Upload an Existing World to a Sons of the Forest Server

Overview

Running a dedicated Sons of the Forest server gives you more control over settings, uptime, and who gets to be eaten by the forest at 2 a.m. If you already started a multiplayer world locally, you can move that save onto the server and continue from the same map.

There are a few limits to know before uploading anything. Only multiplayer saves can be transferred this way, and the game must have created the local save files first. Player inventories do not currently carry over to the dedicated server, so expect the world, structures, and progress to transfer, but not every item in your pockets.

Find Your Local Sons of the Forest Save

Before opening the server panel, locate the world folder on your computer.

1. Press `Windows + R` to open the Run window.
2. Type `AppData`, then select OK.

1. Browse to this folder:

`...\LocalLow\Endnight\SonsOfTheForest\Saves\76561198371917908`

1. Open the `Multiplayer` folder.
2. Find the world folder you want to upload. If several folders are listed, sort by Date Modified to identify the newest save.

Keep this window open. You will need the folder again during the upload steps.

Choose an Upload Method

You can upload the world through the HolyHosting file manager or with an FTP client such as FileZilla or Cyberduck. The panel method is usually fine for smaller worlds. For larger saves, FTP is more reliable and less likely to complain dramatically halfway through the transfer.

Before either method, make a copy of the world folder somewhere safe. Then compress the copied folder with a tool such as 7-Zip or WinRAR if you plan to use the browser upload option.

Upload Through the Server Panel

1. Open your HolyHosting server panel.
2. Select the FTP / file manager option from your panel menu.

1. Enter your panel password, then log in.

1. Navigate to the server save directory:

`.../Saves/DedicatedServer/Multiplayer`

1. Select Upload.
2. Drag the zipped world folder into the upload area and wait for the transfer to finish.

1. Return to the `Multiplayer` folder.
2. Check the uploaded `.zip` file, then select Unzip.

1. Confirm the unzip action, then go back to the same folder.
2. Select the extracted world folder and choose Rename.
3. Rename the folder to `0000000002`.

You can also use `0000000003`, `0000000004`, or `0000000005`, but the final number must match the save slot you activate later.

Upload With an FTP Client

Use this method if your world folder is large or if you prefer transferring the uncompressed folder directly.

1. Go to the FTP / file manager section in the server panel, but do not log in.
2. Copy the FTP host, username, password, and port shown there.

1. Open your FTP client, such as FileZilla or Cyberduck.
2. Enter the host, username, password, and port in the matching fields.

1. Connect to the server.
2. If your server has a profile folder, open it, then browse to:

`.../Saves/DedicatedServer/Multiplayer`

1. Drag your local world folder into the `Multiplayer` directory.
2. Wait until the upload completes.
3. Right-click the uploaded folder and rename it to `0000000002`.

The same slot rule applies here. Folder `0000000004` uses Save #4, folder `0000000005` uses Save #5, and so on.

Activate the Uploaded World

After the folder is uploaded and renamed, the server needs to be told which save slot to load.

1. Return to the main server panel.
2. Open your panel settings.

1. Find the Save Slot option.
2. Select the save number that matches the end of your folder name. For example, `0000000002` means Save #2.

1. Go back to the main panel and restart the server.
2. Join the server to confirm the uploaded world loads correctly.

Common Problems

If you cannot find your local world files, make sure you saved the multiplayer session in-game. Build a tent and save there so Sons of the Forest generates the needed files on your PC. Singleplayer saves are not supported for this process, only multiplayer worlds can be uploaded to a dedicated server.

If the server loads the wrong world, check the folder name first. The uploaded save folder must use one of the supported names, such as `0000000002`, `0000000003`, `0000000004`, or `0000000005`. Then check the server panel and make sure the selected save slot matches that final number.

If everything looks correct but the world still does not load, restart the server once more and test again. If the issue continues, the upload may have failed or only partially transferred, especially with larger folders. Re-uploading through FTP is usually the cleanest fix.

Player inventories are a separate limitation. At the time this process is used, Sons of the Forest multiplayer world uploads do not preserve previously held items when moved to a dedicated server. The map and built structures can transfer, but inventory contents should be treated as non-transferable.

Related Guides

• How to join a Sons of the Forest server
• Becoming an admin on a Sons of the Forest server
• How to set a password on a Sons of the Forest server
• Changing the name of a Sons of the Forest server