Switching a Satisfactory dedicated server to Experimental is a SteamCMD branch update, not a setting inside the running game. Stop the server, back up its saves and configuration, update the dedicated-server installation with -beta experimental, and then put every connecting client on the same Experimental branch. The command below uses app ID 1690800, which should be verified against the current Satisfactory Wiki instructions before you run it because that ID was not confirmed by the available source material.
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What Experimental mode means for a dedicated server
Experimental is Satisfactory’s testing branch. It can contain a different build from Early Access, so the server executable, saved world, and player clients are no longer on the normal release track. A client on Early Access generally cannot join a server running Experimental, and a client on a different Experimental build can still receive a version-mismatch error.
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The dedicated server and every player need to be aligned on both the branch and the build that Steam has delivered. There is no reliable benefit to moving only the server: the branch change is useful only when the people joining the world can select the corresponding Experimental build in their game clients.
Experimental builds are intended for testing. Treat the switch as a maintenance operation, keep a separate backup, and expect that a later update could change behavior or require another update before everyone can connect again. No current Experimental build number or release date is established here, so use Steam’s update output and the game’s own version information rather than relying on an assumed number.
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Prepare the server before changing branches
Schedule downtime and stop the process cleanly
Announce a maintenance window, ask players to leave the world, and shut down the dedicated-server process through the method you normally use. If the server runs as a systemd service, stop that service rather than killing the process. A clean stop gives the game time to finish writing its save and configuration files.
Do not run SteamCMD against files that the server is actively using. Updating an in-use installation can leave a mixed set of files and makes it harder to determine whether a later connection failure is a branch problem or a damaged update.
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Copy the complete save-data directory and the dedicated-server configuration files to a location outside the installation directory. Keep the original directory structure in the backup so that you can restore it without guessing which file belongs to the world. Give the backup a date and label it as the pre-Experimental copy.
- Back up every save that the server exposes to players, not only the world currently selected at startup.
- Back up configuration files, launch parameters, service-unit files, and any scripts that set the install directory or ports.
- Keep at least one untouched copy that the server account cannot overwrite accidentally.
- Record the current branch (normally Early Access), the install directory, and how the service is started.
The exact save and configuration paths depend on the operating system and the way the server was installed. Use the paths already present in your service definition or server documentation instead of moving files into a guessed location.
Confirm who owns the installation
SteamCMD must be able to write to the dedicated-server directory. On Linux, run it as the account that owns the installation, or grant that account the required permissions. On Windows, open the command prompt with an account that can modify the chosen directory. A permission failure can look like an unsuccessful branch switch because SteamCMD may be unable to replace the old files.
Switch a Linux installation with SteamCMD
The Satisfactory Wiki’s dedicated-server guidance adds -beta experimental to the SteamCMD update command. The following Linux-form command also includes validate, which is optional. The app ID shown here, 1690800, was present in the available command but was not independently confirmed; verify the current ID in the Satisfactory Wiki before using it.
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steamcmd +force_install_dir ~/satisfactory +login anonymous +app_update 1690800 -beta experimental validate +quitReplace ~/satisfactory with the directory where this server is installed if it differs. Keep the option order intact enough for SteamCMD to interpret the update request, and run the command while the server is stopped.
What each part of the command does
| Part | Purpose | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
steamcmd |
Starts the Steam command-line client. | Use the executable name or path used by your Linux installation. |
+force_install_dir ~/satisfactory |
Targets the dedicated-server installation directory. | Point this at the directory your service actually starts. |
+login anonymous |
Logs in with SteamCMD’s anonymous account for an app that permits anonymous download. | If SteamCMD reports an authentication requirement, follow the current server documentation rather than guessing credentials. |
+app_update 1690800 |
Requests an update for the dedicated-server app ID shown in the command. | The ID is not confirmed by the available snippets; check the current Wiki first. |
-beta experimental |
Selects the Experimental branch for the update. | Omitting this flag requests the default branch instead. |
validate |
Asks SteamCMD to compare local files with the selected branch and replace missing or mismatched files. | It is optional. It can take longer because files are checked rather than merely downloaded when an update is detected. |
+quit |
Exits SteamCMD after the update operation. | Review the output before starting the game server. |
Run the update and read the result
- Change to the account and environment that normally run the server.
- Confirm that the server process is stopped and that your backup is complete.
- Run the command with your real install directory.
- Wait for SteamCMD to finish downloading or validating files; do not interrupt it when it is replacing files.
- Look for a successful completion message and any error about permissions, authentication, disk space, or an unknown app or branch.
- Start the dedicated server using the same service or script as before.
If SteamCMD reports that the app or branch cannot be found, stop there and verify the app ID and current branch syntax in the Satisfactory Wiki. Do not “fix” the command by changing several options at once, because you will lose the ability to identify which value was wrong.
Switch a Windows installation
Windows uses the same SteamCMD operations. Run steamcmd.exe from the command prompt and use a Windows-form install path. For example:
steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir C:SatisfactoryServer +login anonymous +app_update 1690800 -beta experimental validate +quitC:SatisfactoryServer is only an example directory; replace it with the directory used by your service or shortcut. As on Linux, verify app ID 1690800 against the current Wiki before running the update.
- Stop the Satisfactory dedicated-server process or Windows service.
- Copy the saves and configuration to a dated backup location.
- Open Command Prompt in the directory containing SteamCMD, or call it with its full path.
- Run the command with the real installation directory.
- Wait for SteamCMD to finish and check its final status for errors.
- Start the server again only after the update completes.
Do not launch the server from one directory while updating another. A successful SteamCMD run against the wrong directory leaves the live server on its previous branch and can be misleading when you test the connection.
Make the game client use Experimental
Each player must select the Experimental branch in the Steam client for the Satisfactory game installation that will connect to this server. The documented route is:
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- Open Steam and go to Library.
- Right-click Satisfactory and choose Properties.
- Open the Betas tab.
- Choose the Experimental beta from the branch selector.
- Allow Steam to download the client update before attempting to join.
Players who remain on Early Access need to change their branch and wait for the client update. Players who selected Experimental previously should still check Steam’s current selection and installed files: Steam can remember a branch choice, and a remembered selection can make a later server change appear to have “reverted” when the client is actually on a different track.
Everyone joining the world should make the same check after a server update. Branch names alone are not enough if one machine has not finished downloading the latest build.
Keep an automated Linux service on Experimental
If systemd starts your server, a manual SteamCMD update changes the files only once. The next restart can put the machine back on the default branch unless the service’s update step also requests Experimental.
The Satisfactory Wiki notes that the ExecStartPre directive can be adjusted so SteamCMD fetches the Experimental branch before systemd starts the server. Open the unit or drop-in that contains your existing SteamCMD update command, preserve its current install directory and other working options, and add -beta experimental to that update invocation. Reload systemd’s unit configuration after saving the change, then restart the service and inspect the journal output.
- Make the edit in the unit that systemd actually loads, not in an unused example file.
- Keep the server’s
ExecStartinstall directory identical to the directory passed to SteamCMD. - Do not remove unrelated pre-start checks while adding the branch flag.
- Test one controlled restart before allowing players back in.
If the service starts an Early Access executable after a reboot, compare the directory in ExecStart with the directory in ExecStartPre. A path mismatch is a more direct explanation than assuming Steam ignored the beta flag.
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Verify the branch before inviting players
Verification should happen in layers so a failure has a clear cause.
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- Check the update output. Confirm that SteamCMD completed the update or validation without an error.
- Start the server once. Watch the normal service or console output for an immediate crash, missing-file message, or configuration error.
- Check the client branch. On the test machine, confirm that Steam shows Experimental in the Betas tab and has finished updating.
- Attempt a controlled connection. Use one client on Experimental before opening the server to the whole group.
- Record the working state. Note the date, branch, install directory, and backup name so a later rollback is unambiguous.
Do not treat the server’s ability to start as proof that the branch switch worked. A server can launch normally while clients are still on Early Access, while the service points at a second installation, or while an update stopped partway through.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Revert the server to Early Access
To return to the normal branch, stop the server, remove -beta experimental from the SteamCMD update command, and run the update again against the same installation directory. The essential operation is the inverse of the switch:
- Stop the server cleanly and make a fresh backup of saves and configuration.
- Remove
-beta experimentalfrom the SteamCMD invocation, including any systemdExecStartPreupdate command. - Run
app_updateagain so SteamCMD downloads the default branch. - Start the server and test it with a client that has also returned to Early Access.
- If the server still appears to be on Experimental, inspect Steam’s remembered branch selection and verify that the update targeted the live install directory.
The Satisfactory Wiki documents a FAQ case in which a server did not appear to convert back to Early Access because Steam remembered the selected branch. Removing the flag is necessary, but checking the branch state and the actual files after the update is equally important.
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| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Client reports a version mismatch. | The client and server are on different branches or one side has not finished updating. | Confirm Experimental on both sides, let Steam finish downloading, then restart the client and server. |
| Server starts, but players on Early Access cannot join. | The server is correctly on Experimental while clients remain on the default branch. | Have each player select Experimental in Library → Properties → Betas and update before reconnecting. |
| After a reboot, the server is back on Early Access. | An automated update command omitted the beta flag, or the service updated a different directory. | Inspect the systemd ExecStartPre command and compare its install directory with ExecStart; add -beta experimental where the update is performed. |
| SteamCMD says files are missing or inconsistent. | The update was interrupted, the installation is damaged, or the local files do not match the selected branch. | Stop the server and rerun the update with the optional validate keyword. Keep the backup untouched in case a save or configuration file must be restored. |
| The command completes but the running server behaves unchanged. | SteamCMD updated a directory other than the one used by the launch script or service. | Compare the force_install_dir value with the service’s executable and working-directory settings, then update the live directory. |
| SteamCMD cannot find the app or branch. | The app ID or branch syntax is wrong or has changed. | Verify the current dedicated-server app ID and Experimental instructions in the Satisfactory Wiki before trying again; the 1690800 value shown in this guide is not independently confirmed. |
| A rollback still leaves the server on Experimental. | The beta flag remains in an automated command, or Steam retained a branch selection. | Search every startup and pre-start update command for -beta experimental, remove it, update again, and check the selected branch in Steam. |
| The world or settings appear to be missing after the switch. | The service started with a different configuration or install directory, not necessarily that the save was deleted. | Stop the process, compare launch parameters with the pre-switch record, and restore only from the dated backup after confirming the correct paths. |
Self-managed versus managed hosting
The branch procedure matters most when you operate the machine yourself, because you are responsible for SteamCMD, backups, service automation, and matching client versions. A managed host may expose a branch selector or perform the update for you, but you still need to confirm that it supports Satisfactory Experimental and that its backup system covers both saves and configuration.
| Decision point | Self-managed server | Managed host |
|---|---|---|
| Setup effort | You stop the process, run SteamCMD, and maintain the startup service. | The host may provide a control-panel action, but the exact Experimental support must be confirmed with that host. |
| Backup responsibility | You create and retain dated save and configuration copies. | Ask whether backups include both world data and server settings, and whether you can download them before switching. |
| Branch switching | Add or remove -beta experimental in your update command. |
The provider may handle the flag, but you should verify which branch and build was installed. |
| Version matching | You coordinate the server update with every player’s Steam client. | The provider can update the server, but players still need the matching client branch and build. |
A safe operating checklist
- Announce downtime and stop the server cleanly.
- Back up saves, configuration, service definitions, and launch parameters.
- Verify the dedicated-server app ID and current Experimental instructions.
- Run SteamCMD against the live installation directory with
-beta experimental. - Use
validatewhen you need a local-file check; it is optional. - Update systemd’s pre-start command if the server is automated.
- Set every player’s client to Library → Properties → Betas → Experimental.
- Test one matching client before reopening the server.
- Record the working branch and backup so rollback is deliberate.
- For Early Access, remove the beta flag, update again, and change clients back to the default branch.
Following that order keeps the risky parts separate: the files are backed up before replacement, the server and clients move together, and a failed update can be diagnosed without sacrificing the only copy of the world.
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