How to Manage Saves and Worlds on Your Astroneer Server

Astroneer is a game about exploring and reshaping alien worlds, so your save data is everything. Whether you want to switch to a fresh planet, keep a copy of your progress, or recover from an unexpected problem, the RiverHosting panel gives you the tools to manage your Astroneer server saves without any technical experience required.

This guide walks you through finding your saves, keeping them safe with backups, and replacing them when needed.

Before you start

• Make sure you have an active Astroneer server through RiverHosting.
• Log in to the RiverHosting panel and open your Astroneer server.
• Stop your server before making any changes to save files. This prevents file conflicts and data loss.

1. How to find your Astroneer save files

Your Astroneer server stores its save data as files on the server. You can browse and manage these files directly from the RiverHosting panel using the built-in File Manager.

1. Log in to the RiverHosting panel.
2. Click on your Astroneer server to open it.
3. Click Save Games in the left-hand menu. This is the dedicated page for managing your Astroneer saves.
4. You will see the save slots available for your server. Each slot corresponds to a saved world state.

2. How to back up your Astroneer save files

Making a backup before any major change is the best habit you can build as a server owner. The RiverHosting panel has a built-in Backups feature that creates a snapshot of your entire server, including your save data.

1. Open your Astroneer server in the RiverHosting panel.
2. Click Backups in the left-hand menu.
3. Click Create Backup.
4. Give the backup a recognisable name, such as pre-reset-backup or session-3-save, so you can find it later.
5. Click Start Backup and wait for it to complete. The backup will appear in the list once it is ready.

Once a backup is created, you can download it to your own computer for extra safety, or restore it at any time from the same Backups page.

3. How to upload or replace a save file

If you want to bring in a save from a local game, restore a save you downloaded earlier, or replace the active world with a different file, you can do this through the File Manager.

1. Stop your server first.
2. Open your Astroneer server in the RiverHosting panel.
3. Click Files in the left-hand menu to open the File Manager.
4. Navigate to the folder where Astroneer stores its save files. This is typically inside a Saved folder in the server directory. Look for files with a .sav extension.
5. To replace an existing save, delete the old file first by right-clicking it and choosing Delete.
6. Upload your new save file by clicking the Upload button and selecting the file from your computer.
7. Once the upload is complete, start your server and check that the new save loads correctly.

4. How to start fresh with a new world

If you want to wipe your current world and start a brand new game, the safest method is to back up your existing save first, then delete the save files through the File Manager.

1. Follow the steps in section 2 to create a backup of your current save.
2. Stop your server.
3. Open the File Manager and navigate to the save file folder.
4. Delete the existing .sav files.
5. Start your server. Astroneer will generate a new world automatically on the next startup.

Troubleshooting

• My save is not loading after I uploaded it. Make sure the file name matches what Astroneer expects and that the file is in the correct folder. Double-check by comparing it with the original file name before the replacement.
• The server crashed after I changed a save file. Restore from a backup using the Backups page. Click the backup you want, then click Restore.
• I cannot find the save folder in the File Manager. Look inside subfolders named Saved or similar. If you are unsure, contact RiverHosting support and they can point you to the correct location for your server.
• My players lost progress after a restart. This can happen if auto-save was not enabled or if the server was stopped abruptly. Always use the panel's Stop button rather than killing the server to ensure Astroneer saves correctly before shutting down.
• I accidentally deleted the wrong file. Restore your most recent backup from the Backups page as soon as possible to recover your data.

Need help?

If you run into an issue you cannot resolve, the RiverHosting support team is here to help. Whether it is a corrupted save, a missing file, or anything else, reach out and someone will assist you.