Create a Valheim backupBack up world files - and why the game's own copies are not enough

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

What the game does itself - and why it is not enough

When saving, Valheim automatically creates backup copies of the world files: the same names with an appended marker. That actually rescues the one case in which a file gets damaged while being written.

The catch: these copies are stored on the same server. If the world becomes unusable through a mod change, if the wrong world name is overwritten by accident or if you want a state from three weeks ago back - then they do not help. A real backup is stored somewhere else.

Automatic backups are deliberately not part of our plans. Instead, you can access all files via WebFTP and SFTP at any time and know exactly which state you own.

What has to be backed up

A world consists of two files that belong together:

• The .db - the actual content: terrain, buildings, chests, everything you have built.
• The .fwl - the metadata with world name and seed.

Together, the two make up a complete state. You do not need to back up characters: they are stored locally with each player - see Upload a world.

If you use mods, the mod list is part of it in spirit: a world file without the matching mods cannot be restored sensibly later. A simple text note with mods and versions next to the backup saves a lot of searching in an emergency.

Backing up in four steps

1. Stop the server. Otherwise, on a running server, you catch a half-written state.
2. Connect. Via WebFTP in the browser or with an SFTP client.
3. Download the world files. .db and .fwl together.
4. Store them with a date. One folder per date saves you guessing later which state is which.

The whole process takes a few minutes - a little longer with a large world, because the .db grows over time.

When a backup is a must

• Before every mod change - especially before removing a mod that adds building pieces.
• Before changing the world name, see Start a new world.
• Before changes to the world modifiers.
• After special achievements - after defeating a boss or finishing a fortress.
• Regularly - weekly for an active group.

Restoring

The way back is the same in reverse: stop the server, upload both files, overwrite the existing ones, start the server.

Three tips that save trouble:

• Always restore both files - mixing an old .db with a new .fwl is not a good idea.
• Back up the current state first as well. Even a broken state is better than none.
• Tell the group. Anyone who misses half a day of progress after the restore should know about it beforehand.

A habit that pays off

The best time for a backup is when a restart is due anyway. If you stop the server once a week to update mods, download the world files at the same time - two extra minutes.

And if you keep three to four states instead of only the latest one, you still have a fallback even if a problem only becomes apparent after a few days. That is the real value of a backup: not the last copy, but the choice.

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