Moving a co-op (Host) save to your MintServers dedicated server, or migrating from another host? Either way, your progress isn't lost, Project Zomboid stores every dedicated server's world in the same format.
Pick the scenario below that matches your situation, then finish with the shared steps for fixing characters and starting your server.
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.
This guide uses
MintServers, the default server name on our panel. If you changed your server's name, use your own name everywhere you see MintServers. To check it, open the Files tab, go to .cache/Server, and look at the name of your .ini file. For example, MintServers.ini means your server name is MintServers. You can ignore the servertest files, those are the game's built-in defaults.
Scenario 1: Moving A Co-Op (Host) Save From Your PC
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.
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:
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.
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.
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. If you renamed your server, look for the .ini file with your server's name instead.
📁 .cache (main server directory)
📁 Server
Step 4: Upload The Save To Your Server
.cache folder, then Saves, then Multiplayer.MintServers by default), add -backup to the end of its name, for example MintServers-backup. This keeps your server's current world as a backup instead of deleting it.MintServers by default) and open it..zip file you created in Step 2, then extract it directly into this folder.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.
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.
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).Mods=, WorkshopItems=, and Map=..ini file from Step 3 and replace those same three lines with the ones you copied. Leave the rest of the file as it is.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.
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.
Scenario 2: Migrating From Another Host
Coming from a different host rather than your own PC? Same idea, you're just pulling the files from your old host's panel instead of your Zomboid folder. Every dedicated Project Zomboid server stores the same three kinds of files, just arranged a bit differently per host.
Step 1: Back Up Your Files On Your Old Host
On your old host's file manager, locate and download these three things:
Usually under
Saves/Multiplayer/. Zip it the same way as Step 2 of Scenario 1.In the
Server folder, the four files starting with your save's name: the .ini file, plus _SandboxVars.lua, _spawnpoints.lua, and _spawnregions.lua.Usually
.db db folder. Holds your whitelist and admin permissions, separate from players.db.Not sure where these sit on your old host's panel? Check their knowledgebase or open a ticket with them first.
Step 2: Upload Everything To MintServers
.cache/Server, upload your four config files, and rename each so it starts with your server's name instead of your old save name (e.g. oldname_SandboxVars.lua → MintServers_SandboxVars.lua).db location, renaming it to match your server's name (e.g. MintServers.db).Don't see a
db folder under Files? Open a support ticket before uploading this file. Your world and characters will work fine without it, but whitelist and admin ranks may not carry over until it's in place.
Moving a world, config files, and an account database at once is a good case for SFTP instead of the browser Files tab. See our guide to connecting via SFTP.
Used Workshop mods on your old server? Repeat Step 5 of Scenario 1 using your old host's config file as the source. Then continue to Fixing Your Characters below before starting your server.
Starting Your Server
Once your files are in place, 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.
Related Guides
Players spawning as new characters after the move? Relink them, or convert single-player characters.
Match your server's game version to the one your save was made on.
🛠️ 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 old save.
"This save is incompatible" error
Your server is running a different game version than the one your save was created on. Switch your server to the same version your save was made on. The steps are in Related Guides above.
Your character is missing or you spawn as new
Confirm players.db was included in your upload and sits directly inside the save folder. Still happening? The characters need to be linked to your world again. Follow Fix Missing Characters in Related Guides above.
Whitelist or admin ranks didn't carry over after migrating
That data lives in your account database (db/MintServers.db by default), separate from your world and player files. Open a support ticket to confirm it uploaded correctly.
Still stuck?
Our team is happy to help. Open a ticket through the live chat button in the bottom-right corner of our website, or join our Discord and open a ticket there.
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