Set a Valheim dedicated-server password in its startup script with -password "YourPassword". Use at least five characters, and make sure the password does not appear anywhere in the server’s -name value. Save the script, restart the server, and wait for the server-connected message before testing a join.
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This guide explains the exact launch options, Windows and Linux procedures, password changes, failed-password troubleshooting, and the port and crossplay settings that can make a correct password appear to fail.
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Valheim server password rules
Valheim reads the password when the dedicated server starts. It is not normally changed from an in-game administration panel. The value belongs in the launch argument -password, usually in the copied startup script supplied with Valheim Dedicated Server.
- Minimum length: Use five or more characters.
- Server-name restriction: The password cannot appear in the server name supplied with
-name. Choose a name and password that are clearly different. - Startup requirement: Editing a script does nothing until the server is started or restarted with the changed argument.
- Privacy: Treat the password as a private access credential. Do not post it in screenshots, public configuration files, issue reports, or documentation.
The command syntax documented by Iron Gate is -password “Secret”. In a Windows batch file or a Linux shell script, ordinary straight quotation marks are the safest form: -password "Secret". Keep the value together if it contains spaces.
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How the password fits into the server command
A dedicated server command normally combines several arguments. The password controls entry; the other arguments determine what players see, which world loads, and how clients reach the process.
| Argument | Example | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
-name |
-name "My server" |
Public listing name. The password must not appear in this value. |
-world |
-world "Dedicated" |
Selects an existing world or creates one with that identifier. |
-password |
-password "Secret" |
Sets the password required to join. |
-port |
-port 2456 |
Sets the base port. Valheim also uses the specified port plus one; the default pair is 2456 and 2457. |
-public |
-public 0 |
Makes the server invisible in the public list. Players can join through the game’s Join IP button. |
-crossplay |
-crossplay |
Uses Valheim’s crossplay backend. Iron Gate says this mode does not require router port forwarding. |
The exact placement of the arguments is less important than using the correct option names and keeping the command syntactically valid. Do not add a second, conflicting -password later in the same command and assume it will override the first one; remove the old value so there is only one password setting to diagnose.
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Set a password on Windows
- Install or open the server tool. In Steam, open the Tools library and install or launch Valheim Dedicated Server.
- Find the supplied launcher. Locate
start_headless_server.bat, the Windows startup script included with the dedicated-server tool. - Make a working copy. Copy the batch file and edit the copy rather than the original. This preserves your custom command when a server update replaces supplied files.
- Edit the three identity values. Set
-nameto the listing name,-worldto the world you want to load or create, and-passwordto a private value of at least five characters. Check that none of the password text occurs in the name. - Save the file as a batch file. Keep the
.batextension and avoid accidentally saving a text document such asstart_headless_server.bat.txt. - Start or restart the server from that copy. If a server window is already running, close it cleanly before launching the edited script. A running process keeps its old password until it is restarted.
- Wait for readiness. Let the console finish starting and display its server-connected message. Test from a client only after that point.
A simplified command section can look like this:
-name "My server" -port 2456 -world "Dedicated" -password "Secret"Keep any other arguments already present in the supplied script unless you have a reason to change them. The example shows the relevant settings, not a replacement for every line in your installation.
Set a password on Linux
- Install or open Valheim Dedicated Server through Steam’s Tools library, or use the Linux installation already provided for your host.
- Locate the corresponding
.shstartup script. - Copy the script to a separate working file before editing it. This makes it easier to restore your settings after an update.
- Edit the copied script and set
-passwordto a value with at least five characters. Make the value distinct from-name; the password must not occur in the public server name. - Save the script without changing its shell-script format, then start the server with that copy. Stop and restart an existing process if you changed a password while it was running.
- Wait for the server-connected message, then attempt a client join with the new value.
On Linux, quotation marks are especially useful when a value contains spaces. Keep the password inside one quoted argument and check the final command line for typographical changes before starting the process.
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Change an existing Valheim server password
Changing a password uses the same procedure as the first setup; the important detail is that the new value is read only at startup.
- Stop the dedicated-server process.
- Open the copied Windows
.batfile or Linux.shfile that you actually use to launch the server. - Replace the old
-passwordvalue with the new one. - Confirm the new value has at least five characters and does not occur in the
-namevalue. - Save the script and start the server again.
- Wait for the server-connected message, then give the new password to authorized players through a private channel.
Changing the script without restarting leaves the currently running server on its previous password. Players who try the new value before the restart will still be rejected.
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Use this order when a client reports an incorrect password or cannot join. It separates password-rule errors from network errors that produce similar symptoms.
The password is too short
Count the characters in the value after removing accidental spaces outside the quotation marks. A value shorter than five characters does not meet the current setup guidance. Replace it with a five-character-or-longer value, save the script, and restart.
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The password appears in the server name
Compare the complete -password and -name values, not just the first few characters. If the password is contained in the listing name, choose a different name or password, then restart the server.
You edited the wrong file
It is common to copy a script and later launch the original, or to edit one installation while Steam starts another. Identify the exact .bat or .sh file used for the running process. Put the intended -password in that file and launch it directly.
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The argument is evaluated during startup. Close the old process, start the edited script, and wait for the ready message before testing again.
Quotation marks or spacing changed the value
Keep the password as one argument, for example -password "Secret". Check for a missing quote, an extra quote, or a pasted line break. If the password intentionally includes spaces, retain the surrounding quotation marks.
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The password works, but the client still cannot connect
Once the value satisfies the rules, check connectivity separately. Iron Gate documents a default port pair of 2456 and 2457. Verify that the server is using the expected -port value and that the host firewall permits the server traffic. For a non-crossplay home server, router forwarding may also be required for the selected port pair. With the -crossplay backend, Iron Gate says router port forwarding is not required.
The server does not appear in the public list
Check whether the command includes -public 0. That setting intentionally makes the server invisible in the public list; authorized players must use Valheim’s Join IP button instead. This visibility setting does not replace the password and does not change the password rules.
Ports, firewalls and crossplay
Valheim uses the port specified by -port and the next port number. Unless you deliberately choose another base, the documented pair is 2456-2457. A password can be completely valid while a firewall or router prevents the client from reaching the process.
- Home hosting without crossplay: Confirm the host firewall allows the server and check router forwarding for the selected pair when players connect from outside the home network.
- Home hosting with crossplay: Add
-crossplayif that backend suits your players. Iron Gate states that this mode does not require router port forwarding, although the host firewall and the server’s own startup configuration still matter. - Custom ports: If you change
-port, use the new value and its consecutive companion consistently in firewall and router rules. - Private listing: With
-public 0, give players the connection details needed by the Join IP workflow instead of expecting a public-list result.
When diagnosing a failed join, first prove that the server process is running and reachable, then retest the password. Otherwise a network timeout can be mistaken for a rejected credential.
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Choosing where to run the dedicated server
The password syntax is the same whether the process runs on a computer at home or on a rented game-server machine. The operational trade-offs differ.
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|---|---|---|
| Cost pattern | Uses hardware and electricity you already provide; there is no researched provider price to quote. | Normally a recurring hosting charge; the amount depends on the host and plan. |
| Availability | The machine must remain on and connected whenever players need the world. | The rented machine is intended to stay online without keeping a personal computer running. |
| Administration | You handle Windows or Linux updates, the startup script, firewall, and any router work. | The host may reduce machine administration, but you still manage the Valheim arguments and access settings. |
| Networking | You must account for local firewall rules and, without crossplay, possible router forwarding. | Network configuration is handled partly by the provider; confirm its crossplay support and connection model before paying. |
| Backups | You control local save copies and can schedule your own backup process. | Backup controls vary; verify what is included and how worlds can be restored. |
| Location and capacity | Location and practical player capacity are limited by your connection and hardware. | Choose a geographic location and capacity appropriate to your group, subject to the provider’s actual plan details. |
| Support | Troubleshooting is your responsibility. | Provider support may help with the machine or network, but not every Valheim configuration issue. |
Whichever deployment you choose, keep the edited startup script separate from vendor-managed files, document the current -name, -world, port and password policy, and protect the world backups.
Related files and access control
Iron Gate’s dedicated-server guidance documents default save locations and separate permission files, including adminlist.txt, bannedlist.txt, and permittedlist.txt. These files serve different purposes from the startup password:
- The startup password controls the credential required to enter the server.
adminlist.txtis for administrator permissions.bannedlist.txtrecords blocked players.permittedlist.txtsupports an allow-list style of access.
Do not assume that changing an administrator or ban file changes the server password. Keep those controls organized separately, and avoid publishing any file that contains private access information.
Practical setup checklist
- Install or open Valheim Dedicated Server from Steam’s Tools library.
- Copy
start_headless_server.baton Windows or the corresponding.shscript on Linux. - Set one
-passwordvalue with at least five characters. - Check that no part of that password appears in
-name. - Keep
-worldpointed at the intended world. - Confirm the base port and its companion port; the defaults are 2456 and 2457.
- Choose whether
-public 0or-crossplayis appropriate for your group. - Save the copied script, stop any old server process, and restart from the edited copy.
- Wait for the server-connected message before attempting a join.
- If joining still fails, check the password rules first, then the firewall, router and crossplay configuration.
Iron Gate’s official dedicated-server guide, dated April 11, 2024, is the reference for the launch-option names and networking behavior described here.
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