Valheim: start a new worldChange the world name, generate the world, go back at any time

Published on September 2, 2026 · last updated on October 21, 2026

How Valheim manages worlds

The server loads exactly the world whose name is in the settings. If files already exist for this name, the world is loaded. If none exist, Valheim generates a new one - without asking.

That is exactly what makes switching so easy: a new name means a new world, the old name brings the old world back. The files of the previous world remain untouched in the world folder.

The same mechanism is also the most common cause of errors when uploading your own world: if the name you entered differs from the file names, the server starts with an empty map instead of your base.

Creating a new world

1. Stop the server. So that the current world is saved cleanly.
2. Make a backup. Quickly download the world files - see Create backups.
3. Change the world name. Enter a name in your server settings that has not been used yet.
4. Start the server. At startup, Valheim generates the new world - this takes a little longer than a normal restart.

After the start, the new world is playable right away. You keep your characters - they are stored locally with the players and come along, including equipment and skills.

The seed

Valheim generates the world from a seed - a string of characters that determines where continents, biomes and bosses are located. If you do not specify one, it is chosen at random.

If you want to play a particular seed - for example because a starting island is especially well placed - you can specify it. The seed is stored in the .fwl and can be set when the world is generated. For most groups, that is not necessary: the appeal of Valheim lies precisely in exploring an unknown world.

Switching between worlds

The way back is the same way: stop the server, enter the old world name, start it. The previous world is back, with everything you have built.

Important to know: exactly one world runs at a time. A Valheim server serves one map at a time - for two worlds that can be played in parallel, you would need a second server. For most groups, switching is perfectly sufficient, though: start a new map and carry on in the old base when the urge comes back.

If many worlds pile up over time, take a look at the world folder. Every world takes up storage space, and old maps that nobody touches any more can go once you have downloaded them.

When a fresh start makes sense

In practice, three occasions come up regularly:

• After a big game update. New biomes and content often do not appear in areas that have already been explored - a fresh world shows everything.
• For larger mod changes. Instead of rebuilding a grown world, a clean start is sometimes the calmer route, see Mods via BepInEx.
• When the group changes. Putting new players into a fully built world takes away the building phase from them - the best part of the game.

And if you want to shape the new round differently from the last one, take a look at the world modifiers first: tougher combat, adjusted resources or free portals change the character of a world considerably.

Common stumbling blocks

• The old world seems to be gone. It is still in the world folder - the old name brings it back.
• Empty world despite uploaded files. The name differs, often in upper and lower case.
• Players cannot get in. After generating a world, the server needs a moment - see Join a server.

Frequently asked questions