Hildir’s Request is not installed with a separate dedicated-server download. The content arrives through the normal Valheim game update, so you only need compatible, updated Valheim clients and an updated Valheim Dedicated Server application. Install the official server tool, copy its launch script, set the world and password, choose the Steam or Crossplay networking backend, and start the server. Dedicated servers updated after the Hildir’s Request bug-fixer also support world modifiers.
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What you actually install
Hildir’s Request is delivered as part of Valheim’s game and server updates. There is no Hildir’s Request installer, archive, or server-side DLC package to copy into a server directory. Every player should update Valheim, and the administrator should update Valheim Dedicated Server, before anyone connects. Mixing an old client or server build with a newer one can prevent connections or produce missing-content errors.
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Iron Gate’s September 18, 2023 Steam announcement for the first post-Hildir bug-fixer patch specifically noted that dedicated servers gained world-modifier support. That functionality is part of the updated server application; it is not a separate plug-in.
Prepare the server before changing files
- Update Valheim on every computer that will join.
- Update Valheim Dedicated Server on the machine that will host the world.
- Decide whether players will connect through the Steam backend or the relay-backed Crossplay backend.
- Choose a world name and make a backup of any existing world before changing launch arguments.
- Use a password that is different from the server name and keep it available to every intended player.
- Make sure the host machine can remain online for the hours in which players need access.
If the server is rented, the provider normally supplies a control panel for the same launch arguments. You still need to verify that its Valheim image is updated before changing the world settings.
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Install Valheim Dedicated Server from Steam
Find the official server application
- Open Steam and go to Library.
- Enable the Tools filter. Without that filter, Valheim Dedicated Server may not appear in the library list.
- Install Valheim Dedicated Server on the machine that will run the world.
- Wait for Steam to finish downloading the current build before editing any files.
The installation includes a Windows batch launcher and, for Linux packages, a shell launcher. Iron Gate advises copying the supplied Windows start_headless_server.bat before editing it. Steam updates can replace the original file, while your copied file preserves your settings.
Copy and edit the Windows launcher
- Open the Valheim Dedicated Server installation folder in Steam by using the application’s local-files command.
- Make a copy of
start_headless_server.batin the same folder, and give the copy a recognizable name such asvalheim-freedom.bat. - Open the copy in a text editor, not a word processor.
- Keep the executable and existing command structure supplied by Iron Gate, then edit the values for the server name, port, world, password, visibility, and backend.
- Save the copy and leave the original supplied script unchanged so it can be used as a reference after future Steam updates.
Set the core launch arguments
The following example shows the shape of a command. Replace the example values with your own choices while retaining the arguments already present in the supplied script.
valheim_server -nographics -batchmode -name "Freedom Realm" -port 2456 -world "MeadowsHome" -password "ChangeThisPassword" -public 1
| Argument | Purpose | What to decide |
|---|---|---|
-name |
The name shown to players in the server list. | Use a recognizable name; it does not have to match the world name. |
-port |
The base network port used by the server. | Steam-backend servers use 2456 by default and the associated range includes 2457. |
-world |
Creates or selects the named world. | Use the exact existing world name when migrating a save; spelling and spaces matter. |
-password |
Protects entry to the server. | Choose a password players can enter; do not publish it with the server address. |
-public |
Controls whether the server is listed publicly. | Use the value documented in the supplied script and server manual for your preferred visibility. |
-crossplay |
Selects the relay-backed Crossplay backend. | Add it when players need Crossplay connectivity or when router forwarding is impractical. |
-savedir |
Overrides the default save directory. | Use it when worlds and backups belong on another drive or a managed data volume. |
-backups, -backupshort, -backuplong |
Configure automatic backup retention and intervals. | Set values according to the dedicated-server manual and the amount of storage available. |
Do not create a second world accidentally by changing -world by one character. If the intended save does not appear after starting, stop the server, check the world name and save directory, and start again before generating new terrain.
Install and run the server on Linux
The Linux package includes a supplied shell script. The same launch arguments apply, but Linux uses the shell launcher rather than a Windows batch file.
- Install Valheim Dedicated Server through the distribution method described by Iron Gate or your Steam installation.
- Copy the supplied shell script before editing it so an update does not erase your configuration.
- Open the copy in a text editor and set
-name,-port,-world,-password,-public, and, if needed,-crossplay,-savedir, and the backup arguments. - Make the copied script executable if the file permissions require it, then run it from a terminal in the server directory. A package may call the file
start_server.sh; use the actual filename installed on your system. - Keep the terminal session attached while testing. After the server works, run it under your normal service manager or terminal multiplexer so it can continue after you disconnect.
Linux and Windows use the same world files and launch concepts. A world moved between operating systems should use the same -world name and the correct -savedir path for the destination host.
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For a Microsoft Store installation, Iron Gate documents the server folder as C:XboxGamesValheimContentServer. Open that folder, launch the headless-server batch file supplied there, and consult the included manual for the available arguments. The Microsoft Store path is separate from the Steam Tools installation, so do not copy a Steam launcher into it or assume that Steam’s local-files menu will locate it.
Choose Steam networking or Crossplay
Steam backend
The Steam backend is the conventional choice when everyone is connecting through Steam. Its default ports are 2456–2457. Those ports must be reachable through the host operating system’s firewall and, when the server is behind a home router, forwarded from the router to the server machine. Forward the same port range selected in the launch command; changing the base port changes which range players must reach.
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After opening the firewall rule and forwarding the ports, start the server and give players the server name or address shown by the server list. Players outside the host’s local network may need the router’s public address, while players on the same network can use the local address if the router supports that route.
Crossplay backend
Add -crossplay to the launch command to use Valheim’s relay-backed Crossplay backend. The relay normally avoids router port forwarding for outside players, which is useful when the host cannot change router settings or when players use different supported platforms. The host firewall still needs to allow the server executable to communicate, and the server must be updated to a build that supports the selected backend.
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| Connection choice | Router forwarding | Best fit | Important check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam backend | Required for the default outside-player setup; use ports 2456–2457 unless you deliberately change the base port. | A Steam-only group with control of the router. | Open the host firewall and forward the selected range to the server computer. |
| Crossplay relay | Normally not required for outside players because traffic uses the relay. | Mixed-platform groups or hosts behind restrictive routers. | Include -crossplay, allow the executable through the firewall, and wait for the server to report a successful connection. |
Start the server and verify that Hildir’s Request is available
- Close any old server process before starting the updated launcher.
- Run the copied Windows batch file, the Linux shell script, or the Microsoft Store headless-server batch file.
- Approve the server executable in the operating-system firewall when prompted. If no prompt appears, add an allow rule manually through the firewall’s application settings.
- Watch the console until it reports that the server has connected and finished loading the world. Do not try to join while it is still creating or loading the save.
- From an updated Valheim client, search the server list or connect using the address appropriate to the chosen backend.
- Join with the exact password and confirm that the Hildir’s Request content is present in the world. If a client reports a version mismatch, update both the client and the dedicated-server application before changing anything else.
The server console is the first diagnostic source. Record the time it started, the selected world, the port, and any error text before restarting; changing several arguments at once makes the cause harder to identify.
World files, save locations, and backups
Selecting a new or existing world
The -world value is a selector, not an import command. If the named world does not exist in the active save directory, Valheim creates a new world with that name. To use an existing world, copy its complete save data into the destination save directory, set -savedir if necessary, and use the exact world name in -world.
Keep the world name stable after players begin building. Renaming it in the launch command can make the server appear empty because the application is looking for a different save.
Move a world to another machine
- Stop the old server cleanly so the latest world state is written.
- Copy the world files and any associated character or metadata files that your backup procedure preserves.
- Place them in the destination save directory, or point the new launcher to their location with
-savedir. - Use the original world name in the new launch command.
- Start the destination server and verify the map, structures, inventories, and player access before deleting the old copy.
Configure automatic backups
The official launcher documents -backups, -backupshort, and -backuplong for automatic backup retention and intervals. Use the manual’s documented values rather than guessing, and keep backup files on a volume with enough free space. A backup stored on the same failing disk as the live world will not protect against disk loss, so copy important backups to another machine or storage volume.
Before applying a major Valheim update or changing world modifiers, make a manual copy in addition to the automatic rotation. Label it with the world name and date so you can identify the pre-change state.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Enable world modifiers on a dedicated server
Updated dedicated servers support the same broad world-modifier system documented for Valheim. The launch arguments provide presets including Normal, Casual, Easy, Hard, Hardcore, Immersive, and Hammer, along with individual settings for combat, death penalties, resource rates, raids, and portals.
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Apply a preset first, then add individual modifiers. A preset overwrites other modifier values that were set earlier in the command. If you put a custom combat or resource setting before a preset, the preset can replace it and the server will not use the value you expected. Put the preset in the command first and the individual adjustments after it.
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- Back up the world and write down its current launch command.
- Choose the closest documented preset for the experience you want.
- Place that preset argument in the launch command before any individual modifier arguments.
- Add only the combat, death-penalty, resource, raid, or portal changes you actually want.
- Start the server and have an administrator verify the rules in a low-risk area before inviting the whole group.
- If the result is wrong, stop the server, restore the previous command, and use the backup rather than repeatedly experimenting on the live world.
The dedicated-server manual contains the exact spelling and accepted values for each individual modifier. Do not invent argument names from descriptions in community posts; an unrecognized argument may be ignored while the server starts with different rules than intended.
Self-hosting versus a managed host
| Approach | Advantages | Responsibilities | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-host on Windows | Direct control of files, scripts, save paths, firewall, and backups. | Keep the computer online, apply Steam updates, configure the router, and maintain backups. | You have a machine that can stay online and you are comfortable editing launch scripts. |
| Self-host on Linux | Flexible automation, service management, and separate storage volumes. | Maintain the shell script, permissions, updates, firewall, and service process. | You already operate a Linux server or want command-line control. |
| Managed dedicated hosting | An always-on machine, provider-managed updates, scheduled backups, and simpler networking controls. | Check that the provider supports the current Valheim build, world modifiers, Crossplay, and save export. | You do not want a home computer running continuously or cannot configure port forwarding. |
Managed hosting does not remove the need to understand -world, backups, and modifiers. Before uploading an existing save, confirm the host’s save directory and make a downloadable backup so you can leave the service without losing the world.
Troubleshoot the common failure points
The server does not appear in the list
- Confirm the server process reached its connected or ready message instead of exiting with an error.
- Check that
-publicis set as intended and that the client is searching the correct backend. - For Steam backend connections, verify that ports 2456–2457 are forwarded to the correct machine and allowed through its firewall.
- For Crossplay, verify that
-crossplayis present and that the executable is allowed through the firewall; do not add unnecessary router rules as a substitute for checking the relay connection. - Make sure the client and server were both updated before testing again.
Players receive a version or incompatible-build message
Stop the server, update Valheim Dedicated Server through Steam or the applicable Microsoft Store installation, and have every player update Valheim. Restart only after both sides report the same current build. Do not try to solve a build mismatch by copying DLLs or content files between installations.
The server starts a new empty world
Check the exact -world spelling, capitalization, and spaces. Then check whether -savedir points to the directory containing the intended save. If the launcher was copied from a different installation, it may still be using that installation’s default save location.
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Confirm that the server application includes the post-Hildir dedicated-server modifier functionality. Check the argument order: the preset must come before individual modifiers. Finally, verify the manual’s exact argument spelling and restart the server after saving the script. Keep a backup and revert the command if the rules remain uncertain.
Steam players outside the home cannot connect
Check the router’s forwarding destination, the host’s firewall rule, and whether another device received the server’s local address through DHCP. Forward the selected 2456–2457 range to the machine actually running the process. If router access is unavailable, switch to Crossplay and add -crossplay instead of exposing random ports.
The launcher works until Steam updates
Steam can reset the original supplied launcher. Always edit a copy, keep a separate backup of your command, and compare the copied script with the newly installed official script after updates. Reapply only the custom values that the updated script still supports.
Ongoing administration checklist
- Update clients and the dedicated server together before a group session.
- Stop the server cleanly before copying world files.
- Keep automatic backups enabled and periodically test that a backup can be restored.
- Record the selected backend, base port, world name, save directory, and modifier command.
- After changing a modifier, have a player verify the result before making further changes.
- Keep the copied launcher and a known-good previous version so an update can be rolled back operationally if needed.
- Review firewall and router rules whenever the hosting machine or base port changes.
Once the updated server starts with the intended world and players can join through the chosen backend, Hildir’s Request requires no additional installation step. Future content and fixes arrive through the same Valheim and Valheim Dedicated Server update process.
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