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If 7 Days to Die remains on “Still Initializing,” start by checking that the server and every player are running the same game version and matching mods or world files. Then test the local connection, EAC and firewall access, and finally clean the client or correct port forwarding if you host the server yourself. These checks solve different failure points, so follow them in order rather than waiting indefinitely on the loading screen.
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What “Still Initializing” usually means
The message appears while the client is trying to complete a multiplayer handshake. A mismatch in game files, a blocked Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) service, an unstable network route, or an unreachable dedicated-server port can all leave that handshake incomplete. The correct fix depends on who is affected and how the server is hosted.
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| What you observe | Most likely scope | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Only one player cannot join; others can | That player’s files, antivirus, firewall, or network | Version/mod check, VPN test, client cleanup |
| Everyone fails to join a friend’s hosted game | Host machine, router, or server configuration | Host firewall and forwarding checks |
| Crossplay players are rejected or disconnected | EAC or crossplay configuration | Confirm EAC is enabled on the server |
| Vanilla works but a modded world does not | Mod or custom-world mismatch | Match every mod and world file, then retry without mods |
| Local players connect but people outside the home network cannot | Router forwarding or host firewall | Forward the required dedicated-server ports |
1. Match versions, mods, and world content
Confirm the game version on every machine
The server and every client must run the same game version. Have the host and each player read the version shown by their launcher or main menu and compare the complete number, including any branch or build designation. A pending update on one computer is enough to prevent initialization.
Update the game through the platform on every machine, restart the platform, and launch again. Do not assume that a server updated automatically: a dedicated server may be installed separately from the game client and require its own update.
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- Cooperate or Compete – Work together to build settlements or against each other in a wasteland where zombies and outlaws rule the land.
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Make mod and custom-world files identical
Required mods must match in name, version, and installation. A server running a custom world also needs clients to have the corresponding world files when that setup requires client-side content. If you are unsure which file is responsible, remove client-side mods temporarily and try a completely vanilla connection. A successful vanilla join identifies the mod set or world as the next place to investigate; it does not prove that the server is permanently fixed.
Handle crossplay and VPN variables
Crossplay servers require EAC to be enabled on the server. A client that is otherwise compatible can still be refused when the server’s crossplay and EAC settings do not meet that requirement.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Disable an active VPN for one test connection. VPN routing can change the address or path used for the handshake and can interfere with server discovery. If you normally use the in-game server browser, try its peer-to-peer tab and search by the host’s SteamID when that option is available. This bypasses some discovery problems without changing the server itself.
Rank #2
- Explore – Huge, rich environments, with unique biomes and worlds up to 100 square kilometres in size.
- Craft – Handcraft and repair weapons, clothes, armour, tools, vehicles, with hundreds of recipes and schematics.
- Build – Design your fort with traps, electricity, auto turrets, and gadgets to survive in a fully destructible and mouldable world.
- Cooperate or Compete – Work together to build settlements or against each other in a wasteland where zombies and outlaws rule the land.
- Farm or Hunt – Plant gardens for sustainable resources or head out to the wilderness and hunt over a dozen unique animals.
2. Stabilize the local network before changing files
The official network troubleshooting guidance recommends a wired connection because it is typically more stable than wireless. Connect the affected computer to the router with Ethernet; a Cat6 cable is suitable for this diagnostic test. If a wired test succeeds while Wi-Fi does not, investigate wireless interference, signal strength, or router placement after you can connect reliably.
- Restart the router and wait until its internet and local-network indicators return to normal.
- Close downloads, streaming applications, overlays, and other programs that can consume bandwidth or add firewall rules.
- Restart the computer running the game. If you host locally, restart the host computer as well.
- Install pending updates for Windows, the game, the game platform, and network drivers.
- Try joining again from the same network, then repeat once from a different network if possible. A failure only on one network points to that network’s router, firewall, or ISP path.
These steps are deliberately low risk: they do not alter saves or server settings and help separate a transient network problem from a configuration problem.
3. Check EAC, antivirus, and firewall interference
Understand when EAC matters
EAC is not required for every server. However, a server that enables it can reject or disconnect clients when the EAC service cannot start or communicate. Antivirus scanning, a host firewall, or a damaged network path can interrupt that service even when the game itself launches normally.
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- Cooperate or Compete - Includes two player split screen mode, with support for up to 4 players online, in Player versus Player, co-op survival, or co-op creative modes
Allow the game and EAC through security software
- In your antivirus, exclude the game client from active and passive scans for a test. If you host a server, apply the equivalent exclusion to the server installation only when you understand the security trade-off.
- Add firewall allow rules for the game and server executables on the network profile you actually use. A rule that allows the program on a private network may not allow it on a public profile.
- Restart the game after changing a rule so EAC and the networking components start with the new permissions.
- Update the computer’s network adapter driver, then reboot.
Re-enable normal scanning after the test if it is not the cause. Keep any permanent exception as narrow as your security software allows, and avoid disabling the entire firewall as a first step.
4. Clean a client with a corrupted launch state
If version, content, and network checks pass but one client still hangs, use the supported cleanup sequence before deleting saves.
- Remove or move all installed mods from the client and attempt a vanilla join.
- Open the 7D2D Native Launcher and run its Clean tool.
- In antivirus settings, exclude the game folder and the
%appdata%7DaysToDiesave folder from active and passive scans, then test again. - If launch problems continue, delete the 7 Days to Die settings file in AppData. Delete only that settings file; do not remove the other files in the folder or your saves.
- Launch the game, recreate any required settings, and try the same server before reinstalling anything.
Cleaning the client does not correct a server-side port or version mismatch. If multiple players fail in the same way after one client has been cleaned, move to the host checks instead of repeating the cleanup on every computer.
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- Explore & Craft - Huge, unique and rich environments, offering the freedom to play the game any way you want while you craft and repair weapons, clothes, armor, tools, vehicles, and more.
- Build - Take over a ruin, or build from the ground-up. Design your fortress to include traps and defensive positions to survive the undead - the world is fully destructible and moldable.
- Cooperate or Compete - Includes two player split screen mode, with additional online multiplayer modes and features to be revealed in the near future.
- Create - Unleash your creativity and build the ultimate world by yourself friends. Enjoy unlimited access to nearly 400 in-game items and 1,200 unique building blocks in creative mode.
- Improve - Increase your skills in a multitude of active and passive disciplines. 7 to Die is the only true survival RPG with nearly 50 multi-tiered skill and perk groups.
5. Forward ports when you run a dedicated server
Port forwarding applies to a server that must accept connections from outside the host’s local network. Forward each required port from the router to the computer running the server, and allow the same traffic through that computer’s firewall. The Fun Pimps FAQ lists these defaults:
| Port | Protocol | Purpose or status |
|---|---|---|
| 26900 | TCP | BasePort for game details |
| 26900 | UDP | BasePort for the master-server interface |
| 26901 | UDP | Steam communication |
| 26902 | UDP | LiteNetLib networking |
| 26903 | UDP | Currently unused, but may be necessary for joining |
| 8080 | TCP | Optional WebDashboardPort |
| 8081 | TCP | Optional TelnetPort |
These are default values, not a guarantee that every installation uses them. If the server configuration changes BasePort or an optional service port, forward the configured value instead. The same port cannot be forwarded to a different machine, so reserve a consistent local IP address for the server computer.
Router and host procedure
- Find the server computer’s local IPv4 address and create a DHCP reservation for it in the router.
- Open the router’s port-forwarding page and create entries for TCP 26900 and UDP 26900, 26901, 26902, and 26903, pointing to that reserved address.
- Add TCP 8080 or 8081 only if you have enabled the Web Dashboard or Telnet service.
- On the server computer, allow the server executable and the same ports through the host firewall.
- Restart the server and have a player outside the home network test the connection. Testing only from inside the same LAN can produce a misleading result because some routers do not support hairpin connections.
Do not expose optional administration services unless you need them. If forwarding appears correct but outside players still cannot connect, check whether the router receives a public address or sits behind another router or carrier-grade NAT; in those cases, the forwarding rule may never receive the incoming connection.
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- Explore & Craft - Huge, unique and rich environments, offering the freedom to play the game any way you want while you craft and repair weapons, clothes, armor, tools, vehicles, and more.
- Build - Take over a ruin, or build from the ground-up. Design your fortress to include traps and defensive positions to survive the undead - the world is fully destructible and moldable.
- Cooperate or Compete - Includes two player split screen mode, with additional online multiplayer modes and features to be revealed in the near future.
- Create - Unleash your creativity and build the ultimate world by yourself friends. Enjoy unlimited access to nearly 400 in-game items and 1,200 unique building blocks in creative mode.
- Improve - Increase your skills in a multitude of active and passive disciplines. 7 to Die is the only true survival RPG with nearly 50 multi-tiered skill and perk groups.
6. Choose the least invasive fix for the symptom
| Situation | Actions to prioritize | Changes to postpone |
|---|---|---|
| One PC hangs while others join | Version check, remove mods, VPN test, antivirus/firewall rules, Native Launcher Clean | Deleting saves or changing server ports |
| Every player hangs on a hosted world | Host version/content, host firewall, router restart, forwarding | Client reinstall on every machine |
| Crossplay-only failure | Server EAC enabled, EAC service allowed through security software | Assuming Wi-Fi is the only cause |
| Modded server-only failure | Exact mod and custom-world matching; vanilla test | Randomly adding or removing server files |
| LAN works, internet join fails | Forward TCP 26900 and UDP 26900–26903; verify host firewall | Repeated client cleanup |
When to contact official support
If the ordered checks do not resolve the problem, contact official support with evidence rather than reporting only the loading-screen message. Include the game version, server configuration, whether the server is crossplay and whether EAC is enabled, the complete mod list, and the relevant client and server logs. State whether the failure affects one player or everyone, whether a vanilla world works, and whether LAN and external connections behave differently.
The published troubleshooting guidance does not promise a universal waiting period or a single fix for every initialization failure. A reproducible symptom report with configuration and logs gives support enough context to distinguish a content mismatch from a blocked service or unreachable port.
Final diagnosis
Start with matching versions and content, then remove VPN and network variables, allow the game and EAC through security software, and clean only the affected client. Port forwarding belongs at the end of the workflow unless the symptom is specifically “LAN works but outside players cannot join.” This order protects saves and server settings while testing the causes most often responsible for a server that never gets past initialization.
Quick Recap
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