To change the name players see in the Valheim server browser, stop the dedicated server, edit the startup script or launch command, replace only the value after -name, save it, and start the server again. For example: -name "My New Server". Leave the -world value unchanged if you want the same save to load.
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Which setting controls the name players see?
Valheim reads the listing name from the -name startup argument. Iron Gate describes this argument as the place to “Enter the name of your server that will be visible in the Server list.” The name is not normally changed inside the world-save files or by editing a character profile; it is supplied each time the dedicated server launches.
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Understand the other startup arguments before editing
A Valheim launch command usually contains several settings together. Changing the wrong one can make the server appear to have lost its world or can change who can see it. These arguments have separate jobs:
| Argument | What it controls | What to do for a simple rename |
|---|---|---|
-name |
The name shown in the server list. | Change its quoted value. |
-world |
The world file to load, or the world file to create when that name does not already exist. | Leave it unchanged. |
-password |
The password required to join. | Leave it private and unchanged unless you deliberately intend to change access. |
-public 1 or -public 0 |
Whether the server is visible in the public browser. 1 publishes it; 0 hides it for join-by-IP use. |
Keep the current value unless visibility is part of your plan. |
The critical distinction is between -name and -world. The first changes the label shown to players. The second identifies the save that the server opens. Editing -world during a rename can cause Valheim to load another existing save or create a new world, so do not change it just to update the listing text.
Prepare safely before changing the file
Make the change while the server is stopped. A clean shutdown reduces the chance that the process is still writing configuration or world data while you edit the launch command.
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- Tell connected players that the server will restart.
- Stop the dedicated-server process normally rather than leaving it running while the script is edited.
- Keep a copy of the startup script or launch command before making changes.
- Keep a backup of the world save. The rename itself should not alter the save, but a backup gives you a recovery point if the wrong argument is changed later.
- Identify the exact file or command used by your normal shortcut, service, panel, or scheduled task. Editing an unused copy will not change the running server.
Iron Gate’s dedicated-server guide documents a default save interval of 1,800 seconds, or 30 minutes. That interval is useful operational context, but it is not a reason to edit the world argument. The safest workflow is still to stop the server cleanly and retain a separate backup before changing launch parameters.
Windows: change the name in start_headless_server.bat
On Windows, the usual installation includes a copied batch file named start_headless_server.bat. Edit the copied file that you actually use to launch the server, not an untouched template or a shortcut that points somewhere else.
- Stop the dedicated server and wait for its console window or process to close.
- Open the copied
start_headless_server.batin a plain-text editor. A basic editor is sufficient; the file contains command-line text, not formatted document content. - Find the existing
-nameargument. It is commonly written as-name "My server". - Select only the old quoted value and replace it. For example, change
-name "My server"to-name "My New Server". - Do not remove neighboring arguments such as
-world,-password,-public,-port,-nographics, or-batchmode. - Save the batch file as plain text, preserving its
.batextension. - Launch the server using the same shortcut or command you normally use.
- After the server has registered, refresh the Valheim server browser and look for the new listing name.
If the name includes spaces, use straight double quotation marks. A value such as -name "Co-op Evening" is read as one name. Curly quotation marks copied from a word processor are unsafe in a command file, so type the ordinary keyboard quote characters directly.
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Linux: change the argument in the startup command
Linux installations commonly launch valheim_server.x86_64 from a shell script, terminal command, service definition, or hosting panel. The executable name differs from Windows, but the argument syntax is the same.
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- Open the shell startup script or the command used to launch
valheim_server.x86_64. - Locate the existing
-nameargument, such as-name "My server". - Replace only the quoted name with the new value, for example
-name "My New Server". - Leave the
-worldargument exactly as it was if the existing world must remain selected. - Save the script, preserving its text format and executable setup.
- Start the server through the same shell script, service, or management method that normally launches it.
- Refresh the server browser after registration and confirm that the listing uses the new value.
If a service manager or panel launches the server, the visible command may be stored in that service’s configuration rather than in the script you first find. The practical test is simple: edit the command that is actually invoked at startup, then restart through that same mechanism.
Use a complete launch line as a reference
This example shows the name in context. The Windows executable is shown here; Linux uses valheim_server.x86_64 with the same arguments.
valheim_server.exe -nographics -batchmode -name "My New Server" -port 2456 -world "Dedicated" -password "your-private-password" -public 1For a rename, the intended edit is only the text after -name. In this example, keep -world "Dedicated" unchanged so the server continues to select the same world file. Keep the password private; do not paste it into a public post, screenshot, or support request.
The command also illustrates why quotation marks matter. Both -name "My New Server" and -world "Dedicated" contain values that are passed as single arguments even though they include spaces.
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Rename the listing without changing the world
The safest rename is a one-value edit: alter -name and nothing else. The world selection is independent. A server launched with the same -world value will continue targeting that world, while the browser label can change from one launch to the next.
Do not rename the world argument to make the world and listing look consistent. If the new -world value does not match an existing save, Valheim can create a different world. If it matches another save, the server can open that save instead. Either result is a world-selection change, not a cosmetic server rename.
Before starting the server again, compare the edited line with the backup you made. Check that the world value, password, public setting, and port are still present and unchanged. This quick comparison catches accidental deletions that may otherwise look like a naming problem.
Restart and verify the new name
The browser name is read when the dedicated server starts and registers. Saving the file while the process is running does not retroactively change the already-running instance.
- Start the server after saving the edited script or command.
- Wait for the process to finish its normal startup and registration work.
- Open or refresh the Valheim server browser.
- Search for the new name, while also checking the expected world and access settings.
- Have a player confirm that the listing can still be selected and joined with the existing password.
A browser can retain an older result temporarily. Allow time for it to refresh before treating a short delay as a failed rename. If the old name remains after a fresh browser refresh and a completed restart, verify that the launch method is reading the file you edited.
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Why the old name may still appear
The wrong script was edited
Multiple copies of a batch or shell file are easy to accumulate. A desktop shortcut, service, or panel may point to a different copy than the one opened in the editor. Compare the command shown by the launch method with the file you changed, then stop and restart through that same method.
The server was not restarted
The running process keeps its original arguments. Close it cleanly, save the file, and launch a new process. Merely closing the editor or refreshing the browser cannot update an active server instance.
The browser has not refreshed
Give the server time to register, then refresh the browser. Check again after confirming that the new process started successfully. A stale listing is different from a command-line parsing error; first establish that the edited process is the one online.
The quotation marks are malformed
Names containing spaces should use ordinary straight double quotes. Replace typographic curly quotes with keyboard quotes and make sure both opening and closing marks are present. Keep the name itself between the quotes rather than placing the quotes around several unrelated arguments.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the renamed server may not appear at all
A name change does not repair a networking problem. If the server disappears from the browser after editing, treat visibility and connectivity separately from the rename.
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Check the public setting
-public 1 makes the server visible in the public browser. -public 0 hides it for join-by-IP use. Confirm that the value was not accidentally removed or changed while editing the name.
Check the port pair
Iron Gate documents Valheim’s default self-hosted ports as 2456 and 2457: the specified port and the next port. The example command uses -port 2456, which corresponds to that default pair. If the listing is missing on a self-hosted server, inspect firewall rules and port-forwarding configuration separately from the -name value.
Consider crossplay mode
The official guide documents -crossplay as the PlayFab backend. With crossplay enabled, router port forwarding is generally not required according to that guide. This does not make the name argument different; -name remains the listing label on either setup. It does mean that the networking checks for a crossplay server differ from those for a self-hosted server using direct port forwarding.
Confirm that the process started successfully
A typo elsewhere in the command can prevent a new instance from registering, making the naming edit look responsible when the actual problem is a startup failure. Compare the complete launch line with the pre-edit backup, paying particular attention to deleted spaces, quotation marks, the executable name, and the -world value.
Self-hosting and rented hosting: what changes operationally?
You can run the dedicated server on your own computer or use a rented game-server service. The -name concept remains the same, but the work around it differs.
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| Decision area | Self-hosting | Rented hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | The owner’s computer and server process must remain online for others to play. | Useful when you want the server available while the owner’s personal computer is off; exact uptime depends on the service. |
| Files and launch arguments | Direct control over the startup script, world files, and arguments. | Control depends on the host’s file access and control panel. |
| Router and firewall work | You may need to handle firewall rules and port forwarding, especially for a non-crossplay setup. | The provider’s network arrangement determines how much router work remains for you. |
| Backups | You choose where and how often to copy the script and world save. | Check what backup controls the service actually supplies before relying on them. |
| Crossplay support | Confirm that your chosen launch configuration supports the required crossplay mode. | Confirm that the rented service exposes the crossplay option you need. |
A rented host is an operational choice, not a requirement for changing the name. Whichever deployment you use, identify where the active launch arguments are stored and change the -name value there.
A safe rename checklist
- Stop the dedicated server cleanly.
- Back up the startup script or launch command.
- Back up the world save.
- Open the copied Windows batch file or the Linux startup command that is actually launched.
- Find
-nameand replace only its quoted value. - Use straight quotation marks around names containing spaces.
- Leave
-worldunchanged when the existing world must remain loaded. - Keep
-passwordprivate. - Check that
-public 1or-public 0still matches the intended visibility. - Save the file and restart through the normal launch method.
- Refresh the server browser after registration.
- If the result is wrong, compare the complete command with the backup before changing anything else.
What the finished configuration should look like
After a successful rename, the only intentional difference between the old and new launch commands is the value following -name. The executable, world, password, public setting, and port remain appropriate for your existing deployment. Players should then see the new label while connecting to the same world and access arrangement.
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