Setting up a Valheim server
The first start
The first time your Valheim server starts, it downloads the dedicated server from Steam and creates a new world. That takes a few minutes. Watch the Console tab. Once the world has loaded, the server is ready for players.
To join, open Valheim, choose Join Game, then Add server, and enter the address and port from the top of your server's page in the panel. You can also find it by name in the Community list if it is public.
The basic settings
Everything is on the Startup tab. Change a value, then restart for it to take effect.
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Server Name | The name in the server list. |
| Server Password | What players type to get in. Valheim requires one. |
| World Name | Which world file the server loads. A new name makes a new world. |
| Public Server | 1 lists your server in the Community list. 0 hides it, so players need the address. |
| Enable Crossplay | 1 lets Xbox and Game Pass players join as well as Steam. |
Valheim refuses to start if the password is shorter than 5 characters, or if the server name contains the password. If your server stops right after starting, check this first. New servers get a random password, which you can see and change on the Startup tab.
Crossplay and join codes
With crossplay on, the server registers with Valheim's crossplay service and prints a join code in the console a little while after it starts. Players on Xbox or the Microsoft Store version use that code to join. Steam players can still use the address.
The join code changes every time the server restarts, so share the new one after each restart.
If all your players are on Steam, you can set Enable Crossplay to 0.
Bringing your own world
A Valheim world is two files with the same name: .db holds the world and
.fwl holds its name and seed. You need both.
- On Windows, find them in
%userprofile%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local. - Stop your server.
- In the File Manager, open
.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local. - Upload both files.
- On the Startup tab, set World Name to the file name without the extension. For
MyWorld.dbthat isMyWorld. - Start the server.
Valheim saves characters on each player's own computer, not on the server. Everyone keeps their character and inventory when they move to your server.
Admins, bans and a whitelist
Three text files in .config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim control who can do what. Put
one player ID on each line.
| File | Effect |
|---|---|
adminlist.txt | Players who can use admin commands such as kick and ban |
bannedlist.txt | Players who can't join |
permittedlist.txt | If it has anyone in it, only those players can join |
The easiest way to get someone's ID is to have them join once. The console shows the ID as they connect, and you can copy it exactly as shown. Restart the server after editing these files.
Saves and backups
Valheim saves the world and keeps its own backups. You control both from the Startup tab, with times in seconds:
- Backup Interval: how often the world is saved. The default 1800 is every 30 minutes.
- Backup Count: how many backups to keep.
- Backup Shorttime and Backup Longtime: how far apart the first backup and the later ones are.
These backups sit on the same server as the world. Use the panel's Backups tab too, and download a copy now and then, so a mistake can't take both at once.
Troubleshooting
My server doesn't show in the Community list
Check that Public Server is 1. New servers can take a while to appear,
so join with the address in the meantime.
Can I use mods like BepInEx or Valheim Plus?
This server runs the official game without a mod loader. If you want mods, open a ticket and tell us which ones, and we'll see what we can do.
My friends get "incompatible version"
Valheim needs the server and every player on the same game version. Restart the server after a game update so it downloads the new build, and have players update their game too.
