Enshrouded supports online co-op for up to 16 players. For an occasional session, one player can host a world and invite friends through Steam or the in-game server browser. If friends need to enter the same world while that player is offline, install and run the Enshrouded Dedicated Server tool instead. The dedicated executable is distributed through Steam’s Tools section, runs on Windows, and creates an enshrouded_server.json configuration file the first time it starts.
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Choose the right multiplayer method
There are two fundamentally different ways to play Enshrouded together. The best choice depends on whether the group can rely on one host being online and whether the world must remain available between sessions.
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| Consideration | Host-run co-op | Dedicated server |
|---|---|---|
| Must the original host be online? | Yes. The host starts the multiplayer session and remains its host. | No. Players can connect while the original player is away, provided the server computer is running. |
| Setup effort | Low: start a session and invite friends. | Higher: install the dedicated-server tool, generate and edit its configuration, then handle firewall and router access. |
| World availability | Available when the host is playing. | Persistent access while the dedicated process is running. |
| Network configuration | Usually handled through the game and Steam; the official troubleshooting guidance still recommends checking firewall, router and Steam port rules if friends cannot connect. | Requires deliberate firewall/router configuration. The default query port is 15637, and multiplayer currently uses IPv4. |
| Ongoing cost | No separate server rental is required. | Self-hosting uses your own Windows computer and connection; a managed host is an additional paid option. |
Use host-run co-op for occasional sessions
This is the simplest option when the same person will usually play with the group. The host launches the world, friends join for that session, and the host closes it when everyone leaves. It avoids dedicated-server installation and administration.
Use a dedicated server for an always-available world
A dedicated server is the practical answer when players have different schedules or the original host should not be a gatekeeper. Keen Games describes dedicated servers as the way to let friends play without the host always being online. You can run the server yourself on Windows or rent a managed Enshrouded server; self-hosting gives you control, while managed hosting removes much of the installation and network work.
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How to host a normal multiplayer session
Start the session
- Launch Enshrouded and load or create the world you want to play.
- Use the game’s multiplayer option to host that world.
- Keep the game running while friends connect; ending the host’s session ends access to that host-run world.
The exact invitation route can vary depending on whether the session is visible in the browser. The in-game server browser can list peer-to-peer sessions and can filter for Steam-friend sessions.
Invite through Steam when the session is hard to find
Keen Games specifically recommends using the Steam Friend list when a hosted game does not appear reliably in the browser. Open the Steam overlay or your Steam Friend list, select the friend who is hosting, and use the available join/invite action. This route is often more dependable than repeatedly refreshing a browser list.
What friends do on the joining side
- Open Enshrouded’s Join screen.
- Look for the host’s peer-to-peer session or filter the list to Steam-friend sessions.
- If the session is not listed, accept or use the Steam Friend-list invitation from the host.
If nobody can see the session, troubleshoot the host’s firewall and router rules, then try Steam’s network troubleshooting steps: clear the Steam download cache and flush DNS. These are official suggestions for an empty or unreliable server list.
How to set up an Enshrouded dedicated server on Windows
The official dedicated-server tool is installed through Steam rather than from the regular game’s Launch button. Windows is the currently supported operating system for this executable.
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1. Install the dedicated-server tool
- Open Steam and go to your Library.
- Enable the Tools filter so software tools appear alongside games.
- Find and install Enshrouded Dedicated Server.
2. Open the installed files
In Steam, open the dedicated server’s properties or local-files view and choose the option to browse its installed files. Locate Enshrouded Dedicated Server.exe.
3. Run the executable directly
Double-click Enshrouded Dedicated Server.exe from the installed folder. Keen Games advises running the executable directly instead of relying on Steam’s Launch button. Start it once even before you customize the server; the first run creates enshrouded_server.json.
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4. Edit the JSON configuration
Stop the process if it is still running, then open enshrouded_server.json in a text editor. Change the settings you need, preserving valid JSON syntax and the existing key names. Keep a backup of the original file so you can restore a known-good configuration if a later edit prevents startup.
5. Allow the server through Windows and your router
Create the necessary Windows Firewall rules for the server executable and configure the router or gateway that sits between the server computer and the internet. The official default queryPort is 15637. Enshrouded multiplayer currently uses IPv4, so the address and forwarding rules must work over IPv4. Keen Games also advises checking Steam’s required ports when friends cannot connect; a single Enshrouded port rule may not resolve every Steam networking issue.
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6. Start the server and leave the process running
Launch the executable again after saving the JSON file. The world is available only while the dedicated-server process and the host computer are running. A server that sleeps, shuts down or loses its network connection is not an always-on server, even if its configuration is correct.
How friends join a dedicated server
Join from Enshrouded’s server browser
- Launch Enshrouded.
- Choose Join from the main menu.
- Enable the Show dedicated server filter.
- Select the server from the results and connect.
Players can favorite a dedicated server in-game, which makes a regularly used server easier to find later.
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If the server is running but absent from the in-game list, Keen Games documents an alternate Steam route. In Steam, open View → Game Servers and add the server’s IP address there. Then return to Enshrouded and try joining again. This is a discovery workaround; it does not replace correct firewall, router or port configuration.
Dedicated-server capacity and computer requirements
Enshrouded’s co-op capacity is up to 16 players. The figures below describe the dedicated-server process and the separate game client, so they should not be treated as one combined requirement.
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| Resource | Published figure | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Co-op capacity | Up to 16 players | The maximum group size cited by Keen Games in 2025. |
| Dedicated-server memory while idle | About 4.4 GB RAM | Baseline process use before adding connected players. |
| Additional memory per player | Up to 100 MB RAM | A planning figure that can rise with connected-player load. |
| Recommended free disk space for server files | About 30 GB | Space recommended for the dedicated-server installation and its files. |
| Game-client minimum memory | 16 GB RAM | Steam’s listed minimum for the Enshrouded client, not a dedicated-server-only target. |
| Game-client available storage | 60 GB | Steam’s listed storage requirement for the game client. |
For a full 16-player group, do not size a machine only for the idle figure. The server’s baseline is about 4.4 GB, and the published allowance is up to another 100 MB per connected player. Leave operating-system headroom and account for the game client if the same computer will also be used to play.
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A dedicated server changes who can access the world; it does not merge every type of progression into one file. Keen Games states that dedicated-server save files are generated every five minutes. World progression is stored on the dedicated server, while character progression is stored on clients.
World progression
Structures, world-state changes and other world progression belong to the server’s save data. Back up the server’s save files before making major configuration changes or moving the installation to another machine.
Character progression
Character progression is stored on each player’s client. A player should therefore use the same Steam account and character data when joining from another computer; moving or replacing the server does not by itself transfer a character’s local progression.
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The five-minute save interval
Because save files are generated every five minutes, treat the interval as a practical limit on how current the latest server save may be after a crash or forced shutdown. Stop the server cleanly when possible and keep independent backups rather than relying on the automatic interval as a backup system.
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Networking checklist when friends cannot connect
- Confirm the process is running: the dedicated executable must still be open on the server computer.
- Check the server filter: in Join, enable Show dedicated server; otherwise a dedicated instance may be hidden.
- Verify IPv4 reachability: Enshrouded currently uses IPv4 for multiplayer, so check the server’s IPv4 address and router rule.
- Check the query port: the official default is
15637; make sure the configured value and the firewall/router rule agree. - Allow the executable: Windows Firewall must permit the server program on the network profile you are using.
- Review router forwarding: forward the required traffic to the computer running the server, not to a different device on the LAN.
- Check Steam networking: Keen Games advises checking Steam’s required ports in addition to Enshrouded’s server settings.
- Try Steam’s Game Servers view: use View → Game Servers to add the server IP when the browser does not list it.
- Use Steam Friend-list invitations for host-run games: this is the recommended fallback when a peer-to-peer session is difficult to find.
- Clear Steam’s download cache and flush DNS: these are official troubleshooting steps for an empty or unreliable list.
Self-hosting or managed hosting?
Self-host on your own Windows computer
Self-hosting avoids a separate rental bill and gives the group direct control over the JSON configuration, save files and server uptime. The trade-off is administration: the computer must remain available, firewall and router rules must be maintained, and someone in the group must handle backups and troubleshooting.
Rent a managed Enshrouded server
Keen Games names GPORTAL as a partner whose servers can be rented from within the game. A managed service can be preferable when nobody wants to keep a home computer online or configure router forwarding. The price, player slots, backup policy, locations and cancellation terms are provider-specific and should be checked before purchase.
Quick Recap
Choose based on your group’s schedule
- Choose host-run co-op when everyone normally plays at the same time and you want the least setup.
- Choose self-hosting when you have a Windows machine, control of the network and someone willing to administer it.
- Choose managed hosting when persistent access matters but home-server maintenance is not acceptable.
A practical setup plan for a friends’ group
- Decide whether the world must be available without its usual host. If not, begin with host-run co-op.
- For a persistent world, assign one server administrator. That person should control the Steam installation, JSON file, firewall/router rules and backups.
- Install the dedicated tool through Steam’s Tools filter. Run the executable directly once to generate the configuration file.
- Set a server name and the group’s preferred options in the JSON file. Keep the syntax valid and retain a backup copy.
- Configure IPv4 access and the default query port. Use
15637unless the configuration requires another value, and keep firewall/router rules aligned with it. - Test with one friend before scheduling a full session. Confirm that the server appears with Show dedicated server enabled and that a direct Steam Game Servers entry works if discovery fails.
- Document the join path for everyone. Tell players to use Join, enable the dedicated-server filter and favorite the server after the first successful connection.
- Back up the world data regularly. The server saves every five minutes, but that automatic behavior is not a substitute for an independent backup.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Expecting a host-run world to remain online: a normal co-op session depends on its host being in the session.
- Launching the dedicated server only through Steam’s Launch button: the official installation guidance says to run the executable directly from its installed files.
- Editing the JSON before its first launch: the file is generated on first run, so start the executable once before looking for it.
- Forgetting the dedicated-server filter: a player searching only ordinary sessions can miss a correctly running server.
- Forwarding the port to the wrong device: the rule must point to the computer running the dedicated process.
- Assuming the client and server have identical storage needs: Steam lists 60 GB for the game client, while Keen Games recommends about 30 GB free for server files.
- Confusing character and world saves: world progression resides on the server, while character progression resides on clients.
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