How to Change Maps on Your DayZ Server

DayZ ships with three official maps, and the Workshop adds many more through community-made custom maps. Switching between the official maps is a quick config change since the mission files already exist on your server. Installing a custom map takes a couple of extra steps, since you need to upload the map files first.

    📁 mpmissions (your server's root directory)
            📄 dayzOffline.chernarusplus (Chernarus)

            📄 dayzOffline.enoch (Livonia)

            📄 dayzOffline.sakhal (Sakhal)

            📄 yourcustommap.folder (uploaded custom maps land here too)

Switching To One Of DayZ's Official Maps

Chernarus, Livonia, and Sakhal all ship with your server already, so there's nothing to upload. You just need to point your server at the right mission folder.

⚠️ Back Up Before You Switch: Each map keeps its own separate persistence data (the storage_* folders holding player bases, loot state, and vehicles). Switching maps does not carry any of that over, and you can't move it between maps afterward. Take a backup first if you want to preserve your current world.

Official Maps And Their Mission Folders

Chernarus → dayzOffline.chernarusplus
Livonia → dayzOffline.enoch
Sakhal → dayzOffline.sakhal

Stop your server from the Console tab.
Open the Files tab and locate serverDZ.cfg in your server's root directory.
Find the template= line inside the class Missions { class DayZ { ... } } block, and change it to the mission folder for the map you want.
Save the file and start your server.

📄 serverDZ.cfg

class Missions
{
    class DayZ
    {
        template="dayzOffline.enoch"; // Mission to load on server startup. .
    };
};

💡 Livonia And Sakhal Require Their DLC: As the server owner, you don't need to own the Livonia or Frostline (Sakhal) DLC yourself, the mission files ship with every DayZ server. Your players do need to own the matching DLC on Steam to join, though. Chernarus is free for everyone.

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Installing And Enabling A Custom Community Map

Custom maps from the Workshop are distributed in two parts: the map's terrain and assets, which install like a regular mod, and a mission folder, which holds the actual game logic and persistence data. Both need to be in place before you switch your server over.

Subscribe to the map on the Steam Workshop, and check its page or included readme for the mission folder download, since this is usually provided separately from the main subscription.
Extract the mission folder from the download. It will be named something like empty.mapname.
Stop your server from the Console tab.
Open the Files tab and upload the mission folder into your mpmissions directory.
The map's terrain and asset files load as a mod. Export a modlist from the DayZ Launcher and upload it, following our guide to Installing Mods On Your DayZ Server.
Open serverDZ.cfg and set template= to the exact name of the mission folder you uploaded.
Save the file and start your server.

💡 Pro Tip: The template= value has to exactly match the mission folder name inside mpmissions, capitalization included. Always double-check the specific instructions for the map you're installing, since exact packaging can vary from author to author.

🛠️ Troubleshooting Map Issues

Server won't start after changing the map: Double-check your template= value for typos, and confirm it exactly matches a folder name inside mpmissions, including capitalization.
Log shows "No world with name 'X'": Your mission folder follows a . pattern (for example, dayzOffline.chernarusplus). The TerrainName part after the dot has to exactly match the internal world name the map mod itself registers, which isn't always the same as the map's display name on the Workshop. If you hit this on a custom map, check the mod's own documentation or ask its author for the correct internal world name to use.
Players can't join a custom map server: They need the same map mod installed and loaded as you do. Confirm your modlist is set up correctly and that players are joining through a launcher that syncs mods automatically.
Your old base and loot are gone after switching: This is expected. Persistence data doesn't carry over between maps. Restore from a backup if you switched by mistake and want your previous map back.
Players say they need to buy a DLC to join Chernarus: This usually means a mod or accompanying mission requires Frostline assets even on a non-Sakhal map. Check with the mod or map author, since this is a known point of confusion following recent DayZ updates.

Once your template= value and mission folder line up, your server will boot straight into the new map. If you run into any trouble getting a map switched over, no worries! Just open a support ticket and our team will be happy to take a look.

How to Change Maps on Your DayZ Server

Switching To One Of DayZ's Official Maps

Official Maps And Their Mission Folders

Installing And Enabling A Custom Community Map

🛠️ Troubleshooting Map Issues

Start Your Own DayZ Server

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