How to Restore a Backup on Your Valheim Server
Use Valheim's automatic .old backups, configure backup intervals, and restore from the panel Backups system.
Valheim has two layers of backup protection: the game's own automatic .old backup files, and the panel's Backups system in the sidebar.
Valheim automatically creates .old backup files alongside your save files:
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
WorldName.db | Current world data |
WorldName.db.old | Previous world save |
WorldName.fwl | Current world metadata |
WorldName.fwl.old | Previous world metadata |
Stop the server
Go to Console in the XGamingServer Panel and stop the server.
Open the worlds directory
Click Files in the sidebar and find the worlds directory.
Rename the .old files
Rename WorldName.db to something else (e.g., WorldName.db.broken) and rename WorldName.db.old to WorldName.db. Do the same for .fwl / .fwl.old.
Start the server
Start from Console. The server loads the previous backup.
Configure Backup Frequency
In Startup, the relevant variables are:
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
-backups | 4 | Number of backup files to keep |
-backupshort | 7200 | Short backup interval (seconds) — 2 hours default |
-backuplong | 43200 | Long backup interval (seconds) — 12 hours default |
The panel's Backups feature creates full server snapshots that can be restored in one click.
Open the Backups page
In the XGamingServer Panel, click Backups in the sidebar.
Find your backup
The list shows all available backups with their creation date.
Restore
Click the three-dot menu on the backup and select Restore. Optionally check Delete all files before restoring for a clean restore.
Start the server
Start from Console and verify the world loads correctly.
Tip: Combine panel backups with Schedules to run automatic snapshots every 6–12 hours. See Scheduled Restarts for the schedule UI.
Related Guides
How is this guide?
How to Add Admins on Your Valheim Server
Grant admin access on your Valheim dedicated server via adminlist.txt and enable in-game console commands.
How to Ban and Kick Players on Your Valheim Server
Remove disruptive players from your Valheim dedicated server using kick, ban, and unban commands or by editing bannedlist.txt directly.