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Use Valheim’s free Dedicated Server (Steam tools app 896660), launch it with -crossplay, and have players connect with the server’s join code. That switch changes the server from Steam networking to the PlayFab crossplay backend. It is the practical route for mixed PC and console groups, although the guides currently available do not conclusively confirm console access to every self-hosted server configuration. Check Iron Gate’s current documentation and your game version before committing to a long-running world.
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What the crossplay setup actually changes
Valheim has two server backends. A normal dedicated server uses the Steam backend. It is intended for Steam players, is normally reached through an IP address or server listing, and requires router rules for the game ports. Adding -crossplay switches the server to a PlayFab relay backend. That is the setting designed for a group that includes players outside Steam, and it changes the way everyone joins.
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With crossplay enabled, the host shares a join code rather than asking console players to enter an IP address. The relay is also why port forwarding is generally not required for the crossplay configuration described by current guides. The server still needs to be reachable from the host machine, and local firewall software can still block it, but you normally do not expose UDP 2456 and 2457 on your router.
Crossplay is not a separate paid product. The dedicated-server download is free, and the server application does not require the account that installs it to own a Valheim license. You do need a legal copy of the game for anyone who will actually play, plus a computer that can remain online for the session.
Before you install: requirements and unresolved platform details
Hardware and connection
- A Windows or Linux computer to run the dedicated server. It can be a second PC, a home server, or the same PC used for playing, provided it has enough headroom for both jobs.
- Persistent storage for the world and server files. Guides recommend an SSD, preferably NVMe, to reduce world-load and save delays.
- A stable connection. A wired Ethernet connection is preferable to Wi-Fi for the host because it avoids wireless dropouts while the world is active.
- A strong, unique server password. Do not paste it into a public post or use a password shared with another account.
Which platforms are confirmed?
Current third-party setup guides generally describe crossplay as covering PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 5, which is why this guide uses those platforms. Other guides say console access to self-hosted servers was not confirmed at the relevant launch point. Treat console compatibility as a version-dependent condition, not a permanent guarantee: update the server and game clients together, then verify the current Iron Gate support notes if a console cannot see the server.
Guides also disagree about whether Nintendo Switch 2 belongs in the same crossplay pool. Do not promise Switch support based on the steps below. The -crossplay flag selects the crossplay backend; it cannot add a platform that the current game build does not support.
Install the free Valheim Dedicated Server
Windows through Steam Tools
- Open Steam and switch the Library filter from games to Tools.
- Search for Valheim Dedicated Server and install it. The Steam application ID is
896660. - Open the installation folder after Steam finishes. Windows downloads reported by the guides include a ready-made
start_headless_server.batfile. - Make a backup copy of that batch file before editing it. Keeping an untouched copy gives you a quick recovery path if a typo prevents the server from starting.
The server application is separate from the normal Valheim game shortcut. Installing the game alone does not give you the dedicated-server executable or its startup script.
Linux with SteamCMD
On Linux, guides describe installing the same Steam tool with SteamCMD and an anonymous login. The important values are the anonymous account and app ID 896660. A typical SteamCMD session is:
login anonymous
app_update 896660 validate
quitRun the commands from the SteamCMD directory or provide the path to your SteamCMD executable. The download supplies the Linux binary valheim_server.x86_64 rather than the Windows batch wrapper, so you create your own startup script.
After installation, keep the server files in a directory that the account running the service can read and write. The world save must be writable or the server may appear to start normally while failing to save progress.
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Build the launch command
Whether you edit the Windows batch file or create a Linux shell script, the core arguments are the same. Put the values in one line and keep the -crossplay switch present on every launch.
| Argument | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
-name |
The name players see for the server. | -name "Mistlands Crew" |
-port |
The game port used by the server. The commonly used starting value is 2456. | -port 2456 |
-world |
The world-save name to load or create. | -world "SharedWorld" |
-password |
The password players must enter when joining. | -password "use-a-private-password" |
-public |
Controls whether the server is offered as public. Use 1 for public listing behavior. |
-public 1 |
-crossplay |
Switches from the Steam backend to the PlayFab crossplay backend. | -crossplay |
A complete Windows-style command therefore looks like this:
valheim_server.exe -name "Mistlands Crew" -port 2456 -world "SharedWorld" -password "use-a-private-password" -public 1 -crossplayUse the executable name supplied in your installation directory. On Linux, the equivalent command is:
./valheim_server.x86_64 -name "Mistlands Crew" -port 2456 -world "SharedWorld" -password "use-a-private-password" -public 1 -crossplayQuotes matter when a name or world contains spaces. Do not add a second -crossplay flag or place it inside the password. If you later remove the flag, you are starting a Steam-backend server, not a crossplay server.
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| Setting | Steam backend | Crossplay backend |
|---|---|---|
| Launch option | Leave out -crossplay. |
Include -crossplay. |
| Players described by the guides | Steam players only. | Designed for Steam, Microsoft Store, Xbox, and PlayStation players where the current game build supports those joins. |
| Connection method | IP address or server list. | Join code generated by the server. |
| Router configuration | Forward UDP 2456–2457 to the server computer. | Guides report that port forwarding is normally unnecessary because the PlayFab relay handles the external connection. |
| Mod behavior | Steam-backend mod setups are the more familiar arrangement. | One guide reports that BepInEx mods fail to load with this backend; this is not confirmed by an official statement. |
Do not mix the instructions. Forwarding ports while leaving out -crossplay gives you a Steam-only server, and adding the flag while telling friends to connect to your public IP sends them down the wrong join path.
Configure Windows and Linux startup files
Windows batch file
- Right-click
start_headless_server.batand choose Edit or open it in a text editor. - Find the line that starts the server executable. Replace the sample name, world, password, and other values with your own.
- Ensure
-crossplayappears in the same command line as the other arguments. - Save the file as a batch file, preserving the
.batextension. - Double-click the file to start the server. Keep the console window open while the world is running; closing it stops the server.
Windows Defender Firewall may ask whether the executable can communicate on private networks. Allow the server on the network profile you actually use. If the prompt was dismissed, add an inbound and outbound allowance for the dedicated-server executable in Windows Firewall rather than disabling the firewall entirely.
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Linux shell script
Create a file such as start-valheim.sh beside the Linux binary:
#!/bin/sh
cd "$(dirname "$0")"
./valheim_server.x86_64 -name "Mistlands Crew" -port 2456 -world "SharedWorld" -password "use-a-private-password" -public 1 -crossplayMake it executable with chmod +x start-valheim.sh, then run it with ./start-valheim.sh. For a machine that should restart automatically, run the script under your normal service manager, but first confirm that a manual launch creates and saves the world correctly.
Docker and environment-based setups
One documented Docker approach passes the complete argument string through an environment variable named SERVER_ARGS. The important part is that the value contains -crossplay along with the name, port, world, password, and visibility arguments. Container networking and volume permissions are implementation-specific, so verify that the world-save directory is mounted persistently before inviting anyone.
Start the server and confirm that it is ready
- Launch the batch file, shell script, or container and wait for the server to finish initialization. The first launch can take longer because it creates the world and save directories.
- Watch the console for errors involving the executable, world path, password, or network initialization. A window that closes immediately usually indicates a typo or missing dependency.
- Leave the process running while you test. The host player does not have to be in the world for the dedicated process to remain available, but stopping the process disconnects everyone.
- Start Valheim on the host and open the in-game pause menu. The server’s join-code control is exposed there when the crossplay backend is active.
- Record the code only after the current server instance has fully started. Guides describe the code as six digits and say it is reissued each time the server starts; because that detail is not consistently confirmed, treat the displayed code—not a saved old code—as authoritative.
If the pause menu does not show a join code, check the launch command first. The most common cause is that the batch file was edited but the old shortcut or another script was launched without -crossplay.
How PC, Xbox, and PS5 players join
Host: find and share the code
- With the dedicated server running, open the pause menu in Valheim.
- Locate the displayed join code for the current server session.
- Send the code privately to the people you invited, along with the server password.
Guest: enter the code
- Open Valheim and choose Join Game.
- Choose Add server.
- Paste or type the host’s current join code.
- Submit the code, select the resulting server entry, and enter the password when prompted.
The code identifies the current crossplay session; it is not a permanent server address. If the host restarts the dedicated server, ask for the newly displayed code. An IP address copied from the host’s router is not a substitute for the crossplay join flow.
Router, firewall, and port rules
When you use -crossplay
Guides report that PlayFab relay connectivity removes the usual requirement to forward UDP 2456–2457. Start without router forwarding, then test from a different network. You still need to permit the server process through the host operating system’s firewall and ensure that the host’s network allows outbound connections.
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One guide says UDP 2458, described as the default query port, may need to be open for visibility in a public server list. That claim is low confidence and concerns listing visibility, not the join-code path. Do not open it blindly; only test it if you specifically need public-list visibility and your current build documents that requirement.
When you remove -crossplay
The Steam backend requires UDP 2456–2457 forwarded from your router to the server computer. Reserve a local address for that computer so the forwarding rule does not break after a reboot. Every guest then uses the Steam server list or the address and port your setup exposes, and Xbox or PlayStation players cannot use that Steam-only configuration.
World saves, passwords, and safe administration
- Use one world name consistently. Changing
-worldstarts or opens a different save rather than renaming the existing one. - Back up the save directory. Stop the server cleanly, copy the world files to another disk, and keep at least one backup from before a major update.
- Protect the password. Anyone with both the join code and password can enter while the server is available. Change the password in the launch script and restart if it leaks.
- Do not edit a live save. Shut down the dedicated process before moving or replacing world files, or you risk losing the latest changes.
- Keep clients and server on compatible versions. A game update can change backend behavior or invalidate a previously working crossplay setup.
Mods and the crossplay trade-off
Crossplay is the priority when friends are spread across PC and consoles, but it can restrict mod choices. One current guide reports that BepInEx mods fail to load when the server uses the crossplay backend. That report is not backed by an official compatibility statement, so treat it as a warning rather than a universal rule.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Performance and player-count expectations
SSD or NVMe storage and a wired host connection are the two consistent tuning recommendations in the guides. They help with world loading, save operations, and connection stability, but they do not compensate for an overloaded computer or an unreliable internet link. If the same PC is running Valheim, close unnecessary applications and watch CPU, memory, and disk usage while several players travel or build at once.
One guide reports a default limit of 10 players and says higher caps generally require mods. Because that figure is not confirmed here by an official specification, use the limit enforced by your installed build as the authority. Do not assume that changing a launch argument will safely raise it; test any capacity change on a backup world.
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Troubleshoot by symptom
No join code appears
- Stop the server and inspect the actual file or service you launched.
- Confirm that
-crossplayis present and spelled exactly, with no stray quotation mark. - Make sure you are running the dedicated-server executable, not the normal game shortcut.
- Update the server and game clients to compatible versions, then start a fresh session and check the pause menu again.
The server starts, but a console player cannot connect
- Have the guest choose Join Game → Add server and enter the current code; an old code expires when the server restarts.
- Confirm that the guest entered the server password separately from the code.
- Allow the server executable through the host firewall and test again without adding random router ports.
- Check current platform-support notes. Console self-hosting behavior has not been consistently confirmed by the available guides.
Steam players can join, but Xbox or PS5 players cannot
This usually means the server is running without -crossplay, or guests are trying to use an IP address instead of the join-code flow. Recheck the startup command, restart the server, and distribute the newly displayed code.
The server is not visible publicly
Verify the value of -public and remember that public-list visibility is separate from a successful join-code connection. If your version’s documentation requires a query port, investigate UDP 2458 cautiously; the available report about that port is not definitive.
A modded server fails after switching to crossplay
Remove the mods and test an otherwise identical launch. If the unmodded crossplay server works, the mod loader or one of its plugins is the likely cause. Keep the modded world backed up and do not overwrite it with an untested configuration.
The world resets or appears empty
- Compare the
-worldvalue with the name used by the original server. - Check that the service account can read and write the save directory.
- Stop the process cleanly before restoring a backup.
- Do not create a new world with the same intended name until you have located the original files.
When to use each configuration
Choose crossplay when
- Your group includes Xbox or PlayStation players and the current game version supports their connection to a self-hosted server.
- You want a join code instead of exposing a home IP address.
- You prefer to avoid the Steam backend’s UDP 2456–2457 forwarding requirement.
- You can live with possible mod limitations and an occasional need to verify platform support after updates.
Choose the Steam backend when
- Every player is on Steam.
- Your group depends on mods that are incompatible with the crossplay backend.
- You are comfortable forwarding UDP 2456–2457 and administering a traditional IP-based server.
Keep separate launch files for the two modes if you switch often. Use a different world copy for experiments, because changing the backend does not create a rollback point for world data.
Final verification checklist
- The free Dedicated Server tool with app ID
896660is installed. - Your startup command contains
-name,-port,-world,-password,-public, and-crossplay. - The host firewall allows the server process.
- The server reaches a ready state and remains running.
- The host obtains a fresh join code from the pause menu.
- Guests use Join Game → Add server, then enter that code and the password.
- Everyone is on a compatible game/server version, and you have confirmed current console support before relying on the world for a long campaign.
The Bottom Line
For a mixed PC, Xbox, and PS5 group, install the free Valheim Dedicated Server, keep -crossplay in its launch command, and distribute the current join code. Start without router port forwarding, permit the executable through the host firewall, and verify console support for your exact game version because self-hosted console compatibility remains inconsistently documented.
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