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Join codes are most useful when players are joining across platforms. A dedicated crossplay server can also be reached through its public IP address and port or through the server list, but a local or loopback IP address will not work for that type of server.
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A join code is the connection credential generated for the active multiplayer session or server. It lets another player add that session from Valheim’s Join Game screen without manually entering a server address. The official Crossplay FAQ describes the recipient’s flow as opening Join Game, pressing Add server, and pasting the code.
The code belongs to the running session. Use the exact code displayed by the active host or server rather than an older message, a remembered value, or the world’s seed. A world seed identifies how a world is generated; it is not presented in the official connection instructions as a way to join a live game.
Where to find the join code
- Start a multiplayer Valheim world, or connect to the dedicated server you intend to use.
- Once the session is active, open the in-game pause menu.
- Look for the displayed Join code.
- Use the menu’s copy function, then send the copied code to the player who needs to join.
The important detail is timing: the code is shown from the active session. If you are looking at a title-screen world list, a save-file name, or a seed value, you are not yet looking at the join credential described by the official instructions.
How to invite a friend with the code
Host procedure
The host does not create a code by typing a custom phrase. Valheim displays the code after the multiplayer world or server is running. Copy that displayed value and send it privately to the intended player. Private delivery avoids putting an active connection credential in a public post or a large group chat.
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- Launch Valheim and open Join Game.
- Choose Add server.
- Paste the join code supplied by the host.
- Confirm the entry and select the resulting server or session.
If the code was copied while the host was running one session and the host has since switched to another, ask for the code currently shown in the new active session. Do not substitute the world seed or an address copied from a different server.
Using a join code for cross-platform Valheim
Join codes matter especially when players are on different platforms. Iron Gate’s crossplay announcement explains that a join code appears when one or more players use a different platform. For a mixed-platform group, the host or server operator must make sure crossplay is enabled before attempting the connection.
Xbox and PC example
- The host starts the multiplayer world or connects to the dedicated server.
- The host verifies that the server is configured for crossplay when the group includes Xbox and PC players.
- The host opens the pause menu and copies the displayed join code.
- The host sends that code privately to the other player.
- The Xbox or PC player opens Join Game, selects Add server, and pastes the code.
- The joining player selects the resulting entry to connect.
The menu sequence is the same for the recipient regardless of which of the two platforms supplied the code. The crossplay setting is the part that changes for a mixed-platform session.
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When crossplay is not enabled
If players on different platforms cannot connect and no usable code is shown, check that the active server is actually running with crossplay enabled. A code copied from a session that is not configured for the participating platforms does not replace that requirement. Start with the server’s current configuration, then obtain a fresh code from the active session.
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Dedicated servers and join codes
A dedicated server offers a different hosting arrangement from a world started by a player in the game. It is the relevant choice when a group wants a persistent Valheim server rather than relying on one player’s current game session. For mixed-platform players, the dedicated server must have crossplay enabled for non-Steam players.
The official dedicated-server guidance lists three connection routes for a dedicated crossplay server:
- The generated join code.
- The server’s public IP address together with its port.
- The server list.
These are alternatives for reaching the same dedicated server. You do not need to use all three, and entering an IP address is not a workaround for a crossplay configuration that is disabled.
Dedicated-server connection limits
A dedicated crossplay server cannot be reached with a local IP address or a loopback IP address. A local address points back to a private network, while a loopback address points back to the same machine; neither is a valid route for the crossplay dedicated-server connection described in the official guide. Use the join code, the public IP and port, or the server-list entry instead.
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Choosing between a hosted world and a dedicated server
| Consideration | Multiplayer world started by a player | Dedicated crossplay server |
|---|---|---|
| How the code is obtained | Open the active in-game pause menu and copy the displayed join code. | Use the join code displayed for the active server session. |
| Cross-platform play | Enable crossplay when players use different platforms. | Enable crossplay for non-Steam players. |
| Other connection methods | The supplied official instructions establish the join-code route; another route is not stated. | Join code, public IP plus port, or server list. |
| Local or loopback IP | Not stated in the supplied official instructions. | Not valid for a crossplay dedicated server. |
| Availability when the usual host is offline | Not stated in the supplied official instructions. | The dedicated-server option is the route to consider when a group needs a persistent server. |
| Setup responsibility | Start the world, open the pause menu, and share the current code. | Operate the dedicated server, enable crossplay where required, and provide one of the supported connection routes. |
The table separates what is established by the official connection instructions from decisions that depend on how your group wants to host. If persistence is the deciding factor, investigate dedicated-server hosting; if the group only needs to play while the host is running a world, the in-game code flow is the shorter setup.
Join code versus world seed, server address, and server-list entry
Join code
Use the join code to follow the official Join Game → Add server procedure. It is generated for the current active session and is the value the host should copy and send.
World seed
A seed describes world generation. It is not the connection credential in the official Valheim instructions. Knowing the seed does not tell the game which live server to contact, so pasting a seed into the add-server flow will not replace a join code.
Public IP and port
A public IP address and port are an alternative route for a dedicated crossplay server. They are not the same thing as the join code. If the operator gives you this route, use the address and port exactly as provided; if the operator gives you a code, use Add server and paste the code instead.
Server-list entry
A dedicated crossplay server may also be discoverable through the server list. This can be useful when the operator has supplied a server name rather than a code, but it does not change the requirement to enable crossplay for non-Steam players.
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Troubleshooting a missing or unusable code
The pause menu does not show a join code
- Confirm that the multiplayer world or dedicated server is running and that you are connected to the intended active session.
- Open the in-game pause menu rather than a title-screen or save-selection menu.
- If players are on different platforms, verify that crossplay is enabled for the active server.
- After changing the active session or server configuration, copy the code displayed by that current session, not a previously sent value.
The official materials do not specify a fixed code length, expiration timer, or manual code-generation command. If a code is unavailable, the supported checks are the running server and the crossplay configuration where mixed platforms are involved.
The friend receives an error after pasting the code
- Ask the host to confirm that the code was copied from the current pause menu.
- Have the recipient open Join Game and use Add server; pasting the code into an unrelated field will not invoke the join-code flow.
- Check whether the group includes different platforms. If it does, confirm that crossplay is enabled on the active server.
- If the target is a dedicated crossplay server, try the server list or the public IP and port supplied by the operator.
- Do not try to replace the code with a local or loopback IP address. The official dedicated-server guide rules those addresses out for a crossplay dedicated server.
The code worked before but no longer connects
First request the code again from the host. The instructions identify the displayed code for the active session as the credential, so a code copied from an earlier session should not be assumed to apply after the host has changed worlds or servers. Then repeat the crossplay check if the group uses different platforms.
Cross-platform players can see the server but cannot enter
Visibility and compatibility are separate checks. For a mixed-platform group, confirm the crossplay setting on the server that is actually running. For a dedicated server, make sure crossplay is enabled for non-Steam players. If the code route still fails, use the dedicated server’s public IP and port or server-list entry; neither alternative removes the crossplay requirement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Exact checklist for the host
- Start the intended multiplayer world or connect to the intended dedicated server.
- Confirm that the server is running before copying anything.
- Enable crossplay when a participating player is on another platform.
- Open the in-game pause menu.
- Copy the displayed Join code.
- Send that current code privately to the joining player.
- Keep the session and its configuration unchanged while the friend follows the join steps, or send a new code if the active session changes.
Exact checklist for the joining player
- Open Valheim’s Join Game section.
- Select Add server.
- Paste the code received from the host.
- Choose the resulting server or session.
- If the connection fails, ask for a fresh code and verify crossplay for a mixed-platform group.
Questions the official instructions leave open
The supplied official guidance explains where to copy a code and how to add it, but it does not establish a universal code length, a guaranteed lifetime for a code after a session changes, or a platform-specific difference in the recipient’s menu labels. Treat those details as version- or session-dependent rather than relying on a number or timer that is not shown in the game.
It also does not present the world seed as an invitation mechanism. For joining a live session, follow the code flow; for a dedicated crossplay server, the documented alternatives are the public IP plus port and the server list.
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Best route for common situations
Two players on the same platform
Start the multiplayer world, open the pause menu, copy the code, and have the friend use Join Game → Add server. Crossplay configuration is relevant when platforms differ; the supplied instructions do not require it merely because two players are joining by code.
Players on different platforms
Use the same code procedure, but make crossplay part of the setup check. The host must copy the code from the active crossplay-enabled session, and the recipient must paste it through Add server.
A group that needs a persistent server
Consider a dedicated Valheim server. Enable crossplay for non-Steam players, then give the group the join code, the public IP and port, or the server-list route. Do not distribute a local or loopback IP for a crossplay dedicated server.
The host cannot be online for every play session
The dedicated-server option is the one to evaluate when the group needs a persistent world rather than a world tied to the host’s current session. The exact availability and operating arrangement depend on the server setup; the official connection material establishes the dedicated-server connection methods, not a universal uptime guarantee.
Bottom line for getting into a friend’s Valheim world
The host’s pause menu is the source of the join code. Copy the value shown for the active world or server and send it privately. The friend pastes it under Join Game → Add server. For Xbox, PC, or any other mixed-platform group, enable crossplay on the server first. If the target is a dedicated crossplay server, a public IP plus port or the server list can replace the code, while local and loopback IP addresses cannot.
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