How to Host a Valheim Server

A Valheim dedicated server lets you and your group share one persistent Viking world that stays online whether or not the host is playing. Instead of one player acting as the host, the world runs as its own process, so anyone can drop in and out without losing progress. This guide covers running the dedicated server yourself, from installing it through SteamCMD to managing worlds and mods.

Valheim dedicated server basics

The Valheim dedicated server is a free, standalone application separate from the game client. It is published on Steam under app ID 896660 and can be downloaded anonymously through SteamCMD, so you do not need to log in with a Steam account that owns the game. Builds are available for both Linux and Windows, and the same world files are compatible across them.

Because it runs headless (no graphics), the server is light enough to run on a modest Linux box, a Windows machine, or a rented VPS. You manage it through a start script that passes launch flags such as the server name, world name, and password.

Requirements

Valheim is comparatively light on resources compared with many survival games, but RAM use grows with the number of loaded areas and players.

• RAM: A fresh world typically uses around 2GB. For a small group of two to four players, 2-4GB is a realistic working range. Larger groups, long-running worlds, or modded setups benefit from more, so budget extra headroom if you add mods.
• CPU: A modern quad-core is the practical baseline. Valheim is sensitive to single-thread performance, so clock speed matters more than core count.
• OS: 64-bit Linux or Windows. Linux is common for always-on servers; Windows works fine if you already have a machine spare.
• Storage: A few gigabytes covers the server files and world saves, though worlds grow slowly as you explore.

Installing via SteamCMD

Install SteamCMD first, then use it to pull the dedicated server with the anonymous login. On Linux, the command looks like this:

steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir ./valheim-server +app_update 896660 validate +exitCopy

Change ./valheim-server to wherever you want the files installed. The validate flag verifies the download. On Windows the syntax is the same; just point +force_install_dir at a Windows path. Running the same command again later is also how you update the server.

Configuring your server

The server is configured through launch flags, usually placed in the start script that ships with it (for example start_server.sh on Linux). The key flags are:

• -name: the display name shown in the server browser. Quote it if it contains spaces.
• -world: the world save file name. A new world is generated if one by that name does not yet exist.
• -password: required, and must be at least 5 characters. It cannot contain the world name.
• -public: set to 1 to list the server publicly in the community browser, or 0 to keep it unlisted (players join by direct connection).
• -crossplay: add this flag to enable crossplay so PlayStation and Xbox players can join alongside PC players.

Starting the server

Once your flags are set, launch the server with the bundled binary. A typical start command looks like this:

./valheim_server.x86_64 -nographics -batchmode -name "My Server" -port 2456 -world "Midgard" -password "secret" -public 1Copy

Valheim uses ports 2456-2458 over UDP. The base port is set with -port (default 2456), and the server uses the next ports above it, so make sure all three of 2456, 2457, and 2458 are open in your firewall and forwarded on your router. Note that players connecting directly use the query port, which is the base port plus one.

Mods and world management

Most Valheim mods run through BepInEx, the plugin framework, with mods distributed via Thunderstore. Install BepInEx into the server directory and drop plugin .dll files into its plugins folder. Many gameplay mods must be installed on both the server and every client, or players will fail to connect.

World saves for a dedicated server live in the worlds_local folder inside the server's save directory (on Linux, under ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/). Each world has two files that must be kept together: YourWorld.db and YourWorld.fwl. Back up both regularly: copying that pair is enough to restore or migrate a world.

Keeping the server updated

Valheim updates the dedicated server alongside game patches, and an out-of-date server will refuse connections from updated clients. To update, stop the server and re-run the same SteamCMD command you used to install it:

steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir ./valheim-server +app_update 896660 validate +exitCopy

Then restart. If you run BepInEx, check that your mods are compatible with the new build before bringing players back in, as updates can break plugins.

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