7 Days to Die Save File Location (V2.6, 2026): Local Saves, Dedicated Server, PS5/Xbox & Post-Update Recovery
Updated June 2026 for V1.0 through V3.0: 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, unchanged in the upcoming V3.0 Sandbox Siege update), 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. With V3.0 on the way, copy your Saves folder before switching branches so an experimental build cannot corrupt your world.
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.
“The Update Broke My Save” — PC and Console Recovery
The hardest pain point on this topic isn’t finding the path; it’s what happens when a 7DTD update lands and the old save won’t load.
PC dedicated server
V1.0+ → V2.x and major-point releases sometimes change the save format. A V2.4 save dropped into a V2.6 server can boot into a corrupted state. Recovery:
- Pin the server back to the exact build that wrote the save. Steam Properties → Betas → pick the version number, boot, load, back up the Saves directory.
- Restore a snapshot from before the version bump if you keep rolling backups (panel-managed hosts do this automatically).
- Re-roll if you can’t pin — 7DTD save data has historically not been forward-portable across major cycles.
PS5 / Xbox console edition
Console patches ship independently of the PC dedicated server cycle, and console saves historically haven’t been backwards-compatible across patches. If a console patch lands and your save won’t boot, the realistic answer is “start a new world”: the platform doesn’t expose the save files to user-side rollback the way PC does. If a long-form save matters to you, PC dedicated server is the only path with real backup and version-pinning control.
“Save says it’s modded and won’t load”
If you uninstalled a mod and the save now refuses to load, the world has mod-data baked into it. Reinstall the exact mod build it was written with via the launcher; if the mod is gone, the save isn’t recoverable in vanilla. Always keep a parallel vanilla save if the modded campaign matters — mods get sunset, vanilla stays loadable.
Defense: snapshot your Saves directory before every game update or mod swap. Two cron lines on Linux, Task Scheduler on Windows, or one click on a panel-managed host.
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.
Running your save on a dedicated box instead of your own PC? A hosted 7 Days to Die server keeps the world online 24/7 and handles backups, so your save survives a crash or a PC rebuild.
Related posts:
The popular survival game “7 Days to Die” developed by The Fun Pimps, is finally
Introduction Running a dedicated server for 7 Days to Die on Linux has always been
Catalysm’s Server Manager & Monitor (CSMM) Catalyst’s Server Manager & Monitor (CSMM) can be used