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The dependable way to keep an Enshrouded world available when its usual host is offline is Keen Games’ dedicated-server tool. On a supported Windows machine, install Enshrouded Dedicated Server from Steam’s Library Tools, run its executable once to generate enshrouded_server.json, configure the world and network settings, allow the server through your firewall and router, then start it and have players find it with Enshrouded’s dedicated-server filter.
This guide follows the documented Steam setup, explains the settings that matter, and shows how to choose between hosting the files yourself and renting a managed server.
What a dedicated Enshrouded server changes
Normal co-op hosting depends on a player launching the game and remaining available as the host. A dedicated server runs the game world as a separate process, so friends can connect while the owner is away. It can run headless in a DOS window rather than displaying the game itself.
Character progression is stored on each player’s client, while world progression is stored on the dedicated server. Building, world state and other shared changes therefore follow the server’s save files, whereas a character’s personal progression follows that player’s game installation. Back up the server’s world data before changing configuration or updating the installation.
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Choose self-hosting or a rental first
Both approaches provide an always-available world. The practical choice depends less on the game and more on who will maintain the machine and network.
| Consideration | Self-hosted server | Rented server |
|---|---|---|
| Machine and operating-system work | You provide a supported Windows computer, keep it powered on, and maintain the installation. | The provider supplies the server environment; you use its management panel or procedures. |
| Firewall and router | You must permit the configured query port and any other ports required by Steam, including router forwarding where applicable. | The provider normally handles the external network, although you still use its connection details. |
| Uptime | Uptime depends on your electricity, internet connection and maintenance schedule. | Designed for continuous availability, subject to the provider’s service and maintenance. |
| Control | Direct access to configuration, logs, save files and backups. | Control depends on the provider’s file access and management tools. |
| Cost and location | No provider rental fee, but you supply hardware, bandwidth and power. | Price, region, support quality and available controls vary. The official FAQ confirms that GPortal offers Enshrouded servers and that other providers may be used, but it does not establish current prices or service levels. |
Self-hosting is a good fit if someone in the group can maintain a Windows machine and configure network access. Renting is simpler when you want persistent uptime without administering a host. Verify a provider’s current Enshrouded support, region, pricing and backup features before paying; those details change independently of the game.
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Requirements and limits to check before installation
- Supported platform: Keen Games’ installation instructions are Windows-specific. Linux support was described as planned in that material, not as a current guarantee, so confirm the current Knowledge Base before choosing another operating system.
- Steam ownership: Purchasing and unlocking Enshrouded unlocks the dedicated-server tool in Steam’s Tools section.
- Storage: Keen Games’ February 21, 2025 Dedicated Server FAQ recommended 30 GB of free disk space and reported approximately 13 GB of uncompressed server files at that time.
- Memory: The same FAQ reported about 4.4 GB of physical RAM while idle and up to 100 MB of additional RAM per player. These are published observations from that date, not a current guaranteed hardware specification.
- Player limit:
slotCountaccepts an integer from 1 through 16. More slots increase performance impact. - Network: The server uses IPv4. The documented default query port is
15637; Steam’s own required ports also apply.
How do I install the dedicated-server tool?
- Open Steam’s Library. Enable the Tools filter or section so utility applications appear alongside games.
- Install Enshrouded Dedicated Server. Select the tool and let Steam download it. The tool becomes available after Enshrouded has been purchased and unlocked on the account.
- Open the installed-files location. In Steam, open the dedicated server’s Properties, then use the installed-files option to open its folder in File Explorer.
- Run the server executable from that folder. Keen Games recommends launching the executable directly from the installed directory rather than relying on Steam’s Launch button. The first run creates
enshrouded_server.jsonbeside the server files. - Close the process after the file is created. You can now edit the JSON configuration before starting a public session.
Keep the JSON syntax intact: use the existing quotation marks, commas and braces, and make a copy of the original file before editing. A malformed JSON file can prevent startup.
Configure the server in enshrouded_server.json
The generated file is the central place for the server name, save locations, network binding, player limit, chat and game rules. The documented defaults and choices are:
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| Setting | What it controls | Documented value or choices |
|---|---|---|
name |
The label shown to players in the server browser. | Choose a recognizable, non-offensive name that distinguishes this world from others. |
saveDirectory |
Where the world save is kept. | ./savegame by default. |
logDirectory |
Where server logs are written. | ./logs by default; older logs are archived under ./logs/backup. |
ip |
The address on which the server listens. | 0.0.0.0 by default. Change it only when your internal network setup requires a specific address. |
queryPort |
The port used for server discovery and connection queries. | 15637 by default. If you change it, update the firewall and router rules to match. |
slotCount |
The maximum number of simultaneous players. | An integer from 1 to 16. Each additional slot increases performance impact. |
| Voice chat | Whether in-game voice communication is available and how it is scoped. | Disabled by default; when enabled, choose Proximity or Global. |
| Text chat | Whether text chat is available. | Disabled by default. |
gameSettingsPreset |
The overall difficulty and survival rules. | Default, Relaxed, Hard, Survival or Custom. |
Pick a game-settings preset
- Default: The documented recommendation for first-time players.
- Relaxed: Fewer enemies and more resources and loot.
- Hard: More enemies and greater aggression.
- Survival: Adds survival mechanics and uses more aggressive enemies.
- Custom: Exposes individual settings when the presets do not match your group.
Change one setting at a time when troubleshooting. Save the file, then restart the server so the process reads the new values. Do not move the save or log directories without first copying the existing folders and confirming that the new path is writable.
Open the network ports safely
The server uses IPv4 and listens on the configured query port. With the default configuration, that is port 15637. Create an inbound rule in the Windows firewall for the server executable or the configured port, and forward the same port on the router to the Windows machine if friends are connecting from outside your home network.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsSteam also has required network ports. Keen Games’ FAQ points administrators to Steam’s current port requirements rather than reproducing a complete matrix. Do not assume that opening only 15637 is sufficient; consult Steam’s current requirements and allow only the traffic needed for your setup. If your internet provider uses carrier-grade NAT, ordinary router forwarding may not provide an inbound path, in which case a rental server or a network service that supplies a reachable address may be easier.
When you change queryPort, make the same change in every firewall, router and connection record. A mismatch can make a running server invisible even though the process itself is healthy.
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Start the server and verify that it is online
- Close any previous server process so that only one instance uses the configured files and port.
- Run the dedicated-server executable from its installed folder, as recommended by Keen Games.
- Watch the DOS window and logs while it initializes. The official FAQ identifies
HostOnline (up)!and the transition toHost_Onlineas startup indicators. - Leave that process running. Closing the window stops the world and disconnects players.
- If the process exits, inspect the newest file in the log directory, then check JSON punctuation, folder permissions, port conflicts and firewall rules before trying again.
Headless operation means the server can run without the game’s graphical client. You do not need to remain logged into a character for friends to play, but the Windows host itself must remain powered, connected and running the server process.
How do my friends join it?
- Each player starts Enshrouded and chooses Join.
- Enable the Show dedicated server filter in the browser.
- Search for the configured server name and use the star icon to favorite it once it appears.
- Select the server and connect.
Browser discovery can lag behind startup or fail when a firewall, router or port is misconfigured. If the server does not appear, open Steam’s View menu and choose Game Servers. The official FAQ says this interface can be used to add the server by IP. Use the reachable address and configured query port, then retry the connection from Enshrouded.
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Keen Games’ Dedicated Server FAQ, dated February 21, 2025, reported approximately 4.4 GB of physical RAM in an idle state and up to 100 MB more per player. It recommended 30 GB of free disk space, while the uncompressed server files were approximately 13 GB at the time. Treat these as dated operational figures: updates, operating-system overhead, world size and player activity can change actual requirements, and the figures do not establish a guaranteed performance envelope for large bases.
World saves range from about 1 MB to 100 MB depending on the world; worlds with large bases tend toward the high end. A world save is created every five minutes. Keep enough free space for several backups, logs and temporary update files rather than sizing the drive only for the initial installation.
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Back up the world correctly
- Stop the server cleanly so the latest save is no longer being written.
- Copy the entire configured
saveDirectory, including its world files, to a separate disk or protected storage. - Label backups with the date, server version and reason for the backup.
- Keep at least one backup away from the server machine in case of disk failure or ransomware.
- Restore only while the server is stopped, and preserve the current folder until you have confirmed that the restored world loads.
Backups protect world progression. They do not replace each player’s responsibility to protect client-side character data.
Keep the server compatible after game updates
Dedicated-server compatibility is update-specific. Keen Games patch notes have stated that dedicated servers need to match the client version, while a later individual hotfix explicitly said that no server update was needed for that particular change. Therefore, do not apply a blanket rule that every client patch requires the same action.
- Read the current Enshrouded patch notes after an update.
- Check whether the note calls for a dedicated-server download or says that the existing server remains compatible.
- Stop the server and back up the world before replacing files or applying an update.
- Update the Steam tool when required, then start it and wait for the normal online indicator.
- Have one player test joining before announcing the world as available to everyone.
Running mismatched client and server builds can produce connection failures or unexpected behavior. Keep the server’s version information with your backups so you can identify what changed.
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The tool is missing from Steam
Confirm that Enshrouded is purchased and unlocked on the account, then enable the Library’s Tools filter. The dedicated server is listed there rather than among ordinary games.
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The JSON file was not created
Run the executable from the installed-files folder instead of the Steam Launch button, and verify that the account has permission to write in that directory. If the process closes immediately, inspect its log output and restore a clean copy of the original installation files.
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- Confirm that the log reaches
HostOnline (up)!orHost_Online. - Check that the firewall rule uses the same port as
queryPort. - Check router forwarding and the machine’s current internal IPv4 address.
- Confirm that Steam’s other required ports have been handled.
- Use Steam’s View > Game Servers interface to add the IP as a fallback.
Players connect but the world rolls back
Stop the server and inspect the save directory and available disk space. Restore the most recent known-good world backup if the files were damaged, and avoid editing world files while the server is running.
The server becomes unstable as more people join
Reduce slotCount to the number of players your machine can support, close unrelated workloads, and monitor memory and CPU usage. The published per-player memory figure is only an observation from February 2025, not a performance guarantee; large bases and active worlds can impose additional load.
When renting is the better answer
A rental removes the need to keep a home computer online and usually reduces the amount of firewall and router work. It can be preferable when no player can maintain Windows, the group needs predictable availability, or the host’s internet connection cannot accept inbound traffic. The trade-off is less direct control over files and configuration, plus a recurring charge whose amount and terms depend on the provider.
Before ordering, verify the provider’s current Enshrouded version support, geographic region, maximum slots, backup and restore process, file access, update timing, cancellation terms and support channel. The existence of an official rental option does not establish that every provider offers the same controls or reliability.
Quick Recap
Recommended operating routine
- Keep the server name, address, port and administrator notes in a private document shared with the group.
- Back up the world before configuration changes, game updates and any experimental custom settings.
- Review logs after restarts and remove obsolete archives only after retaining a recovery copy.
- Check patch notes whenever clients update, then test one connection before opening the server to everyone.
- Limit slots to the number of players your hardware and network can handle rather than selecting 16 automatically.
- Never expose more ports than the current Steam and Enshrouded requirements call for.
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