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Godlike.Host offers hosted Valheim servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
Use the free Valheim Dedicated Server (Steam tools app 896660), launch it with -crossplay, and have players join with the server’s join code. The flag changes the server from Valheim’s Steam backend to the reported PlayFab crossplay backend. Without it, the server is limited to Steam players and normally requires UDP ports 2456–2457 to be forwarded. Cross-platform console access is not fully confirmed by the available documentation, so test the current build before relying on a self-hosted world for a regular Xbox or PS5 group.
What you need before setting up the server
A dedicated server is a separate Valheim server process that can keep a world available without one player leaving the game running. The server software is free. It is distributed through Steam as tools app 896660, and the installation does not require a Valheim game license according to the setup guides.
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- Steam installed, if you are using the Steam Library tools installation method, or SteamCMD for a command-line installation.
- A world name, a server name, and a strong password that you can share privately with the intended players.
- Reliable network connectivity. The guides recommend wired Ethernet and SSD or NVMe storage for the host.
- The current Valheim Dedicated Server files, rather than the ordinary Valheim game executable.
Decide first whether every player is on Steam or whether you need Xbox and Microsoft Store players to connect. That decision determines the backend, network configuration and joining method.
How Valheim’s two server backends differ
The -crossplay launch switch is the important choice. It does not merely enable a cosmetic compatibility option; it changes the service used to connect players.
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| Setting | Steam backend | Crossplay backend |
|---|---|---|
| Launch option | Do not include -crossplay. |
Include -crossplay. |
| Reported player reach | Steam players only. | Intended for cross-platform play, including Xbox and Microsoft Store players; console support for self-hosted servers remains unsettled in available guides. |
| Connection service | Steam backend. | Reported PlayFab relay backend. |
| Typical network setup | Forward UDP 2456–2457 to the host computer. | Guides report that port forwarding is not normally required. |
| How players join | Server list or IP-based connection, depending on the client and visibility. | Join code supplied by the host. |
| Mods | No crossplay-specific limitation is reported. | One guide reports that BepInEx mods do not load through this backend; this is not confirmed by an official statement. |
If even one expected player is on Xbox or Microsoft Store, use -crossplay and the join-code workflow. If everyone is on Steam and you need a conventional IP/server-list setup, omit the flag and configure the Steam ports instead.
Install the Valheim Dedicated Server
Install from Steam’s Tools library
- Open Steam and switch the Library filter to show Tools.
- Search for Valheim Dedicated Server, then install it. The Steam tools app ID is
896660. - Choose a disk with enough free space for the server files and world saves. An SSD or NVMe drive is preferred by the setup guides.
- Open the installation folder so you can edit the launch script or run the Linux binary.
The exact folder location depends on your Steam library. Use Steam’s local-files option to open the correct directory rather than guessing a path.
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SteamCMD installations use an anonymous login and the dedicated-server app ID. The essential sequence is to log in anonymously, install or update app 896660, and then exit SteamCMD. Keep the installation directory consistent so your launch script and saved world are easy to find.
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 896660 +quitRun the update again when you deliberately want to refresh the server files. Do not overwrite the world-save location accidentally when changing installation directories.
Configure the launch arguments
The server is configured through command-line arguments. The core arguments reported by the guides are -name, -port, -world, -password, -public and -crossplay.
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| Argument | Purpose | Practical choice |
|---|---|---|
-name |
The name players see for the server. | Use a short, recognizable name such as Northwind Vikings. |
-port |
The server’s base network port. | Use the default port unless another service on the host already uses it. |
-world |
Selects the world save to load or create. | Use a stable world identifier and keep it unchanged after the world is created. |
-password |
Protects the server from unwanted joins. | Use a unique password and share it only with your group. |
-public |
Controls whether the server is advertised publicly. | Use the value shown in the supplied Windows script or your server package when choosing private or public visibility. |
-crossplay |
Switches from Steam networking to the reported crossplay backend. | Include it for the join-code, cross-platform configuration. |
A representative argument line looks like this; replace the quoted names with your own values and preserve the spelling of each switch:
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-name "Northwind Vikings" -port 2456 -world "Northwind" -password "UseYourPrivatePassword" -public 1 -crossplayThe key distinction is the final -crossplay. A server can start successfully without it and still be the wrong server for console friends.
Set up the server on Windows
Windows downloads reportedly include a ready-made start_headless_server.bat file. Editing that file is the simplest way to make your configuration repeatable.
- Open the Dedicated Server installation folder in File Explorer.
- Make a backup copy of
start_headless_server.batbefore editing it. - Open the working copy in Notepad or another plain-text editor.
- Find the line that starts the server executable. Keep the existing executable path and replace or append the server arguments.
- Set
-name,-port,-world,-passwordand-public. - Add
-crossplayat the end when Xbox, Microsoft Store or other cross-platform players need to connect. - Save the file as a batch file, not as a text document. Do not let Notepad change the extension to
.bat.txt. - Double-click the batch file to start the server. Leave the console window open while the world is running.
Keep a second copy of the edited script outside the installation folder. Updates can replace bundled scripts, and a backup makes it possible to restore the exact arguments.
Set up the server on Linux
Linux packages reportedly provide the server binary valheim_server.x86_64 rather than the Windows batch file.
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- Change to the directory containing
valheim_server.x86_64. - Ensure the binary has execute permission, then run it from a terminal or a service manager.
- Pass the same six core arguments used on Windows. Include
-crossplayfor the crossplay backend. - Keep the process attached to a persistent terminal session or service so closing your SSH session does not stop the world.
./valheim_server.x86_64 -name "Northwind Vikings" -port 2456 -world "Northwind" -password "UseYourPrivatePassword" -public 1 -crossplayUse your distribution’s normal process-supervision method if the machine is unattended. The important operational requirement is that the binary continues running and that the world-save directory remains writable.
Choose the correct network configuration
Crossplay backend
With -crossplay, the guides describe a PlayFab relay connection. They report that ordinary router port forwarding is not needed, because players reach the server through the relay and use a join code rather than your public IP address.
“No port forwarding” does not mean the host can ignore all network restrictions. A local firewall, corporate network policy or restrictive residential connection can still block the process. Allow the dedicated-server executable through the host firewall when the operating system prompts you, and test from a network outside the host’s local LAN.
Steam backend
Without -crossplay, only Steam players can join. Guides specify forwarding UDP ports 2456–2457 from the router to the computer running the server. Give the host a stable local address first, then create the forwarding rule for that address. If your router asks for a port range, enter 2456 as the start and 2457 as the end, using UDP.
One guide also says UDP query port 2458 may need to be open for public-list visibility. That point is low confidence and is not required for the basic crossplay join-code method. Treat it as a visibility troubleshooting step for a Steam-backend server, not as a universal requirement.
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Start the world and obtain the join code
- Start the batch file or Linux command with
-crossplayincluded. - Wait for the server process to finish loading the world. Do not launch a second copy using the same world and port.
- Open Valheim on the host or connect to the running server as the host account.
- Open the pause menu and locate the server’s join code.
- Send the code and password to the players through a private channel.
Guides describe the code as six digits and say it is reissued each time the server starts, but that detail is reported with low confidence. Treat the code as temporary: obtain a fresh one after every restart rather than saving an old code in a group chat.
How players join
PC players
- Open Valheim and choose Join Game.
- Select Add server.
- Paste or type the current join code supplied by the host.
- Choose the added server and enter the server password when prompted.
Players using Steam can still use the crossplay backend, but they should follow the join-code path when the server was launched with -crossplay. An IP address from the Steam-backend instructions is not a substitute for the crossplay code.
Xbox and Microsoft Store players
The guides specifically describe Xbox and Microsoft Store players as targets of the crossplay backend. They should open Join Game, choose Add server, enter the current code and provide the password. Menu wording can vary by client version, so look for the add-server control under the join screen rather than trying to enter the host’s IP address.
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Available guides disagree about whether console clients, including PS5, can join every self-hosted dedicated server configuration. Follow the same join-code procedure if the current PS5 build exposes Join Game and Add server, but do not assume that a successful PC connection proves PS5 support. Test with one PS5 player before moving an established world or promising uninterrupted console access.
Verify that the configuration is actually crossplay
A common failure is a perfectly healthy server launched without the one flag that cross-platform players require. Use this checklist before troubleshooting routers:
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- Confirm the running command or batch file visibly contains
-crossplay. - Confirm all players are using the current join code, not one from an earlier server start.
- Confirm the host shared the server password separately and typed it exactly.
- Confirm players selected Join Game and Add server, rather than searching for a Steam server by IP.
- Confirm only one server process is using the selected port and world.
If a Steam player can join but an Xbox or Microsoft Store player cannot, first compare the launch arguments. That symptom is consistent with a server running on the Steam backend because -crossplay was omitted.
Docker and unattended hosting
One guide describes a Docker deployment that passes the launch options through an environment variable named SERVER_ARGS. In that arrangement, put the complete argument string in SERVER_ARGS, including -crossplay, rather than assuming the container enables crossplay automatically.
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SERVER_ARGS=-name "Northwind Vikings" -port 2456 -world "Northwind" -password "UseYourPrivatePassword" -public 1 -crossplayThe container must retain the world-save directory between restarts. Treat the image or container as replaceable and the mounted save directory as the valuable data. Before updating an image, stop the server cleanly and copy the world files to a separate backup location.
Mods and player limits
Crossplay and mods
One guide reports that BepInEx mods fail to load when the crossplay backend is enabled. No official statement confirming that limitation was available, so regard it as a compatibility warning rather than a guaranteed rule. For a first crossplay test, run an unmodded server. If you later add mods, test the exact mod set with one player from each required platform and keep a known-good unmodded backup.
Reported player cap
One guide reports a default limit of 10 players and says higher limits reportedly require mods. This figure and the mod requirement are low-confidence claims. Do not advertise a larger capacity until the current server build and your chosen configuration demonstrate it. A higher theoretical cap also does not guarantee that the host’s CPU, memory, storage or network can sustain it.
Troubleshoot by symptom
No join code appears
- Stop the server and verify that
-crossplayis present in the actual command being executed, not only in an unused copy of the script. - Restart the server and obtain the code from the pause menu after the world has finished loading.
- Check that a second server process is not occupying the intended port.
The code is rejected
- Ask the host for a newly displayed code; guides report that it can change after a restart.
- Have the player use Join Game and Add server, then paste the code without extra spaces.
- Confirm the player is entering the server password after the code, not replacing the code with the password.
Steam players connect, but console players cannot
- Check for the
-crossplayswitch first. Its absence selects the Steam-only backend. - Confirm the console player’s client exposes the add-server and join-code controls.
- Test from a different network and check local firewall rules on the host.
- Because self-hosted console support is not settled in the available documentation, record the exact game and server versions when reporting the problem.
A Steam-backend server is missing from the list
- Verify UDP forwarding for ports 2456–2457 to the host’s current local address.
- Allow the server executable through the host firewall.
- If public-list visibility is the only problem, investigate the low-confidence report about UDP query port 2458.
- Alternatively, switch to
-crossplayand use a join code instead of depending on public-list discovery.
The server stops when the host closes a window
Run the process in a persistent session or service. On Windows, leave the batch-file console open. On Linux or Docker, use a supervisor and persistent storage so the process and world files survive an SSH disconnect or container replacement.
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- Use a password that is not reused on another account or service.
- Share the join code and password privately; the code is a locator, not a replacement for authentication.
- Back up the world before changing launch arguments, installing mods or updating the server.
- Keep a copy of your working batch file, Linux command or
SERVER_ARGSvalue. - After every restart, obtain and distribute the current join code.
- When troubleshooting, change one variable at a time: backend flag, firewall rule, port mapping or client platform.
What is confirmed—and what is still uncertain
The installation method, app ID, core launch arguments, the role of -crossplay, and the join-code workflow are consistently described by the available setup guides. The Steam-backend port range is also consistently reported.
Several details should remain qualified:
- Guides disagree about whether all announced console platforms can join self-hosted servers. Xbox and Microsoft Store participation is described, but PS5 self-hosting support is not conclusively established.
- Guides disagree about whether Switch 2 is included; most lists mention PC, Xbox and PS5 instead.
- The six-digit format and per-start reissue of join codes are reported with low confidence.
- Crossplay mod incompatibility is a report from one guide, not an official compatibility statement.
- The default 10-player cap and the need for mods to exceed it are also low-confidence reports.
- Some guides list September 9, 2026 as a Valheim 1.0 date, but no official announcement was available to confirm it. Do not use that date as a compatibility guarantee.
Before a long-term community launch, compare the current server build’s own documentation and test one PC, one Xbox or Microsoft Store client, and one PS5 client if those platforms matter to your group.
Quick Recap
Quick setup checklist
- Install Valheim Dedicated Server, Steam tools app
896660, through Steam Tools or SteamCMD anonymous login. - Choose a persistent SSD or NVMe location and back up the default launch script.
- Set
-name,-port,-world,-passwordand-public. - Add
-crossplaywhen any non-Steam or console player must join. - Start the server and wait for the world to load.
- Read the current join code from the host’s pause menu.
- Have each player choose Join Game, Add server, enter the code and then enter the password.
- If you omit
-crossplay, forward UDP 2456–2457 and use the Steam-backend connection method instead. - Test console access before depending on it, because the available documentation does not conclusively settle self-hosted PS5 and broader console support.
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