Project Zomboid Server World Management and Resets
Manage Project Zomboid server world saves — backup locations, full world resets, partial resets for specific map cells, and migrating a save to a new server.
Project Zomboid Server World Management
Understanding where Project Zomboid saves its world data is essential for backups, resets, and server migrations.
Save File Location
World saves are stored at:
~/.local/share/ProjectZomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/[servername]/
The [servername] folder matches the -servername argument passed at launch (default: servertest).
What's Inside the Save Folder
servertest/
map_[x]_[y].bin ← Chunk files — one per explored map cell
map_meta.bin ← Map metadata
players.db ← Player character data (XP, inventory, position)
servertest.ini ← Copy of your server config at world creation
servertest_SandboxVars.lua ← Sandbox settings at world creation
Backing Up the World
Stop the server, then copy the entire save folder:
sudo systemctl stop pzserver # or kill the process
cp -r ~/.local/share/ProjectZomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/servertest \
~/backups/pz-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)
Automate with cron:
crontab -e
# Add:
0 4 * * * cp -r ~/.local/share/ProjectZomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/servertest ~/backups/pz-$(date +\%Y\%m\%d) 2>&1
Full World Reset (Wipe)
A full wipe deletes all map data and player characters:
sudo systemctl stop pzserver
rm -rf ~/.local/share/ProjectZomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/servertest/
sudo systemctl start pzserver # Fresh world generated on next start
Warning: This is irreversible. Back up first if you want to preserve anything.
Partial Reset (Specific Map Cells)
To reset only explored areas (forcing loot respawn and zombie population reset in those chunks without a full wipe):
sudo systemctl stop pzserver
# Delete specific chunk files (replace X and Y with cell coordinates)
rm ~/.local/share/ProjectZomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/servertest/map_0_0.bin
sudo systemctl start pzserver
The deleted chunks regenerate fresh on next visit. Player characters and other explored areas are unaffected.
Resetting Player Characters Only
To wipe player characters while keeping the world map intact:
sudo systemctl stop pzserver
rm ~/.local/share/ProjectZomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/servertest/players.db
sudo systemctl start pzserver
All players will log in as new characters with no XP or inventory.
Migrating to a New Server
- Stop both servers
- Copy the entire save folder to the new server:
rsync -avz ~/.local/share/ProjectZomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/servertest \ newserver:/home/pzserver/.local/share/ProjectZomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/ - Copy the config files:
rsync -avz ~/.local/share/ProjectZomboid/Server/servertest* \ newserver:/home/pzserver/.local/share/ProjectZomboid/Server/ - Start the new server — players will find their characters intact