How to Make a Valheim Dedicated Server (2026 Guide)

How do you make a Valheim dedicated server?

The easiest way is to rent a Valheim server from a host: pick the game, set a name and password, and your friends join by address. The other route is running the free Valheim Dedicated Server tool on your own PC, where you forward ports, update the server and keep the machine on yourself.

Hosting a world from the in-game menu ("Start server" on the world screen) only works while the host is playing. A dedicated server is a separate process that keeps the world running all the time, so anyone can drop in whenever they like and progress doesn't depend on one person.

How do you host a Valheim server on your own PC?

Install the free "Valheim Dedicated Server" tool from Steam, set the launch options in start_headless_server.bat and forward the UDP ports on your router. You don't need a second copy of the game.

1. In Steam, open your Library, switch the filter to Tools and install Valheim Dedicated Server (on Linux, get it with SteamCMD – app 896660).
2. In the install folder, make a copy of start_headless_server.bat (so updates don't overwrite it) and edit the parameters: -name (server name), -world (world name), -password, -port 2456 and -public 1 or 0.
3. Forward ports 2456–2458 UDP on your router to your PC's local IP and allow them in Windows Firewall.
4. Run the .bat file and wait until the window says the session has started.
5. Friends connect to your public IP and port 2456.

The downsides are the usual ones for home hosting: the PC has to stay on, some ISPs don't give you a public IP (CGNAT – port forwarding won't help), and a weak upload speed hurts every player.

How much RAM does a Valheim server need?

Plan for at least 4 GB of RAM for an unmodded Valheim server – which is also where Valheim servers on Spot.gg start. Usage grows with the world: more bases, more explored land and more players at once all mean more memory.

Valheim allows up to 10 players on a server by default. A fast CPU core matters more than raw RAM – the server simulates building physics and mob movement, and on big bases that's what limits smoothness.

How do you set up a Valheim server on Spot.gg?

Create an account, activate a free server, choose Valheim and a location – once it's installed, the panel's "How to connect?" button gives you the address. The first 24 hours are free, no card needed.

1. Create a Spot.gg account and confirm your email.
2. Click Activate a free server and choose Valheim.
3. Pick the game mode: plain Valheim (Vanilla), or BepInEx if you want to play with mods.
4. Choose the location closest to your players.
5. Wait for the install. The server is downloaded from Steam's official servers, so you always get the latest game version.
6. In the panel, click How to connect? – you'll see an address like sID-xxxxx.spot.gs:port and step-by-step instructions.

You can have one active free server per account. After the trial, a 4 GB Valheim server costs from $5.99 / month.

How do you set a password and server name in Valheim?

On Spot.gg you change the server name, password, world name, server list visibility and crossplay on the Configuration tab – each field has its own save button. Valheim has no config file; these are all launch parameters, so changes apply after a restart (a Restart now button appears under the field).

• Server name – up to 50 characters, shown to players in the game.
• Server password – Valheim requires 5 to 32 characters, no spaces, and it can't be part of the server name. The panel sets a random password on first install; the field is hidden and the eye icon reveals it.
• World name – a different name starts a new world; the previous one stays in the save folder.
• Server list – Hidden (join by address) or Public, visible in the in-game Community server list.
• Crossplay – lets console and Microsoft Store players in (more below).

The same tab has Auto Restart, which restarts the server at times when nobody is playing.

On a self-hosted server you set the same things with -name, -password, -world and -public in the launch file.

What ports does a Valheim server use?

Valheim uses the game port plus the next port (game port + 1) for Steam queries – 2456 and 2457 UDP by default; for home hosting, forward 2456–2458 UDP. The +1 port is what makes the server show up in the server list and Steam queries.

On Spot.gg the ports are assigned automatically, always as a pair: the game port and the game port + 1. Both are open on TCP and UDP, and you can see them on the Network tab. There's nothing to forward.

Does a Valheim server support crossplay with Xbox and consoles?

Yes, if the server runs with crossplay enabled – then Xbox and Microsoft Store (PC Game Pass) players can join, and since the 1.0 release in September 2026 also PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 players. On Spot.gg, turn on the Crossplay field on the Configuration tab and restart the server.

What that means in practice:

• With crossplay, connections go through a relay (PlayFab), so ping can be a little higher than a direct Steam connection.
• Console players join with a 6-digit join code. The server prints it to its log after starting – on Spot.gg you'll find it on the Console tab, in the line containing registered with join code. The code changes on every restart.
• Steam players can still join by address or with the same code.
• Client-side mods lock console players out, since consoles can't install mods. If you play with console friends, stick to vanilla or server-only mods.

Without crossplay, the server runs on Steam networking only – a good choice when everyone plays on PC through Steam.

How do you upload your Valheim world to a dedicated server?

Copy the two world files – WorldName.db and WorldName.fwl – into the server's worlds_local folder and set the same world name in the server settings. A world is always a pair of files with the same name; if one is missing, the server generates a new world.

1. If your world is saved in Steam Cloud, open Manage saves in the game, select the world on the worlds tab and move it to local storage. Close the game.
2. Find the files. On Windows, paste this into the Explorer address bar: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local. On Linux it's ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local.
3. Stop the server in the panel.
4. On the Files tab, open save/worlds_local and upload both files (you can also zip them and unzip on the server, or use SFTP). Skip files with _backup or .old in the name – those are the game's backup copies.
5. On Configuration, type the exact file name without the extension into World name (it's case-sensitive) and save.
6. Start the server.

The panel accepts letters, digits, - and _ in the world name. If your world's name has other characters, rename both files before uploading. Take a backup on the Backup tab before swapping worlds, so you can roll back if something goes wrong.

How do you join a Valheim dedicated server?

Launch Valheim, pick your character, go to the Join game tab, click Add server, enter the address with the port and type the password. Step by step:

1. Launch Valheim and click Start game.
2. Choose your character (or create one with New) and click Start.
3. Switch to the Join game tab, click Add server, type the address (e.g. sID-xxxxx.spot.gs:port) and confirm.
4. Select the server on the list and click Connect. Next time you'll find it under Favorites.
5. Enter the server password.

In Valheim your character belongs to you, not to the world – you join the server with the same character you play locally, inventory included.

Why is my Valheim server not showing up in the server list?

Usually because the server is hidden (-public 0), still starting, or the Community list simply doesn't show it – joining by address with Add server always works, whatever the list says. Valheim's Community list only shows a slice of thousands of servers and loads slowly, so don't rely on it.

Check these in order:

• Visibility – on Configuration, Server list must be set to Public, and the server restarted after the change.
• Startup – a fresh server takes a moment to generate the world and register with Steam. Check the Console to see whether startup finished.
• Game version – the server and the player must run the same Valheim version. After a game update, update the server too; a version mismatch message means exactly that.
• Crossplay – a crossplay server runs through PlayFab, not the Steam list. Console players join with the join code.
• Home hosting – closed UDP ports, Windows Firewall or no public IP (CGNAT) block both the list and the connection.

Other common Valheim server problems

Most problems come down to a bad password, a version mismatch, or a new world instead of your old one. Quick reference:

To make someone an admin, add their player ID (shown in game with F2) to adminlist.txt in the save folder. Admins can then use in-game console commands, for example to kick or ban players.

Want to play with mods? Read the Valheim server mods guide or browse the Valheim mod catalog.

FAQ

Is a Valheim dedicated server free?

The Valheim Dedicated Server tool is free on Steam, but running it at home costs electricity and needs your PC on. On Spot.gg the first 24 hours are free with no card, then a 4 GB server costs from $5.99 / month.

How many players can join a Valheim server?

Up to 10 players at once by default. That's the limit of the unmodded game.

How much RAM does a Valheim server need?

At least 4 GB for vanilla Valheim. Large, long-running worlds and modded servers with BepInEx need 6–8 GB or more.

Can I move my existing world to the server?

Yes. Upload the world's .db and .fwl files to save/worlds_local on the Files tab and enter the same name in the World name field on Configuration.

Can Xbox and PlayStation players join a Valheim server?

Yes, with crossplay enabled. Console players join with a 6-digit code that the server prints to its console after every start.

Where do I find the server address and password?

The "How to connect?" button in the server panel shows the address, and the password (which you can reveal and change) is on the Configuration tab.

Does my single-player character carry over to the server?

Yes. Valheim characters are saved on the player's side, so you join the server with the same character and all your gear.