How to Migrate a Terraria World to a New Server

What Files to Copy

• .wld — the world file (in worlds/ directory)
• .wld.bak — world backup file
• tshock.sqlite — TShock user database (permissions, bans, etc.)
• ServerConfig.txt — server configuration
• Mods/ — if using tModLoader, copy the entire Mods directory

Stop the Old Server

# Gracefully stop
systemctl stop terraria
# Or if using TShock console:
/save
/exit

Transfer Files

# Using scp (from new server):
scp old-server:/opt/terraria/worlds/*.wld /opt/terraria/worlds/
scp old-server:/opt/terraria/worlds/*.wld.bak /opt/terraria/worlds/
scp old-server:/opt/terraria/tshock/tshock.sqlite /opt/terraria/tshock/
scp old-server:/opt/terraria/serverconfig.txt /opt/terraria/

# Or using rsync (preserves permissions):
rsync -avz old-server:/opt/terraria/ /opt/terraria/

Install TShock on New Server

Install TShock on the new server matching the SAME VERSION as the old server. Version mismatches can corrupt worlds:

# Check old server version
./TShock.Server -h | head -5

# Install same version on new server
# See our Terraria server guide for full install steps

Copy World Files

Ensure world files are in the correct path. Check your serverconfig.txt for the worldpath setting — it must match where you placed the .wld files.

Start and Verify

systemctl start terraria
journalctl -u terraria -f

Watch for 'World loaded' in the logs. Connect from your Terraria client and verify the world is intact.

Update DNS/IP

If your server's IP changed, update:

• DNS records if using a domain
• Port forwarding on your router
• Server lists or bookmarks your players use

Common Issues

• TShock version mismatch: World files from newer TShock versions may not load on older versions. Always match versions
• Permission denied: Check file ownership: chown -R root:root /opt/terraria/
• World corrupt: Try the .wld.bak file instead
• Players lost permissions: The tshock.sqlite database must be migrated alongside the world

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