Transfer a Valheim Character Between Devices
Understand how Valheim character data works and transfer characters between PCs, plus the Server Characters mod for server-locked characters.
In Valheim, character data is stored on the player's device, not on the server. This means characters persist across any server they join — your skills, inventory, and appearance follow you everywhere.
How Character Data Works
| Data | Stored On |
|---|---|
| Character (skills, inventory, appearance, food buffs) | Player's device |
| World (terrain, buildings, items on ground, time of day) | Server |
Implications:
- Players keep their character when joining different servers
- Dying on one server affects your character's skill levels everywhere
- A high-level character can be brought to a fresh server (which is why some communities use the Server Characters mod — see below)
Character Save Location
On Windows, character files are at:
%userprofile%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\characters_local\Each character is a .fch file:
characters_local/
├── Viking.fch
├── Viking.fch.old
└── AnotherCharacter.fchThe .fch.old file is an automatic backup of the previous save.
Transfer a Character to Another PC
Find the character file
On the source PC, navigate to the characters folder above and find the .fch file.
Copy to the destination
Transfer the file to the same location on the destination PC.
Disable Steam Cloud (if needed)
If you use Steam Cloud saves, temporarily disable cloud sync in Steam, copy the file, then re-enable it.
Launch Valheim
The character appears in the character selection screen.
Cloud vs Local Saves
Valheim offers two storage options in the game settings:
| Type | Location | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud | Steam Cloud | Auto-syncs across devices | Harder to manually back up |
| Local | characters_local folder | Easy to copy/backup | Tied to one device |
To switch between cloud and local: in the Valheim main menu, open the character list, select your character, and use the move option.
Server Characters Mod (Server-Locked Characters)
For servers that want to prevent character importing (stop players from bringing overpowered characters from other worlds):
Install the Server Characters mod from Thunderstore via the panel Mods page. This forces characters to be stored on the server instead of the player's device.
| Benefit | Drawback |
|---|---|
| Prevents importing high-level characters | Players lose their character if they leave the server |
| All players start equal | More complex setup |
| Characters can't be backed up to cheat death | Client-side mod required |
This is essential for hardcore RP servers, competitive seasons, or any community that wants a level playing field.
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