To change a Valheim dedicated server password, stop the server, open its launch script, replace the value after -password, save the file, and start the server again. Windows installations normally use start_headless_server.bat; Linux installations normally use start_server.sh.
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The new password must be at least five characters and should not match or contain the server’s public name or world name. Use a simple letters-and-numbers password first, because some third-party troubleshooting documentation reports problems with special characters.
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What changing the password actually changes
The password is a launch-time setting. Valheim reads it when the dedicated-server process starts, so editing a file while the process is running does not change the password for that running instance. A full stop and restart is required.
Changing the password does not require a new world. Keep the existing -world value in the launch command and restart the same server installation. Players who join after the restart must use the new password.
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Before you edit anything
- Identify whether the server runs from Windows, Linux, a hosting control panel, or a container.
- Tell connected players that the server will be unavailable during the restart.
- Stop the server cleanly before editing its launch file. Do not overwrite a script while the server process is still writing logs or saving.
- Make a backup copy of the launch script. A copy lets you restore the previous command if the server fails to start.
- Write down the current server name, world name, port, visibility setting, and cross-play setting. These options must remain unchanged unless you intend to change them.
Windows: change the password in start_headless_server.bat
1. Find the launch file
Open the folder that contains the Valheim Dedicated Server installation. The Windows launch script is normally named start_headless_server.bat. If Windows hides file extensions, confirm that the file is a batch file rather than a shortcut or a text document with an extra .txt extension.
2. Open the file as text
Right-click start_headless_server.bat, choose the option to edit it, and open it in Notepad or another plain-text editor. The official setup instructions place the launch options on the line beginning with start valheim_server.
3. Replace only the password value
Find the argument that looks like this:
-password "Secret"Replace the text inside the quotation marks with the new password, for example:
-password "NorseHarbor27"Leave the -password flag, quotation marks, and every unrelated option intact. Do not add a second -password argument elsewhere in the file; duplicate or conflicting options make it harder to determine which value the server is using.
4. Save and restart
Save the batch file as plain text without changing its name or extension. Close any old server console, then start the batch file directly or use the normal Steam-installed server start method. Wait for the server to finish its startup sequence before testing a connection.
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Linux: change the password in start_server.sh
1. Locate the shell script
In a Linux installation, the launch file is normally start_server.sh. Open it with a text editor from the server directory. The relevant command is the line that launches the Valheim server executable.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match2. Edit the existing -password argument
Find the password option and replace its value, retaining the same quoting style used by the script:
-password "Secret"For reference, a third-party example shows a complete Linux command in this form:
./valheim_server.x86_64 -name "NorseRealm" -port 2456 -world "Expedition1" -password "SecretViking" -public 1 -crossplayUse that line only as a pattern. Your executable name, world, port, visibility, and cross-play options may differ. Change the password segment in your own script rather than replacing the whole command with an example.
3. Save the script and restart the process
Save start_server.sh, stop the old server process, and run the script through the same method you normally use. If your service manager or startup shortcut points to a different script, edit the file that it actually executes; changing an unused copy has no effect.
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Launch options worth checking while you are there
Password changes often expose a second problem: an administrator edits one command but starts the server with another. These are the options most likely to matter when checking the launch line.
| Option | Purpose | What to do during a password change |
|---|---|---|
-name |
Sets the server’s public display name. | Keep it unchanged unless you deliberately want to rename the server. The password should not match or contain this name. |
-port |
Sets the network port used by the server. | Leave the existing value in place so players continue connecting to the same endpoint. |
-world |
Selects the world save loaded by the server. | Keep the same value to continue the existing world. Do not create a new world just to change a password. |
-password |
Sets the password required when joining. | Replace only the quoted value, then restart the server. |
-public |
Controls whether the server is listed in the community browser. | -public 0 hides the server from that browser; it does not make an internet-reachable server safe without a password. |
-crossplay |
Appears in the documented example as a launch option for a cross-play configuration. | Keep or remove it only according to your existing setup; it is unrelated to the password value. |
Password rules that can prevent startup
Use at least five characters
Third-party Valheim guides and the Nimdy troubleshooting wiki report a five-character minimum. A shorter value can cause the dedicated server to stop immediately instead of listening for connections.
Do not reuse the server name
The password should not exactly match the public display name and should not appear inside that name. One reported failure used the display name “Shattered Vikings” and the password “vikings”; the server refused to start.
Avoid the world name as well
Sources disagree on whether the restriction is limited to the server name or also includes the world name. The safest practical rule is to keep the password free of both. For example, if the server is named NorseRealm and loads world Expedition1, choose a password unrelated to either string.
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Start with letters and numbers
The Nimdy troubleshooting documentation warns that special characters may cause problems. This is not a claim that every symbol is always rejected; it is a reason to test first with a password containing ordinary letters and numbers. Once the server starts reliably, you can test a more complex value if your installation accepts it.
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Changing a password on a hosting panel or Docker installation
A managed host or container may not use the Windows or Linux script you can see on your own computer. In those environments, the launch command is commonly generated by a control panel, an environment variable, or an entrypoint script.
Control panels
Open the server’s startup, configuration, or command-line settings in the panel and look for the password field or the generated -password argument. Save the setting and use the panel’s stop-and-start controls. If the panel regenerates its command on every start, editing a file inside the game directory may be overwritten.
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Check the image documentation or the compose configuration for the variable that supplies the Valheim password. The exact variable name is image-specific and is not standardized by Valheim. Some images apply changed environment values only when a container is recreated, while others read them on restart. Do not delete the container or world volume until you have confirmed where the world data is stored and how that image handles recreation.
How to verify which value is active
After restarting, inspect the generated startup command or the server log provided by the panel. Confirm that the process was launched with the intended password setting without publishing the password in a support ticket or public log. If the panel shows one value but the process starts with another, the panel’s template or environment configuration is the setting that needs correction.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting a Valheim server that will not start after the change
The server quits immediately
First, restore the backup copy long enough to confirm that the edit itself caused the failure. Then apply the password rules one at a time: use five or more characters, remove any overlap with the server and world names, and replace special characters with letters and numbers. Save the file and restart after each controlled change so you can identify the condition that matters.
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The old password still works or the new one is rejected
Make sure the old server process is actually stopped. A second instance may still be running from a service, scheduled task, Steam shortcut, or terminal window. Confirm the launch path used by that process and edit that file rather than a similarly named copy. Then restart once and test from a client that has entered the new password manually.
The server starts but cannot be found in the browser
Check the -public value. A setting of -public 0 intentionally hides the server from the community browser, so players must connect using the server’s address and port through the method supported by your setup. Visibility is separate from password validation; changing the password will not turn a hidden server into a listed one.
Players report a connection failure after the restart
Give them the exact new password, including capitalization, and have them remove any saved or auto-filled old value. Confirm that the server name and port were not changed accidentally while editing the launch line. If only some players fail, compare their connection method and game version before changing server settings again.
The script no longer runs on Linux
Check that you edited the script used by your service or shell command and that the file remains a shell script. Avoid pasting rich-text formatting or smart quotation marks into the command. If the server was previously launched through a wrapper, container, or service unit, the wrapper may be supplying its own command instead of reading start_server.sh.
Empty passwords and private servers
One third-party guide reports that an empty password works only when the server uses -public 0. That configuration keeps the server out of the community browser, but it is not suitable for an internet-reachable server that needs access control. A non-empty password is the safer default for any server exposed beyond a trusted local network.
Operational practices after the change
- Share the new password through a private channel rather than posting it with the server address in a public forum.
- Keep a dated backup of the launch script before each future configuration change.
- Record the password change for other administrators, but do not store the secret in a publicly readable script repository or screenshot.
- When troubleshooting, change one launch option at a time. Mixing a password edit with port, world, or visibility changes makes the failure harder to isolate.
- Recheck the script after Valheim or the dedicated-server package updates. Launch-script names and validation behavior can change between updates.
Which instructions should you trust when guides disagree?
The official setup guidance identifies the launch scripts and the -password argument, but documentation available on the web can lag behind game updates. Before applying a command copied from an old guide, compare it with the script installed on your server and the current official Valheim dedicated-server documentation. Third-party reports are useful for diagnosing patterns such as minimum length, name overlap, and special-character failures, but those constraints can change with a future server build.
If the installed script uses a different filename or option syntax, follow the command that your current server package actually executes. The essential sequence remains the same: edit the active password argument, preserve the rest of the launch configuration, save, stop the old process, and start the server again.
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