Terraria 1.4.5 Server: Vanilla or tModLoader in 2026

Can you run a Terraria 1.4.5 server with mods? Not yet. The PC version of Terraria is at 1.4.5.8 (23 August 2026), and the normal "vanilla" dedicated server runs it with all the new content. Stable tModLoader, which modded servers use, is still built on Terraria 1.4.4 as of 16 October 2026, and its 1.4.5 version has no release date. So you choose: vanilla 1.4.5 with the new content, or tModLoader on 1.4.4 with mods. Terraria servers at HostValues run tModLoader as standard.

Want your own Terraria server? At HostValues from €2.80 per month, online within minutes. View plans →

Where Terraria 1.4.5 stands

• 1.4.5 "Bigger and Boulder" came out on 27 January 2026. It added more than 650 items, nine new whips, the Skyblock seed and combinable special seeds.
• 1.4.5.7 (19 August 2026) brought quality-of-life and balance changes, including a mana rework. 1.4.5.8 (23 August 2026) fixed bugs and is still the current PC version on 16 October 2026.
• 1.4.6 comes next, with Crossplay Phase One for consoles. Re-Logic says the finishing touches are being put on it, but gives no date.

tModLoader and 1.4.5: the current status

tModLoader has been on Steam since 16 May 2020, as free DLC for anyone who owns Terraria on PC; it did not arrive with 1.4.5. It contains its own copy of the game, updated separately from vanilla Terraria. The latest stable release, v2026.08.3.0 from 1 October 2026, is still based on Terraria 1.4.4, and the team says the move to 1.4.5 "will take many months yet".

A development build exists as the Steam beta branch 1.4.5-dev, but it is meant for contributors and testers: the team asks regular players not to expect it to be playable or stable, and mods cannot be published for 1.4.5 yet. In practice:

• A tModLoader server plays by 1.4.4 rules: no items, seeds or balance changes from 1.4.5.
• Everyone on a tModLoader server needs tModLoader. Vanilla players cannot play with tModLoader players.
• Worlds and characters from vanilla 1.4.5 are too new for tModLoader 1.4.4 to open. A tModLoader world opened in vanilla loses its modded tiles and items.
• Once tModLoader for 1.4.5 is stable, maintained mods should follow; the 1.4.4 version stays available as a legacy version.

Option 1: a vanilla 1.4.5 server

Want the new content now? Run the official dedicated server. On Windows it comes with the game (TerrariaServer.exe in the Terraria folder); for Linux and macOS you download the server files from terraria.org, currently version 1.4.5.8. The server and every player need the same version. A vanilla server uses TCP port 7777 by default and allows 16 players unless you change it.

Useful options in serverconfig.txt, according to the official wiki:

• autocreate: creates a world if none is found (1 small, 2 medium, 3 large), named with worldname.
• difficulty: 0 classic, 1 expert, 2 master, 3 journey.
• maxplayers: any value from 1 to 255.
• npcstream: reduces enemy skipping but uses more bandwidth. A lower number means less skipping and more data; 0 turns it off.

1.4.5 also improved the server itself: since 1.4.5.0 it saves the world when the last player leaves, and 1.4.5.7 stopped it reserving slots for clients that connect and drop straight away.

Want permissions and anti-cheat on a vanilla server? TShock 6.2.1, released on 27 September 2026, supports Terraria 1.4.5.8. TShock builds on the vanilla server, not on tModLoader.

Option 2: a tModLoader server with mods

This is how a Terraria server at HostValues works. After payment your server is set up automatically. On first start it installs tModLoader and creates your world; under Startup in the game panel you set the world name, size, difficulty and password. Max Players is 8, the tModLoader default.

1. In tModLoader on your PC, enable the mods you want and save them as a mod pack (Workshop, then Mod Packs). Export Pack Instance makes a copy of the mod files that you can use to set up a server.
2. Upload the .tmod files and enabled.json, the list of active mods, to the Mods folder with the file manager or SFTP.
3. Restart the server and follow the console until your world has loaded.
4. Your friends start tModLoader, choose Multiplayer and Join via IP, and enter the IP address and port shown in the panel.

Your server gets its own port, shown next to the IP address, so you do not need to forward any ports. Automatic backups are on by default; make one before you change your mod list. Our plan advice for memory: 2 GB is enough for a small group, 4 GB gives headroom for mods or larger groups, and heavy modpacks with many players benefit from 8 GB.

Vanilla or tModLoader at a glance

Frequently asked questions

Does tModLoader work with Terraria 1.4.5?

Not in the stable release. As of 16 October 2026 stable tModLoader (v2026.08.3.0) is based on Terraria 1.4.4. The 1.4.5 version is in development and has no release date.

Can vanilla players join a tModLoader server?

No. Everyone needs tModLoader, which is free on Steam for anyone who owns Terraria on PC. Players on console or mobile cannot join a tModLoader server.

Can PC and mobile players play together on a Terraria server?

On a vanilla server, yes: according to Re-Logic and DR Studios, PC, mobile and dedicated servers can play together over IP address and port when everyone runs the same version. Consoles follow with 1.4.6 (Crossplay Phase One), which has no date yet. On a tModLoader server only PC players with tModLoader can join.

Can I move my 1.4.5 world to a tModLoader server?

Not yet. According to the tModLoader FAQ, worlds and characters from a newer Terraria version than tModLoader is built for are too new to open. Keep your 1.4.5 world on a vanilla server, or start a new world in tModLoader.

Want to play with mods today? A Terraria server from HostValues runs tModLoader and is online within minutes of payment. Support is available daily from 10:00 to 22:00 via ticket and Discord.

Sources: Terraria Wiki: Desktop version history, 1.4.5.0, 1.4.5.7, Server, State of the Game February 2026, September 2026, tModLoader October 2026 update, tModLoader v2026.08.3.0, 1.4.5 Update Information, tModLoader FAQ, tModLoader on Steam, TShock 6.2.1. Checked on 16 October 2026.