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The short answer: Enshrouded supports online co-op for up to 16 players. For an occasional session, one player can host a normal multiplayer game and invite friends through Steam or the in-game server browser. If friends need to enter the same world while that host is offline, install and run the Enshrouded Dedicated Server from Steam’s Tools section on a Windows computer, then have everyone join it from the game’s Join menu.
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The choice is mainly about availability. Host-run co-op is quicker and requires less networking work, while a dedicated server keeps the world online independently of one player’s game session.
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Choose the right multiplayer method
Enshrouded has two practical ways to play with friends: a host-run session and a dedicated server. Both support the same maximum of 16 players, but they solve different problems.
| Consideration | Host-run co-op | Dedicated server |
|---|---|---|
| Must the original host be online? | Yes. The host starts the multiplayer session and remains the session’s host. | No. Friends can join while the owner is not playing, provided the server computer and network are running. |
| Setup effort | Low. Start a multiplayer session, then invite friends through Steam or use the server browser. | Higher. Install the dedicated-server tool, run it once, edit its JSON configuration, and handle firewall/router access. |
| World availability | Limited to the host’s play sessions. | Persistent availability when the server process is left running. |
| Networking | Usually the simplest option, although firewall or Steam connectivity problems can still prevent discovery. | Requires a reachable IPv4 address, firewall/router configuration, and the server’s query port. |
| Separate hosting charge | No separate dedicated-server service is required; the host supplies the running game and connection. | Self-hosting uses your own computer, electricity and internet connection. A managed rental is optional and has its own regional pricing. |
Use host-run co-op when the same person will normally be available to start the game. Use a dedicated server when the group wants a shared world that can be entered at different times.
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How to play a normal co-op session
Start the host’s game
- Launch Enshrouded on the player who will host the session.
- Start a normal multiplayer session from the game’s multiplayer interface and load the intended world.
- Keep the game running while friends play. Closing the host session makes that host-run world unavailable to the group.
The exact wording of the initial multiplayer button can change with game updates, but the important distinction is that this is a normal player-hosted session, not the separate dedicated-server executable.
Invite friends through Steam
If the session does not appear in the in-game list, Keen Games recommends using the Steam Friend list as the fallback. Open Steam’s Friend list or overlay, select the friend, and use the available game-invite option. The friend can then accept the invitation and connect directly instead of relying on server-browser discovery.
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Use the in-game server browser
Friends can also open Enshrouded’s Join area and look for the host’s session. The browser can list peer-to-peer sessions and can filter results to Steam-friend sessions. That filter is useful when a busy public list makes the host difficult to find.
- Make sure everyone is signed in to the intended Steam account.
- Have the host start the session before other players search.
- Use the Steam invitation when the browser is empty or slow to update.
When a dedicated server is the better choice
A dedicated server runs Enshrouded’s server process separately from a player’s game client. The world remains available while the usual host is away, so different players can log in on their own schedules. Keen Games’ FAQ describes this as the solution for groups that do not want the original host to be online every time friends play.
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A dedicated server is not required for ordinary co-op. It adds administration work and requires a computer and network that stay available. It is worthwhile when persistence and independent access matter more than the fastest possible setup.
What remains persistent
Keen Games’ 2025 server guidance says dedicated-server save files are generated every five minutes. World progression is stored on the dedicated server, while character progression is stored on the clients. In practical terms, the server is the authoritative home for changes to the shared world, and each player’s character data remains associated with that player’s client.
Official Windows dedicated-server setup
The official installation path uses Steam’s free Tools listing. Windows is the currently supported operating system for the dedicated server according to Keen Games’ installation guidance.
- Open Steam Library. Switch the library filter to Tools so utility software is displayed alongside games.
- Install Enshrouded Dedicated Server. Select the tool and let Steam download its files.
- Open the installed files. Use Steam’s option to browse the tool’s local files.
- Run the executable directly. Start
Enshrouded Dedicated Server.exefrom the installation folder. Keen Games specifically says not to rely on Steam’s green Launch button for this step. - Run it once before editing settings. The first launch generates
enshrouded_server.json, the configuration file used by the server. - Stop the process before changing configuration. Open the generated JSON file in a text editor, change the settings you need, and preserve valid JSON syntax. Keep a backup of the original file so you can restore a known-good configuration.
- Allow network access. Configure the computer’s firewall and, when the server is behind a home router, the router’s forwarding rules. The server must be reachable over IPv4.
- Start the executable again. Leave the dedicated-server process running whenever friends need the world to be available.
The server tool creates the file only after its first run, so looking for enshrouded_server.json before launching the executable once will lead to a missing-file problem.
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Ports, IPv4 and router configuration
The default query port
Keen Games lists 15637 as the default queryPort. Keep that value unless your network plan requires a different setting, and make sure the firewall and router rules match the value in the JSON file.
The query port helps the game discover and identify the server; it does not replace the broader network permissions required by Steam and Enshrouded. Keen Games advises checking the firewall/router rules and Steam’s required ports when friends cannot connect.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsIPv4 is currently required
Enshrouded currently uses IPv4 for multiplayer. A network that exposes only IPv6, or a router rule created for the wrong address family, can make a correctly running server appear unreachable. Give the server computer a stable local IPv4 address before creating a forwarding rule, so the rule does not point to a different device after a DHCP lease changes.
What to configure
- Permit the dedicated-server executable through the Windows firewall on the network profiles you actually use.
- Forward the configured Enshrouded query port, 15637 by default, from the router to the server computer’s local IPv4 address.
- Check the Steam ports required by the current Steam networking setup if discovery or connection still fails.
- Confirm that the server computer is awake and that the dedicated executable is running.
Do not assume that installing the tool automatically opens a port. Software installation and router forwarding are separate steps.
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How friends join a dedicated server
- Launch Enshrouded.
- Open the main-menu Join screen.
- Enable the Show dedicated server filter.
- Select the server from the results and connect.
Favorite a server for regular use
Dedicated servers can be favorited in-game. Favoriting reduces the need to search the full list every time and makes it easier for a regular group to distinguish its own world from similarly named servers.
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If the dedicated server is running but does not appear in Enshrouded’s browser, Keen Games documents an alternate Steam path: open Steam’s View menu, choose Game Servers, and add the server’s IP address there. After Steam recognizes the endpoint, return to Enshrouded and try the Join flow again with dedicated servers shown.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Dedicated-server requirements and capacity
The server process and the game client have different resource requirements. The figures below come from Keen Games’ 2025 dedicated-server guidance and Steam’s 2024 client listing.
| Resource | Dedicated server guidance | Game client listing |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum players | Up to 16 players in co-op. | Supports the same 16-player co-op limit. |
| Memory | About 4.4 GB RAM while idle, plus up to 100 MB of additional RAM per player. | 16 GB RAM minimum listed for the client. |
| Storage | About 30 GB of free disk space recommended for server files. | 60 GB of available storage listed for the game client. |
| Operating system | Windows is currently supported for the dedicated server. | Use the platform requirements shown for the Steam game client. |
| Network | IPv4 connectivity and firewall/router access are required; default queryPort is 15637. |
Must be able to reach the server through Steam and Enshrouded’s multiplayer services. |
The stated memory figures imply roughly 1.6 GB of additional process memory at 16 players (16 × 100 MB), or about 6 GB including the idle estimate. That is an estimate based on the published per-player allowance, not a guaranteed peak or a complete system requirement. Leave additional headroom for Windows, Steam, backups and other services rather than allocating only the arithmetic minimum.
The 30 GB server recommendation and the 60 GB client figure are not interchangeable. A computer that only meets the client’s storage requirement may not have room for operating-system updates, save backups and logs. Conversely, a dedicated server can run without installing the full client, but each person who plays still needs the client on their own machine.
Host-run co-op versus self-hosted dedicated play
Choose host-run co-op when
- The group plays at the same time and one person is normally available to start the session.
- You want to avoid editing configuration files or changing router rules.
- You are testing the game with friends before committing to a persistent world.
- The host’s internet connection is adequate for the group and the host is comfortable keeping the game open.
Choose a self-hosted dedicated server when
- Friends need to play while the original host is offline.
- The group wants one shared world available on a schedule rather than only during the host’s sessions.
- Someone can maintain a Windows computer, network rules and backups.
- You are comfortable diagnosing firewall, IPv4 and Steam discovery issues.
Choose managed hosting when administration is the problem
Keen Games names GPORTAL as a partner whose Enshrouded servers can be rented from within the game. A managed service can remove much of the Windows and router administration, but it introduces a recurring hosting charge and the provider’s own controls. Pricing, location, player-slot options and terms vary, so check the current offer for your region before ordering. You still use Enshrouded’s Join menu to connect to the resulting dedicated server.
Keeping a dedicated world reliable
Keep the server computer available
A dedicated world is only online while the server process and its computer are running. Disable sleep for the host machine or use a power plan that keeps it awake during the hours friends play. If Windows restarts for updates, the world will be unavailable until the executable is started again.
Back up the server data
Because world progression is stored on the dedicated server, include the server’s save data in a regular backup routine. Stop the server before copying files when possible, keep more than one backup generation, and store a copy on a different drive. The five-minute save interval reduces the amount of progress that can be lost, but it is not a substitute for backups.
Change one setting at a time
Stop the process, make a small change to enshrouded_server.json, save it as valid JSON, and restart the server. If the server stops launching after an edit, restore the backup or undo the most recent change before investigating anything else.
Quick Recap
Troubleshooting checklist
The hosted game is not visible
- Confirm the host has already started the multiplayer session.
- Open the Join/server-browser view and enable the Steam-friend filter.
- Send an invitation through the Steam Friend list instead of waiting for the browser to refresh.
- Check that Steam is online for both players.
- If discovery remains unreliable, clear Steam’s download cache and flush DNS, two steps included in Keen Games’ troubleshooting guidance.
The dedicated server does not appear
- Verify that
Enshrouded Dedicated Server.exeis running on the server computer. - Check that the in-game Show dedicated server filter is enabled.
- Confirm the configured
queryPortand the router/firewall rules agree; the default is 15637. - Check that the forwarding rule targets the server computer’s current local IPv4 address.
- Review Steam’s required ports and make sure the network is not IPv6-only.
- Use Steam View → Game Servers to add the server IP when browser discovery fails.
Players can see the server but cannot connect
- Recheck Windows firewall permissions for the dedicated executable.
- Verify that the server process has not stopped or been blocked by a security prompt.
- Confirm that the router forwards to the correct machine and that the public connection has not changed.
- Have every player restart Steam and Enshrouded after networking changes.
The server broke after editing the JSON
- Stop the server before editing and compare the file with the backup created before the change.
- Check for missing quotation marks, commas or braces; JSON syntax errors can prevent settings from loading.
- Restore the last known-good file, start the server, and then reapply changes one at a time.
Frequently overlooked details
- A dedicated server is not the same as leaving a normal co-op game open. The dedicated executable is a separate Steam Tool and must be installed and run independently.
- The host’s offline question is a server-choice question. A normal hosted session does not provide the same always-available world as a dedicated server.
- Server and client storage figures describe different installations. Plan for the 30 GB server recommendation in addition to each player’s 60 GB client requirement, plus operating-system and backup space.
- Discovery and connectivity are different problems. Adding an IP through Steam can help when a list is empty, but it cannot fix a stopped process or a blocked firewall rule.
- The published 16-player limit is a maximum, not a performance guarantee. Actual responsiveness also depends on the host computer, network connection, world activity and other services sharing the machine.
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