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To wipe a 7 Days to Die server, stop it cleanly, make a complete copy of its save, then remove the save data that matches the reset you want. Delete only the <GameName> folder inside Saves/<GameWorld>/ to reset world progress while retaining server settings and mods. Also remove the matching cached folder in GeneratedWorlds/ when you want newly generated random terrain. Delete Player/ only if player levels, perks, inventories, status, and quests should be reset.
Decide what “wipe” means before deleting anything
A wipe can mean several different operations. The correct files depend on whether you want the same terrain with empty progress, a completely different random map, new characters, or a reversible fresh start. Use the following comparison before touching the server.
| Reset method | Terrain identity | Bases and placed blocks | Player levels and inventory | Day counter and map exploration | What to change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World-only wipe | Same terrain | Removed | Retained if Player/ is preserved |
Reset with the new world state; exploration data can be retained or removed separately | Delete the <GameName> save folder |
| New random terrain | New terrain generated | Removed | Retained only if Player/ is preserved |
New world state; remove map data if a fully unexplored map is required | Delete <GameName> and its corresponding cached directory under GeneratedWorlds/ |
| Full character and world reset | Same or new, depending on the terrain choice | Removed | Removed | Removed when the associated world and player data are deleted | Delete the save and its Player/ data; remove generated terrain as well for a new random map |
| Reversible fresh start | New world name; old terrain remains on disk | Old bases remain in the old save | Old player data remains in the old save | Old day and exploration data remain in the old save | Change World Name to an unused value instead of deleting the existing save |
Settings in serverconfig.xml, installed mods, and other server-level configuration are separate from the save. A world-only wipe therefore normally leaves those settings in place, but a host can use a nonstandard data root or panel workflow.
Stop the server and create a rollback copy
Never remove save files while the game server is running. The process may still be writing region, player, or time data, leaving a partial or corrupt backup and an incomplete wipe.
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- Use the server console’s graceful stop control or the hosting panel’s Stop button. Wait until the process is fully offline rather than merely disconnected from the game.
- Copy or download the complete save directory, not just one subfolder. Keep the copy outside the active server data directory and label it with the date and the reset type you intend to perform.
- If several worlds or game names exist, record the exact
<GameWorld>and<GameName>you are changing. This prevents wiping a different save with a similar name.
The backup is your rollback. If the new start is not what you intended, stop the server again, remove the newly created save, and restore the saved directory before restarting.
Find the active save location
Local Windows installation
On a local Windows installation, open the game launcher and choose Open savegame folder. This opens the 7DaysToDieSaves directory. Inside it, saves use the structure:
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesSaves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/<GameWorld> identifies the terrain or world type, while <GameName> identifies the individual save. Delete the game-name folder for the selected save, not the entire Saves directory.
Dedicated server or managed host
A dedicated server may use a different root. The active location can be changed by UserDataFolder or SaveGameFolder, and a host may map that location to a panel file manager rather than a familiar local path. Inspect the running configuration, especially serverconfig.xml, and use the root specified there. If the panel has separate fields for save files, generated worlds, and configuration, confirm each path before deleting anything.
Some hosts provide a dedicated “wipe,” “reset world,” or “delete save” action. Read what that action removes: a panel may reset only the game-name folder, remove generated terrain too, or delete player data. If its scope is unclear, use the file manager after making the backup.
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Reset the world but keep settings and characters
This is the usual choice when you want everyone to replay the same terrain while retaining server rules, mods, and character progression.
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- Stop the server and back up the complete save as described above.
- Open
Saves/<GameWorld>/in the active data root. - Delete only the selected
<GameName>folder. - Leave
serverconfig.xml, the mod directories, and unrelated saves untouched. - Start the server. It creates a fresh save using the same terrain definition and the existing server configuration.
- Have a player connect and verify the spawn, day counter, bases, and character data before inviting everyone back.
A world-only reset removes the world-state data that records construction, excavation, harvested resources, and other changes. Preserve the Player/ data when levels, perks, inventory, status, and quests should survive.
Generate a different random map
Deleting the game-name save alone can reset play state while leaving the previously generated terrain cached. To force terrain generation again, remove the corresponding generated-world directory under GeneratedWorlds/ (or the equivalent directory exposed by your host).
- Stop the server and make the complete backup.
- Identify the generated-world directory associated with the world and game name you are replacing.
- Delete the selected
<GameName>save folder underSaves/<GameWorld>/. - Delete the matching cached terrain directory under
GeneratedWorlds/. - Start the server and allow it to generate the terrain before players join.
Do not remove all generated-world folders if other saves use them. If the host gives generated terrain a different name or location, use that host’s mapping rather than guessing from a local installation.
Reset characters, or keep them deliberately
Keeping player progression
The Player/ directory inside the save contains per-player level, perks, inventory, and status information. Preserve it when a fresh world should not force players to rebuild their characters. Map exploration is stored separately in map_*.dat; keeping those files can leave previously explored areas visible even after the world has been reset.
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For a full character reset, delete the Player/ data along with the world save. Players lose levels, perks, inventory, status, and quests. This is irreversible without the backup, so confirm that every player agrees before proceeding.
Understanding the other save components
| Component | Stores | Deletion effect |
|---|---|---|
Region/ |
Placed blocks, bases, excavations, and harvested-world changes | Removes those persistent changes from the affected regions |
Player/ |
Per-player level, perks, inventory, and status | Resets character progression and possessions |
main.ttp |
World day and time, weather, and blood-moon state | Removes the saved calendar and environmental state when the world is recreated |
map_*.dat |
A player’s map exploration | Removes the corresponding explored-map data |
GeneratedWorlds/ cache |
Generated terrain | Forces terrain regeneration when the world is created again |
If you need a selective reset rather than a complete wipe, work from a copy and remove only the documented component. A selective deletion can produce a mixed state—for example, new world regions alongside retained player files—so test it with one account before making the server public.
Use a new World Name for a reversible fresh start
Changing World Name to an unused value is the safest managed-host method when you want a clean start but may need the old world later. The server creates a separate save instead of overwriting the existing one.
- Stop the server and back up the current save.
- In the hosting panel or server configuration, change World Name to a value that does not already exist.
- Save the configuration and start the server.
- Confirm that the new save appears under the expected
Saves/<GameWorld>/location. - Keep the old save until the new world has been tested and players have confirmed that the reset is correct.
This approach consumes additional disk space and does not delete the old world automatically. Remove the old save only after you no longer need rollback.
Verify the result after restarting
Before announcing the wipe, check the result against the reset you selected:
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- Terrain: A same-terrain reset should show the original terrain identity; a random-map reset should show newly generated terrain.
- Structures: Bases, placed blocks, excavations, and harvested areas should be absent when the relevant world data was deleted.
- Characters: Levels, perks, inventory, and status should remain only when
Player/was preserved. - Time: The world day, weather, and blood-moon schedule should reflect a newly created world when its time data was removed.
- Map: Previously explored areas should disappear if the corresponding
map_*.datfiles were removed. - Configuration: Server settings and mods should still be present after a world-only wipe.
Check the server log or console for save-generation errors before allowing normal play. If the server loads the old base or the old terrain unexpectedly, stop it, compare the active data root with the path you edited, and inspect whether a cached generated-world directory was left behind.
Troubleshoot common wipe problems
The old world returns after deletion
The server may be reading a different data root because UserDataFolder or SaveGameFolder points elsewhere. Stop the server, inspect the active configuration, and repeat the backup-and-delete procedure in that location. A host panel can also mount a directory different from the path shown in its web interface.
The terrain is unchanged when a new map was expected
The save was removed but its generated terrain cache was retained. Delete the matching directory under GeneratedWorlds/, then restart. Avoid deleting caches belonging to other worlds.
Players lost progression unexpectedly
The Player/ directory was deleted or the restored backup did not include it. Stop the server and restore the complete pre-wipe save, then repeat the reset while preserving Player/.
The server will not start after the wipe
Stop it again and restore the backup to return to the last known-good state. Confirm that the save copy is complete, that the folder names match the configured world and game name, and that no files were deleted while the server was running. Once the original save loads, perform a smaller, clearly scoped reset and test it before deleting anything else.
Quick Recap
Recommended wipe checklist
- Choose same terrain, new terrain, full character reset, or reversible new world name.
- Stop the process gracefully and wait for it to exit.
- Copy the complete active save directory.
- Confirm the data root from the launcher or active dedicated-server configuration.
- Delete only the folders required by the selected reset.
- Remove the generated-world cache only when a different random terrain is required.
- Preserve or delete
Player/deliberately. - Restart, verify terrain and player state, and retain the backup until the result is confirmed.
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