Your Sons of the Forest save contains the group’s shared survival progress. Use Worlds to create a world, select a save slot and mode, or upload a zipped save. Confirm which save is active before your group resumes play.
Know which world controls are available
In Worlds, you can create a world with a name and save slot, choose a save mode, upload a zipped save, and choose whether the uploaded world becomes active. Stop the server before changing worlds. Shared users need manage_worlds permission to create or upload worlds.
Before a change, note the active world and save slot. Use a clear name so your group can identify the intended save later.
Create a world carefully
Before creating a world, tell players that you are starting a new save and choose its save slot and mode. Stop the server, create an owner backup, and submit the world in Worlds. Start the server and confirm it loaded the intended save before inviting everyone. Keep the previous save available until the group has tested the new one.
Creating a new world is not a merge operation. Progress belongs to the selected save. If players have characters, equipment, or structures tied to another world, switching the server’s active save does not transfer those automatically.
Upload an existing save
Prepare your zipped save before opening Worlds. Choose a clear name and save slot, and decide whether it should become active after upload. Stop the server before uploading. Once the upload finishes, start the server and verify the map and group progress before everyone continues.
If the result is not what you expected, stop. Check which world and slot were selected and review the last operation. Avoid uploading the same archive repeatedly or deleting the prior save while diagnosing the issue.
Keep a copy of the original archive until you have confirmed the uploaded world loads correctly. If the game opens an unexpected save, stop the server and verify the selected slot before making another upload.
Keep the source world unchanged while you prepare the archive. Use a distinct name and save slot for the uploaded world. If you choose to make it active, confirm that choice before starting the server.
Use backups as a planned recovery point
Create an owner backup before uploading or switching worlds, or changing an important setting. Record the active world, save slot, and backup time so you can identify the right recovery point.
If a collaborator helps with recovery, coordinate with the server owner to create or restore the backup through the owner-only Backups tab. Restoring changes the server data available to the group, so let players know beforehand. Confirm the restore completed and verify the active world before resuming play.
Keep the current and prior worlds distinct until the group has tested the selected one. If someone reports missing progress, check the active save first. It may be a world-selection issue rather than deleted data.
Check that the backup completed and keep the previous world while the group tests the replacement. Once everyone confirms the new save is right, decide whether to keep the old one; do not delete it during the initial test.
Change settings separately
Use Properties to edit the Sons of the Forest settings available in your server manager. Record the old value, save one change at a time, and restart if prompted. Test the result with your group before making another change.
Finish and verify a world change before editing unrelated settings. That makes it easier to identify which change affected the server.
Troubleshoot with the manager
If the wrong world appears, check the selected save and slot. If players cannot join, confirm the server is running and share the current connection details. If a setting seems ignored, check that it was saved and restart if needed. Use Console and Logs to investigate server errors.
For management navigation, see Sons of the Forest management. For the dedicated-IP requirement and resource estimate, see Sons of the Forest hosting.
