds | Data\Worlds in the installation; preserve version compatibility. |
| Server | Actual UserDataFolder, configuration, permission list and installed mods. |
Backup step by step
Exit to desktop or shut down the server cleanly, then wait for its process to exit. Copy the entire save folder and matching RWG world to a separate dated directory. Keep several generations of backups.
Record the game version, world and save names, and mod list. Check that the backup contains files and subfolders rather than an empty directory. The strongest check is loading a separate copy with the same game version.
Restore without mixing data
First retain the current save, even if damaged, under another name outside the active save directory. With the game closed, restore the full set from one point in time. Do not mix Monday’s regions, Tuesday’s characters and a world generated on Wednesday.
Load the existing game and check day, spawn position, inventory and base. If a new world appears, stop and check the selected name and path. Do not delete player files as a routine connection fix.
Another computer, server or game version
When migrating to a server, preserve world identity and save name. GameWorld selects the map; GameName selects the game save. Check UserDataFolder as well. Logging in through another account may produce a different character despite a correct world migration.
Read the specific release requirements before changing versions. If a fresh world is required, renaming the old folder does not make it compatible. Keep the pre-update backup separately. Consoles use their platform save system; the Windows folder procedure does not apply to consoles.
Worked example
After moving the game, the terrain is correct but your character and base are missing. You may have started a new save or copied only the world. Stop the game and check world name, save name and data directory.
Common mistake
Restoring one character file into a mismatched save or overwriting the only working backup.