Is Valheim Cross-Platform? Crossplay and Dedicated Server Guide (2026)

Yes. Valheim supports cross-platform multiplayer across Steam (Windows, Linux and Mac), the Mac App Store, Humble, Microsoft Store for Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. Players on those platforms can join the same hosted world or dedicated server with a join code. A dedicated server must use Valheim’s Crossplay backend for players who are not using Steam.

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Crossplay only covers multiplayer access. It does not create a universal cloud save or transfer every world between platforms. The documented exception is Xbox saves being accessible when you launch the Microsoft Store PC version.

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Which platforms can play Valheim together?

Iron Gate’s Valheim 1.0 platform list (July 1, 2026) includes crossplay between all of the following releases:

Iron Gate describes the 1.0 release as supporting one to 10 players per server. The announced price is $29.99, subject to regional differences. The listed download estimate is about 4.3 GiB on most platforms, about 3.0 GiB on Xbox One, and about 6.5 GiB for the Mac App Store and Microsoft Store editions.

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Can Steam and Xbox play together?

Yes. A Steam player and an Xbox player can enter the same session. If the host is running a dedicated server, it must be started with the Crossplay backend; the default Steam backend is not sufficient for non-Steam connections.

Can PlayStation 5, Xbox and PC use one server?

Yes, provided the server is using Crossplay and every client is on a compatible patch. The platform list covers those systems, and join codes are designed to let players on different platforms enter the same hosted or dedicated session.

What Valheim crossplay actually means

Crossplay is a multiplayer compatibility layer, not a universal account or save system. It lets separate platform clients authenticate to the same game session. Your purchase remains tied to the storefront where you bought Valheim: buying through the Microsoft Store does not launch or convert a Steam copy. Iron Gate treats Steam and Microsoft Store as separate platforms while allowing them to play together.

World data and player progress still depend on where that world is hosted and where a platform stores its saves. Do not assume that a character, local world or server backup made on one platform will automatically appear on another.

Joining a cross-platform world with a join code

Join codes are the simplest way to connect platforms that do not share the same storefront. The host can be running an in-game session or a dedicated server.

1. The host enters the world and opens the pause menu.
2. Select Join code and copy the displayed code.
3. Send the code to the other players using a private message or voice chat.
4. Each recipient opens Join Game, chooses Add server, and pastes the code.
5. The recipient confirms the entry and joins when the host or server is available.

The Steam crossplay announcement notes that a join code is used when one or more participants are on another platform. On a dedicated server, the code is regenerated every time that server restarts, so an old code will stop working after a reboot.

What to check when a code fails

• Ask the host for a newly copied code after every server restart.
• Confirm that the host enabled Crossplay if any participant is not on Steam.
• Check that all clients and the server have matching patch versions.
• Make sure the server is running and has finished startup before anyone submits the code.
• Verify that the password is being entered exactly as configured.

Dedicated-server backends: Steam versus Crossplay

Valheim dedicated servers have two relevant connection backends. A server uses the Steam backend by default. That mode is appropriate for Steam-only groups and normally requires router port forwarding. Adding -crossplay switches the server to the PlayFab Crossplay backend, allowing users from any supported platform.

The relay removes the usual inbound-router requirement for players connecting from the internet, but it does not make every network path valid. In particular, local-IP and loopback connections are not supported on the Crossplay backend. Use the server’s join code rather than trying to connect to 127.0.0.1 or a local address through that backend.

How to set up a crossplay dedicated server

This procedure applies to a self-hosted server on a Windows or Linux computer. Keep the machine online whenever you want the world to be available.

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1. Install the dedicated-server files

1. Open the Steam Library.
2. Enable the Tools filter.
3. Install Valheim Dedicated Server.

For the Microsoft Store edition, Iron Gate documents the server files at C:XboxGamesValheimContentServer. Microsoft Store users run StartHeadlessServer.bat from that folder.

2. Copy the startup script before editing

Steam updates can reset the original launcher, so make a backup copy before changing it. Windows uses start_headless_server.bat; Linux uses start_server.sh. Edit your copy and keep the original available for comparison after an update.

3. Define the world and access settings

Set the server name, port, world name, password and visibility in the startup command. The default port range is 2456–2457. On the Steam backend, those ports normally need to be forwarded on the router so people outside your home network can connect.

Choose a password that is not the same as the server name. Valheim requires a password for a public or private dedicated session, and sharing it alongside the join code gives your group the two pieces of information it needs to enter.

4. Add the Crossplay switch

Add -crossplay to the server’s startup arguments. This selects the PlayFab Crossplay backend and is the required setting when Xbox, PlayStation, Switch 2, Microsoft Store PC or another non-Steam client must join.

With Crossplay enabled, the relay normally means you do not have to create inbound router rules for external players. Leave the port configured even when you use the relay: it distinguishes your server and remains part of the server configuration.

5. Start the process and wait for confirmation

Launch the edited batch or shell script. Do not distribute the join code immediately. Wait for the console to report Game server connected; that message indicates the server has completed its connection to the backend.

6. Give players the current code

After the server is connected, obtain its join code and send it to the group. Restarting the process generates a new code, so repeat this step after every restart.

7. Keep versions aligned

The client and dedicated server should be on the same patch version. The Steam announcement warns that mismatched versions can prevent connections. Update the server before asking players to troubleshoot their consoles or networks, then have everyone restart the game so the client update is actually loaded.

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Can an Xbox host a Valheim dedicated server?

No. Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S can join a Crossplay-enabled dedicated server, but the console itself cannot run one. Iron Gate’s FAQ explicitly states that you cannot set up a dedicated server on an Xbox.

To keep a world online while the console player is away, run the server on a separate Windows or Linux computer, use the Microsoft Store server installation where applicable, or use a managed server service that supports Valheim’s Crossplay backend. The console remains a client in all of those arrangements.

Managing players and protecting the world

The official dedicated-server guide provides three plain-text administration files. Put one platform user ID on each line:

• adminlist.txt grants administrator permissions.
• bannedlist.txt blocks listed users.
• permittedlist.txt creates an allow-list; everyone not listed is excluded.

Use the permitted list only when you want a closed community. A typo in a user ID can lock out a legitimate player, so keep a separate record of the IDs you add and remove.

Automatic backups

Valheim exposes backup controls as startup arguments. The documented defaults and examples are:

The default save interval is 1,800 seconds, or 30 minutes. Backups are not a substitute for copying the world files to another disk or machine: a hardware failure or corrupted installation can affect both the live world and local backup folder.

Choosing a way to host

Crossplay determines who can connect; hosting determines how persistent and maintainable the world is. Compare the practical differences before deciding where your group should play.

For a small group that only plays together, in-game hosting is the lowest-maintenance choice. A self-hosted dedicated server is appropriate when the world should remain online and someone in the group can handle updates and backups. A managed service trades some control for convenience; confirm its Crossplay support before paying, because a Steam-only configuration will exclude console players.

Save synchronization: what transfers and what does not

Xbox and Microsoft Store PC

Iron Gate’s 1.0 FAQ says Xbox players can access their saves on a PC when launching the Microsoft Store version. This is a specific Xbox-to-Microsoft-Store-PC path, not a general account-wide cloud sync promise.

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Steam, PlayStation 5, Switch 2 and other combinations

No broader cross-platform save-file synchronization is documented. A Steam world or character should not be expected to appear automatically on PlayStation 5, Switch 2, Xbox or another storefront. Crossplay lets the clients play in the same world; it does not merge their local save libraries.

Practical way to avoid progress loss

• Choose one persistent world location, preferably a dedicated server, for the group’s main campaign.
• Back up the server’s world files before major updates or configuration changes.
• Do not delete a local save on the assumption that another platform has already copied it.
• When moving from Xbox to PC, use the Microsoft Store PC version described by Iron Gate rather than assuming the Steam version can read the same save.

Troubleshooting common crossplay failures

Non-Steam players cannot see or join the server

1. Stop the server and inspect the startup command.
2. Confirm that -crossplay is present exactly once.
3. Start the server again and wait for Game server connected.
4. Send the newly generated join code; the previous code is invalid after a restart.

The server works for Steam users but not consoles

This symptom usually indicates that the server is still using the default Steam backend. Add -crossplay, restart, and distribute the new code. Router port forwarding alone does not convert a Steam-backend server into a cross-platform server.

Players receive a version or compatibility error

Compare the game build shown by every client with the dedicated server’s build. Update the server and restart each client so all participants are on the same patch. A server that was left running through an update can remain on the old build until it is restarted.

A local test connection fails on a Crossplay server

Do not test the relay backend with a loopback or local-IP address; those connection types are not supported there. Test with the generated join code from a second client using the same method your remote players will use.

The server is unreachable after a host reboot

• Check that the dedicated-server process started successfully.
• Wait for Game server connected before testing.
• Request a fresh join code because every restart regenerates it.
• Verify that the startup script still contains your world, password and -crossplay arguments; Steam updates can reset the original script.

Crossplay checklist

• Every player owns Valheim on a supported platform.
• The group has selected one persistent world and understands where its saves live.
• The dedicated server uses -crossplay if any participant is not on Steam.
• The server and clients run matching patch versions.
• The host waits for Game server connected.
• The host sends the current join code after each restart.
• Backups and administrator files are stored outside the live installation when possible.
• Xbox players know they can join but cannot host the dedicated server from the console.

Bottom line

Valheim is cross-platform in its 1.0 release: Steam, Microsoft Store PC, Xbox One and Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Mac storefronts and Humble players can share a session. Use the in-game join code for mixed-platform play, and add -crossplay to a dedicated server so non-Steam clients can connect through the relay. Treat crossplay and save syncing as separate features, keep versions aligned, and run the dedicated server on a computer or managed service rather than an Xbox console.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does restarting a Valheim dedicated server change its crossplay code?

Yes. A dedicated server’s join code is regenerated whenever the server restarts, so send the new code after every reboot.

Do I need router port forwarding for a Valheim Crossplay server?

Normally no for external players: the Crossplay backend uses a relay. The configured port still identifies the server, and local-IP or loopback connections are not supported on that backend.

How many players does Valheim 1.0 support on one server?

Iron Gate’s July 1, 2026 1.0 FAQ lists one to 10 players per server.

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