Factorio needs a save file before the server can start. For a new server, the quickest option is to create a save from the control panel.
If you already have a save on your own PC, upload that instead: Uploading Save Game Files to Your Factorio Server.
Creating a new save
- Open your Factorio server in the control panel and stop the server if it is running.
- Click Create Map from the server options.
- Enter the save file name you want to create. The form defaults to newsave.zip so it does not overwrite the default save.zip file by accident. If you want the server to start this new save without changing the command line, use the save filename your server is configured to start.
- Click Execute and wait for the map creation script to finish.
- Go back to the main server page, then start the server.
- Once the server is online, join using the connection details from your panel. Our direct connect guide is here: How to directly connect to your Factorio server.
Create Map uses the default installed Factorio setup. If Space Age is installed, this will normally create a Space Age save. If you want a vanilla-only save, disable the Space Age-related built-in mods first: How to run a vanilla Factorio server without Space Age.
