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The safest 7 Days to Die backup is a complete copy of the active Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ folder made after the game or dedicated-server process has stopped. That folder keeps the terrain changes, player data, world clock and map exploration together. For a procedurally generated (RWG) world, copy the matching GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ folder as well. To restore, stop the server, preserve the current save as a rollback copy, put the backup at the exact effective save path, check the configured world and save names, and then start the server and verify the result.

What a complete 7 Days to Die backup includes

A save is arranged as <saves-root>/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/. The GameName directory is the unit you should preserve. Copying only a few files can leave players, world state and exploration out of sync.

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Folder or file What it preserves Why it belongs in the backup
Region/ Placed-block data, including bases, excavations and other changes to terrain Without it, major construction and digging can disappear.
Player/ Each player’s character data Includes player-specific progress that must remain paired with the world.
main.ttp World-level state such as day and time Restores the world clock and related global state.
map_*.dat Player exploration data Preserves which parts of the map each player has revealed.
GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ Terrain generated for an RWG world Needed when the world was procedurally generated; normally unnecessary for shipped worlds such as Navezgane.

Back up the entire GameName folder rather than selecting Region, Player or individual map files. A complete folder also makes a restore auditable: its directory name identifies the configured world and save name.

Find the active save on Windows, Linux or macOS

The standard data roots are:

Platform Standard 7 Days to Die data root Save location below that root
Windows C:Users%USER%AppDataRoaming7DaysToDie Saves<GameWorld><GameName>
Linux /home/%USER%/.local/share/7DaysToDie Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>
macOS %USER%/Library/Application Support/7DaysToDie Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>

These are defaults, not guarantees for every installation. The launcher has an Open savegame folder action. Use it when available; it avoids guessing hidden or customized paths.

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Check a dedicated server’s effective data root

A dedicated server can write somewhere other than the standard user directory. Read the serverconfig.xml that the running instance actually uses before copying anything.

  • UserDataFolder overrides the root used for generated data.
  • SaveGameFolder overrides only the save path.
  • Both properties are commented out in the reference configuration by default. An override does nothing until its property is uncommented.
  • AdminFileName is relative to the save-game folder, which can help confirm that you are reading the intended configuration.

Resolve these settings first, then locate the resulting Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ directory. Backing up a similarly named folder in the default location is not a backup of the live server.

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Back up a local game or dedicated server safely

  1. Tell players to leave and stop writing. For a local game, exit the game normally. For a dedicated server, issue its normal shutdown and wait until the server process has exited. Do not copy while the save is being written.
  2. Open the effective data location. Use the launcher’s Open savegame folder action for a local installation, or follow the active UserDataFolder/SaveGameFolder settings for a server.
  3. Identify the exact world and save directories. The path must be Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/. Record the two directory names; they must correspond to the server configuration during a later restore.
  4. Copy the whole GameName directory. Copy, do not move, it to a second storage location such as another internal volume, an external USB drive or a separate backup share. Keep the folder hierarchy intact.
  5. For RWG, copy the matching generated terrain. Under the same data root, copy GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ that belongs to this save. Use the exact generated-world name rather than an unrelated RWG folder.
  6. Add an unambiguous date and time to the backup folder name. For example, place the copied save in a directory named with the world, save name and timestamp. Do not rename the folders inside the save in a way that changes GameWorld or GameName semantics.
  7. Check that the copy completed. Compare the visible contents of the source and destination, and open the destination to confirm that Region/, Player/, main.ttp and the map_*.dat files are present. Leave the original untouched until the copy is confirmed.

The game can continue after the copy is complete. If the server runs continuously, schedule a clean stop-and-copy window rather than taking a live, potentially inconsistent snapshot.

RWG worlds versus shipped worlds

Randomly generated (RWG) worlds

RWG terrain is stored separately from the save’s player and world-state files. Back up the matching GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ directory along with the complete save folder. Restoring only Saves/ can leave the server without the terrain data expected by that save, especially when the generated-world directory has been removed or the installation has changed.

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Navezgane and other shipped worlds

Navezgane and another prefabricated world normally do not require a generated-world copy: the server already has the terrain files in its installation. The complete Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ folder is still required because it contains your changes, players and world state.

Restore a world after a crash or bad update

  1. Stop the game or dedicated server. Wait for the process to exit completely. A restore made while files are open can overwrite the backup or create a second inconsistent save.
  2. Preserve the current state. Rename or copy the current GameWorld/GameName folder to a rollback directory with the date and reason for the restore. This is your escape route if the selected backup is wrong or a newer file is needed.
  3. Confirm the backup type. For RWG, locate both the selected Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ folder and its matching GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ folder. For Navezgane or another shipped world, select the complete save folder; the installed terrain supplies the prefabricated map.
  4. Place the save at the effective path. Put the backup at the exact Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ location resolved from the server’s configuration. Avoid an extra nesting level such as GameName/GameName.
  5. Restore RWG terrain when applicable. Put the matching generated-world directory back under GeneratedWorlds/, preserving its name and hierarchy.
  6. Check serverconfig.xml. Confirm that GameWorld matches the backup’s world directory (for example, Navezgane or RWG) and that GameName matches the save directory. GameName controls the save-game name and decoration seed, so a mismatch can make the server create or open a different save.
  7. Start the server or game. Let it finish loading before reconnecting players.
  8. Validate before cleanup. Check the displayed day and time, several bases, player inventories and levels, and map exploration. Only delete the rollback copy after those checks pass and the players confirm that the expected state is present.

What to check when the restored world is missing

Symptom Likely check Corrective action
The server starts a new world GameWorld or GameName does not match the restored directory, or the save is in the wrong root. Stop the server, read the effective configuration, and move the backup to the exact matching path.
Buildings or excavations are absent Only selected files were copied, or the wrong Region/ data was used. Restore the complete GameName folder from an earlier dated backup.
Players have old or missing characters The Player/ directory was omitted or came from a different snapshot. Restore the complete save so player and world files come from the same point in time.
The RWG terrain does not load as expected The matching GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ directory is missing or belongs to another world. Stop the server and restore the generated-world folder paired with the save.
The day or time is wrong main.ttp came from another backup or was not restored. Use a complete, internally consistent GameName folder rather than mixing files.
The map appears unexplored The relevant map_*.dat files were not included. Restore the full save folder, including the map files.

If a restore fails, do not overwrite the rollback snapshot. Stop the process, return the current folder to its previous name, and try a different dated backup or re-check the world and save names.

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How to keep backups useful

The documented workflow establishes that saves should be copied only after a clean stop and that a complete folder should be preserved. It does not establish a universal backup interval, retention count, recovery-time objective or corruption rate. Choose those policies according to how much progress your group can afford to lose.

  • Use dated, immutable snapshots. Keep at least one untouched pre-restore copy. Never let an automated job overwrite the only known-good backup.
  • Use a second physical location. A USB hard drive or SSD protects against a failed game-server disk; a separate machine or storage share protects against a failure of the host itself.
  • Keep enough history for your risk. A busy public server may choose more frequent copies and more history than an occasional private world. This is an operational decision, not a published game requirement.
  • Test a restore. Periodically start a test instance from a copy and verify day/time, bases, player inventories and exploration. A file copy that has never been opened is not a proven recovery.
  • Document the configuration. Store the effective serverconfig.xml or at least the active UserDataFolder, SaveGameFolder, GameWorld and GameName values beside the backup. This prevents path ambiguity after a host migration.
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Self-hosting or managed hosting for backups

Where the server runs changes who can perform each backup task. The save format and restore logic remain the same, but access and responsibility differ.

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Consideration Self-hosted dedicated server Managed host
File and mod control Direct control of save files, settings and mods. Depends on the host’s file manager and policy.
Scheduled backups You must arrange the stop, copy and storage schedule. The provider may offer scheduling; verify whether copies are complete save folders and where they are stored.
serverconfig.xml access Usually available locally, including path overrides. May be exposed, restricted or abstracted by a control panel.
Restore access You can preserve a rollback folder and replace the save directly. Confirm that you can download, upload and select a specific dated snapshot.
Uptime during a copy A clean stop is your responsibility. Ask how the service quiesces the game before making a backup.
Recurring cost Uses your existing hardware and storage, with your maintenance burden. Recurring fees apply; exact terms vary and are not established here.

Before relying on a hosted backup button, verify that it captures the complete GameName directory, includes RWG generated terrain when needed, exposes dated versions, and lets you make a rollback copy before restoring.

A practical restore checklist

  • Server or game process stopped and fully exited.
  • Current save preserved as a dated rollback snapshot.
  • Correct effective data root confirmed.
  • Backup contains Region/, Player/, main.ttp and map_*.dat.
  • Matching GeneratedWorlds/<world-name>/ restored for RWG.
  • GameWorld and GameName match the backup directories.
  • Server started successfully.
  • Day/time, bases, inventories and map exploration verified before deleting rollback data.

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