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A Project Zomboid soft reset clears the map (loot, zombies, corpses, blood) but keeps player characters. On Build 42 dedicated servers there is no reliable soft-reset switch: the old -Dsoftreset launch flag is a Build 41 method that often failed even there. On a FREAKHOSTING server, refresh loot with the Loot respawns after setting instead, or back up and start a completely new world.

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Before you start

  • Make a backup first. Every option below changes your world, and a backup is the only way back.
  • Tell your players. Everyone is disconnected while the server restarts.

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How to refresh loot without a reset

If your goal is full containers again, you don’t need a reset. Open Game settings > Loot respawn and world and set Loot respawns after to a number of in-game hours. See loot respawn settings.

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How to start a completely new world

This deletes the map and every character. Your settings files stay.
1

Back up the server

Open Backups and click Create backup. Wait until it is finished. Turn on Keep this backup so it can’t be deleted by accident.
2

Stop the server

Click Stop and wait until the server is offline.
3

Delete the world save

Open Files and go to .cache/Saves/Multiplayer. Delete the folder named after your Server Name startup variable. It goes to the Trash, so you can restore it from there until you empty it.
4

Change sandbox settings if you want

Some sandbox options only apply to a new world, such as Start month and Start day. Set them now in Game settings.
5

Start the server

Click Start. The server creates a new world with your current settings.

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What about -Dsoftreset?

On Build 41, server owners added -Dsoftreset to the server’s launch options. Admins often reported a stuck progress bar or a server that stopped during launch, and it is not part of the current Build 42 way of resetting. The Startup command on our panel can’t take extra launch flags, so this method isn’t available. If you need the map reset while keeping characters, open a ticket and ask.

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Frequently asked questions

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Will my players lose their bases?

With loot respawn, no: bases, characters and the map stay. A new world deletes everything, including bases and characters.

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How do I wipe my Project Zomboid server?

Back up, stop the server, delete the world save folder in .cache/Saves/Multiplayer, and start again. Your settings stay.

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Can I go back after a reset?

Yes, if you made a backup. Open Backups, click Restore on the backup and confirm.

Project Zomboid guide

Every Project Zomboid page in one place.

Loot respawn

Refill containers without a reset.

Sandbox settings

Settings for a new world.

Create and restore backups

Back up before any reset.

Zombie population

Fewer zombies without a reset.
Tested by the FREAKHOSTING team on 30 October 2026 (Project Zomboid Build 42 on our Game Panel). Steps may differ slightly if the game or its mods change.

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Need Extra Help?

If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist:

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Last Updated: October 2026