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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe simplest way to play Valheim with friends is to use the in-game host-and-play option: the player who starts the world must remain online. For a world that should stay available while people play at different times, install the free Valheim Dedicated Server tool, configure a world name and password, and run it on a separate computer or rented server. This guide covers both approaches, including installation, ports, crossplay, world migration, backups, and fixes for common connection problems.
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Choose the right multiplayer method
Valheim has two practical ways to share a world. Your choice depends mainly on whether the same person can be online whenever others want to play.
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| Factor | Host-and-play (local co-op) | Dedicated server |
|---|---|---|
| Who must be online? | The host must be playing for friends to join. | The server runs independently; any permitted player can join while it is running. |
| Setup effort | Start a world, invite friends, and play. | Install the dedicated-server tool, configure launch settings, and usually handle networking. |
| Best for | Small groups with synchronized play sessions. | Long-running worlds and groups with different schedules. |
| Cost | No separate server cost. | Self-hosting has no server rental fee; a rented server adds a recurring charge. |
| World availability | Only during the host’s session. | Available whenever the server machine is online and the service is running. |
Use host-and-play when everyone meets at the same time
For a first evening, host-and-play is usually the fastest route. One player selects or creates the world, enables multiplayer, and invites the others. The host’s computer runs the simulation, so closing the game or losing the connection ends that session for everyone. The world remains saved for the next session, but somebody must host it again.
Use a dedicated server for an always-available world
A dedicated server is a separate process rather than a normal playing session. It can run on an unused home computer, a virtual machine, or a rented game-server instance. Renting avoids most router work because the provider’s control panel normally maps the required ports for you. Self-hosting costs no rental fee but requires more setup and dependable internet access.
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What you need before installing
- A computer that can stay online for the hours your group expects to play. A dedicated server does not need a graphics card because it runs headless.
- Administrator access to install software and, for self-hosting, access to the router and firewall.
- A current Valheim installation for players. Everyone must use the same game version; a server and client on different versions commonly fail to connect.
- A world name and a strong password. Do not reuse an important personal password.
- For self-hosting, a way to discover the server computer’s local address and your public IP address.
Published guides disagree about resource requirements. One estimate for two to five players lists a dual-core CPU, 6 GB of RAM, an SSD with 15 GB free space, and at least 15 Mbps upload capacity. Another lists 4 GB of RAM as a minimum and 8 GB as a recommendation for larger worlds or more simultaneous players. Treat these as planning estimates rather than official requirements, and verify current figures in Iron Gate’s documentation before buying hardware. An SSD and spare memory generally reduce loading and save-time pressure as a world grows.
Install the dedicated-server tool
The standalone server tool is distributed separately from the game client. Secondary setup guides identify Steam application ID 896660 for the dedicated server. It is free and does not require a Valheim license on the machine running the server. The commonly confused ID 892970 is the game client ID, not the dedicated-server tool; check the number before copying a command.
Windows through the Steam Library
- Open Steam and switch the Library filter to show Tools.
- Search for Valheim Dedicated Server and install it.
- Open the installation directory so you can edit a launch script without changing the original supplied by Steam.
Windows or Linux with SteamCMD
Install SteamCMD using the package appropriate to your operating system, then run an anonymous update command similar to:
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quitThe command downloads or validates the server files. The exact SteamCMD executable path depends on your installation. If the command installs the game client instead, recheck that you used 896660 and not 892970.
Configure and launch your first world
Steam updates can overwrite the supplied launcher and remove your edits. Make a copy of the launcher, then edit the copy. On Windows the launcher is commonly named start_headless_server.bat; on Linux it is commonly start_server.sh. Keep your custom script outside the files Steam replaces, or maintain a backup of it after every update.
Set the essential launch arguments
A typical Windows command looks like this:
valheim_server.exe -nographics -batchmode -name "Odin's Basement" -port 2456 -world "Midgard" -password "Use-A-Long-Unique-Password" -crossplayReplace the example values with your own. The arguments mean:
-nographicsand-batchmoderun the server without a rendered game window.-nameis the name players see in the server browser.-portselects the base network port; 2456 is the usual default in published guides.-worldselects the world save name.-passwordprotects the world. Valheim servers require a password, so use one that is difficult to guess.-crossplayenables the crossplay mode described below. Omit it if every player uses the Steam backend and you do not need cross-platform joining.
Linux uses the same arguments in the shell script, with the executable and path adjusted for your installation. Keep quotation marks around names containing spaces. A world is created automatically when the specified world name does not already exist.
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Tell when the server is ready
Do not rely only on the launcher window appearing. Watch the log for the message indicating that the game server has connected. That is the practical sign that the process has finished starting. If it exits immediately, check the password, executable path, permissions, and whether another process already occupies the selected port.
Reuse a solo world on the server
You can move an existing solo world instead of starting over. Shut down Valheim and the dedicated server before copying files. Locate the world-save directory, copy the files for the world to the server’s corresponding worlds directory, and set -world to exactly the same name as the save. The name is case-sensitive in some file-management situations, so avoid changing its spelling.
Keep an untouched copy of the original save until you have joined successfully and confirmed that buildings, characters, and map progress are present. A failed or partial copy can otherwise make it difficult to tell whether the issue is networking or a damaged save.
Understand port forwarding before opening your router
Port instructions for Valheim are not consistent across otherwise current guides. They agree that UDP port 2456 is the default game port, but differ on the additional ports and whether TCP is needed:
| Published guidance | Ports described | Protocol described |
|---|---|---|
| One common instruction | 2456–2458 | UDP |
| Another instruction | 2456 for the game, plus 2457 and 2458 for query or Steam traffic | UDP, with some guides also mentioning TCP |
| A more recent instruction | The selected port and the next port (for the default, 2456–2457) | UDP |
Because the official Iron Gate server documentation should be the final authority and these figures conflict, verify the current requirement at valheimgame.com before publishing a permanent firewall rule. If you cannot verify it immediately, the practical fallback described by several guides is to forward UDP 2456–2458 on both the router and the server’s firewall, then narrow the rule after confirming the official instructions. Do not expose unrelated ports.
Router forwarding checklist
- Give the server computer a reserved local IP address in your router, so the forwarding rule does not break after a reboot.
- Create a rule for the required Valheim port or range, pointing to that local IP.
- Allow the same traffic through the operating system firewall. A router rule alone is not sufficient if the computer blocks the application.
- Save the launcher with the same base port you forwarded. If you change
-port, update the forwarding rule as well. - Test from a friend’s network or a phone hotspot rather than only from inside your home network. Some routers do not support loopback connections, which can make a working server appear unreachable to someone on the same Wi-Fi.
Crossplay: when to enable it
Add -crossplay when your group includes console or Microsoft Store players, or when you specifically need the crossplay backend. The server can then provide a join code. Everyone still needs the same current game version.
One published guide reports that crossplay traffic is routed through a PlayFab relay and therefore does not require router port forwarding, while a server using the Steam backend does. Treat that behavior as a single-source implementation detail rather than a guarantee: if players cannot connect, check the current Iron Gate guidance and the server log. Crossplay can simplify networking, but it does not fix version mismatches, an incorrect password, or a stopped server.
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How friends join
Public server listing
If you want the server to appear in the in-game browser, configure it as public using the launch settings available in your server version. Players search for the server name and enter the password. A public listing is convenient but makes the name visible to strangers, so a private server or a non-obvious name is safer for a small friend group.
Direct IP and port
For a non-public server using the Steam backend, friends can connect with your public address and port, for example 123.45.67.89:2456. Give them the current public IP, not the server computer’s private address such as 192.168.x.x. If your internet provider changes the public address, send the new one before the next session.
Join code with crossplay
When crossplay is enabled, copy the join code shown by the running server and send it to the players using the crossplay join screen. A code from a stopped or restarted server may no longer work, so obtain it after each launch if necessary.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsBack up the world before it becomes valuable
A Valheim world consists primarily of a .db database file and a .fwl world-metadata file. Back up both together; copying only one can leave an unusable or incomplete save.
- On Windows, the files are stored in the Valheim worlds folder beneath the user’s
LocalLowdirectory. - On Linux, published guides place them under
.config/unity3d, within the Valheim data path.
Stop the server before copying files so the database is not being written. Keep several dated backup sets on a different drive or machine. Before installing a major game or server update, make an additional manual backup. To restore, stop the server, replace both files with a matching dated pair, and start the server again; never overwrite a live save while the process is running.
Troubleshoot the problems beginners meet most often
The server does not appear in the browser
- Confirm the server log reports that it connected and remains running.
- Check that the server is configured as public if you expect a listing.
- Verify that every player is on the same game version.
- Try direct IP and port or a crossplay join code instead of waiting for browser discovery.
- Review the firewall and forwarding rules, especially after changing the base port.
Direct connection times out
- Confirm you sent the public IP, not the server’s private LAN address.
- Test from outside the server’s home network.
- Check that the router forwards to the server’s reserved local IP.
- Temporarily inspect firewall logs to see whether the server executable is being blocked, then create a narrow permanent allow rule.
- If you used crossplay, verify that the flag is present and obtain a fresh join code.
The server starts but creates a new world
The value after -world must match the save name exactly. Check that both the .db and .fwl files were copied into the server’s worlds directory and that the server account has permission to read them. Stop the process before recopying, then launch again.
Friends are kicked after an update
Update the dedicated-server files and the players’ game clients, then compare versions. Recheck your copied launcher because Steam may have replaced the original script. Preserve the password, world name, port, and crossplay choice when rebuilding the command.
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A reliable first-session procedure
- Decide whether everyone will play together; if yes, start with host-and-play. Otherwise choose a dedicated server.
- For a dedicated server, install application 896660 through Steam Tools or SteamCMD and copy the launcher before editing it.
- Choose a unique world name and strong password, then set the launch arguments.
- Start the server and wait for the connected-server message.
- Configure and test the network path: direct IP with the verified port requirements, or crossplay with a join code.
- Have one friend join before inviting the entire group. Confirm the correct world loaded and that the password works.
- Stop the server cleanly and make your first paired
.dband.fwlbackup.
Which setup should you keep?
Stay with host-and-play if your group always meets at the same time and nobody wants to maintain another computer. Move to a dedicated server when the host’s schedule is the main restriction, when the world should remain available between sessions, or when several players build independently. Self-hosting gives control and avoids rental fees but requires port and firewall maintenance. A rented instance costs more over time, yet its control panel usually removes the most error-prone networking steps.
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