Enshrouded Server Backup and Migration Guide

For a dedicated server, the world is stored in the folder configured by saveDirectory, which defaults to ./savegame. Stop the server before copying or replacing save files, and back up the entire save folder rather than a single file.

What is stored where?

The dedicated server stores world progression. Character progression remains on each player's client.

Make a safe manual backup

1. Ask players to log out.
2. Stop the dedicated-server process cleanly.
3. Confirm the process has exited.
4. Copy the entire configured save directory to a dated backup folder.
5. Keep at least one copy on another physical device or cloud-backup destination.
6. Start the server and confirm the world loads.

Do not copy a live save while it may be writing. Keen's dedicated-server FAQ says the server creates world saves every five minutes.

Move a world to another dedicated server

1. Stop both the source and destination servers.
2. Back up both save directories.
3. Confirm the destination's saveDirectory value.
4. Copy the source world files into the destination save directory.
5. Preserve file names and accompanying index/info files.
6. Start the destination server and verify the world before deleting anything from the source.

With a managed host, use its file manager or SFTP access. Download a local copy before cancelling the old provider.

Move a local world to a dedicated server

Local world files are under %USERPROFILE%/Saved Games/enshrouded when using local saves. Stop the game and server, back up both locations, then copy the complete world file set into the dedicated server's configured save directory.

If Steam Cloud is active, make sure you are copying the intended current version rather than an older local copy. Keen provides a Steam Remote Storage link in its save-management article.

Roll back a damaged world

Keen documents ten numbered rolling copies for each world. The accompanying -index file records the active copy in its latest value.

1. Stop the game or server.
2. Copy all save files to a separate backup first.
3. Compare modified dates for rolling copies 0-9.
4. Edit the world's -index file so latest points to the selected known-good copy.
5. Restart and inspect the world before making further changes.

Rolling saves are not a substitute for off-device backups: corruption, accidental deletion, disk failure, or a bad migration can affect the whole folder.

Official references

• Save Game Management
• Dedicated Server FAQ
• Dedicated Server Configuration

If self-hosting becomes more work than expected, compare managed Enshrouded server hosts.