7 Days to Die Dedicated Server Save Location (V1.0+/V2.x, 2026)
Updated May 2026 for V1.0+/V2.x: The 7 Days to Die dedicated server save location depends on your platform and which game version your server is running. This page lists the exact paths for V1.0+ (current era), legacy A21, and the older A19/A20 paths, plus what to back up, how to migrate between machines, and where mod-specific save data lives.
Where the Save Files Live (V1.0+ / V2.x)
| Platform | Path |
|---|---|
| Linux dedicated server (default user) | /home/sdtdserver/.local/share/7DaysToDie/Saves/<world>/<name>/ |
| Linux dedicated (custom user) | /home/$USER/.local/share/7DaysToDie/Saves/<world>/<name>/ |
| Windows dedicated server | %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\Saves\<world>\<name>\ |
| Steam-installed local host | %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\Saves\ (Windows) or ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/Saves/ (Linux) |
| Microsoft Store / Xbox PC version | %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\<package_id>\LocalCache\Local\7DaysToDie\Saves\ |
Replace <world> with the actual world name (Navezgane, your RWG world’s seed name, or a custom map name) and <name> with the save profile name configured in serverconfig.xml.
What’s in the Save Folder
| File / dir | What it contains | Backup priority |
|---|---|---|
main.ttp |
The actual world state — map, POI states, blocks, vehicles | Critical |
player/<steamid>.ttp |
Per-player character data (inventory, perks, location) | Critical |
backups/ |
In-game auto-snapshots (default 5-rotation) | Recommended (rolling 5 backups) |
region/*.7rg |
Loaded region data (chunks, dynamic blocks) | Critical |
map/*.png |
Discovered-map images per player | Optional (regen on play) |
serverconfig.xml |
Server settings — usually one level up in the install dir, not in Saves | Critical |
Legacy / Pre-1.0 Paths
If you’re running an older Alpha (rare in 2026 except for legacy mod servers), the paths haven’t shifted dramatically:
- A21 + A20: same as V1.0+ paths above
- A19 and earlier: some configs used
/var/lib/sdtdserver/on Linux for system-installed instances - Telltale-era legacy console (now-dead): Save files were on PSN/Xbox cloud and platform-locked; not retrievable to PC
How to Back Up
Linux (recommended)
tar -czf 7dtd-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/Saves/
# Cron’d nightly with rotation
0 4 * * * cd /home/sdtdserver && tar -czf backups/$(date +\%Y\%m\%d).tar.gz .local/share/7DaysToDie/Saves/ && find backups/ -mtime +30 -delete
Windows
Right-click %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\Saves → Send to → Compressed folder. For automation, use Windows Task Scheduler with PowerShell’s Compress-Archive.
Migrating to a New Machine
- Stop the server cleanly (don’t hard-kill).
- Copy the entire Saves directory to the new machine.
- Place it at the matching path on the new machine.
- Copy
serverconfig.xmltoo (or update it for the new machine’s ports). - Match the game version: a V2.6 save won’t load on a V1.x or V2.4 server.
- Start the new server, verify the world loads, have one player connect to confirm.
Mod-Specific Save Data
Most mods (Darkness Falls, Undead Legacy, Sorcery) store data inside the same main.ttp; their changes ride along when you back up Saves. Some advanced mods write extra files to /Mods/<modname>/State/ — back up your /Mods/ directory too if you’re running heavy modded content.
Common Mistakes
- Backing up Saves but not
serverconfig.xml. Half a restore. - Hard-killing the server before backup. Half-written .ttp files are unrecoverable. Always
shutdownvia console first. - Restoring a save into a different game version. 1.0+ saves break in older builds and vice versa.
- Forgetting Mods directory. A modded save without the matching mods is a corrupted boot.
If You’re Hosted With Us
Managed hosting (us included) handles the backup/restore flow via the panel: rolling daily snapshots, on-demand backups, one-click restores, and snapshot-before-mod-update. See 7 Days to Die hosting plans — backups + crossplay + mods, 5 datacenter regions, 2-day refund.
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