The Valheim incompatible-mods error means your client reached the server, but the two installations could not agree on one or more loaded plugins. The fastest reliable fix is to stop both sides, back up the world and characters, record the exact Valheim, BepInExPack and mod versions, then synchronize the game, loader and required plugins. If the Jotunn mismatch window shows an empty remote-version list, repair server-side BepInEx startup before changing individual mods.
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Work in this order: confirm the game and loader, classify every mod by where it belongs, compare fresh server and client logs, correct the first concrete mismatch, and only then add an allowlist to prevent players from drifting out of sync. The mod named in the popup is not necessarily the root cause; any plugin that fails its connection check can trigger the same window.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWhat the incompatible-mods message actually means
Valheim has accepted the connection far enough to perform mod checks, but a client-side and server-side plugin set differs in a way the mod framework will not allow. Differences can include a missing DLL, an extra DLL, different plugin versions, missing dependencies, a game or loader version mismatch, or a server where BepInEx never started.
The Jotunn mismatch window can name a mod even when another plugin caused the failure. Treat that name as a clue, not a verdict. The strongest early diagnostic is the remote-version list: when it is empty, the Valheim-Modding troubleshooting guide says the server is probably not running BepInEx at all. In that case, replacing random client mods cannot solve the connection problem.
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Freeze the installation and make a recovery copy
Do not keep restarting while changing files. A controlled snapshot lets you undo a bad upgrade and gives you a fixed set of versions to compare.
- Stop the dedicated server cleanly. Close Valheim on every participating PC.
- Back up the world files, character files and server configuration. Keep the copy outside the game and server directories you will repair.
- Record the Valheim build shown by Steam or the game launcher on the server and on one affected client.
- Record the Valheim-specific BepInExPack release and every plugin version in the server and client profiles. Include dependency DLLs, not only the mod that adds visible content.
- Note the server operating system, whether a managed host has a BepInEx enable/disable switch, and whether players connect through Steam or crossplay.
Use the recorded list as an inventory rather than relying on memory. A clean comparison is impossible if one side is silently using an old profile, a second plugins folder or a leftover DLL.
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Step 1: Synchronize Valheim and the loader
Update the game on both sides
Bring the dedicated server and every client to the same Valheim build before troubleshooting plugins. A game update can invalidate an older loader or a plugin compiled against previous assemblies. Restart Steam after an update so the dedicated-server installation is not left on a different branch or build.
Install the Valheim-specific BepInExPack
Use BepInExPack Valheim, not generic upstream BepInEx. Its package includes a preconfigured BepInEx.cfg, Valheim launch scripts and preloader changes. The package documentation is explicit: “Install that pack, not generic BepInEx.” Installing the wrong pack can prevent the server from starting or leave a game that appears to have mods but never loads them.
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For a manual installation, begin with a clean Valheim game directory, then move the contents of BepInExPack_Valheim into that game directory. Do not nest the pack inside another folder. On a Linux dedicated server, launch with the pack’s start_server_bepinex.sh script rather than the vanilla startup script; otherwise the game can run without initializing BepInEx.
Check architecture and host controls
Confirm that the loader architecture matches the game and operating system. On a managed host, enable the provider’s BepInEx or mod-loader toggle and restart the server. Some panels leave the loader disabled until that setting is explicitly turned on, producing an apparently vanilla server and an empty remote-version list.
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Step 2: Put every plugin where it belongs
Make a placement table before copying files. The important question is not whether a mod is popular or whether its DLL exists, but whether it changes synchronized game content or only the local interface.
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| Mod category | Install on the client | Install on the dedicated server | Typical consequence of wrong placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client-only visual, interface or quality-of-life mod | Yes, for each player who wants it | No, unless the author explicitly requires server installation | A server-side copy can create an unnecessary mismatch or a startup error |
| Client-and-server content mod that adds items, recipes, creatures or progression | Yes, same release and dependencies for every participating player | Yes, in the server profile | Installing it on only one side can cause missing items, failed handshakes or kicked players |
| Server-only administration or moderation tool | No, unless its documentation says a client component is required | Yes | Adding it to clients can create extra-plugin or dependency errors |
Classify dependencies with the parent mod. A content plugin may appear to be the only difference while a required library is absent or a second copy has a different version. Keep one authoritative plugins directory on each side and remove duplicate DLLs from old profile folders, launchers and manually copied backups.
Step 3: Read fresh logs before changing more files
Verify that the server loader started
Stop and restart the server once after the snapshot, then inspect BepInEx/LogOutput.log in the server installation. A successful load produces entries such as [Info : BepInEx] Loading [ModName 1.0.0] for each plugin that loaded. If no fresh log is created, or the timestamp remains old, BepInEx did not start and plugin-level troubleshooting is premature.
Search for the first concrete failure
In the fresh log, search for Error, Exception, Skipping, failed, Loading, duplicate GUID messages and version strings. The first loading or dependency error usually identifies the cause more accurately than the final connection popup. A later mismatch can simply be a consequence of the first plugin being skipped.
Compare server and client logs
Collect the server log and the log from one affected client after the same connection attempt. Compare the loaded plugin names, GUIDs and versions. Look for a plugin present on only one side, two versions of the same DLL, a dependency that loads on one side but is skipped on the other, or a game assembly error that occurs before plugins are listed. The Valheim-Modding troubleshooting guidance specifically recommends this client/server comparison.
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Step 4: Correct the first mismatch
- Download one release set. Obtain the identical release of each client-and-server mod and every dependency. Do not assume that two files with the same display name are the same build.
- Remove duplicates. Search the active game and profile directories for repeated copies of a DLL or old plugin folder. Leave one copy in the intended
BepInEx/pluginslocation on each side. - Fix placement. Remove client-only visual or interface plugins from the server. Install required content plugins and dependencies on both server and client profiles. Keep administration tools on the server unless their author documents a client component.
- Restart after each coherent change. Stop the server, start it with the BepInEx loader, confirm a new log, and then launch the client. Changing ten unrelated files at once makes the next failure impossible to attribute.
- Use the host control if applicable. If the server panel has a BepInEx switch, enable it before restarting. A host that launches the game without the loader cannot report the remote plugin versions that the client expects.
When the popup names a plugin but the logs show an earlier dependency exception, repair the dependency first. When the logs show the named plugin loading with the same version on both sides, continue down the log for duplicate GUIDs, skipped dependencies and game-assembly errors instead of downgrading a working plugin at random.
Step 5: Repair a damaged loader installation
Mixed framework upgrades can leave incompatible assemblies in the game’s Managed folder. BepInEx documentation warns that these leftovers can survive an upgrade from another framework and stop the loader or plugins from initializing correctly.
- Enable the BepInEx console so startup messages remain visible while you repair the installation.
- Stop the game and server processes completely.
- In the Valheim installation, delete the game’s
*_Data/Managedfolder. Delete only that generated folder after confirming your world and character backups are stored elsewhere. - Run Steam’s file-integrity verification for Valheim or the dedicated server. Steam will restore the clean managed assemblies.
- Reinstall the Valheim-specific BepInExPack into the clean game or server directory. On Linux, use the pack’s BepInEx launch script.
- Start the server with no third-party plugins. Confirm that a new
BepInEx/LogOutput.logappears and that the vanilla game reaches a stable running state. - Add the approved plugins back in small groups, restarting and checking the log after each group. The first group that introduces an error contains the likely cause; isolate individual DLLs from there.
This clean-loader path is slower than swapping one mod, but it removes stale assemblies and wrong launch scripts that can make every plugin appear guilty.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Platform-specific cases
| Platform or setup | What to verify | Why it can resemble a mod mismatch |
|---|---|---|
| Steam PC server and Steam clients | Matching Valheim build, Valheim-specific BepInExPack and profile versions | A game update can leave one side on an older loader or plugin release |
| Microsoft Store or Game Pass installation | Whether the installation supports the loader and the specific mod; Steam-focused guides may not apply | These installations are harder to mod, so the loader may never start even when files were copied |
| Xbox client | Connect as a vanilla crossplay client only | Xbox clients cannot load Valheim mods. They can join a PC server through crossplay, but they cannot supply the required client-side plugin set |
| Linux dedicated server | Valheim-specific pack installed in the server directory and start_server_bepinex.sh used to launch |
Using the vanilla script runs a server without BepInEx |
| Apple Silicon macOS | Launch the BepInEx setup through Rosetta | BepInEx 5 does not run natively on Apple Silicon, leaving the game effectively unmodded |
The modcommunity guidance is written for Steam. Treat Microsoft Store, Game Pass and console behavior as a separate compatibility question rather than assuming that a Steam installation procedure applies unchanged.
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Use a symptom-to-action decision path
| Observed symptom | Most useful next action | What a successful result looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Jotunn window with an empty remote-version list | Repair server BepInEx startup, check the launch script or host toggle | A fresh server log appears with BepInEx loading entries |
No fresh LogOutput.log |
Fix loader installation, path and permissions before touching plugins | The timestamp changes on every restart and startup messages are present |
| Server log lists a plugin that the client lacks | Install the same client-and-server release and dependencies on the affected client | Both logs list the same required content plugin and version |
| Client lists a visual or interface plugin absent from the server | Remove the client-only plugin from the server; keep it only on clients if supported | The server no longer reports the extra plugin and the client can complete the handshake |
| Duplicate GUID or duplicate DLL errors | Remove old copies and leave one DLL in the active plugins directory | One load entry appears for the GUID with no duplicate warning |
| Failure begins after a framework or game upgrade | Delete *_Data/Managed, verify Steam files and reinstall the Valheim pack |
A loader-only start works before plugins are reintroduced |
Keep the server synchronized with an allowlist
Once the server works, prevent future drift rather than relying on every player to copy files manually. ServerManager can enforce required and optional plugin DLLs with approved hashes. Unlisted plugins may be rejected for non-admin players, which stops a client with an unapproved build from joining.
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Required and optional entries
- Required entries: Plugins that every permitted player must match. Each required DLL needs an approved hash.
- Optional entries: Plugins a player may use when present, but whose file must match the approved version if installed.
Keep the executable plugins that the server actually runs in BepInEx/plugins. Put reference DLLs used for policy checking in ServerManager’s required or optional folders. Those policy copies are references, not a replacement for the active server plugins. Whenever a mod version changes, update the policy reference and approved hash at the same time as the running plugin.
When enforcement is appropriate
Use an allowlist after you have a known-good pack and a tested recovery copy. Enforcing a policy on a still-broken installation can hide the original cause behind rejection messages. For a small private server, a version manifest shared with players may be enough; for a public or frequently changing server, hash-based enforcement provides a stronger guarantee that a file with the right name is also the approved build.
Final pre-connection checklist
- Server and clients run the same Valheim build.
- The Valheim-specific BepInExPack is installed, not generic BepInEx.
- The server starts through the BepInEx launch script or an enabled host-loader setting.
- A fresh
BepInEx/LogOutput.logexists after the latest restart. - Every required content mod and dependency is installed at the same release on server and clients.
- Client-only visual and interface mods are not installed on the server unless their documentation explicitly requires it.
- Server-only administration tools are not copied to clients without a documented client component.
- No duplicate DLLs or duplicate GUIDs remain in active plugin paths.
- The first loading or dependency error in the logs has been resolved, not merely the final popup.
- World, character and configuration backups are stored outside the directories being repaired.
- If an allowlist is enabled, required hashes and optional references match the plugins currently running.
After these checks, restart the server once, connect with one affected client and compare the resulting logs. Add other players only after that controlled connection succeeds; this separates a pack-wide problem from a single player’s stale or extra plugin.
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