How to Migrate Your Valheim World to a New Server
Moving your Valheim world to a new server — whether you're switching hosts or upgrading your plan — takes about five minutes if you do it right.
When You'd Do This
- Switching to DustBowl from another host
- Upgrading or changing your hosting plan to a different server instance
- Moving to a different region
- Consolidating multiple worlds onto one server
This guide covers moving your existing world to a brand new server. If you just want to swap which world an existing server loads, see the world upload guide instead.
The Two Files You Need
Your entire world is contained in two files:
[worldname].db[worldname].fwl
Both must be transferred together. A world with only one of these files will not load.
Where to Find Them on Your Current Server
Default location on Linux:
~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/
If the current server was launched with a custom -savedir argument, your files are in that directory instead. Check the server's startup command if you're unsure.
Step-by-Step Migration
Step 1: Stop the server at your current host. Never download world files from a running server — you risk downloading a half-written save.
Step 2: Download both world files.
Use the host's file manager or connect via SFTP. Download [worldname].db and [worldname].fwl to your local machine. Keep them in the same folder.
Step 3: Stop your new DustBowl server if it's running.
Step 4: Upload both files to the new server. Navigate to the worlds directory on your new server:
~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/
Upload both .db and .fwl files here.
Step 5: Set the -world parameter to match your world name.
In the DustBowl control panel, find your startup arguments and set:
-world "MyWorld"
The value must match the filename exactly (without the extension). Linux is case-sensitive — myworld and MyWorld are different.
Step 6: Start the server. Watch the logs for a successful world load. You should see the world name appear in the startup output.
Filename Gotchas
If your world was named VikingBase on the old server, you'll have VikingBase.db and VikingBase.fwl, and your -world parameter must be -world "VikingBase".
If you renamed the files at any point during the transfer (for organization, adding a date, etc.), rename them back before uploading. The server looks for files that exactly match the -world value.
After Migration
Connect to the server and verify:
- The world loads correctly
- Your existing map data, buildings, and items are all present
- Other players can connect
Once you've confirmed everything works, you can shut down the old server at your previous host.
What About Player Data?
Player character data (inventory, skills, Viking appearance) is stored client-side on each player's machine, not on the server. Players bring their characters with them — you don't need to transfer any player files.