How to Set Up a Valheim Dedicated Server

Choose where your Valheim server will live

Self-hosting gives you direct control, but your machine, storage and internet connection become part of everyone's evening. Managed hosting moves those responsibilities to a provider. Compare backup access, support and the ability to export your world, not just the advertised player count.

Iron Gate's 1.0 FAQ describes the standard game as supporting 1-10 players. Do not assume a larger hosting-plan label changes the stock game limit. If you need modifications or additional capacity, confirm the exact arrangement and its compatibility before ordering.

Write down who will administer the server, which platforms your friends use and whether you are starting fresh. Our Valheim hosting page lists managed options. Ask support about your particular world or mod list before relying on a custom setup.

Install and configure the dedicated server

For self-hosting, enable Tools in your Steam library and install Valheim Dedicated Server. Read the manual shipped with that installation: it is the version-specific reference if an older web guide differs.

Copy the supplied startup script before editing it, because updates can replace the original. Windows uses start_headless_server.bat; Linux uses start_server.sh. Set the server name, world name and password in your copy. The world name identifies the save, not just the title friends see in the server browser.

Keep the password private and avoid using an account password. For the first boot, use a disposable world name so a typo or configuration mistake cannot modify the only copy of a valued save. Record your choices somewhere the other administrator can find them.

Launch the edited script and inspect the console. Wait for its connection-ready message before attempting to join. Keep the console available while testing rather than minimizing an error and repeatedly restarting.

Steam-only or crossplay: choose the right connection path

Iron Gate documents default ports 2456-2457 for the Steam backend. Self-hosted internet access requires the corresponding router/firewall configuration. The -crossplay option instead uses a relay; its documented connection options include a join code, public address or server list, not local or loopback addresses.

That distinction matters when testing. A failed connection to a local address on a crossplay server is not by itself evidence of a broken server. Conversely, a successful connection from your own machine does not prove an outside friend can reach a Steam-only setup.

Use the connection method appropriate to your selected backend, then ask one friend on a different internet connection to test. Avoid broad firewall exemptions or exposing unrelated services. If you cannot configure the network confidently, managed hosting is a reasonable alternative to trial-and-error router changes.

Bring an existing world carefully

First prove the new server works with its disposable world. Then stop both the original session and the dedicated server before moving save data. Export a local copy using the game's save-management options where needed, and preserve the original separately.

Follow the current server manual for the save directory and world selection. Bring the complete world save and its matching metadata together. Do not rename random files or overwrite the original while figuring out the naming. Compare the world name in the startup settings with the save you intend to load.

After migration, have someone visit a familiar base and confirm it is the correct world. A newly generated landscape may mean the server selected a new save; stop and investigate before everyone begins rebuilding.

A practical pre-launch checklist

• Identity: the expected world loads, with recognizable buildings and storage.
• Access: a friend can join through the intended connection method with the correct password.
• Persistence: make a small test change, stop normally, restart and confirm it remains.
• Recovery: locate the backup, check its timestamp and make a separate export before inviting the whole group.
• Ownership: at least one trusted person knows where the startup settings, saves and logs are kept.

If joining fails, compare client and server versions first, then the chosen backend and connection method. Keep the first test unmodded. Add optional components only after you have a working baseline, and verify each component against the installed game version and your friends' platforms.

Keep a recoverable world through updates

Schedule changes outside your normal play time. Export a stopped-server backup before game updates, world conversions or mod changes. Store a copy outside the server's rotating backup set and periodically test that it can be restored into a separate instance.

Do not assume that restoring an old world also restores every player's character state. Agree on how the group will handle an interrupted session or rollback. Record the backup time so everyone understands which progress could be lost.

For the recent release-specific caveats, read our Valheim 1.0.15 briefing. Keep that patch information separate from your long-term server procedure; a new patch should not require relearning where the world is stored.

Official references

Reviewed September 22, 2026 against Iron Gate's dedicated-server instructions and 1.0 FAQ. The staged test, migration checks and backup cadence are our operational recommendations. Always read the manual included with your current server build.