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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesYes. You can host Valheim multiplayer directly from the game. Select or create a world, enable its in-game server option, set a password, and launch it. Your computer then runs a peer-to-peer session for up to 10 simultaneous players; you do not need to install the separate Valheim Dedicated Server application.
Godlike.Host offers hosted Valheim servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
The important limitation is availability: this world exists for friends while the host is running the session. If you need a world that remains reachable when the host is offline, a dedicated server is the appropriate model instead.
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What “without a dedicated server” means in Valheim
Valheim has two different ways to make a multiplayer world available. The first is an in-game, peer-to-peer session. The player who launches the world acts as the host, and the game handles the session. Iron Gate describes this as a public or private peer-to-peer play session that can be created when starting the game.
The second option is the standalone Valheim Dedicated Server application. That process runs separately from the normal game client, usually on another computer or a hosted machine, and is intended for a persistent world. This guide covers the first option: hosting from the game you already play.
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- In-game host: fastest setup, no separate server installation, and suitable when the group generally plays together.
- Dedicated server: a separate process keeps the world available for players at other times.
- Player limit: Valheim servers support up to 10 simultaneous players, according to Iron Gate’s current FAQ.
The in-game method is not a 24/7 service. Closing the host’s session removes the world from the multiplayer list until that host launches it again.
Set up a multiplayer world from the game
1. Choose or create the world
- Launch Valheim.
- Choose an existing world, or select the option to create a new one.
- Check that you have selected the world you actually want friends to use. The multiplayer setting is applied when this world is launched.
2. Turn on the in-game server option
- With the world selected, enable the in-game server option in the launch screen.
- Set a password before starting the world. Give the password only to the people you want to join.
- Start the world.
At this point, the host computer is running the peer-to-peer multiplayer session. You have not created a separate dedicated-server process, and friends cannot join until the world is running.
3. Decide whether the session is public or private
Valheim lets an in-game session be public or private. A private session with a password is the safer choice for a group of friends because it prevents uninvited players from finding an open world. Use the password you configured on the launch screen; changing the password or world after friends have connected can require them to reconnect.
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Invite friends on the same Steam platform
For friends using the same Steam-based route, start the world first and then use Valheim’s normal Join Game flow or the Steam friends interface. The host should remain in the world while invitations are sent and accepted.
- Launch the world with the in-game server option enabled.
- Tell friends the exact password.
- Have them open Valheim’s Join Game screen and look for the host’s session, or use the normal Steam friends invitation flow.
- They select the world, enter the password when prompted, and join.
If the session does not appear, confirm that the host is still playing that world. A friend cannot join an in-game session that has already ended, even if the world remains saved on the host’s computer.
Invite Xbox and other cross-platform friends
Cross-platform players need Valheim’s crossplay route. Enable crossplay for the session before launching it. When the world is running, Valheim displays a Join code in the pause menu.
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- Enable crossplay for the world before starting the session.
- Launch the world and open the pause menu.
- Choose the option to copy the displayed Join code.
- Send that code to the friend through your usual messaging method.
- Have the friend open Join Game, choose Add server, and paste the Join code.
- They submit the code, select the session, and enter the world password if Valheim asks for it.
This is the documented crossplay join sequence from Iron Gate: Join Game → Add server → paste the Join code. The code belongs to the currently running session, so generate and share it after the host has launched the world.
Xbox players cannot host a dedicated server, but they can join a dedicated server when crossplay is enabled. That limitation does not remove the in-game hosting option; it simply distinguishes hosting a standalone dedicated process from starting a multiplayer world through Valheim itself.
Check game versions before troubleshooting anything else
Every player should be on the same Valheim game patch. Iron Gate warns that mismatched versions can prevent connections. The version number appears in the bottom-right corner of Valheim’s main menu.
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- Exit to the main menu on every device.
- Read the version number in the lower-right corner.
- Compare the numbers with the host’s version.
- Install any pending game update, then restart Valheim before trying the invite again.
Do this check first when one friend can join but another cannot, or when a previously working session stops accepting connections immediately after an update.
What the host must keep running
The host controls availability
The host’s game session is the multiplayer server for this method. Friends can play only while that session is active. If the host quits to the main menu, closes Valheim, loses the connection, or shuts down the computer, the in-game world is no longer available to join. Friends cannot keep playing independently until the host starts it again.
The host’s computer carries the session
Because the world runs from the host’s game, the host should avoid putting the computer to sleep or ending the game while others are connected. Plan a handoff before leaving: have everyone exit safely, then relaunch the same world when the group plays again.
Ten-player maximum
Valheim supports a maximum of 10 simultaneous players per server. This is a server-wide limit, so enabling crossplay does not increase it. If the tenth place is occupied, another player must leave before someone else can enter.
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Common connection problems and fixes
The friend cannot see the world
- Confirm that the host launched the correct world with the in-game server option enabled.
- Have the friend refresh or reopen Join Game after the host is already inside the world.
- For cross-platform play, verify that crossplay was enabled before launch and use the Join code rather than looking only for a Steam listing.
- Check the version number at the bottom-right of the main menu on every device.
The Join code does not work
- Open the host’s pause menu again and copy the currently displayed code; do not rely on an old code from a previous session.
- Ensure the friend uses Join Game → Add server, then pastes the code into that field.
- Confirm that the host is still in the world while the friend submits the code.
- Verify that crossplay is enabled for the running session.
The password is rejected
- Send the password exactly as configured, including capitalization and any symbols.
- Ask the host to verify which world was launched; each world can have a different launch configuration.
- Stop and restart the session if the password was changed while friends were trying to connect, then distribute the current password again.
One player is on an old patch
Compare the bottom-right version number on the main menu. A mismatch can block the connection even when the server option, password, and Join code are correct. Update the out-of-date installation and restart the game before attempting another join.
The host went offline
This is expected behavior for an in-game peer-to-peer world, not a dedicated-server failure. The host must launch the world again before friends can return. If the group needs access while that player is away, move the world to a persistent dedicated-server arrangement instead.
In-game hosting versus a dedicated server
| Option | Who keeps the world available? | How friends join | Best fit | Operational details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-game peer-to-peer host | The player who launched the world; availability ends when that session ends | Steam friends or Valheim’s Join Game flow; cross-platform players use a Join code when crossplay is enabled | Small groups that usually play at the same time and do not need 24/7 access | No standalone dedicated-server installation; the host’s game must remain running |
| Dedicated server | A separate server process or hosted machine | Server list, IP address, or Join code depending on the backend | Groups that want a persistent world friends can enter at different times | Iron Gate’s 2024 guide lists default ports 2456–2457 for the Steam backend, which may require router port forwarding. Its crossplay backend uses a relay and does not require port forwarding for reachability from outside the local network. The same guide lists a default save interval of 1,800 seconds (30 minutes). |
Iron Gate characterizes a dedicated server as a way to provide a persistent world in which friends can play anytime. That is the decisive difference, not a requirement for ordinary co-op. If your group schedules sessions together, the in-game host avoids the additional setup. If players have different schedules, a dedicated process prevents the host from becoming the availability bottleneck.
Choose the right method for your group
Use the in-game server when
- One player is normally present for the whole session.
- You want to start playing without installing or configuring a separate server application.
- Your group is small enough to stay within the 10-player simultaneous limit.
- You are comfortable with the world being unavailable when the host is offline.
- Cross-platform players can use the crossplay toggle and Join code.
Consider a dedicated server when
- Friends need to enter the world at different times.
- The host cannot reliably keep Valheim running during the group’s play window.
- You want a persistent world rather than a session tied to one player’s game.
- You are prepared to run a separate process and, for some backends, configure network ports.
Starting with in-game hosting does not prevent a later move to a dedicated setup. It lets the group establish whether the world and schedule work before taking on persistent-server administration.
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Quick Recap
Quick checklist before your first session
- Select the intended world or create one.
- Enable the in-game server option.
- Set and share a password securely.
- Enable crossplay if any participant is on another platform.
- Launch the world and keep the host in the session.
- For Steam friends, use the normal friends or Join Game flow.
- For cross-platform friends, copy the Join code from the pause menu.
- Tell cross-platform friends to use Join Game → Add server and paste the code.
- Compare the version number in the bottom-right of the main menu on every device.
- Remember that the world is available only while the host’s session is running.
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