Updated 3/24/2022
Please Note: while Don’t Starve Together now supports Steam Cloud functionality, players will need to opt-in to Steam Cloud saves in order to use it. Otherwise, all save/server files will continue to be saved locally, on the player’s hard drive.
If you find that your Don’t Starve Together server or game world is missing, this could have been caused a number of various factors:
Other Steam accounts logged into your computer
The first thing to check is to ensure that you are logged into the same Steam account that you normally play Don't Starve Together on. If you have other Steam accounts, or if other people in the same household use the same computer with a different Steam account, it will load up different save files/folders, and if that Steam account has not played DST yet, it will not load up the save files from the previous account.
The computer logged in using a different Windows User Account
If you have other people who use the same computer, you will want to ensure that the Windows User Account being used currently is the same one that you generally play on, as it may be that the Windows User Account on the computer is logged into another account currently.
Antivirus/Security software/Anti-Malware is blocking the game from accessing important files
Check if your anti-virus, security software or computer protection is blocking the game from being able to access your local save file folders, or your Steam Cloud folders (if opted into Steam Cloud saves for the game). You may need to add Don't Starve Together and Steam client to your security software's trusted/allowed programs.
Computer Reformat or operating system reinstall
We unfortunately are not able to help recover files lost due to a computer reformat or due to an operating system reinstall. We recommend making a backup of your save files/save folders in a separate location before doing any reformatting of the computer or before reinstalling the operating system.
All players died and the server has been reset
When playing Wilderness or Survival game modes, when all players die and the timer runs out, the server will be reset, and the save file overwritten. Or if the server host clicks on the “Reset Now” button, this will force the world to reset to Day 1. This will force the game to create a brand new world, removing the previous one.
Force-exiting the game, or closing the game while it is in the middle of saving progress
We recommend allowing the game to finish its end of day auto-save process before exiting or closing the game. Software that requires saving should be saved before closing it. Otherwise any unsaved progress may be lost, or cause the save file to be corrupted.
Servers/saves lost after a power blackout
If the game was being played, or was in the process of saving when a power outage or blackout occurs, it may affect the integrity of your file folders or save files. Again, we recommend making a backup of your save files/save folders in a separate location in case this happens.