Valheim Dedicated Server Manual.
md 3/6/2023
“Valheim Dedicated Server” Instruction Manual
Running a dedicated server is a great way to provide a persistent world in which you and your friends can play
anytime. Setting up a dedicated server requires some cursory scripting knowledge. This guide will help you
script the server application.
Location of the dedicated server
The dedicated server binary is installed along with the game. The default install directory for the server is
C:\XboxGames\Valheim\Content\Server\.
Running the Dedicated Server
Before running the Server, you have to manually enter some relevant information in the
[Link]-file .
We recommend that you make a copy of this file and enter the required information in the copy instead of the
original, since the original file may be reset when the game is updated (requiring you to re-enter your
information).
PLEASE NOTE: This version of the Valheim Dedicated Server transmits data via a
relay server and therefore does not require port forwarding to be accessible to
players outside of your local network. The port number is still used to identify a
specific server instance on your network's public IP address, to allow multiple
servers to be hosted on the same network. You can connect to this version of the
Valheim Dedicated Server using the public IP address and port, a join code or via
the server list, however it's not possible to connect using a local IP address or
a loopback IP address.
1. Right-click ‘[Link]’ file (your copy or the original) and choose ‘Edit’ to open the file in
Notepad.
2. The following properties are the ones we are interested in, they are all located on line 8 which starts
with the text ‘[Link]’.
3. Once you’re done setting up (don’t forget to save the file) you can start the Server by double clicking
the bat file or running it from the command line. If you get a Windows Firewall-popup please fill all
checkboxes to allow the Server to communicate with the Internet.
4. When the Server program shows the message ‘Game server connected’ the Server is up and running,
ready to accept connections.
Switch Argument Description
─name SERVER_NAME Enter the name of your server that will be visible in the Server list.
Choose the port you want the server to use. The server can be located
─port PORT_NUMBER by PUBLIC_IP:PORT_NUMBER in the server list. Each server instance on
the same server must have a separate port. Default port is 2456.
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Switch Argument Description
A World with the name entered will be created. You may also choose
─world WORLD_NAME an already existing World by entering its name. Default name is
Dedicated
─password SECRET Sets the password.
Overrides the default save path where Worlds and permission-files are
─savedir PATH
stored. Default path %APPDATA%\..\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim
Sets the visibility of your server. 1 is default and will make the server
visible in the server-browser. Set it to 0 to make the server invisible
and only joinable via the ‘Add Server’-button using IP_ADDRESS:PORT
─public 0│1
or server join code. Setting public to 0 is a good option if you wish to
run a local LAN server, where players can join via the local IP of the
server.
─logFile LOG_PATH Sets the location to save the log file. For example d:\[Link]
Change how often the world will save in seconds. Default is 30
─saveinterval SECONDS
minutes (1800 seconds).
Sets how many automatic backups will be kept. The first is the ‘short’
backup length, and the rest are the ‘long’ backup length. By default
─backups COUNT
that means one backup that is 2 hours old, and 3 backups that are 12
hours apart.
Sets the interval between the first automatic backups. Default is 2
─backupshort SECONDS
hours (7200 seconds).
Sets the interval between the subsequent automatic backups. Default
─backuplong SECONDS
is 12 hours (43200 seconds).
If you’re hosting multiple servers with the same port from the same
-instanceid TEXT MAC address, write something unique here for each server to ensure
that they get unique PlayFab IDs.
Stopping the Dedicated Server
1. When you wish to stop running the server, it is important that you close it by pressing CTRL+C in the
Command-window. If you close it by clicking the X in the window frame the Server may keep running in
the background, we don’t really know!
Administrating the Server and setting permissions
You can edit three separate text-files to set
1. who has admin privileges
2. who is banned from your server
3. who is permitted on your server.
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These three files, located in the default save path, are called [Link], [Link], and
[Link]. Add one platform user ID per line to set desired roles. The platform user ID can be
viewed from within the game using the F2 menu and follows the format [Platform]_[USERID] (case
sensitive). Please note that adding a person on the permitted list will ban everyone else from the server.
In-Game: Admin console commands (F5 to bring down console)
Command Description
Kick PLAYERNAME Kicks a player from the Server.
Ban PLAYERNAME Bans a player from the Server.
Unban PLAYERNAME Unbans a player.
Banned Lists all banned players.
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