Valheim Dedicated Server Setup Guide (2026)

Running your own Valheim dedicated server means your world stays online around the clock, your friends can join whenever they want, and nobody needs to host from their own PC. Whether you are starting a fresh world or migrating an existing one, this guide covers everything you need to get a Valheim server up and running in 2026.

Why run a dedicated server?

In Valheim, the host's PC runs the world. When that player logs off, the server shuts down. A dedicated server solves that by keeping the world available 24/7. Everyone connects to the same address, progress is saved on the server, and the host does not need to be online for the rest of the group to play.

Other benefits:

• Better performance: the server hardware handles world simulation, so your own PC only renders graphics
• No port forwarding hassle: hosted servers have public IPs and open ports by default
• Automatic backups on a managed host, rather than manual file copies
• Admin control: you can restart, configure and mod the server without interrupting gameplay

Server requirements

Valheim's server process is lighter than most survival games, but it scales with exploration. A freshly generated world uses less memory than one where players have explored every biome.

• RAM: 2 GB minimum. 4 GB recommended for a full group of up to 10 players with an explored world
• CPU: 1 core is sufficient for most groups. Valheim's server is single-threaded
• Storage: 2 to 5 GB. World files grow as players discover new areas
• Ports: 2456 to 2458 UDP (default). Only port 2456 needs to be forwarded if you self-host

On a managed host like HostValues, ports and networking are handled automatically.

Setting up the server on a game panel

1. Select Valheim in the server configurator or choose the Valheim egg in the game panel
2. Set the server name and password. The password must be at least 5 characters and cannot contain the server name
3. Start the server. The first launch generates the world, which takes a few minutes depending on the seed
4. Once the console shows "Game server connected", the server is ready

On HostValues, provisioning takes under a minute. The server downloads SteamCMD, fetches the game files and starts automatically.

Connecting to your server

There are two ways to join a dedicated Valheim server:

From the Valheim menu

1. Open Valheim and click "Start Game", then "Start"
2. Click "Join Game" and search for the server name
3. Enter the password when prompted

Discovery through the community server list can take a few minutes to appear after the server starts for the first time.

Via the Steam server browser

1. In Steam, go to View > Game Servers (or press Ctrl+F in the library)
2. Click the Favorites tab, then "Add a Server"
3. Enter the IP address with port 2457 (the query port, one higher than the game port)
4. Click "Add to Favorites", select the server and click Connect

Uploading an existing world

If you already have a world on your local PC, you can move it to a dedicated server:

1. Find your local world files at %appdata%/../LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/ on Windows
2. You need two files: worldname.fwl (metadata) and worldname.db (world data)
3. Upload both via SFTP or the panel file manager to the server's worlds/ or worlds_local/ directory
4. Set the world name in the startup parameters to match your file name (without the extension)
5. Restart the server

On Linux servers (including managed hosts), the path is typically ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/.

Crossplay: Steam and Xbox together

Valheim supports crossplay between Steam and Xbox Game Pass (PC). To enable it:

• Add the -crossplay flag to the server's startup parameters
• Players on Game Pass join through the in-game server browser or by entering the join code
• Steam players can still join via the Steam server browser or directly by IP

Console players on Xbox cannot connect to dedicated servers at this time. Crossplay is between the PC versions only.

Startup parameters reference

Valheim uses command-line parameters rather than a config file for most settings:

• -name "ServerName" -- the name shown in the server list
• -world "WorldName" -- the world file to load (without extension)
• -password "password" -- required, at least 5 characters, must not contain the server name
• -port 2456 -- the game port (default 2456)
• -crossplay -- enable cross-platform play
• -public 1 -- list the server in the community browser (0 to hide it)
• -savedir "/path/" -- override the save directory
• -logFile "/path/log.txt" -- write logs to a custom file
• -preset "hammer" -- set a difficulty preset (normal, hard, hardcore, casual, hammer, immersive)

Installing mods with BepInEx

Valheim mods run through the BepInEx framework. Here is how to set it up on a dedicated server:

1. Download BepInExPack for Valheim from Thunderstore
2. Upload the extracted contents to your server's root directory via SFTP
3. Download individual mods from Thunderstore or Nexus Mods
4. Place mod DLLs in the BepInEx/plugins/ folder
5. Restart the server

Popular server-side mods

• Valheim Plus: comprehensive tweaks for carry weight, stamina, build radius, portal restrictions and more
• Server Devcommands: admin tools for managing the world without enabling devcommands for everyone
• Plant Everything: plant any crop or tree, useful for decorating and farming
• Epic Loot: adds randomized loot drops with magic effects
• Creature Level and Loot Control: scale enemy difficulty based on biome or world age

All players need to install the same mods as the server. Mismatched mod versions cause connection failures or desync.

Admin commands

To use admin commands on a dedicated server:

1. Add your Steam ID to the adminlist.txt file in the server's save directory
2. Restart the server
3. In-game, press F5 to open the console

Useful commands:

• kick [name/ip] -- remove a player
• ban [name/ip] -- permanently ban a player
• unban [name/ip] -- remove a ban
• save -- force a world save
• info -- show server info and connected players

You can also manage the ban and permit lists through banlist.txt and permittedlist.txt in the save directory.

Performance and maintenance

• Spread builds across the map. Thousands of building pieces in one area force the server to calculate structural stability for every piece. This is the most common cause of lag
• Restart daily. Valheim's server process accumulates memory over long sessions. A daily restart keeps things clean
• Watch the world file size. If it grows past 200 MB, performance starts to suffer. This usually means players have explored an unusually large portion of the map
• Keep the server updated. Valheim updates frequently. Mismatched versions between client and server prevent connections

Choosing a server location

Latency matters for Valheim. While it is more forgiving than a competitive FPS, noticeable lag affects combat timing, sailing responsiveness and building placement.

HostValues offers Valheim hosting in 7 locations: the Netherlands, Germany, France, Poland, the United States (Virginia and California), Singapore and Australia. Pick the location closest to the majority of your group.

Playing with friends in Southeast Asia? Our Singapore node gives under 5 ms latency locally and under 50 ms across the region.

Frequently asked questions

How many players can a Valheim server handle?

The hard cap is 10 players. This is a design decision by Iron Gate, not a hardware limitation. Mods like Valheim Plus can raise the cap, but stability drops noticeably beyond 10 concurrent players.

Can I run multiple worlds on one server?

A single Valheim server process loads one world at a time. To run multiple worlds, you need separate server instances with different ports. On a managed host, that means separate services.

What happens if the server crashes near a large build?

Valheim auto-saves every 20 minutes by default. If the server crashes, you lose progress since the last save. The structural stability calculation for massive builds is the most common crash trigger. Spread bases and keep piece counts per area reasonable.

Do I need to forward ports?

On a managed host, no. Ports are open by default. If you self-host, forward UDP ports 2456-2458 on your router. Only 2456 is strictly required, but opening the range avoids discovery issues.

Can Xbox console players join a dedicated server?

Not at this time. The crossplay flag works between Steam and Xbox Game Pass on PC only. Xbox console (Series X/S) players can host peer-to-peer sessions but cannot connect to dedicated servers.

Ready to start? Check the Valheim hosting plans for your dedicated server, or pick a KVM VPS if you want full root access and custom configuration.