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The procedure below is written for a Linux shell and uses the launch arguments documented consistently by community server guides. Keep the server updated whenever the game updates; a client and dedicated server on different builds generally cannot play together.
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Choose where the server will run
You need a machine that can remain online while people play. Three arrangements are common:
| Location | What you control | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Home Linux machine | Files, launch options, firewall and router | Lowest direct hosting cost, but you must handle port forwarding, power, bandwidth and uptime |
| Linux VPS | Operating system, server files and firewall | Always-on availability is easier, but you must administer the host and its network rules |
| Rented game-server host | Usually the Valheim installation and settings exposed by its control panel | Less setup work, while the provider controls much of the underlying system |
The commands in this guide assume you have shell access, permission to install packages, enough disk space for the game and worlds, and a fixed address or hostname that your players can reach. Install SteamCMD using the package supplied by your Linux distribution or hosting provider, then verify that typing steamcmd opens the SteamCMD prompt before continuing.
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Install or update the Valheim dedicated-server files
Pick an installation directory. The path is an example; use a directory owned by the account that will run the server. The following command installs the dedicated-server app anonymously:
steamcmd +force_install_dir /srv/valheim +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quitWhat each part does
+force_install_dir /srv/valheimtells SteamCMD where to place the files.+login anonymoususes Steam’s anonymous login; a personal Steam account is not required for this app.+app_update 896660installs or downloads the current dedicated-server build for Valheim.validatechecks the downloaded files and replaces missing or incorrect files.+quitexits SteamCMD after the operation finishes.
Run the same command after a Valheim update. SteamCMD then downloads the newer build and validates the existing installation instead of creating a second copy. Always stop the running server before updating, and start it again only after SteamCMD has finished.
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Start the server with launch arguments
Change to the installation directory and launch the server binary. A commonly used Linux binary name is ./valheim_server.x86_64:
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cd /srv/valheim
./valheim_server.x86_64 -name 'My Valheim Server' -port 2456 -world 'DedicatedWorld' -password 'changeMe123' -savedir '/srv/valheim-data' -public 1Keep the terminal open while the process runs. If your installation uses a different executable name, use the executable present in the SteamCMD installation directory. Add -crossplay at the end when you specifically want to enable Valheim’s crossplay mode:
./valheim_server.x86_64 -name 'My Valheim Server' -port 2456 -world 'DedicatedWorld' -password 'changeMe123' -savedir '/srv/valheim-data' -public 1 -crossplayLaunch-argument reference
| Argument | Purpose | Example or permitted value |
|---|---|---|
-name |
Name displayed in the server list | -name 'My Valheim Server' |
-port |
Base game port | -port 2456; Valheim also uses the next port |
-world |
Creates a world with this name or loads an existing world of that name | -world 'DedicatedWorld' |
-password |
Password players must enter to join | -password 'changeMe123' |
-savedir |
Directory for world data and the admin, ban and permitted lists | -savedir '/srv/valheim-data' |
-public |
Controls community-browser visibility | -public 1 lists it; -public 0 keeps it out of the browser |
-crossplay |
Enables crossplay mode | Include the flag when crossplay is wanted |
Name, world and password choices
-name is the label players see; it does not determine which world is loaded. The value after -world is the world identifier. Reusing that exact value is how the server opens the same world on later starts. Changing it creates or opens a different world rather than renaming the old one.
Use a password that is at least five characters long. A community guide also states that the password cannot appear in the server name; avoid that combination even if another build accepts it. Do not put the password in a public script or paste it into a chat channel. Anyone with access to the launch command can read it.
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Choosing a save directory
-savedir lets you put world files and the administrative lists in a location separate from the executable. That makes it easier to back up the data directory and replace or update the server files without touching the world. Keep the directory writable by the account running Valheim and use the same path every time you start the server. If you change it accidentally, the process can appear to have lost the world because it is looking in a different location.
Open the required network ports
Valheim uses the port selected with -port and the following port. With the default -port 2456, allow UDP 2456–2457 on the host firewall. A home server also needs matching UDP forwarding on the router from the public internet to the machine running Valheim.
- Allow inbound UDP 2456 and UDP 2457 in the Linux host’s firewall.
- If the machine is behind a router, forward UDP 2456 and UDP 2457 to its local address.
- Restart the Valheim process after changing the port or network rules.
- Give players the public IP address or hostname and the same base port you used in
-port.
For a non-default port, substitute that number and the next consecutive port everywhere. For example, -port 3000 means UDP 3000 and UDP 3001, not only 3000.
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What crossplay changes
The -crossplay flag enables crossplay mode and can be useful when the group uses different supported platforms. One third-party guide claims that this mode removes the need for router port forwarding, but that behavior is not established consistently enough to rely on it for every network. Follow the hosting provider’s current crossplay instructions and keep the normal UDP rules in place unless your setup clearly documents another connection path.
Make the server public or keep it IP-only
Community-browser listing
Set -public 1 to make the server eligible for the community browser. Players search for the value supplied to -name. Browser visibility is convenient, but a recognizable name and open listing make the server easier for strangers to find.
Private or direct connection
Set -public 0 when you want players to join by address or code rather than through the browser. This does not replace the password; it only changes discoverability. Share the address and password with the people you trust.
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Connect a player to the server
A player can join from the browser when the server is public, or use a direct Steam launch option. In the Steam client, open Valheim’s library entry, choose Properties, stay on General, and enter the following in Launch Options:
+connect your_server_ip:your_game_portReplace your_server_ip with the reachable address and your_game_port with the value after -port, such as:
+connect 203.0.113.25:2456The +connect setting belongs to the player’s Valheim launch options. It is not an argument for valheim_server.x86_64, so do not append it to the server command.
Operate the server safely
Use a repeatable start command
Save the exact command you use in a private shell script or service configuration so that the name, world, port, save path and visibility do not drift between restarts. Keep the script readable and restrict its permissions because it contains the join password.
Stop before maintenance
Stop the process cleanly from the terminal before replacing files or running SteamCMD. A clean stop gives the server an opportunity to finish writing world data. After it exits, run the update command, check for errors, and launch the same start command again.
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Update after every game update
Run:
steamcmd +force_install_dir /srv/valheim +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quitThen restart the server. If the server remains on an older build, players who have updated their clients may be unable to connect. Validation is also the first repair step when files are missing or corrupted.
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Troubleshoot the common failure points
SteamCMD finishes, but no server binary appears
- Confirm that
+force_install_dirpoints to the directory you are inspecting. - Run the command again with
validateand wait for SteamCMD to report completion. - Check that you are using the executable name and path present in that installation, commonly
./valheim_server.x86_64on Linux.
The server starts, but nobody can connect
- Confirm the process is still running and that the player is using the same port supplied to
-port. - Allow both UDP ports: the selected port and port plus one.
- On a home network, verify router forwarding points to the server’s current local address.
- Check that the player is using the public address from outside the home network, not the server’s private LAN address.
- Run SteamCMD again after a game update and restart the server to eliminate a build mismatch.
The server does not appear in the browser
- Use
-public 1and restart the process after changing it. - Make sure the displayed name is exactly the value supplied to
-name. - Check firewall and router rules for both UDP ports.
- If browser discovery is unreliable, use the direct
+connect address:portmethod instead.
The world looks new or progress is missing
- Compare the current
-worldvalue with the name used when the world was created. - Confirm that
-savedirpoints to the original data directory. - Do not start a second copy with a different save path while troubleshooting; it can create the impression that the original world disappeared.
The password is rejected
- Retype it exactly, including capitalization.
- Use at least five characters.
- Ensure the password is not contained in the server name, as reported by a community guide.
- Restart the server after editing the launch command.
Decide which connection model fits your group
| Decision | Option one | Option two | Choose based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where to host | Home machine | VPS or rented host | Home hosting gives maximum control and can reduce direct cost; rented infrastructure reduces hardware and uptime work |
| Crossplay | Without -crossplay |
With -crossplay |
Use the flag when cross-platform participation is required; verify the provider’s current networking instructions |
| Visibility | -public 1 |
-public 0 |
Browser discoverability versus an IP-only, invitation-based server |
Installation checklist
- SteamCMD opens successfully on the Linux host.
- The installation command targets the intended directory.
- Steam app
896660completes with+app_update 896660 validate. - The start command uses the intended name, world, password and save directory.
- The selected UDP port and port plus one are allowed through the host firewall.
- A home router forwards those same UDP ports to the server machine.
-public 1or-public 0matches your privacy choice.- Players use the server address and port, or the community browser.
- SteamCMD is run and the server is restarted after every Valheim update.
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