Setting up a Terraria server

The first start

Your Terraria server runs the official dedicated server. The first time it starts, it creates a new world using the size, difficulty and seed from the Startup tab. Small worlds are ready in under a minute. Large worlds take a few minutes, and you can watch the progress in the Console tab.

To join, choose Multiplayer, then Join via IP, pick a character, and enter the address and the port from the top of your server's page in the panel.

The settings

Change these on the Startup tab. The server writes them into its serverconfig.txt every time it starts, so the Startup tab always wins over the file.

Setting	Values
World Name	The world file to load. A name that doesn't exist yet makes a new world.
World Size	`1` small, `2` medium, `3` large
Difficulty	`0` classic, `1` expert, `2` master, `3` journey
World Seed	Leave empty for a random world, or enter a seed to get a known one
Max Players	How many can play at once
Password	Leave empty for an open server
MOTD	The message players see when they join
Terraria version	`latest`, or a version number to stay on an older release

Size, difficulty and seed only apply to new worlds

An existing world keeps the size and seed it was made with. To try different ones, change World Name too, so the server makes a fresh world and leaves the old one alone.

Bringing your own world

A Terraria world is a single .wld file. On Windows your worlds are in Documents\My Games\Terraria\Worlds. If you play on Steam with cloud saves on, turn cloud saving off for that world in the game first, so the file is on your computer.

Stop your server.
In the File Manager, open saves/Worlds.
Upload your .wld file.
On the Startup tab, set World Name to the file name without .wld.
Start the server.

Characters belong to each player and are saved on their own computer, so everyone brings their own character to your world.

Server commands

Type these into the panel's Console. There is no slash at the start.

Command	Does
`playing`	Lists who is online
`say <message>`	Sends a message to everyone
`kick <player>`	Removes a player
`ban <player>`	Removes a player and stops them coming back
`save`	Saves the world now
`time`	Shows the in-game time
`exit`	Saves and stops the server

Use exit rather than killing the server, so the world is saved first. The panel's Stop button does the same.

Keeping your world safe

Terraria saves the world when it stops and every so often while it runs. A crash between saves loses what happened since the last one, so:

Type save before boss fights or big building sessions.
Make a backup from the Backups tab before trying a risky seed or a hardmode switch.
Download a copy of your .wld now and then. A backup on your own computer can't be lost with the server.

Troubleshooting

Players get "you are not using the same version as this server"

Everyone needs the same game version as the server. Keep Terraria version on latest and restart after a game update, or set it to the version your players use.

My uploaded world isn't loading, a new one appears instead

The World Name doesn't match the file. It must be the exact file name without .wld, with the same capital letters.

Can I use tModLoader or TShock?

This server runs the official Terraria server. Mod loaders need a different setup, so open a ticket if you want one and we'll help.

Still stuck? Open a ticket on our website with your server's name and what the console shows. We'll take a look.

Open a ticket