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How to Join a Windrose Server

Use Play → Connect to Server, then enter your friend’s case-sensitive invite code or use the Direct IP tab with the full hostname:port. This guide explains prerequisites, server-owner setup, troubleshooting and hosting choices.
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To join a Windrose server, open Play → Connect to Server, enter the owner’s invite code, select the result, and choose Connect. If the server uses direct networking instead, open the Direct IP tab and paste the complete hostname:port. Ask the owner which method is active, plus any password. The server must be online, and first-time players should complete Windrose’s single-player tutorial before connecting.

The two ways Windrose servers accept players

Windrose does not provide a conventional public server browser. A server owner enables one join method at a time: an invite code or a direct IP address. You cannot use an invite code for a server that is currently configured for Direct IP, and vice versa. Ask the owner which method is active before troubleshooting your connection.

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Join method What the owner sends you Where you enter it Important condition
Invite code A case-sensitive code of at least six characters, plus a password if enabled Play → Connect to Server → Find The server must be running with invite-code joining enabled
Direct IP The complete hostname:port Play → Connect to Server → Direct IP The owner must restart the server after changing to Direct IP

Invite codes use letters and numbers only: 0–9, a–z, and A–Z. Capitalization matters, so copy and paste the code instead of retyping it.

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Before you try to connect

Most failed joins are caused by a stopped server, an incorrect code, or a mismatch between the owner’s selected method and the method you are using. Confirm these points first:

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  • The owner sees the server status as Online, not sleeping or stopped.
  • You have completed the Windrose single-player tutorial at least once. Current hosting guidance identifies this as a prerequisite for joining.
  • You know whether the server is using an invite code or Direct IP.
  • You have the exact invite code or the full hostname:port, including the port number.
  • You have the password if the owner enabled one.
  • If Direct IP was enabled recently, the owner has restarted the server after making that change.

For a self-hosted Windows server, the owner’s computer must remain powered on, connected to the internet, and running the server process for you to join.

How to join with a Windrose invite code

This is the normal path when a friend gives you an invite code.

  1. Get the code and password. Ask the server owner to copy the invite code exactly as it appears. Codes are case-sensitive. If the server is protected, request the password as well.
  2. Launch Windrose. Wait until you reach the game’s main menu.
  3. Open the multiplayer connection screen. Select Play, then choose Connect to Server.
  4. Enter the code. Paste the invite code into the field. Do not add spaces or change capitalization.
  5. Search for the server. Select Find. Windrose will return the server associated with that code if it is reachable and using invite-code mode.
  6. Select the result. Click the returned server entry so it is highlighted.
  7. Connect. Choose Connect. If a password prompt appears, enter the password supplied by the owner.

The owner can give the same invite code to multiple friends. The code identifies the configured server; it is not a one-use invitation.

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If the code returns no server

Check the code character by character, especially uppercase and lowercase letters. Then ask the owner to confirm that the server is online and still configured for invite-code joining. A server switched to Direct IP will not appear when you search by invite code.

How to join by Direct IP

Direct IP is the fallback when the owner’s host uses an address rather than an invite code, or when invite-code searches time out. The owner must provide the entire address in the form hostname:port; entering only the hostname is incomplete.

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  1. Ask the owner for the active Direct IP address, including its port.
  2. Launch Windrose and select Play.
  3. Choose Connect to Server.
  4. Open the Direct IP tab.
  5. Paste the complete hostname:port value into the address field.
  6. Start the connection and enter the password if the owner enabled one.

Only one method is active at a time. If the owner changed the server from invite code to Direct IP, the server must be restarted before anyone can use the new address. Ask the owner to perform that restart and to resend the current address if the host panel generated a new one.

Why you cannot find a friend’s Windrose server

The server is stopped or sleeping

A sleeping or stopped server cannot answer an invite-code search or a Direct IP connection. Have the owner start it and wait until the dashboard reports Online before you search again.

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You are using the wrong join method

Ask whether the owner currently has invite-code or Direct IP mode enabled. Use the invite-code field only for an invite-code server, and the Direct IP tab only for a server configured for direct connections.

The invite code was mistyped

Invite codes are case-sensitive and contain letters and numbers. Copy the owner’s value instead of typing it from memory. Remove accidental spaces at the beginning or end when pasting.

The server was switched to Direct IP but not restarted

Changing the method in a hosting dashboard does not make the new route immediately available. The owner must restart the Windrose server after selecting Direct IP. Until then, the old method may be the only one that responds.

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You have not completed the tutorial

Complete the single-player tutorial once, return to the main menu, and retry the connection. This is a stated joining prerequisite in current Windrose hosting guidance.

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A password is required

A successful server search does not bypass a password. Ask the owner for the current password and enter it exactly when Windrose prompts you. If the owner recently changed it, an older saved value will fail.

How the server owner finds an invite code

For a self-hosted dedicated server, the owner can obtain the code from the server process or its configuration file.

Read the code from the server console

  1. Open the dedicated-server folder on the Windows host.
  2. Launch StartServerForeground.bat. This is the recommended launch option when the owner wants visible startup and status logs.
  3. If that batch file is unavailable, launch WindroseServer.exe.
  4. After startup, read the invite code printed in the console and send it to players exactly as displayed.

Read the code from ServerDescription.json

If the console output has scrolled away, open the server folder’s R5/ServerDescription.json in a text editor. Find the InviteCode value and copy only its value. The official Windrose guide says valid codes use 0–9, a–z, and A–Z, with at least six characters, and are case-sensitive.

Dedicated server versus a normal hosted game

A normal hosted game is tied to the host’s active session. When that host stops playing, the session is no longer available for friends to enter. A dedicated server is a separate server process that keeps the world running so players can join even when the owner is not personally playing.

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Windrose’s official documentation describes a dedicated server as a world that is “always running.” That description applies only while the dedicated-server process and its host machine remain online; shutting down the machine or process makes the world unavailable.

Installing the dedicated-server tool

On Steam, open the Tools section and install the free Windrose Dedicated Server tool. The official guide also says the tool is available free on Steam for players whose game copy comes from Epic Games Store or Stove.

After installation, browse the tool’s local files and follow either the simple or advanced setup described in the official guide. If you copy the server folder for a separate configuration, place the copied folder outside the main game folder; the guide identifies that location requirement for correct operation.

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Choosing between self-hosting and paid hosting

The right setup depends less on the join screen than on who is responsible for uptime and maintenance.

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Consideration Self-hosted dedicated server Hosted server
Who keeps it online? The owner must leave the server computer and process running. The hosting provider operates the server hardware; availability depends on the provider and active service.
How do friends join? The owner shares the active invite code or Direct IP address. The provider’s panel supplies the configured connection details; the owner still tells players which method is active.
Updates and backups The owner handles installation, updates and backups. The provider may supply management tools, but the exact update and backup features depend on the service.
Hardware requirement A Windows machine that stays powered on and connected. No personal computer needs to remain online, although the service has its own availability and cost terms.

Dot Esports identifies Nitrado as Windrose’s official hosting partner. Availability, pricing and current partner terms can change, so verify them in the provider’s current control panel before purchasing. A hosted option is most useful when no player can reliably leave a PC running.

Player capacity and performance expectations

Dot Esports reported support for up to eight players in a report published 14 April 2026. The same report notes the developer’s warning that going above four players may significantly affect server performance. Treat eight as a stated upper capacity, not a guarantee that every machine or connection will deliver smooth play at that size.

When planning a group, start with the number of players you actually expect online, then consider the server hardware, connection stability and whether the host is self-running or provider-managed. If performance degrades after adding players, reduce the active group and check the server’s status before changing join settings.

A practical connection checklist

  • Method: Confirm invite code or Direct IP with the owner.
  • Address: For Direct IP, include the port in hostname:port.
  • Accuracy: Paste invite codes; they are case-sensitive.
  • Status: Verify the dashboard says Online.
  • Restart: If Direct IP was just enabled, restart the server first.
  • Tutorial: Finish the single-player tutorial before joining for the first time.
  • Password: Obtain the current password if the server is protected.
  • Self-hosting: Ensure the owner’s computer remains powered on and connected.

Work through the list in that order. It separates player-side entry errors from owner-side availability problems and avoids repeatedly trying an address that the server is not currently using.

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What to tell the server owner when asking for access

A useful request is specific: ask whether the server uses an invite code or Direct IP, request the exact code or full hostname:port, ask for the password if applicable, and ask the owner to confirm the server is online. If the owner recently changed the join method, ask whether the required restart has completed. Providing those details prevents the common situation where a player receives a valid-looking code for a server that is currently listening through a different method.

Key facts to remember

  • The standard invite flow is Play → Connect to Server → enter code → Find → select server → Connect.
  • Invite-code and Direct IP servers are separate modes; use the one the owner currently enabled.
  • A dedicated server can keep a world available without the owner actively playing, but self-hosting still requires an online host machine.
  • Invite codes and passwords must be copied accurately, and first-time players should complete the single-player tutorial.
  • Windrose is reported to support up to eight players, while the developer cautions that performance may suffer above four.

The official Windrose guide cited here was updated 18 May 2026 for game version 0.10.0.5.120-073042fb; menu labels and server behavior should be checked against your installed version if they differ.

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