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To whitelist a Valheim dedicated server, stop it, open the server’s active save directory, create permittedlist.txt, and put one exact, case-sensitive Platform User ID on each line. Save the file and restart the server. Anyone not listed will be refused, even if they know the password. The same file works for a self-hosted server; cross-platform clients additionally require the server to be launched with -crossplay.
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What Valheim’s whitelist does
Valheim calls its whitelist a permittedlist.txt file. It is an allowlist: the accounts named in the file are permitted to connect, while other accounts are excluded. Iron Gate’s warning is explicit: “Please note that adding a person on the permitted list will ban everyone else from the server.” Treat the first entry as a switch from an open server to an exclusive one, not merely as an additional invitation.
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| File | Purpose | What belongs in it |
|---|---|---|
permittedlist.txt |
Allows only listed accounts to connect | One Platform User ID per line |
bannedlist.txt |
Blocks listed players | Platform User IDs for accounts you want blocked |
adminlist.txt |
Grants administrative privileges | Platform User IDs for trusted administrators |
Do not substitute a display name, a Steam profile URL, or an IP address for the Platform User ID expected by the server. The ID uses the platform-prefixed format documented by Iron Gate and is case sensitive. Copy it exactly, including capitalization and punctuation.
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Before changing the file
Install and launch the dedicated server once
Install the Valheim Dedicated Server and launch it with the supplied startup script before editing permissions. The first run creates the save structure and confirms that the script points to the installation you intend to administer. If you change the script later, remember that a custom save location can change where the permission files live.
Stop the server cleanly
Shut the server down through its normal console or stop procedure and wait for it to finish saving. Editing while the process is running can leave you looking at an old file, or can allow a later save operation to overwrite your change. Never edit adminlist.txt when you mean to change access; the names are similar but the effects are different.
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Find the active save directory
The whitelist must be in the save directory used by the running server, not simply in the folder containing the server executable.
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Windows default
Iron Gate documents the default Windows location as ../%USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim. In File Explorer, expand the %USERPROFILE% portion to your Windows user profile and look for the IronGate/Valheim directory. If the server script includes -savedir, use that specified path instead of the default.
Linux default
The documented Linux location is ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim. The tilde represents the home directory of the account that runs the server. If the service runs under a dedicated system account, check that account’s home directory rather than your personal login. A -savedir [PATH] argument overrides this location.
Confirm the path used by the script
Open the startup script and look for -savedir. The path following that option is authoritative. This check prevents the most common failure mode: creating a correctly named file in a directory the server never reads. Keep the path consistent between restarts; changing it can make an established world appear to have lost its permissions and saves when the server has actually opened a different directory.
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Create and edit permittedlist.txt
- Navigate to the active save directory identified above.
- Create a plain-text file named exactly
permittedlist.txt. If it already exists, open it with a plain-text editor. - Enter one Platform User ID per line. Do not separate IDs with commas, spaces, or semicolons.
- Preserve every letter’s capitalization and the platform prefix exactly as shown by Valheim.
- Save the file as plain text, then close the editor before restarting the server.
On Windows, enable file-name extensions in File Explorer while checking the name. This makes an accidental permittedlist.txt.txt visible. On Linux, a typical workflow is to change to the active directory and open the file with a text editor such as nano permittedlist.txt; the important requirements are the directory, exact filename, and plain-text content, not the choice of editor.
Get a player’s Platform User ID
Ask the player to connect while the server is available, then read the ID from the server log or use the in-game F2 panel. Copy the complete platform-prefixed value shown there. A player’s visible name can change, and two people can use similar names, so it is not a reliable substitute.
IDs are case sensitive. If a copied value contains uppercase characters, changing them to lowercase can make the entry fail even though the digits and punctuation look correct. Put each copied value on its own line and avoid leading or trailing spaces.
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Apply the whitelist
- Verify that the server process is stopped and that
permittedlist.txtis in the directory selected by the active startup script. - Save the file and check its spelling, extension, line breaks, and ID capitalization.
- Start the dedicated server again with the same script and world settings.
- Have one listed player attempt to join using the required password and connection mode.
- Have an account that is not listed attempt to join. The server should reject that account once the permitted list is active.
Do not describe the test as successful until the operator has actually performed both connection checks. A server that starts without an error can still be reading a different save directory or a differently named file.
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Password and whitelist checks are separate
The password configured with -password is independent of the permitted list. A listed player may still need the server password, and knowing the password does not let an unlisted account bypass the allowlist. Give approved players both pieces of information when appropriate, and troubleshoot them separately: first confirm that the account is listed, then confirm that the password being entered matches the server’s current launch configuration.
Allow Xbox and Microsoft Store players with crossplay
For Xbox or Microsoft Store clients, add -crossplay to the dedicated-server launch command. Iron Gate’s FAQ states that Xbox players can join a dedicated server when crossplay is enabled; an Xbox console cannot host a dedicated server itself. Crossplay changes the connection path, so follow the current official guide for the server version you are running when configuring discovery, forwarding, or join instructions.
Crossplay does not replace the whitelist. A cross-platform player still needs a matching Platform User ID in permittedlist.txt, and may also need the server password. Make sure the client is using the connection mode expected by the server before treating a rejection as a whitelist error.
Relevant startup options and network settings
The whitelist is a file-based setting, but the launch script determines which world, save directory, and connection mode the server uses.
| Option | Role in a whitelisted server |
|---|---|
-name |
Sets the server name players see. |
-world |
Selects the world to load. Keep it unchanged when applying a whitelist to an existing world. |
-password |
Sets the separate password that approved players may still need. |
-public |
Controls whether the server is advertised publicly; it does not turn the permitted list on or off. |
-savedir [PATH] |
Moves saves and permission files to the specified directory. The whitelist must be created there. |
-crossplay |
Enables the crossplay connection path required for Xbox and Microsoft Store clients. |
| Backup options | Control scheduled or retained backups documented by Iron Gate; they do not edit the permitted list. |
Iron Gate documents default ports 2456 and 2457: the server uses the port you specify and the following port. If you change the base port in the script, apply the corresponding firewall and router rules for that pair. Crossplay can alter how clients reach the server, so use the current guide for version-specific networking details rather than assuming a setup for direct PC connections applies unchanged.
Troubleshoot a player who cannot join
The file is ignored
- Confirm the filename is exactly
permittedlist.txt, with no hidden second extension such as.txt.txt. - Check that the file is in the active save directory, including any path supplied by
-savedir. - Stop and restart the server after saving; changing the file while the process is running is not a substitute for a restart.
- Ensure the editor saved a plain-text file rather than a word-processing document.
The listed ID is rejected
- Obtain the value again from the server log or the in-game F2 panel and compare every character.
- Use the complete platform-prefixed ID, not a display name, profile URL, or IP address.
- Restore the original capitalization and remove accidental spaces or blank characters.
- Check that the player is connecting to the same server instance and world whose save directory you edited.
The player is still refused after the ID is correct
- Confirm that the server was restarted after the edit.
- Check the password separately; whitelist approval does not supply the password.
- If the player is on Xbox or Microsoft Store, verify that the launch script includes
-crossplayand that the client is using the appropriate cross-platform route. - Make sure you edited
permittedlist.txt, notbannedlist.txtoradminlist.txt.
An administrator can no longer manage the server
Whitelist membership and administrator status are different. An account that should retain console privileges must remain in adminlist.txt; adding it to permittedlist.txt only controls whether it may connect. Review both files independently before changing either one.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
The file format and ID rules do not change because a provider supplies the machine, but the practical work does. Use these criteria when deciding where to run a whitelisted server:
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|---|---|---|
| Save and permission-file control | Direct access to the operating system, startup script, and save directory. | Usually mediated by a control panel or file manager; confirm that it permits editing permittedlist.txt. |
| Operating system and firewall | You install updates, open the required ports, and diagnose firewall or router issues. | The provider may handle the host network, while you still configure the server instance and account permissions. |
| Crossplay configuration | You add -crossplay and apply the version-appropriate networking settings yourself. |
Look for a launch-argument or crossplay toggle and verify what it changes before enabling it. |
| Backups and restore | You configure and test the documented backup options and keep copies of the save directory. | Check retention, download access, restore procedure, and whether permission files are included. |
| Uptime and maintenance | Power, operating-system updates, and restarts are your responsibility. | The service may provide monitoring and restart tools, subject to its plan and policies. |
| Geographic latency | You choose the machine’s location. | Choose a region near the players and verify that the offered location meets your needs. |
| Price | Depends on hardware, electricity, network service, and your time. | Depends on the provider, region, resources, and billing term; compare the complete recurring cost. |
| Log access | Full access to server logs, including IDs useful for populating the list. | Confirm that logs can be viewed or downloaded when you need to identify a player. |
Official documentation explains the self-hosted configuration but does not endorse a particular hosting company. Regardless of platform, retain a copy of the world and permission files before making major changes.
Quick Recap
Operational checklist
- Dedicated server installed and launched with the intended startup script.
- Server stopped cleanly before file editing.
- Active save directory confirmed, including any
-savediroverride. - File named exactly
permittedlist.txt. - One complete, case-sensitive Platform User ID on each line.
- No display names, profile URLs, IP addresses, commas, or hidden extensions.
- Server restarted after saving.
- Listed player tested with the correct password and connection mode.
- Unlisted account tested and rejected.
-crossplayenabled when Xbox or Microsoft Store clients must connect.adminlist.txtmaintained separately for administrative access.
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