Valheim Wipe your Valheim server for a fresh world by removing only the world save, not every file on the server. Your Server Options, adminlist.txt, and mods stay in place.
Your world lives in .config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local and is named after the World Name server option (Dedicated by default). On Valheim 1.0 it is a folder with that name. A world last saved before 1.0 is a .db and .fwl file pair instead.
Step 1: Stop and Back Up
- In the Game Control Panel sidebar, click Console
- Click Stop and wait for the server to show as Offline
- Back up the world as shown in Taking a manual backup
Step 2: Choose How to Reset
Option A: Keep the old world and start a new one
This is the safest choice. The old world stays on the server in case you want it back.
- In the sidebar, click Server Options
- Find the [REQUIRED] World Name field
- Enter a new name that does not match any world in
worlds_local. Use only letters, digits, spaces,-and_ - Click outside the field to save it
- Go back to Console and click Start
The server finds no world with that name, so it creates a new one. To go back to the old world later, set [REQUIRED] World Name back to its old name and restart.
Option B: Delete the old world
- In the sidebar, click File Manager
- Navigate to
.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local - Click the … button next to the folder named after your World Name (for example
Dedicated) and select Delete. On an older world, delete bothDedicated.dbandDedicated.fwl - Go back to Console and click Start
The server creates a new world with the same name on startup. The _backup_auto copies in the same folder belong to the old world. You can leave them or delete them.
What Is Kept and What Is Lost
| Kept | Lost |
|---|---|
| Server Options (server name, password, World Name, modifiers) | Terrain, builds, portals, and explored map |
adminlist.txt | Boss progress and world events |
| BepInEx and plugins, if installed | Items left in chests in the old world |
| Player characters, skills, and inventories (stored on each player’s PC) |
On/off -setkey world modifiers only apply when a world is created, so a new world picks up whatever is set in Server Options. See World Modifiers.
Using a Specific Seed
The server picks a random seed for a new world. [REQUIRED] World Name is not a seed and does not change the terrain.
To use a seed you chose:
- Create a new world with that seed in singleplayer
- Import it to your server and set [REQUIRED] World Name to match
To find the seed of a world you already have, see How to Find Your Valheim World Seed.
When to Wipe Everything Instead
Reset only the world unless you also want your mods and admin list gone. For a full clean start, see How to Reset Your Server World Without Losing Settings. Back up first, because a full wipe cannot be undone.
Still Not Working?
If the server keeps loading the old world, or players get stuck loading the new one, contact our support team with:
- Your Server UUID
- Your [REQUIRED] World Name and the files you deleted or renamed
- The last 50 lines of the Console output after starting
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Valheim stores characters on each player's own PC, not in the world. Players keep their characters, skills, and inventory, and bring them into the new world.
No. Server Options has no seed field, and World Name is not a seed. Create a world with your seed in singleplayer, then import it to the server.
No. The install never touches the worlds folder. Delete or rename the world as shown in this guide.