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To host a Valheim world that can potentially accept PC, Xbox, and PS5 players, install the free Valheim Dedicated Server (Steam tools app 896660) and launch it with the -crossplay flag. That flag switches the server from Steam networking to the PlayFab crossplay backend; players then connect with a join code rather than your IP address. Console access to self-hosted worlds is not conclusively confirmed in the available guidance, so verify current platform support before planning a long-term server.
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What a Valheim crossplay server changes
A dedicated server runs the world independently of a player’s game session. The host computer can stay online while everyone else connects and leaves. Valheim’s launch backend determines who can connect and how they find the server.
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- Crossplay backend: Add
-crossplay. The server uses PlayFab relay services, and players receive a join code instead of connecting to an IP address. Guides report that Xbox and Microsoft Store players can use this route, with no router port forwarding normally required. - Steam backend: Omit
-crossplay. This is intended for Steam players. You normally forward UDP ports 2456–2457 and share the server address or use the Steam server list.
The dedicated-server software is free. It installs through Steam’s Tools library as app ID 896660, and a Steam game license is not required for the server installation when using anonymous login.
Check platform support before you commit to a world
Guides disagree about console access to self-hosted servers. Some describe crossplay as covering PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, while others say console joins had not been confirmed by Iron Gate at launch. Treat PS5 and Xbox participation as a capability to test, not a guaranteed feature. The same uncertainty applies to claims about Switch 2 support; most current lists mention PC, Xbox, and PS5 but do not establish Switch 2 compatibility.
Create a test world first. Start the server, copy its join code, and have one Xbox or PS5 player attempt to join before investing time in a permanent build. If the console client cannot see or accept the code, the limitation may be platform support rather than a setting on your computer.
Requirements and preparation
- A Windows or Linux computer that can remain online while friends play. The server does not need a separate Valheim game license.
- Steam installed for the Tools-library method, or SteamCMD for a command-line installation.
- Enough disk space for the server files and your world saves. An SSD or NVMe drive is recommended by setup guides to reduce save and world-loading delays.
- A stable wired network connection where possible. Wi-Fi interruptions can disconnect every player even when the server process itself is healthy.
- A world name, a server name, and a strong password. Avoid spaces and punctuation that your shell or batch file could interpret unexpectedly; quote names that contain spaces.
- Permission to allow the server through the operating system firewall. Crossplay usually avoids inbound router forwarding, but the server still needs outbound Internet access to the relay service.
Install the dedicated server
Method 1: Steam Library Tools (Windows or Linux)
- Open Steam and select Library.
- Use the library filter and enable Tools.
- Search for Valheim Dedicated Server and install it. The Steam app ID is
896660. - Open the installation directory after Steam finishes downloading the files. Keep this path handy; you will edit the startup file or run the server binary from here.
On Windows, the download normally includes start_headless_server.bat. On Linux, guides report that the package provides the valheim_server.x86_64 binary rather than a preconfigured launcher.
Method 2: SteamCMD
SteamCMD is useful on a headless Linux machine or a Windows system where you do not want the full Steam client. From a SteamCMD prompt, the installation sequence is:
login anonymous
force_install_dir ./valheim-server
app_update 896660 validate
quitRun SteamCMD from a directory where the account has write permission. After installation, change into the server directory before editing or launching the binary.
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Configure the launch arguments
These are the core arguments used by the dedicated server:
| Argument | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
-name |
Name shown to people browsing or adding the server. | -name "Meadows Test" |
-port |
Game port. The usual starting value is 2456. | -port 2456 |
-world |
World save name to load or create. | -world "CrossplayWorld" |
-password |
Password required when players connect. | -password "use-a-unique-password" |
-public |
Controls whether the server is published for listing. Use 1 for public. |
-public 1 |
-crossplay |
Switches from the Steam backend to the PlayFab crossplay backend. | -crossplay |
Keep the password in the launch file private. Anyone who has both the join code and password can enter the world, and a publicly listed server is easier for strangers to discover.
Windows: edit the supplied batch file
- Stop any running server window.
- Make a backup copy of
start_headless_server.bat. - Open the original in a text editor and locate the line that starts the server.
- Set the values for
-name,-port,-world,-password, and-public 1. Append-crossplayfor a cross-platform attempt. - Save the file and double-click it. Leave the console window open; closing it stops the dedicated server.
A typical crossplay line has this shape (use the executable path and existing syntax supplied with your download):
valheim_server.exe -name "Meadows Test" -port 2456 -world "CrossplayWorld" -password "use-a-unique-password" -public 1 -crossplayDo not run two instances with the same world and port. If you need separate test and production worlds, give each instance its own world name, directory or save location, and port.
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Linux: launch the binary
From the installation directory, make the binary executable if necessary and launch it with the same arguments:
chmod +x ./valheim_server.x86_64
./valheim_server.x86_64 -name "Meadows Test" -port 2456 -world "CrossplayWorld" -password "use-a-unique-password" -public 1 -crossplayFor a persistent machine, run the command under a service manager or terminal multiplexer so an SSH disconnect does not terminate it. A Docker deployment is also possible; one guide passes the launch string through an environment variable named SERVER_ARGS, including -crossplay.
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| Decision | Steam backend (omit -crossplay) |
Crossplay backend (add -crossplay) |
|---|---|---|
| Potential players | Steam players only. | Designed for cross-platform players; Xbox and Microsoft Store access are reported, while self-hosted console support remains unconfirmed. |
| Connection method | Server address, Steam listing, or direct IP-style connection. | Join code generated by the server session. |
| Router setup | Forward UDP 2456–2457 to the server computer. | Guides report that PlayFab relay means router port forwarding is normally unnecessary. |
| Mods | Conventional server-side mod setups may be possible. | One guide reports that BepInEx mods fail with this backend; this is an unconfirmed compatibility report. |
You cannot make one process serve both backends at the same time. Decide which player platforms matter, stop the server, then add or remove -crossplay and restart.
Start the server and retrieve the join code
- Launch the batch file or Linux command and wait for the console to finish loading the world. The first start can take longer while save directories are created.
- Join the world locally or open the server’s in-game pause menu as the host.
- Find the displayed join code and copy it exactly. Guides describe a six-digit code, but its format and length can change; use the value shown by your current session.
- Send the code and password to trusted players through a private channel. A new server start may issue a different code, so do not assume yesterday’s code will work after a restart.
How a player joins
- Open Valheim and choose Join Game.
- Select Add server.
- Paste or type the host’s current join code.
- Select the entry, enter the server password, and connect.
If the code is rejected immediately, confirm that the server was started with -crossplay. A Steam-backend server expects a different discovery path and will not accept a crossplay join-code workflow.
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Network, firewall, and port details
When using crossplay
PlayFab relay is intended to remove the need for inbound port forwarding. Allow the dedicated-server executable through the computer’s firewall and ensure the machine can make outbound connections. Corporate, school, carrier-grade NAT, VPN, or restrictive DNS policies can still block relay authentication; test from a different network before changing router rules.
When using Steam-only mode
Forward UDP 2456–2457 from the router to the server’s local IP address, reserve that local address with a DHCP reservation, and allow the same traffic through the host firewall. A guide also claims that UDP query port 2458 may need to be open for public-list visibility; that claim is not consistently documented, so add it only if your server is otherwise reachable but absent from the public list.
World saves, performance, and player limits
- Back up saves: Stop the server cleanly before copying world files. Keep dated backups outside the live save directory so a damaged or rolled-back save cannot overwrite every copy.
- Use fast storage: SSD or NVMe storage is recommended, particularly when several players explore new terrain at once.
- Prefer wired networking: A wired connection reduces packet loss and sudden host disconnects.
- Watch CPU, memory, and disk activity: If players report rubber-banding during world exploration, check whether the host is paging or saturating its uplink before changing game settings.
- Player count: One guide reports a default cap of 10 players and says higher caps generally require mods. This is not an official limit statement; verify the cap in the server version you are running before advertising a larger event.
Mods and crossplay limitations
Do not assume that a modded Steam server can be converted directly to crossplay. A guide reports that BepInEx-based mods fail to load when the PlayFab backend is enabled, but no official compatibility statement was located. For a console group, start with a clean, unmodded server. If you later test mods, duplicate the world first, record the exact mod and server versions, and keep a separate launch file so you can return to the known-good configuration.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The server window closes immediately
- Run the command from a terminal so the error remains visible.
- Check that the executable path and working directory are correct.
- Confirm that the password, world name, and port arguments are present and spelled correctly.
- Make sure another Valheim server is not already using the selected port.
Players cannot connect with a code
- Restart the server and distribute the newly displayed code; do not reuse an old session’s code.
- Verify that
-crossplayappears in the actual running command, not merely in an unused copy of the batch file. - Check the host firewall and outbound connectivity.
- Have the player update Valheim and retry from the Join Game → Add server path.
Steam friends can join but console friends cannot
First confirm that the server is using the crossplay backend. If it is, test with a clean world and current game clients. Because console joins on self-hosted servers are not settled in the available guidance, a persistent failure may indicate an unsupported platform combination rather than a bad port or password.
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The server is missing from a public list
- Ensure
-public 1is present. - For Steam mode, verify UDP 2456–2457 forwarding and the local firewall rule.
- Consider the unconfirmed query-port guidance for UDP 2458 only after the basic rules are correct.
- Use the join code for crossplay instead of waiting for a public-list entry.
A modded world stops working after enabling crossplay
Remove the mods and test the same world copy on a clean server. The reported BepInEx incompatibility may be backend-specific. Never experiment on your only copy of a long-running world.
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- Announce maintenance before stopping the process so players leave the world normally.
- Stop the server and wait for its save and shutdown messages.
- Copy the world files to a dated backup location.
- Apply one change at a time—game update, launch argument, mod, or network rule—then start and test.
- Record the current launch command, backend choice, world name, and join-code procedure so another household member can restart the host.
Recheck Iron Gate’s current documentation and platform announcements before treating PS5 or Xbox self-hosting as guaranteed, especially after a major game update. Guides have cited 9 September 2026 as the Valheim 1.0 launch date, but that date was not accompanied by an official announcement in the material available here.
Recommended first configuration
For a small group split between PC and consoles, install app 896660, keep the world unmodded, use an SSD and wired connection, and launch with -crossplay, -public 1, a unique password, and a non-default world name. Test one Xbox or PS5 account immediately. If the test succeeds, distribute the current join code after each restart; if it fails, do not waste time forwarding Steam ports, because those rules apply to the non-crossplay backend.
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