How to Move Your Game Server to a New Host Without Losing Your World
By Linus Pierre · Updated November 2026
Switching host is rarely difficult, but it is easy to lose progress if you do things in the wrong order. This guide walks through the safe way to move a game server, which files to take with you and the mistakes that cause a world to go missing.
Keep the old server running until the new one works. Set up the new server on the same game version and mods, stop the old server, take a final backup and download it, upload the world and settings to the new server, then start it and check everything before you send players the new address. Cancel the old plan only once you are happy.
- Never cancel first. Your world lives on the old server until you have a copy.
- Match the game version and mods on both servers before you upload.
- Some hosts move it for you, free of charge, if you ask when you order.
Three things to sort out before you move
Most lost worlds come from moving in a hurry: the old plan is cancelled, the server is deleted at the end of the billing period and the only copy of the save goes with it. A little planning avoids that.
Overlap the two servers
Pay for a short crossover
Order the new server while the old one is still paid for. Running both for a few days costs a little, but it means you always have a working server to fall back to.
Check you have file access
On both hosts
You need a way to download files from the old server and upload them to the new one, usually a web file manager, SFTP or the panel’s backup download.
Know the new host’s terms
Use the refund window
Move inside the new host’s refund window or free trial, so you can still walk away if the server does not run your world well.
Our guide to refunds, free trials and billing explains how refund windows and renewals work, and how to choose a game server host covers what to check so you do not need to move again soon. If the reason for moving is lag, read server location and ping and how much RAM and CPU a game server needs first, so the new plan fixes the real cause.
How to move a game server, step by step
The details differ by game, but the order is the same everywhere. Follow it and your world is never at risk, because there is always a working copy somewhere.
- New serverSet it up firstOrder the new server and install the same game, on the same version or branch, with the same mod loader.
- Old serverTell players and stop itAnnounce a short downtime, then stop the server properly so the world is saved to disk.
- Old serverBack up and downloadTake a final backup and download it, plus the settings files, to your own computer.
- New serverUpload the worldStop the new server, upload the world and settings into the matching folders and set the world name if the game needs it.
- New serverStart and checkStart it, join, and check the world, buildings, inventories, mods and admin rights before anyone else joins.
- BothSwitch everyone overShare the new address, update your Discord and server listings, then cancel the old plan once all is well.
1Set up the new server first
Install the same game on the new server and match the version. If your old server runs a beta branch, an older version or a particular mod loader, choose the same on the new one. Add the same mods or plugins, ideally at the same versions. A world saved on a newer version often will not load on an older one, and a modded world can break if its mods are missing.
2Tell players and stop the old server
Give your group a time for the move so nobody is mid-raid or mid-build. Then stop the server from the panel rather than just cancelling or deleting it. Stopping properly lets the game write its last save, and it means nothing changes while you copy the files.
3Take a final backup and download it
Use the panel’s backup tool, then download the backup, or download the world folder and settings files directly through the file manager or SFTP. Keep the copy on your own computer. Check the download finished and that the file sizes look sensible before going further. Our security basics explain why an off-server copy matters.
4Upload the world to the new server
Stop the new server, then upload your files into the same places they came from. Many games expect the world folder in a particular location and read the world name from the settings, so a world uploaded under a different name can look as if it has vanished. If the new server created a fresh world on first start, replace it rather than adding yours beside it.
5Start it and check before anyone joins
Start the new server and watch the console for errors while it loads. Join yourself and check the things people care about: the right world and map, recent builds, inventories, mods working and your admin rights. If something is wrong, you still have the old server and your backup.
6Switch everyone over, then cancel
The new server has a new address, so players need to update it in the game, and any favourites or server-list entries will point at the old one. Post the new address in your Discord, update any public listings, and only cancel the old plan when the new server has run smoothly for a while. Turn off auto-renewal rather than deleting the old server straight away, if your host allows it.
Which files to take with you
Every game names its folders differently, but the files you need fall into the same few groups. The world folder and the settings are the important ones. The rest depends on how you run your server.
Where player data lives varies a lot. In Minecraft Java, inventories and positions are stored inside the world folder, so copying the world brings them along. In Valheim and Terraria, characters belong to the players, and only the world sits on the server. The game guides below show the exact folders for each title.
| Game | Moving the world | Backups | Compare hosts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valheim | Transfer a world to a server | Backup and restore | Best Valheim hosting |
| Enshrouded | Transfer a world to a dedicated server | Backup and restore | Best Enshrouded hosting |
| Vintage Story | Upload an existing world | – | Best Vintage Story hosting |
| Don’t Starve Together | Back up and transfer a world | Same guide | Best Don’t Starve Together hosting |
| Factorio | Upload and transfer saves | Same guide | Best Factorio hosting |
| Project Zomboid | – | Server backups | Best Project Zomboid hosting |
For other games, pick your title in the game hosting hub. Moving from a server at home works the same way: our guide to hosting at home or renting explains when it is worth making that switch.
When the world does not show up
If the new server starts but something is not right, it is almost always one of these. None of them mean the world is lost, as long as you still have your backup.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A brand-new world instead of yours | The world was uploaded to the wrong folder, or under a different name from the one in the settings. | Stop the server, check the folder and the world name setting, and upload again. |
| The server will not start or crashes on load | The game version or branch is different from the old server. | Match the version or branch to the old server, then start again. |
| Missing items, blocks or buildings | Mods are missing or on different versions. | Install the same mods at the same versions as before. |
| You are no longer admin | The admin list or ownership file was not copied. | Upload the admin, whitelist and ban files, or set yourself as admin again. |
| Players cannot find the server | They are still using the old address or a saved favourite. | Share the new address and update your Discord and server listings. |
| Progress from the last session is missing | The old server was not stopped before the backup, so the last save was not written. | Restore a backup taken after a proper stop, if the old server is still available. |
Keep the backup. Hold on to the downloaded copy of your world for a while after the move, even when everything looks fine. It costs nothing, and it is your only way back if a problem shows up later.
Hosts that will move your server for you
If you would rather not move files yourself, some hosts offer to do it. According to our reviews, these hosts advertise free migration from another host. Ask when you order, and keep your own backup and the old server until the move has been checked.
| Host | What our review says |
|---|---|
| Host Havoc | Free migration from any other host for new customers. You open a support ticket with the old host’s FTP details and they move world saves, configurations and settings. |
| Apex Hosting | Free server transfer on all standard plans: Apex migrates your existing server from any other host at no charge. |
| GGServers | A free migration tool that imports server files from another host, on all plans. |
| Hexane Networks | Advertises free migration of configs, addons, saves and databases from another host. |
| OCNetworks | Advertises free migration of files, configs, mods, databases and player data, with a chance to test before switching. |
| Prism Host | Advertises free migration if requested around order time. |
| BerryByte | Its product pages advertise free migration. |
Moving between locations at the same host is usually easier still. For example, LOW.MS lets you move a server to another location from the panel with its files and settings, and Host Havoc offers free migration between its locations.
Moving to a better host?
These are the top three hosts in our UK ranking, in ranking order. All three include DDoS protection, and Host Havoc will also move your server for you.
Moving checklist
- Overlap: the new server is ordered before the old plan ends.
- Same setup: game version, branch, mod loader and mods match the old server.
- Clean stop: the old server was stopped properly before the final backup.
- Your own copy: the backup is downloaded to your computer and the download finished.
- Checked: world, builds, inventories, mods and admin rights work on the new server.
- Switched: players have the new address, then the old plan is cancelled.
Moving a game server: common questions
Can I move my game server to another host without losing my world?
Yes, in most games, as long as you can download files from the old server and upload them to the new one. Stop the old server, take a final backup, upload the world and settings to the new server on the same game version and mods, and check it before cancelling the old plan.
Should I cancel my old server before moving?
No. Keep the old server until the new one is running your world properly. If you cancel first, the host may delete the server and your world at the end of the billing period.
What files do I need to move a game server?
The world or save folder and the server settings files are essential. Copy admin, whitelist and ban lists and your mod configs too if you use them. If you are unsure, copy the whole server folder.
Will my players keep their characters and items?
It depends on the game. In games such as Minecraft Java, player data is stored in the world folder and moves with it. In Valheim and Terraria, characters are saved on each player’s own computer, so they are not affected by the move.
Why is my world missing after I uploaded it?
Usually the world went into the wrong folder, or its name does not match the world name in the server settings, so the server made a new world. Stop the server, fix the folder or name, and start it again.
Will a new host move my server for me?
Some will. According to our reviews, Host Havoc, Apex Hosting, GGServers, Hexane Networks, OCNetworks, Prism Host and BerryByte advertise free migration from another host. Keep your own backup either way.
