How to Move a Co-Op Save to Your Project Zomboid Server

Started a world with friends using the in-game "Host" option and now ready to move it onto an always-on MintServers dedicated server? Good news: your progress is not lost. Project Zomboid stores co-op ("Host") saves in the exact same format as a dedicated server, so you can transfer the whole world across instead of starting over.

This guide walks you through finding your local save, matching it to your server's world folder, and getting it uploaded correctly.

⚠️ Important Warning: Always Stop your server on the MintServers panel before uploading any files. This process replaces your server's current world, so make sure you are uploading the correct save before you start.

Step 1: Locate Your Co-Op Save On Your PC

Project Zomboid stores all of its data in a folder named Zomboid in your user directory, separate from the actual game installation. Depending on your operating system, you can find it at:

Windows: C:\Users\YourUsername\Zomboid\Saves\Multiplayer
Mac / Linux: ~/Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer

Inside the Multiplayer folder, you will see a folder for every co-op session you have hosted, named after whatever you typed into the "Name" field when you clicked Host. Open the folder for the world you want to move.

💡 Pro Tip: Not sure which folder is the right one? Sort by "Date Modified" and pick the one that matches the last time you played with your friends.

Step 2: Package The Save For Upload

Inside your world's save folder, you will find a lot of files and, depending on your game version, some subfolders as well. Together they make up your world. The main ones are:

Files that start with map_ and end in .bin, such as map_meta.bin, map_t.bin, and map_ver.bin. This is your explored world, buildings, and loot.
players.db, which holds every character's inventory, skills, health, and position.
vehicles.db, which holds the vehicles in your world.

You do not need to pick these out one by one. Select everything inside the world folder, including any subfolders, and compress it all into a single .zip file. This keeps the save complete and makes it much faster to upload than sending individual files one at a time.

ℹ️ Note: Zip the contents of your world folder itself, not the whole Multiplayer folder. You only want one world's worth of files in the archive.

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Step 3: Find Your Server's World Folder Name

On MintServers, your server's identity is set by its configuration file, which controls both the settings file name and the matching world folder. Unlike some other hosts, MintServers uses mintservers.ini instead of the default servertest.ini, so your world folder will need to match that same name.

Log into your MintServers panel and click the Stop button.
Click on the Files tab on the left-hand sidebar.
Navigate to your configuration file to confirm the exact name:

    📁 .cache (main server directory)
            📁 Server
                    📄 mintservers.ini (Your server configuration file)

Step 4: Upload The Save To Your Server

Still inside the Files tab, open the .cache folder, then Saves, then Multiplayer.
If a folder named mintservers already exists, rename it to mintservers-backup. This keeps your server's current world as a backup instead of deleting it.
Create a new, empty folder named mintservers and open it.
Upload the .zip file you created in Step 2, then extract it directly into this folder.
Confirm the files landed directly inside the mintservers folder, and not nested inside an extra subfolder from the zip.

💡 Pro Tip: Do not see a Saves or Multiplayer folder yet? Start your server once, let it finish loading, then Stop it again. The folders are created on the first boot.

📝 Uploading Multiple or Large Files? The browser-based Files tab works fine for most saves, but for large files or folders with many pieces, an SFTP client like FileZilla or WinSCP is faster and more reliable. See our guide to connecting via SFTP to get set up.

Step 5: Match Your Mods (If You Used Any)

If your co-op world used Steam Workshop mods, your server needs the exact same mods enabled before it will load the save correctly. The easiest way is to copy the mod settings straight from your hosted game.

On your PC, open the Zomboid\Server folder (it sits next to the Saves folder from Step 1) and open the .ini file with the same name as your save folder (servertest.ini by default).
Copy the three lines that start with Mods=, WorkshopItems=, and Map=.
On the panel, open mintservers.ini from Step 3 and replace those same three lines with the ones you copied. Leave the rest of the file as it is.
Save the file.

ℹ️ Note: Some Workshop mods contain several parts, such as alternate versions or optional add-ons. WorkshopItems= controls which mods get downloaded, while Mods= controls which parts are actually enabled. Copying these lines from your hosted game keeps the exact same selection you had in-game.

⚠️ Important Warning: After editing these lines by hand, avoid clicking "Sync Mods/Map" in the PZ Mods tab. It rebuilds the lines from everything installed, which can re-enable parts of a mod you had turned off.

Need help finding the correct Workshop or Mod IDs? Our guide to installing mods on Project Zomboid covers exactly where to find them.

Step 6: Start Your Server

Head back to the Console tab and click Start. Give it a minute to load, then connect using your server's IP and port to confirm your world, buildings, and characters are all exactly where you left them.

🛠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues

You spawn into a brand new, unexplored world: Your save files were uploaded to the wrong folder name, or ended up inside an extra subfolder. Double-check that the folder inside .cache/Saves/Multiplayer matches your configuration file's name exactly and that the save files sit directly inside it.
Server crashes shortly after starting: This is almost always a mod mismatch. Make sure the Mods=, WorkshopItems=, and Map= lines match the ones from your hosted game.
"This save is incompatible" error: Your server is running a different game version than the one your save was created on. Check out our guide on changing your Project Zomboid server version.
Your character is missing or you spawn as new: Confirm that players.db was actually included in your uploaded zip and extracted into the correct folder.

And that is it, your world and your friends' progress are now living on an always-on server instead of your PC. If anything does not load quite right, no worries! Just open a support ticket and our team will gladly help you get your world back up and running.