Make a Conan Exiles server friends-only by setting a non-empty ServerPassword and giving that password only to the players you trust. On a self-hosted Windows dedicated server, the value belongs in ConanSandboxSavedConfigWindowsServerEngine.ini under [OnlineSubsystemSteam]. On rented servers, set it in the provider’s Server Settings, General, or equivalent panel. Keep AdminPassword separate: it grants administrative access and is not the password ordinary players use to join.
What “private” means in Conan Exiles
Conan Exiles does not need a special private-server product for a friends-only setup. A server with a non-empty ServerPassword asks for that password when a player joins. Anyone who does not know it should be unable to enter through the normal server-join flow.
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The password is an access gate, not an invisibility cloak. Your server can still appear in a browser, and players still need a reachable address, open network ports, and a compatible game installation. A password also does not grant administrative powers. Those are controlled by a different setting, AdminPassword.
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- Player access: controlled by
ServerPassword. - Administrative access: controlled by
AdminPassword. - Discoverability and reachability: affected by the server browser, firewall, ports, and network configuration.
For a small group, a strong password that stays confidential is the documented and simplest way to make the server friends-only. A universal whitelist procedure is not established across every Conan Exiles platform and hosting panel, so do not assume that a whitelist menu on one host works the same way elsewhere.
#1 Best Overall
- EXPLORE A VAST WORLD: Explore a giant world, from the burning desert in the south to the snow-capped mountains in the north. Discover ancient cultures, ruins, and dungeons
- SURVIVE: Stay warm, cool yourself down, drink and eat, weather scouring sandstorms, prevent your mind from being corrupted when exploring dark dungeons, and battle vicious monsters to stay alive
- BUILD: Harvest resources to craft tools and weapons, then build anything from a small home to entire cities piece by piece. Build walls, traps, elevators, and more, then deck out your creations with a wide variety of different furniture, crafting stations, and NPC guards
- DOMINATE: Wage war against your enemies, use siege weapons and explosives and see their walls crumble to dust, then unleash your savage fury in violent and brutal combat
- BUILD AN ARMY OF THRALLS: Capture NPCs, drag them back to your base, and use the Wheel of Pain to break their will. Turn them into archers, crafters, entertainers, and more for your settlements
Choose between self-hosting and managed hosting
The setting is conceptually the same, but the work around it differs. Use this comparison before changing anything:
| Consideration | Self-hosted Windows dedicated server | Rented or managed server |
|---|---|---|
| Initial setup | Install the dedicated-server software, configure files, and make the machine reachable. | Create a server in the host’s web panel and choose its region, slots, duration, and name where offered. |
| Password location | Engine.ini, under [OnlineSubsystemSteam]. |
Server Settings, General, or a similarly named panel field. |
| Maintenance | You handle SteamCMD updates, restarts, backups, firewall rules, and troubleshooting. | The provider handles much of the machine and network maintenance; you still manage settings, passwords, and game-specific updates. |
| File and mod control | Direct access to configuration files and the server installation. | Depends on the provider’s panel and plan; file access and mod support are host-specific. |
| Capacity and region | Limited by your hardware, connection, and available bandwidth. | Usually selected through available player-slot and region options; exact limits vary by provider. |
| Cost model | Uses your own machine and connection, with your own electricity and maintenance costs. | Recurring rental cost; current pricing and platform support must be checked with the provider. |
If you want maximum control and are comfortable editing configuration files, self-hosting is appropriate. If you want a server online without maintaining a Windows machine and its network, managed hosting removes much of that operational work.
Set a password on a self-hosted Windows dedicated server
1. Install the dedicated-server tool
Install the Conan Exiles Dedicated Server through Steam or SteamCMD. Funcom’s setup instructions identify Steam application ID 443030. SteamCMD installations are normally performed from a command prompt using the SteamCMD executable and that app ID; use the installation directory you selected rather than assuming a particular drive or folder.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesBefore inviting anyone, launch the server once so it creates its saved configuration tree. The relevant Windows configuration directory is:
Rank #2
- Includes a 6 inch Conan the Barbarian polyresin figurine, a custom comic book, 3 soundtracks featuring the music from Conan Exiles as well as the music from Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures and Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer, an artbook, a map of the world of Conan Exiles, a code to unlock 6 full-color digital comic books from Dark Horse Comics, a code to unlock the digital rule book created by Modiphius for their Conan pen and paper RPG, and a code to unlock the “Coming of Conan” eBook!
- Dominate the Exiled Lands - Carve out your piece of the Exiled Lands, taking it from other players if you must! Build siege weapons and use explosives to break down the walls of your enemy’s city.
- Survive in a Savage Land - Dress well or light a campfire to stay warm and make sure to cool yourself down in the heat. Hunt, cook, eat, and drink to stay alive. Build a shelter to weather scouring sandstorms.
- Brutal, Bloody Combat - Fight vicious monsters and other players using an action-oriented, combo-based combat system. Dodge, block, and learn to master the true art of combat to become the greatest fighter in the Exiled Lands.
- Play Together or Alone - Play alone locally or fight for survival and dominance in persistent multiplayer on public servers. You can also host your own server and invite others to join you in a world where you have full control of the rules and settings. Want to play with just handful of friends? Try co-op mode!
ConanSandboxSavedConfigWindowsServerIf that directory does not exist, start the dedicated server, allow its first initialization to finish, stop it cleanly, and then check the folder again.
2. Make the server reachable
Funcom lists UDP ports 27015 and 7777 as the default listening ports. A firewall exception may be needed for the server to appear in the browser or for friends to connect.
- Allow the dedicated-server executable through Windows Firewall, or create inbound UDP rules for the ports your installation uses.
- If the machine is behind a router, forward the configured UDP ports to the Windows computer running the server.
- Start the server and confirm that it remains running without a firewall or binding error.
- Have one invited player test the address before distributing the password to the whole group.
Opening ports does not make the server private; it only makes the service reachable. The password remains the player-access control.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →3. Put ServerPassword in the correct file
Open:
ConanSandboxSavedConfigWindowsServerEngine.iniFind the [OnlineSubsystemSteam] section. If the section is absent, create it. Add a server name and a non-empty password as plain configuration entries:
Rank #3
- Explore a vast world: explore a giant world, from the Burning desert in the south to the snow-capped mountains in the north. Discover ancient cultures, ruins, and dungeons
- Survive: stay warm, cool yourself down, drink and eat, weather scouring sandstorms, prevent your mind from being corrupted when exploring dark dungeons, and battle vicious monsters to stay alive
- Build: harvest resources to craft tools and weapons, then build anything from a Small home to entire cities. Build walls, traps, elevators, and more
- Dominate: wage war against your enemies, use siege weapons and explosives and see their walls crumble to dust, then unleash your savage Fury in violent and brutal combat
- Play together or alone: play alone locally or fight for survival and dominance in persistent multiplayer on public servers. You can also host your own server and invite others to join you
[OnlineSubsystemSteam]
ServerName=My Friends' Exiles
ServerPassword=Use-A-Long-Private-PassphraseUse the exact key name ServerPassword. Leaving it blank makes the server public according to hosting guidance; a non-empty value is what prompts joining players for a password. Avoid putting quotation marks around the value unless your host’s documentation specifically requires them.
Save the file, then start or restart the dedicated server so it loads the edited configuration. If the server was running while you edited the file, stop it cleanly and launch it again rather than assuming the process has re-read the file.
4. Keep the administrator credential elsewhere
Store AdminPassword in:
ConanSandboxSavedConfigWindowsServerServerSettings.iniThis password is for administrative tools and settings changes. It is not the password a normal player enters at the join prompt. Use a different value from ServerPassword, and give the admin credential only to the people who will actually administer the world.
5. Verify the behavior as a player
- Start the server and wait until it is visible or reachable at its configured address.
- Join with a test account that does not have administrative privileges.
- Confirm that the game requests the player password.
- Enter the player password and verify that the account can load into the world.
- Test an incorrect password to confirm that access is rejected.
- For an administrator, join normally, open Server Settings, choose Make Me Admin, and enter the separate
AdminPassword.
Testing both credentials catches the most common configuration mistake: putting the admin password where the player password belongs, or distributing the admin credential to everyone.
Rank #4
- Explore a giant world, from the burning desert in the South to the snow-capped mountains in the North
- stay warm, cool yourself down, drink and eat, weather scouring sandstorms, prevent your mind from being corrupted when exploring dark dungeons, and battle vicious monsters to stay alive
- harvest resources to craft tools and weapons, then build anything from a small home to entire cities piece by piece
Set a password on a rented server or console server
Managed hosts generally expose the same setting without requiring direct file editing. Look for a panel named Server Settings, General, Configuration, or a similar label. Enter a non-empty value in the player or server-password field, save, and use the panel’s restart control if it requests one.
Historical Xbox rental instructions from Funcom describe a rental flow in which you choose a region, player-slot count, rental duration, server name, and server password. The password limits play to people who know it, while an admin password is used separately in the in-game server-settings menu. Rental interfaces and platform support can change, so confirm the current provider, edition, region availability, slot limits, and billing terms before paying for a server.
If you would rather rent than self-host, Godlike.Host runs Conan Exiles servers on its own Pterodactyl-based game panel, with a config editor, sub-users with permissions for the people who help you administer, and 24/7 live chat or ticket support; see the current plans.
Generic managed-host procedure
- Open the host’s control panel for the Conan Exiles instance.
- Stop the server if the panel requires a stopped state for configuration changes.
- Open Server Settings, General, or the equivalent configuration page.
- Enter a non-empty value in Server Password or Password.
- Set a separate administrator password in the admin field, if present.
- Save the configuration and restart the server.
- Join from a normal player account to verify that the password prompt appears.
Do not assume that a panel’s field called “password” is the player credential. Read the label and help text, and test the result before sharing access.
Best Value
- Explore a vast world: explore a giant world, from the Burning desert in the south to the snow-capped mountains in the north. Discover ancient cultures, ruins, and dungeons
- Survive: stay warm, cool yourself down, drink and eat, weather scouring sandstorms, prevent your mind from being corrupted when exploring dark dungeons, and battle vicious monsters to stay alive
- Build: harvest resources to craft tools and weapons, then build anything from a Small home to entire cities. Build walls, traps, elevators, and more
- Dominate: wage war against your enemies, use siege weapons and explosives and see their walls crumble to dust, then unleash your savage Fury in violent and brutal combat
- Play together or alone: play alone locally or fight for survival and dominance in persistent multiplayer on public servers. You can also host your own server and invite others to join you
Server password versus admin password
| Credential | What it controls | Where it is set on a self-hosted Windows server | Who should receive it |
|---|---|---|---|
ServerPassword |
Whether a player can join the server. | Engine.ini, in [OnlineSubsystemSteam]. |
Only the people you want to play. |
AdminPassword |
Administrative access, including using Make Me Admin and changing server settings. | ServerSettings.ini. |
Only trusted administrators. |
These values should be different. If you reuse one password, every invited player may be able to elevate to administrator, depending on the server’s permissions. If an ordinary player reports that the join password does not work, changing the admin password will not fix it; check ServerPassword and the file section instead.
How private is a password-protected server?
What the password does
- Stops people who do not know the current password from completing a normal join.
- Lets you run a friends-only group without maintaining a separate access list.
- Allows you to revoke access by changing the password and giving the new value only to the intended players.
What it does not do
- It does not guarantee that the server is absent from every server browser.
- It does not replace firewall rules, router forwarding, or a reachable server address.
- It does not protect the administrator credential if you share that credential with players.
- It does not provide a single, cross-platform whitelist workflow; host and version support must be checked individually.
For a genuinely small private community, combine the password with careful sharing, a separate admin credential, and sensible network security. Treat the browser listing as discoverability and the password as authorization; they solve different problems.
Share and rotate credentials safely
Sharing with players
- Send the server address and
ServerPasswordthrough a private channel rather than a public post. - Tell players which credential is for joining and do not include the admin password in the same message.
- Keep a short record of who has the current password so you know whom to notify after a change.
Changing the player password
- Stop the server or use the host’s maintenance mode.
- Replace the value after
ServerPassword=inEngine.ini, or edit the corresponding panel field. - Save the change and restart the server.
- Give the new value only to the players who should retain access.
- Test with the old and new values; the old value should no longer admit players.
Changing the admin password
Edit the AdminPassword value in ServerSettings.ini, or use the host’s administrator field, then restart if required. Notify only the administrators. Changing this value does not change the player join password.
Troubleshooting password and connection problems
The server appears public or never asks for a password
- Confirm that
ServerPasswordis non-empty and spelled exactly as shown. - Check that the entry is under
[OnlineSubsystemSteam]inEngine.ini, not only inServerSettings.ini. - Make sure you edited the active server’s configuration directory, not a similarly named local-client folder.
- Stop and restart the dedicated server after saving the file.
- On a managed host, verify that the panel change was saved to the correct instance and not to a template or a different server.
The password is rejected even though it looks correct
- Re-enter it carefully; spaces, punctuation, and letter case may differ from what was sent.
- Ask the player to remove accidental spaces copied before or after the password.
- Confirm that the player is connecting to the intended server address and not another server with a similar name.
- Change the password to a fresh value, restart, and test with one account before notifying the group.
Friends cannot find or reach the server
- Verify that the dedicated-server process is running.
- Check Windows Firewall and any router rules for the configured UDP ports.
- Funcom identifies UDP
27015and7777as default listening ports; confirm whether your configuration or host uses different values. - Test the connection from outside the host machine’s local network when possible; a local test can succeed even when a router or firewall blocks outside players.
- Remember that a password cannot correct a blocked port or an incorrect address.
A player can join but cannot administer the server
- Check that
AdminPasswordis set inServerSettings.ini, not in the player-password field. - After joining, open Server Settings and choose Make Me Admin before entering the admin credential.
- Verify that the player is using the current admin password and that it differs from the join password.
Pre-launch checklist
- Installation: Dedicated Server installed through Steam or SteamCMD using app ID
443030. - Player credential: Non-empty
ServerPasswordconfigured in the correct place. - Administrator credential: Separate
AdminPasswordconfigured and restricted to trusted operators. - Network: Server process running, firewall rules reviewed, and default UDP ports
27015and7777checked. - Verification: Successful join with the right password and rejection with a wrong one.
- Distribution: Address and player password shared privately, never the admin credential.
- Recovery: A known administrator can change both credentials if the group or server’s security situation changes.
Bottom line
A non-empty ServerPassword is the central control for a private Conan Exiles server. On Windows self-hosting, place it under [OnlineSubsystemSteam] in ConanSandboxSavedConfigWindowsServerEngine.ini; on rented or console servers, use the provider’s password field. Keep AdminPassword in its separate administrative setting, protect the firewall and ports that make the server reachable, and share only the player credential with friends.
Quick Recap
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