Where Are Valheim Worlds Stored Save File Locations Explained

Tracking down your world save files in Valheim is essential whether you are planning to back up your progress, migrate to a new dedicated server, or transfer game data between devices. Depending on your platform and cloud settings, these critical files are stored in specific system directories on your computer. Understanding exactly where to look will ensure you can manage your files safely without risking any lost progress.

Local Save Locations on Windows

For players using local saves on a Windows PC, the world files are primarily located within the AppData directory structure. You can easily reach this location by pressing the Windows Key plus R and entering %appdata% to open file explorer. From there, navigate back to the AppData folder, open LocalLow, select IronGate, and open the Valheim folder where local saves reside.

Inside this directory, you will usually find folders named worlds_local or worlds containing your active world files. These world files consist of paired items ending in .db and .fwl extensions that store the terrain and metadata. It is important to copy both files whenever you intend to create a manual backup.

Finding Steam Cloud Save Files

If you have Steam Cloud synchronization enabled, your Valheim worlds may be stored in Steam's user directory instead of the local AppData path. To find these files, open your main Steam directory, usually located under Program Files (x86), and open the userdata folder. Locate the folder corresponding to your unique Steam account ID to proceed.

Within your account folder, navigate to folder 892970, which is the official App ID for Valheim. Inside the remote subfolder, you will find the saved world and character files linked directly to your cloud storage. If you are troubleshooting missing local saves, checking this path often resolves the confusion.

Managing Saves on PC Game Pass and Xbox

Players accessing the game through Xbox Game Pass on PC follow a slightly different procedure for local file management. To access these files directly in Explorer, you must first boot up Valheim and use the in-game Manage Saves menu to move files from cloud to local storage. Once transferred, the files will appear in the standard LocalLow Iron Gate directory on your machine.

Console players on Xbox rely entirely on cloud sync features, which handle backups automatically in the background. However, if you log into the PC version using the same Xbox account, you can sync and download those console worlds onto your computer. This provides a straightforward way to extract console saves for dedicated server hosting.

Best Practices for Backing Up Your Worlds

Before installing large updates or modifying your game with community addons, creating a complete backup of your saves is always recommended. Simply select your world files, copy them, and paste them into a secure folder on an external drive or cloud storage service. Keeping regular backups safeguards your builds and character progress against accidental corruption.