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To reset a Valheim server world, stop the server first. For a reversible reset, change the configured world name (often labeled World or SavegameName) to a new name, save the setting, and restart. Valheim will create or load the world selected by its -world argument; changing the setting back restores access to the previous save.
For a permanent reset that keeps the same world name, make a backup, stop the server, and remove that world’s .db and .fwl files. Some hosts also show .db.old and .fwl.old copies. Deleting every save through a host-wide control is much broader and may be irreversible, so target only the world you intend to replace.
What “reset a Valheim world” actually means
Server owners use “reset” for two different operations. Choosing the right one determines whether you can undo the change.
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Switching to a new world name
This is the safest option. Change the value used by the server’s -world setting—for example, from Dedicated to FreshStart—then restart. Because the old files remain under the original name, changing the setting back later loads the earlier world again. This creates a genuinely new world without deleting the old one.
Deleting the selected world’s files
This produces a same-name reset. After the server is stopped, remove the selected world’s .db and .fwl files (and any matching old-copy files exposed by your host). Starting the server with that name causes Valheim to generate a replacement. The operation is destructive unless you have a usable copy of the files.
Why a new world can be necessary
Iron Gate’s Ashlands guidance recommends backing up worlds and explains that new content generates correctly in previously unexplored areas. If the relevant terrain has already been explored, starting a new world is the recommended way to ensure that content is generated throughout the map.
Prepare before changing settings or files
Do these checks before opening a file manager, FTP client, or shell. A running process can keep files open or write a save immediately after you modify them.
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- Record the active world name. Note the exact spelling, capitalization, spaces, and punctuation shown in the panel or startup configuration. The file names must match that value.
- Confirm the save directory. On a self-hosted server, check whether the startup options include a custom
-savedir. A custom path overrides the normal Windows or Linux location. - Make a restorable copy. Copy the selected world’s files to storage outside the live save directory. Keep the original names and extensions, and record when the copy was made.
- Decide whether the reset is reversible. Use a new world name when you may want the existing map later. Delete files only when you intentionally want a replacement under the same name.
The backup is your recovery point. If the wrong world is removed, stop the server again and restore the copied files before starting it.
If you would rather not manage this by hand, Godlike.Host’s Valheim server hosting offers up to three free backups a day with restore, plus SFTP/FTP access in its Pterodactyl-based panel, so a copy of your world is easy to keep before you reset it.
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Reset methods compared
| Method | Reversible? | Scope | Access needed | Typical location or setting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change the world name | Yes; switch back to the original name | Creates or selects one different world | Host control panel or startup configuration | World, SavegameName, or -world |
| Delete one world’s files | Only if you made a backup | One selected world | Host file manager, FTP, or shell | The matching .db and .fwl files |
| Delete all savegames | No, according to GPORTAL | Every save on that server | Host control panel | GPORTAL’s “delete all savegames” action |
| Use a custom save directory | Depends on the files you preserve | Whatever world you select in that directory | Self-hosted startup script or service | -savedir [PATH] |
Reset a world on Shockbyte
Keep the old world and start another
- Stop the server in the Shockbyte control panel.
- Open the Config tab.
- Change the World value to a new, unused name.
- Save the configuration.
- Start the server and allow it to finish generating the new world.
The previous world remains under its former name. To return to it, stop the server, restore the original value in World, save, and start again.
Permanently replace one world
- Stop the server.
- Open Files and browse to
savedata/worlds. - Locate the files whose base name is the selected world name.
- Move them to your backup location or delete them:
<worldname>.db,<worldname>.fwl, and, when present,<worldname>.db.oldand<worldname>.fwl.old. - Start the server with the same World value.
- Join only after the server reports that it is ready, then verify that the map is newly generated.
Do not remove unrelated world names in that directory. Deleting another name will affect a different save, while deleting every file turns a targeted reset into a server-wide reset.
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Create a new world without deleting the old one
- Stop the server.
- Open the world or save configuration and change SavegameName to the new name.
- Select Create new world.
- Save the setting.
- Start the server and wait for world creation to complete.
The former world remains available under its original save name. Re-selecting that name later is the rollback path.
Delete only the selected world by FTP
- Stop the server from the panel.
- Connect to the server by FTP.
- Open
/save/world_local. - Find the selected world’s matching
.dband.fwlfiles. - Download them as a backup or move them out of the live directory, then delete the live copies if a permanent reset is intended.
- Start the server with the same SavegameName.
Keep the operation targeted. GPORTAL states that its delete all savegames control removes every server save and cannot be undone. Use that control only when you explicitly intend to erase all worlds and have accepted the loss.
Reset a self-hosted dedicated server
Understand the world and save-directory arguments
Iron Gate documents -world "Dedicated" as the argument that creates or selects a world. The name is an identifier for the save; it is not required to be “Dedicated.” Replace it with the exact name you want to use.
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The -savedir [PATH] option overrides where Valheim stores worlds and permission files. If it is absent, the documented defaults are:
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute| Platform | Default save directory |
|---|---|
| Windows | ../%USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim |
| Linux | ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim |
The effective directory is the one used by the running service, not necessarily the directory you expect from an interactive account. Inspect the startup script, service unit, or launcher arguments for -savedir before touching files.
Make a copy and stop the process
- Stop the dedicated-server process cleanly.
- Check the startup configuration for both
-worldand-savedir. - Open the active save directory and identify files sharing the selected world’s base name.
- Copy those files to a separate backup location. Preserve the
.dband.fwlextensions; also preserve any matching old-copy files you find.
Iron Gate’s dedicated-server guide advises keeping a copy of the startup file and editing the copy rather than the original, because the original is reset when Steam updates it. A custom script or service configuration prevents an update from silently discarding your world selection and save-path settings.
Choose a reversible or destructive reset
For a reversible reset, change the world argument in your custom startup configuration:
-world "NewWorldName"Leave the old files in place. Starting the server creates or loads the new name; changing the argument back returns to the old save.
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For a same-name reset, remove only the selected world’s files from the active save directory after the backup is complete. The essential files are:
<worldname>.db<worldname>.fwl
If matching .db.old or .fwl.old copies exist, include them in the backup and remove them from the live set when you want no same-name remnants. Do not delete files belonging to other world names.
Use the documented automatic-backup options
Iron Gate documents these dedicated-server parameters:
-backups 4-backupshort 7200-backuplong 43200
Place them in the maintained startup configuration according to the version of the dedicated server you run. Automatic backups are useful for routine recovery, but they do not replace the manual copy you make immediately before a reset.
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- Confirm that the startup configuration still points to the intended
-savedir. - Confirm that the
-worldvalue exactly matches the name you intend to create or load. - Start the server and wait for a successful ready state.
- Connect and check that the terrain corresponds to the new world rather than the previous save.
- Stop immediately if the server loads an unexpected map; do not continue playing and create more changes before diagnosing the path or name.
Recover when the result is wrong
The old map still loads
Stop the server and check the active world name first. A spelling difference can select a different save than the one you edited. Next check the active -savedir; a custom path may mean you removed files from an unused directory. Finally, inspect the live directory for matching old-copy files and restore the intended backup only after the process is stopped.
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The server creates a world but it is not the one you expected
Verify that the panel’s World or SavegameName value and the startup -world argument agree. On a self-hosted installation, make sure the service is actually using the script you edited rather than an update-generated original. Keep one authoritative startup file and confirm its timestamp or service definition before restarting.
You cannot find the files
Do not guess a second location and delete files there. Re-check the platform-specific default, search the launcher for -savedir, and inspect the directory after a clean stop. Host panels may expose a virtual path such as savedata/worlds or /save/world_local instead of the operating-system path.
You deleted the wrong files
Stop the server, preserve the current directory as evidence, and restore the matching files from your backup with their original names. If no backup exists, a host’s automatic backup facility may be the only available recovery source; the outcome depends on what backups your installation retained.
Players were connected during the change
Keep the server stopped until the reset and verification are complete. Tell players to close the game before you switch names or replace files; otherwise a client may reconnect to the wrong world or create writes while you are restoring data.
Quick Recap
Post-reset checks
- Confirm the server starts without file or save errors.
- Verify the selected world name in the panel or startup configuration.
- Check that the map is newly generated when a destructive reset was intended.
- Keep the previous world backup until the new world has been tested and everyone agrees it is the one to keep.
- Document the final world name and active save directory so the next reset does not target the wrong files.
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