Rust server wipe: map, blueprints and scheduling

A wipe means deleting the world, and possibly the blueprints players have learned, and starting a new round. This guide explains the types of wipe, what Facepunch's monthly force wipe does, which files to delete, how to go about it step by step, what to do with plugin data and how to set up a regular schedule and the in-game countdown.

Types of wipe#

Force wipe#

Facepunch releases a major Rust update once a month, usually on the first Thursday of the month. The in-game wipe timer's default time is 19:00 London time (20:00 in Prague).

• The update raises the version (protocol) number stored in the world file's name. An updated server won't load the old world and generates a new one. So the map wipe happens by itself as soon as you update the server.
• According to the Facepunch wiki, blueprints usually aren't deleted at a force wipe. Whether you delete them is your call (BP wipe).
• Don't try to “revive” the old world by renaming the file. Facepunch calls this dangerous and advises against it.
• After a Rust update you also need a new framework version (upload Oxide again, Carbon updates itself), see Oxide and Carbon.

So plan your own wipes so that one of them always falls on force wipe day.

Which files to delete#

The world and player data are in the identity folder: server/<IDENTITY>/ in the server root (<IDENTITY> is the value of the server.identity parameter). The number in the file names is the version (protocol) and changes with updates. The .db database files may have helper files next to them with the same start of the name and the suffix -wal or -shm; always delete those together with the main file.

Step-by-step procedure#

1. Announce the wipe to players in advance: on Discord, in the server description and in chat a few minutes before shutting down:

   say "Server is shutting down in 5 minutes for the wipe. The new map will be up in 15 minutes."

2. Save the world with server.save so the backup is up to date.

3. Stop the server (on a VPS, systemctl stop rust).

4. Make a backup of the whole server/<IDENTITY> folder and the oxide (or carbon) folder. On a game host, use the backup in the customer area, the Backups tab (game server backups); on a VPS, for example:

   tar -czf /root/rust-pred-wipe-$(date +%F).tar.gz -C /opt/rust/server server/rust oxide

   • tar -czf <ARCHIVE> – creates (-c) a compressed (-z) archive in a file (-f).
   • $(date +%F) – inserts today's date (2026-10-01) so backups don't overwrite each other.
   • -C /opt/rust/server – works relative to the server root.
   • server/rust oxide – backs up the rust identity folder and the Oxide folder. With Carbon, write carbon instead of oxide.

5. Delete the files according to the type of wipe (table above). On a game host in the file manager; on a VPS (identity folder rust, paths as in the Your own Rust server on a VPS guide) with this command for a map wipe:

   cd /opt/rust/server/server/rust && rm -v -- *.sav* *.map player.states.*

   • cd … – goes to the identity folder. && makes sure the deletion only runs if changing into the folder worked (otherwise you'd be deleting somewhere else).
   • rm -v – deletes the files and prints which ones it deleted.
   • -- – after this, there are no more options, only file names.
   • *.sav* – the world and its backups, *.map – the map, player.states.* – player state.

   For a BP wipe or full wipe, also delete the blueprints (the pattern also catches the -wal and -shm helper files):

   cd /opt/rust/server/server/rust && rm -v -- player.blueprints.*

   A No such file or directory message for one of the patterns just means there's no such file in the folder.

6. Optionally change the seed (+server.seed) or map size so the new map is different. See server.cfg and launch parameters.

7. Update the server and the framework if an update is out (always at a force wipe).

8. Deal with plugin data as described in the next section.

9. Start the server (on a VPS, systemctl start rust). Generating the new map takes a few minutes. The server is ready when Server startup complete appears in the console.

Verification#

1. Connect and check that the map is new (different layout, no old buildings).
2. After a BP wipe, check that you have no learned blueprints.
3. Enter wipetimer.printwipe in the console (listed on the Facepunch wiki as PrintWipe) and check the date of the next wipe.
4. Check that plugins are running: oxide.plugins (Carbon: c.plugins).

Restoring from a backup when a wipe goes wrong#

Deleted more than you meant to, or the wipe shouldn't happen after all? Restore the state from the backup you made in step 4.

• Game host: restore the backup in the customer area (the Backups tab › Restore, see game server backups).
• Your own VPS (as root, paths as in the VPS guide):

systemctl stop rust
cd /opt/rust/server
mv server/rust server/rust-po-wipe
mv oxide oxide-po-wipe
tar -xzf /root/rust-pred-wipe-<DATE>.tar.gz -C /opt/rust/server
systemctl start rust

• systemctl stop rust – stops the server so it doesn't overwrite anything while running.
• mv server/rust server/rust-po-wipe and mv oxide oxide-po-wipe – just move the current state aside (nothing is deleted) so it doesn't get mixed with the backup. With Carbon, move carbon aside instead of oxide.
• tar -xzf … -C /opt/rust/server – extracts the backup to its original location. Replace <DATE> with the date from the backup file name (for example 2026-10-01).
• systemctl start rust – starts the server with the old world.

Once you've checked that everything works, delete the *-po-wipe folders you moved aside.

Wipes and plugin data#

Plugins store their data in oxide/data (Carbon: carbon/data). Some of it belongs to a single round and would make no sense after a wipe (homes on the old map, used-up kits); some of it should stay (permissions, clans).

• Many plugins detect a wipe by themselves. When the server creates a new world, the framework tells them, and the plugin deletes data according to its settings. The plugin's configuration decides, for example:
  • Kits: "Wipe player data when the server is wiped" – default false. Set it to true if kit usage counters and cooldowns should reset after a wipe.
  • NTeleportation: "Wipe On Upgrade Or Change" – default true, homes are deleted after a wipe.
  • Backpacks: the "Enabled" option in the "Clear on wipe" section – default false, backpack contents survive the wipe. If backpacks should be emptied, set it to true.
• For a plugin that doesn't detect a wipe, clear the data by hand: unload the plugin (oxide.unload <PLUGIN_NAME>), delete its data file in oxide/data and load the plugin again (oxide.load <PLUGIN_NAME>). It will create empty data.
• Never delete oxide/data/oxide.users.data and oxide/data/oxide.groups.data. They hold all permissions and groups.
• Keep the manually deleted files in mind when it comes to backups too: if you roll a wipe back from a backup, restore the world and plugin data from the same point in time.

You'll find details about specific plugins in the Recommended plugins article.

Scheduling and the in-game countdown#

Common schedules:

A BP wipe is usually done only once a month (at the force wipe), even when the map is wiped more often.

Set the schedule with a tag in server.cfg (only one of monthly, biweekly, weekly). The wipe timer counts down based on it: the countdown on the laptop by the nuclear warhead in the Missile Silo monument. It also triggers the end-of-round events (fighter jets over the island and armored vehicles on the roads) roughly 24 hours before the wipe.

server.tags monthly,vanilla,EU
wipetimer.wipetimezone "Europe/Prague"
wipetimer.wipedayofweek 4
wipetimer.wipehourofday 20

How the timer counts: monthly = the first given weekday of the month, weekly = every week, biweekly = the first and third given weekday of the month (according to the Facepunch wiki). How many hours before the wipe the end-of-round events start is set by a variable from the eventschedulewipeoffset group (default 24 hours, 0 turns them off); find eventschedulewipeoffset prints the exact name in your version.

Automation: Carbon has an optional AutoWipe module that wipes on a schedule (cron), can run commands and delete files after the wipe and can pick maps from a prepared list. On your own VPS, you can write a script run by a systemd timer or cron that performs the steps from the procedure above.

Troubleshooting#

The old map is still there after the wipe#

• You deleted files in a different identity folder than the one the server uses. Check +server.identity.
• The world's backup files remained (*.sav.1, *.sav.2). Delete all files that start with the world's name and end with .sav followed by anything.
• You use a custom map (server.levelurl): the map stays the same and only what was on it is deleted. That's correct.

Players still have their blueprints#

The player.blueprints.*.db file or its -wal and -shm helper files remained, or the server was running while you deleted them. Stop the server and delete all files starting with player.blueprints..

The server won't start after the wipe#

At a force wipe, it's usually a mismatch between the framework and game versions. Update both Rust and Oxide (Carbon updates itself on start) and check the log and oxide/logs or carbon/logs.

Plugins remember old data#

Homes in places where there's nothing anymore, used-up kits, full backpacks. Check the wipe settings in the plugins' configuration (the Wipes and plugin data section) or delete the data by hand.

The countdown on the laptop in the Missile Silo is wrong#

Check the schedule tag in server.tags (only one), the time zone and the hour. Verify the result with the wipetimer.printwipe command. For an irregular schedule, use wipetimer.wipecronoverride.

Rust+ doesn't work for players after the wipe#

You deleted companion.id or player.tokens.*.db. Restore them from a backup, or have players pair the server in the app again.

Further reading#

• Facepunch: files in the identity folder (opens in a new window)
• Facepunch: wipe timer (opens in a new window)
• Facepunch: server browser tags (opens in a new window)
• Facepunch: Rust+ and the companion.id file (opens in a new window)
• Carbon: AutoWipe module (opens in a new window)