Switching a Factorio server to the beta branch is a version migration, not a harmless in-game toggle. Stop the server, make a restorable copy of the save and current installation, move the executable to the experimental branch using the method that matches your distribution, verify the binary, and only then start the copied world. Steam users select the experimental entry under Factorio’s Properties → Betas (sometimes labelled Game Versions & Betas); standalone users enable Settings → Other → Enable experimental updates; Linux headless operators replace their server package with the official experimental headless build.
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The server, every connecting player, and all enabled mods must be compatible. Keep the previous stable executable available until the beta world has run successfully, because an experimental release can contain serious bugs and a save upgraded by a newer version may not be usable with an older executable.
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Choose a maintenance window and tell players that the server will be unavailable. A beta update can alter the executable, require matching client files, and expose mod incompatibilities. Treat the operation like a production software upgrade.
- Stop the Factorio process cleanly. Do not replace files while the server is writing a save.
- Copy the save archive. Keep the original filename and make a second copy in a separate backup location.
- Preserve the current installation. Either copy the whole server directory or retain the stable package so you can restore the executable without downloading it again.
- Record the current version. Run
factorio --versionbefore the change when the command is available, and save the output with your maintenance notes. - Record operational settings. Keep
server-settings.json, the server name, launch arguments, service definition, firewall rules, ports, and file-ownership details.
Use a duplicate save for the first launch. Once the beta has loaded that copy and players have tested it, schedule the production migration.
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Which installation method do you use?
The correct switch depends on where the executable comes from. Changing a Steam client’s branch does not replace a separately installed Linux headless executable.
| Installation | How you select experimental | How updates arrive | Graphics required on the server | Version and rollback control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam full game | Steam Library → Factorio → Properties → Betas, or Game Versions & Betas, then select the experimental entry | The Steam branch manages updates; the .x experimental option is intended to follow the latest experimental release |
The full game installation includes the normal client; a separate dedicated process still needs its Factorio files | Convenient switching, but an automatically advancing branch is less suitable when you need a permanently pinned build |
| Standalone full game | Factorio → Settings → Other → Enable experimental updates | The standalone installation follows its experimental-update setting and package availability | Full installation | You control when to install or replace packages; retain the prior stable directory for rollback |
| Linux dedicated/headless package | Download the official experimental headless build and update the server installation | Package replacement is manual unless your own deployment tooling handles it | No graphics or audio are required; the headless package is intended for dedicated servers | Highest control over the exact package, provided you keep the old executable |
If your server runs as a system service, container, panel-managed instance, or custom script, identify the executable path first. The branch selector only changes the installation that owns it.
Switch a Steam installation
1. Stop and back up
Stop the dedicated server and complete the backup procedure above. If the Steam installation is also used as a client, close Factorio before Steam replaces files.
2. Open the branch selector
- Open Steam and select Library.
- Right-click Factorio and choose Properties.
- Open Betas. Some current Steam layouts label this page Game Versions & Betas.
- Open the branch drop-down and choose the experimental or beta entry. The official Factorio guidance describes the
.xoption as the choice that automatically updates to the latest experimental release. - Close the properties window and let Steam finish downloading and verifying the changed files.
Do not launch the server until the download has completed. If Steam is updating a client installation while a service points at the same files, stop the service first to avoid a process using a partially replaced executable.
3. Confirm the branch and binary
Run factorio --version from the installation used by the server. If your service uses an absolute path, run that exact binary rather than a different Factorio copy in your shell’s PATH. Record the version string, then compare it with the version shown by each player’s client.
4. Start the existing world
Keep the existing settings and launch arguments. The documented dedicated-server form is:
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factorio --start-server SAVEReplace SAVE with the path or filename your deployment uses. Start with the copied save first. Watch the console for load errors, then connect one test client before migrating the production save.
Switch a standalone Factorio installation
1. Enable experimental updates
- Open Factorio.
- Choose Settings.
- Open Other.
- Enable Enable experimental updates.
The standalone setting controls that standalone installation only. It does not change a Steam installation or a headless package installed in another directory.
2. Update the server copy
After enabling the setting, allow the standalone installation to obtain the experimental files according to its normal updater. If your dedicated server uses a copied or separate directory, update that directory as well; changing the setting in a desktop copy cannot modify an unrelated service directory.
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3. Verify before launch
Use factorio --version against the executable that the server actually starts. Preserve server-settings.json and your existing --start-server SAVE argument. Launch the backup world, inspect the log, and only then schedule the live save.
Update a Linux dedicated or headless server
A headless server is a separate distribution route from the full game. Download the official experimental headless package, stop the service, and replace or update the server installation with that package. The headless build is supplied without graphics and audio, which is appropriate for a machine that only hosts the world.
Safe package replacement
- Stop the service or process and confirm that no Factorio process remains.
- Copy the save,
server-settings.json, ban list, whitelist, token files, and any other files your launch script uses. - Rename the current installation to a stable backup directory, or copy it to storage that will not be overwritten.
- Extract the experimental headless package into a new directory rather than over the live files.
- Point the service or launch script at the new executable. Keep the old path documented until acceptance testing is complete.
- Set ownership and execute permissions to match the previous installation.
- Run
factorio --versionfrom the new directory. - Start the copied save with
factorio --start-server SAVEand the same settings-file and operational arguments used previously.
Installing the package beside the stable version makes rollback a directory or service-path change instead of an emergency download. Do not delete the stable directory until the beta world, mods, scheduled backups, and restart behavior have all been accepted.
Keep the server, clients and mods aligned
Every participant must use the intended branch and a compatible version. A client that remains on stable may be unable to join a server running experimental, and a client on a different experimental build can still fail if the protocol or content differs.
- Have each player select the same Steam branch, or enable experimental updates in the same standalone installation type.
- Check the version displayed by the client and the output of the server’s
--versioncommand. - Enable the same mods on the server and clients, using versions compatible with the beta build.
- Transfer the server’s mod set through your normal, trusted process; do not assume a stable-branch mod release works unchanged on experimental.
- Test a representative client: connect, load a factory area, place and remove entities, open inventories, and save and reconnect.
Mod errors are often reported during startup or while loading a save. Keep a copy of the pre-beta mod directory and configuration so you can identify whether a failure came from the executable, a mod update, or the save itself.
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Test the beta on a copied save
Testing on a copy separates compatibility work from production risk. Use a clearly named copy and, if possible, a separate port or private network so players do not accidentally join it.
- Copy the latest stable save to a test location.
- Use the experimental executable and the intended settings file.
- Start the copy with
--start-server SAVE. - Check the startup log for missing mods, migration failures, permission errors, or a port already in use.
- Join with at least one client on the matching branch.
- Exercise the areas and systems that matter to your group, including modded production, trains, logistic networks, blueprints, and scheduled saves if those features are present in your world.
- Stop the test server cleanly and verify that it produced a usable save.
Successful loading is necessary but not sufficient. A world can open while a modded recipe, script, or late-game system fails only after players interact with it.
Rollback plan
Rollback is easiest when the save and executable are independent copies. Stop the beta server before restoring anything; never let stable and experimental processes write to the same save simultaneously.
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- Stop the server and preserve the beta log and save for diagnosis.
- Restore the stable executable or switch the service back to the stable installation directory.
- Restore the pre-migration save copy if the beta process wrote changes that stable cannot open. Do not overwrite the only copy with a potentially migrated save.
- Restore the stable mod set and settings files.
- Run
factorio --versionto verify the stable binary. - Start the restored world with the documented
--start-server SAVEcommand and test a client before reopening the server.
If the beta branch advanced automatically, selecting it again may install a newer experimental build than the one you tested. Keep the exact stable package and its checksum or version record rather than relying on a branch label alone.
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Common problems and fixes
The Betas option is missing or named differently
Steam changes labels over time. Look under Factorio’s Properties for Betas or Game Versions & Betas. The experimental entry may be described as a branch rather than using the word “beta.” Make sure you opened the Factorio game properties, not a shortcut’s properties.
Steam changed the client but not the server
The service may point to a separate headless or standalone directory. Inspect the service file or launch script, run factorio --version using its absolute executable path, and update that installation through its own distribution method.
The server starts, but players cannot connect
Compare the server and client branch/version first, then compare mod names and versions. A firewall or port change is less likely if the only operation was an executable replacement, but verify that the service still uses the same user, port, bind address, and network rules.
The save refuses to load
Restore the untouched stable save and confirm that the experimental test used a copy. Check the log for a missing or incompatible mod. If the save was written by a newer build, do not assume the stable executable can open it; use the preserved pre-beta copy for rollback.
The service fails after the package replacement
Check the executable path, execute permission, directory ownership, settings-file path, and working directory. Re-run factorio --version as the same operating-system user that runs the service. A package can be correct while a service still references the old directory or a file that was not copied.
The beta keeps changing versions
The Steam .x experimental option is intended to auto-update to the latest experimental release. If reproducibility matters, record the installed version, keep a complete package copy, and use a deployment process that lets you pin or restore a known build rather than treating the moving branch as a fixed version.
Operational checklist
- Maintenance window announced and players logged out.
- Server stopped cleanly.
- Original save and pre-beta save copies stored separately.
- Stable executable or package retained.
- Settings, launch arguments, service definition, ports, firewall rules, and permissions recorded.
- Correct distribution method selected: Steam, standalone, or headless package.
- Experimental binary verified with
factorio --version. - Copied save started with
--start-server SAVE. - Server and clients use the same branch/version.
- Mods match and pass a real connection test.
- Logs and restart behavior checked.
- Rollback path tested before production migration.
What to expect from the experimental branch
Factorio’s official download information describes experimental as the cutting-edge build and warns that it may contain serious bugs. That warning has practical consequences: schedule more frequent backups, expect updates to arrive sooner than stable releases, and avoid making an irreplaceable production save your first test subject.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsA beta branch is useful when you need an upcoming feature or want to test compatibility ahead of a stable release. It is a poor fit for a world that must remain available without maintenance windows, especially when many players or automation systems depend on it. The distribution choice also matters: Steam is convenient for branch changes and updates, while a separately managed headless installation gives an administrator clearer control over package placement and rollback.
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