Valheim Multiplayer: How It Works and How to Play With Friends

Valheim multiplayer lets up to 10 players share one world: one player hosts it from the game with Start server switched on, or everyone joins a dedicated server that stays online. Friends connect via the server list, Join IP, Steam friends or a join code, and since Valheim 1.0 (September 9, 2026) players on PC, Xbox, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 can play together through crossplay. Valheim is at its best when you play it together: fights are more exciting, building projects more ambitious and exploring safer with a group. This guide covers everything a beginner needs: the ways to play together, how to connect (including crossplay with a join code), and tips for your first sessions as a group.

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Ways to play together

There are three ways to play Valheim in multiplayer:

Valheim is a game for 1 to 10 players, and that is the same on a dedicated server. For a group that plays at different times, a dedicated server is the best choice: the world stays online, so everyone can play whenever it suits them without the host having to be online.

Connecting to a server

Via the server list

1. Open Valheim and click "Join Game".
2. Search for the server by name in the community list (the server must be set to public).
3. Click the server and enter the password.

Via IP address

1. Click "Join Game" and then "Join IP".
2. Enter the IP address and port, for example 123.45.67.89:2456.
3. Enter the password.

Via a join code (crossplay)

A server with crossplay switched on gets a join code. Players on any platform enter that code under "Join Game" to connect. On a crossplay server, joining via the server list or IP and port also works.

Via Steam friends

If the host plays via "Start Game", Steam friends can join directly from the Steam friends list: click the host's name and choose "Join Game".

Crossplay in Valheim 1.0

Valheim 1.0 is available on PC (Steam, Microsoft Store and other stores), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2, with crossplay between all of them. Your saves do not travel between platforms, with one exception: Xbox and PC via the Microsoft Store.

For a dedicated server this works as follows:

• Without crossplay the server uses the Steam backend. Only Steam players see and join the server, via the server list or IP address.
• With crossplay (the -crossplay option) the server runs on the crossplay backend. Players from every platform can join via the join code, the server list or IP address, and you do not need port forwarding.
• Mods and crossplay do not mix. Valheim has no official mod support, also not on consoles. A server for a mixed PC and console group has to stay unmodded.

Crossplay on a HostValues server

1. Open the Startup tab in the game panel.
2. Set Crossplay to 1. It is off (0) by default.
3. Restart the server.
4. Look in the console for the join code and share it with your group.

Using BepInEx mods? Then leave Crossplay at 0: modded servers do not support crossplay. More about updating and crossplay is in our Valheim 1.0 dedicated server guide.

Your first session: tips

Spawning together

All players spawn at the same stone in the middle of the map. This is your starting point. Build a first shelter together with a workbench, bed and fire.

Dividing tasks

Divide tasks for efficiency:

• Lumberjack: gathers wood for the first house and tools.
• Hunter: hunts deer and boars for food and leather.
• Builder: builds the base while others bring in resources.
• Scout: searches for flint, berries and the location of the first boss.

Surviving the first night

Before it gets dark, build a wooden shelter with a roof, a campfire and a bed. The bed sets your respawn point. Without a bed you respawn at the starting stone after death.

Fighting together: tips for groups

• Focus the same enemy: when you work together, even tough enemies go down quickly.
• Bring food: food raises your maximum health and stamina. Without food you are extremely vulnerable.
• Use voice chat: the in-game chat is limited. Voice chat, for example on Discord, makes group fights much more effective.
• Parry and block: with a shield you can block attacks. Timing matters: a perfect parry staggers the enemy.

Defeating the bosses together

Valheim 1.0 has eight bosses, the Forsaken. You defeat them in a fixed order to progress to the next biome:

1. Eikthyr (Meadows)
2. The Elder (Black Forest)
3. Bonemass (Swamp)
4. Moder (Mountains)
5. Yagluth (Plains)
6. The Queen (Mistlands)
7. Fader (Ashlands)
8. Kall Fimbulbringer (Deep North, new in 1.0)

Most bosses unlock a Forsaken power: place the boss trophy at the sacrificial stones near the starting point to activate it. How to summon every boss and what to bring is in our Valheim bosses guide.

Death and respawn

When you die you lose part of your skills (the Death Penalty world modifier changes how much). Your items stay behind in a tombstone where you fell. A teammate can help you retrieve your gear if the area is dangerous.

Portals and travel

Portals are essential in multiplayer. Build portals at your base and at important locations and give each one a clear tag. By default, metal ores and some other items cannot go through a portal, so use a boat or cart for metal. The Portals world modifier can change that rule.

Frequently asked questions

How many players can play Valheim together?

Up to 10 players, also on a dedicated server and also after 1.0.

Does Valheim have crossplay?

Yes. Since 1.0 (September 9, 2026) Valheim supports crossplay between PC, Xbox, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. A dedicated server needs crossplay switched on; players then join with the join code.

Can PS5 or Switch 2 players join a modded server?

No. Console players cannot use mods, and modded servers do not support crossplay. Keep the server unmodded if your group mixes PC and console.

Can I open my solo world for multiplayer?

Yes. Upload your existing world files to a dedicated server and set the world name to the same name. Your character is stored on your own device, so it keeps its gear and skills.

Do I need a new world for Valheim 1.0?

No, your world keeps working and receives the new content. New biomes only generate properly in areas nobody has explored yet, which is why Iron Gate recommends a fresh world for the full Deep North experience.

How does Valheim multiplayer work?

One player hosts the world from the game, or a dedicated server keeps it online, and up to 10 players join via the server list, Join IP, Steam friends or a join code. The server passes data between players and saves the world, while the game logic of each area runs on the PC of a player who is there. Your character stays on your own device, so it keeps its gear and skills in every world you join.

Is Valheim multiplayer?

Yes. Valheim is an online co-op survival game for 1 to 10 players: you can play solo, host a world for friends from the game or play together on a dedicated server. Since 1.0 that also works across PC, Xbox, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2.

How do you play Valheim online with friends?

The host clicks Start Game, picks a character and world and switches on Start server, or you use a dedicated server. Friends open Join Game and connect via the community list, Join IP or Steam friends; for crossplay, the host opens the pause menu and clicks the join code to copy it, and friends paste it under Join Game, Add server. The server options are explained in our Valheim server settings guide.

Can you play Valheim with 2 players?

Yes. Valheim works for 1 to 10 players, so two players can share a world: one hosts it from the game and the other joins via Steam friends or Join IP. With a dedicated server the world is also there when one of you is offline.