7 Days to Die Save Files: Location, Backup, Migration

7 Days to Die saves live in %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\Saves on Windows (one folder per world), ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/Saves on Linux, and the same AppData path on macOS. The single most important fact about them: major updates break save compatibility — a world created on one version line will not load on the next, which is why backups and branch pinning matter more here than in almost any other game. This guide covers the exact paths, what's inside, how to back up and restore, moving saves between PCs, the 1.0 save situation, and corrupted-save recovery.

Official resources: Steam store page · Official Alpha Exodus FAQ · Official wiki: Save Game · Official 1.0 launch announcement · SteamDB: version history

Where Your Saves Actually Live

Per-platform paths (world name = your map's seed name, e.g. Navezgane or your random-gen seed):

Inside each world folder you'll find the world data (region chunks, .ttp/.ttc files), plus a Player/ folder holding character data — inventory, skills, quests, the bedroll you placed. Backing up a world means copying the whole world folder; backing up just the Player folder migrates a character. Steam Cloud also syncs local saves if enabled, but treat it as convenience, not a backup — it doesn't cover every failure mode (see below).

The Version Rule: Saves Break Across Major Updates

This is the fact that explains 90% of save-panic posts. 7 Days to Die has never guaranteed save compatibility across major versions — the official Alpha Exodus FAQ says it plainly: due to the game's architecture, "users will have to start a new game with each major update," a policy the developers hope to change eventually. In practice:

• Alpha 21 saves do not load in 1.0 — the 1.0 (formerly A22) update changed major systems, and the community consensus across every thread is "start fresh in 1.0 or pin back to A21." Incompatible saves show red in the load screen.
• 1.0+ saves don't load on 2.x or 3.x — same story: each major line ships a different world format.
• Incremental patches (1.0 → 1.1 → 1.2) generally keep saves — the yellow/red warning system in the load menu tells you compatibility: green = fine, yellow = "at risk," red = incompatible.

The workaround is Steam Beta branch pinning: Steam → right-click 7 Days to Die → Properties → Betas → pick the version your save belongs to. Your old world opens there, exactly as it was. This is also the mechanism that keeps overhaul mods like Darkness Falls on the 1.0 branch alive.

How to Back Up (Two Minutes, Every Time)

1. Quit the game completely (don't copy mid-session files).
2. Copy the Saves folder (or a single world folder) somewhere safe — a second drive, a cloud folder, or a zip.
3. For serious players: keep 2–3 rotating backups, one before each major update and one before installing any overhaul mod.

The backup restores by replacing the folder — delete the damaged Saves\{world} and paste the backup in its place. That single operation fixes the classic failure modes: save not showing up, character reset to level 1 (world intact, player data corrupt), and quests stuck inactive.

Moving Saves Between PCs (or Local → Dedicated Server)

Local to local: copy the Saves folder to the same path on the new machine (Windows → Windows is drag-and-drop; Windows → Linux needs the same folder contents under ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie). Both installs must be on the same game version or the migrated save shows red.

Local to dedicated server is the common ask: copy the world folder into the server's Saves directory, set SaveGameFolder to match, and restart. The one gotcha is characters: on a server, your local character file must be renamed to match your server player ID — the community 7 Days to Die Player Transfer tool automates the rename, or you can start fresh and keep your world. The server IP guide covers finding the server to connect to afterward.

The "1.0 Save" Question, Answered

"7 days to die 1.0 save" (often typed as "100 save") is shorthand for two questions, and both have straight answers:

1. "Will my alpha save work in 1.0?" — No. A21 saves don't load in 1.0. You keep them by pinning the Beta branch to A21; you don't import them forward.
2. "Do my 1.0-era saves keep working through updates?" — Within the 1.0 line (1.0 → 1.4), generally yes with the green/yellow warnings; across lines (1.0 → 2.x → 3.x), no. The 1.0 launch itself also brought the console editions up to PC parity, and the current Console Edition treats major-version save compatibility the same way PC does.

Per the official Alpha Exodus FAQ: "Due to the technical architecture of 7 Days to Die's game engine, users will have to start a new game with each major update. Eventually, this will not be the case." That "eventually" is still ahead of us — plan your major-update upgrades around a fresh start.

Corrupted Save Recovery: The Fix Ladder

Work up from cheapest to most invasive:

1. Restore a backup — replace the world folder with the last good copy. This fixes most corruption.
2. Check Steam Cloud sync — a "save gone" right after a crash is often a cloud-sync conflict; check which copy Steam uploaded before despairing.
3. Verify game files — Steam → Properties → Installed Files → Verify Integrity (fixes missing game files, not world data, but costs nothing).
4. Server-side: chunkreset — on dedicated servers, the admin command can reset specific corrupted regions while keeping the rest of the world. Back up first; this is a scalpel, not a magic wand.
5. Pin back to the version that wrote the save — if the save "broke" after an update, the Beta branch that made it can usually still open it.

If none of that works, the world is likely gone — which is why the backup habit is the actual answer. A 10-second folder copy per week has saved more 200-hour worlds than any recovery tool.

FAQ

Where are 7 Days to Die saves stored?

%APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\Saves\{world} on Windows (use Win+R → %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie), ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/Saves/{world} on Linux, the equivalent AppData path on macOS, and the server's Saves folder for dedicated servers.

Will my 1.0 save work after a major update?

No across major lines — 1.0 saves don't load on 2.x/3.x, and A21 saves never loaded on 1.0. Within the same line (1.0 → 1.4) saves generally keep working, with green/yellow compatibility warnings. Pin the old branch in Steam Betas to keep playing old saves.

How do I back up my 7 Days to Die save?

Quit the game, copy the Saves folder (or single world folder) to another drive/cloud location. Restore by deleting the damaged folder and pasting the backup in. Keep rotating backups before major updates and overhaul mod installs.

Can I move a 7 Days to Die save to a new PC?

Yes — copy the Saves folder to the same path on the new machine, with both installs on the same game version. Moving a local world to a dedicated server additionally requires renaming your character file to the server's player ID (the Player Transfer tool automates it).

How do I fix a corrupted 7 Days to Die save?

Restore a backup first, then check Steam Cloud conflict, then verify game files, then (server-side) chunkreset corrupted regions. If the save broke after an update, pin back to the version that wrote it. Backups are the real fix.

Related guides: 7 Days to Die Maps — Navezgane and pregen sizes · 7 Days to Die Modpacks — version pinning · 7 Days to Die Server IP — hosting and joining · 7 Days to Die Creative Mode · RimWorld saves and mods guide

Last updated: August 13, 2026.

Related Guides

• 7 Days to Die Maps — Navezgane, Pregen Sizes and Random Gen
• 7 Days to Die Modpacks — Best Overhaul Packs and Version Pinning
• How to See the Server IP in 7 Days to Die
• 7 Days to Die Creative Mode — Commands and Cheats
• RimWorld Workshop Mods — Installing and Curating