To whitelist a Valheim server, stop it, open the active save directory, create permittedlist.txt, and place one case-sensitive Platform User ID on each line. Save the file and restart the server. Valheim then allows only those IDs to join; everyone else is refused, even if they know the password.
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This guide covers dedicated servers on Windows and Linux, custom save locations, finding the correct IDs, password and crossplay interactions, verification, and the fixes for the most common setup errors.
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Valheim calls its whitelist the permitted list. Its file is permittedlist.txt. When the file contains one or more entries, the server becomes exclusive: only the listed Platform User IDs may connect. An account that is not listed is rejected.
“Please note that adding a person on the permitted list will ban everyone else from the server.”
That warning from Iron Gate is important. Adding one friend does not merely give that friend access while leaving the server public. It changes the server’s admission rule for everybody else.
What the three permission files are for
| File | Effect | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
permittedlist.txt |
Allows only the listed Platform User IDs | Private or invite-only access |
bannedlist.txt |
Blocks the listed players | Removing specific players while leaving other access rules unchanged |
adminlist.txt |
Grants administrative privileges | Giving server commands to trusted operators |
These files are independent. Editing adminlist.txt does not whitelist a player, and placing an ID in bannedlist.txt does not grant access.
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- A running Valheim Dedicated Server installation and its supplied startup script.
- Permission to stop and restart that server process.
- Access to the save directory used by the active server.
- The Platform User ID for every player who should be allowed in.
- The server password, if the launch configuration sets one.
- For Xbox or Microsoft Store clients, a launch configuration that includes
-crossplay.
Make a backup of the save directory before changing server files. The whitelist itself is a small text file, but a mistaken edit is easier to recover from when the current world data is backed up.
Find the directory the server is really using
The file must be in the server’s active save directory, not necessarily beside the server executable. Iron Gate documents these defaults:
| Server host | Default save location |
|---|---|
| Windows | ../%USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim |
| Linux | ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim |
Check for a custom save path
The -savedir [PATH] launch option overrides the default. Read the startup script or service definition and identify the path supplied to -savedir. If it is present, use that directory for permittedlist.txt even when the default folder also exists.
A common source of confusion is having two copies of the Valheim data tree: one at the documented default and one at a custom location. Only the directory selected by the running server matters.
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Get each player’s Platform User ID
Valheim expects a Platform User ID, not a display name, Steam profile URL, or IP address. Obtain the ID from either the dedicated-server log or the in-game F2 panel while the player is connected.
Preserve the complete value
- Copy the platform-prefixed form shown by Valheim.
- Keep every character, including capitalization.
- Do not add quotation marks, commas, labels, or spaces before or after the ID.
- Use one ID per line.
Names can change and several people can use similar display names; the Platform User ID is the value the permission system matches.
Set up permittedlist.txt
- Stop the server cleanly. Use the normal stop command or shut down the dedicated-server process through the method you use to run it. Do not edit the permission file while the process is actively writing its data.
- Open the active save directory. Use the Windows or Linux default above unless the startup configuration supplies
-savedir. - Create or open the file. The exact filename is
permittedlist.txt. If your file manager hides extensions, verify that the filename is not accidentallypermittedlist.txt.txt. - Enter the IDs. Put one case-sensitive Platform User ID on each line. Do not use display names, profile URLs, or IP addresses.
- Save as plain text. Keep the exact filename and ordinary line breaks. Avoid rich-text document formats.
- Start the server again. Restart it using the same startup script or service so it reads the file in the same save directory.
- Check access. Have one listed player connect and, separately, have an unlisted account attempt to join. Record the result rather than assuming the change worked.
Example file layout
The file should be a simple list, with no headings or comments:
one-platform-user-id-per-lineThe text above describes the layout; replace it with the actual IDs displayed by your server. Do not copy a display name into the file.
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The password supplied with -password is a second gate. A player can be on the permitted list and still be unable to join without the current password. Conversely, knowing the password does not bypass the permitted list.
When diagnosing a failed connection, treat the requirements independently:
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- Is the connecting account’s Platform User ID present and correctly capitalized?
- Is the player entering the password configured by
-password?
Changing the password does not add or remove anyone from permittedlist.txt.
Enable crossplay for Xbox and Microsoft Store players
Add -crossplay to the dedicated server’s launch command when Xbox or Microsoft Store players need to connect. Crossplay changes the connection path, so use the current Iron Gate server guide for the networking behavior and connection details that apply to your server version.
The official FAQ states that Xbox players can join a dedicated server when crossplay is enabled. An Xbox console cannot host a dedicated server itself; the dedicated server must run on a supported computer or hosting environment.
Crossplay does not replace the permitted list. A cross-platform player still needs a matching Platform User ID in permittedlist.txt, and still needs the server password when one is configured.
Startup options that affect access and saves
The whitelist file is read in the context of the server launch configuration. Review these options when access or file location behaves unexpectedly:
| Option | Why it matters |
|---|---|
-name |
Sets the server name players see. |
-world |
Selects the world used by the dedicated server. |
-password |
Sets the separate password gate. |
-public |
Controls the server’s public-listing behavior; it does not override a permitted list. |
-savedir |
Moves the save and permission files to the specified path. |
-crossplay |
Enables the crossplay connection mode needed by Xbox and Microsoft Store clients. |
Iron Gate documents default ports 2456 and 2457; the server uses the specified port and the next port. Firewall and router rules must match the port configuration and the connection mode you selected. Crossplay can alter the connection path, so do not assume that a rule set for a non-crossplay server is sufficient.
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Verify the whitelist without locking yourself out
Use a listed account first
Keep the server operator’s own Platform User ID in the file until access has been confirmed. Connect with that account after the restart and verify that the world loads normally. If it fails, stop troubleshooting with additional edits and check the file location, spelling, and ID capitalization.
Then test an unlisted account
Use an account whose ID is absent from the file. It should be refused even when the account knows the password. Do not describe a test as successful unless somebody has actually performed both connection attempts.
Read the server log
The log can confirm which account identifier Valheim sees and can reveal whether the process is using a different save directory than the one you edited. Compare the logged path and ID with the file on disk.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The listed player is rejected
- Stop the server and confirm that the file is named exactly
permittedlist.txt, without an additional hidden extension. - Check that it is in the directory selected by
-savedir, or in the documented default for the host operating system. - Compare the entry character by character with the Platform User ID shown in the log or F2 panel. Capitalization matters.
- Confirm that the entry occupies its own line and contains no display name, URL, IP address, quotation marks, or trailing notes.
- Restart the server after saving. A running process may not reread a file that was changed underneath it.
- If the client is Xbox or Microsoft Store, confirm that the server was launched with
-crossplayand that the client is using the required connection mode. - Enter the password configured by
-password, if the server uses one.
An unlisted player can still join
- Check whether the file contains the player’s actual Platform User ID rather than a similarly named account.
- Verify that the server was restarted after the edit.
- Inspect the startup configuration for
-savedir; the server may be reading a different directory. - Make sure you edited
permittedlist.txt, notadminlist.txtor another copy of the file.
The file seems to disappear or have no effect
- Enable file-extension visibility in the operating system and look for
permittedlist.txt.txt. - Check file permissions on Linux and confirm that the account running the server can read the directory and file.
- Confirm that the server stopped cleanly before the edit and that the restarted process is the one players are joining.
- Search for duplicate Valheim save directories and compare the one named in the launch configuration with the one you changed.
Crossplay clients fail while other clients work
First confirm -crossplay is present in the actual launch command. Then check that the crossplay-specific network requirements for the server version are met and that the player is using a compatible client. A working connection from one platform does not prove that every connection path is configured.
Players report intermittent connection or timeout errors
Check that the specified server port and port+1 are reachable through the host firewall and router. The official defaults are 2456 and 2457, but a different configured port takes precedence. Also verify that a restart did not launch a second instance with different arguments.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Maintaining a private server
Adding a player
Stop the server, append the new Platform User ID on its own line, save the file, and restart. Keep existing entries unchanged so current members retain access.
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Removing a player
Stop the server, delete only that player’s line, save, and restart. Removing an entry from the permitted list prevents future joins; it does not erase the player’s character or world progress.
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Changing the password
Update the value supplied with -password in the startup configuration and restart. This is separate from editing the permitted list, so changing one does not silently modify the other.
Backing up permission state
Include permittedlist.txt, bannedlist.txt, and adminlist.txt in the same backup routine as the world files. Label backups with the date and the server configuration they belong to, particularly when a custom -savedir path is used.
Iron Gate does not publish a numeric maximum for permitted-list entries or a performance benchmark for the file. Do not infer a capacity limit or performance guarantee from another server’s experience.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
The permission-file procedure is the same conceptually, but responsibility differs depending on where the dedicated server runs.
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| Decision factor | Self-hosted server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Save and permission-file control | You choose the operating-system path, edit files directly, and control backups. | The provider supplies a control panel or file access; verify that it exposes permittedlist.txt and the active save path. |
| Operating system and firewall | You patch the host and configure firewall, router, and port forwarding. | The provider handles the underlying network, while you still configure server options and access rules. |
| Crossplay setup | You add -crossplay and validate the resulting network path. |
You must confirm that the host supports the required crossplay option and exposes it in its startup settings. |
| Backups and restore | You schedule, store, and test your own backups. | Check the provider’s backup frequency, retention, and restore process before relying on it. |
| Uptime and latency | Depend on your hardware, internet connection, power, and location. | Depend on the provider’s facility, service level, and server region. |
| Log access | Full access to the dedicated-server log. | Access varies; ensure logs show the Platform User ID and active save path when troubleshooting. |
| Cost | Uses your existing hardware and connection but may add electricity and maintenance costs. | Usually involves a recurring hosting charge; the amount depends on the selected service and region. |
Whichever model you choose, the decisive checks remain the same: the file name, active save directory, exact Platform User IDs, restart, password, and crossplay mode.
Quick Recap
Quick preflight checklist
- The server is stopped before the file is edited.
- The active save directory is confirmed, including any
-savediroverride. - The file is exactly
permittedlist.txt. - Every permitted account has one case-sensitive Platform User ID on its own line.
- No display names, profile URLs, or IP addresses are present.
- The server has been restarted after saving.
- The listed account has completed a real connection test.
- An unlisted account has been tested and rejected.
- The password requirement is understood separately from the whitelist.
-crossplayis enabled when Xbox or Microsoft Store players need to connect.- The firewall and router allow the configured port and port+1.
- The permission files are included in the backup plan.
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