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Set a Valheim dedicated-server password in its startup script with -password "YourPassword". The value must contain at least five characters and must not appear in the server’s public name. Save the edited script, stop any running server process, start it again, and wait for the server-connected message before testing a join. The password is only one part of a successful connection: the server’s port, firewall, and crossplay mode also matter.
What the password setting actually controls
Valheim reads the password when the dedicated server starts. It is not normally changed from an in-game menu while the server is running. The launch argument is:
-password "Secret"
Iron Gate’s dedicated-server documentation lists -password alongside -name, -port, and -world. The argument belongs in the startup command used to launch the dedicated server, not in a client-side configuration or a world name.
| Argument | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
-password |
Sets the password players must enter when joining. | -password "Secret" |
-name |
Sets the public listing name shown to players. | -name "My server" |
-world |
Selects the world to load, or the world to create if it does not yet exist. | -world "Dedicated" |
-port |
Sets the base network port. Valheim also uses that port plus one. | -port 2456 |
Changing -name changes how the server is identified in the list; changing -world changes the world associated with the process. Neither option changes the password itself.
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Valheim’s password rules
Minimum length
Use five or more characters. A shorter value will not satisfy the current setup guidance, even if the script otherwise looks correct.
Keep it out of the server name
The password cannot appear in the value supplied to -name. Choose a public name that identifies the community or world without reusing any part of the password. This is both a configuration requirement and a security practice: the server name is visible to anyone who can see the listing.
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Put the value in quotes when the script syntax uses a quoted argument, as in -password "YourPassword". Use the same value when testing the join. Avoid accidentally adding a space, changing capitalization, or copying typographic quotation marks into a command that expects ordinary script quotes. If the password contains characters that your shell treats specially, keep the surrounding quotes and check the resulting command carefully.
Keep the value private
The password is stored in the startup script as plain command-line text. Do not publish that script, include the value in a screenshot, or paste it into public documentation. Share it only through a private channel with the people who should join.
Set a password on a Windows dedicated server
1. Open the dedicated-server tool
Install or open Valheim Dedicated Server from Steam’s Tools library. The tool supplies the launch script that starts the headless server.
2. Make a working copy of the startup script
Locate start_headless_server.bat and make a copy before editing it. Use the copy as your administrator-maintained script. Keeping custom settings in a copy reduces the chance that a later dedicated-server update will overwrite them.
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3. Edit the password argument
Open the copied batch file in a text editor. Find the existing -password argument and replace only its value. For example:
-password "YourPassword"Use at least five characters and make sure none of those characters appear in the server’s -name value. If the script already contains other options, leave them in place unless you intentionally need to change them.
4. Check the related identity settings
Confirm that the command still has the intended -name and -world values. A typical set of arguments might look like this:
-name "My server" -port 2456 -world "Dedicated" -password "YourPassword"The exact executable portion of the batch file can differ by installation; the important part is that the password argument is on the command used to start the dedicated server.
5. Save, restart, and wait for readiness
Save the copied script, stop any currently running dedicated-server window or process, and start the copied script. Do not test immediately while the process is still initializing. Wait until the console reports that the server is connected or otherwise ready, then attempt a client join with the new value.
Set a password on Linux
1. Identify the launch script
Use the corresponding .sh startup script supplied with the Valheim Dedicated Server installation. Keep a backup or administrator-owned copy before making changes so an update does not replace your settings.
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2. Replace the password value
Open the copy in a text editor and edit the existing argument:
-password "YourPassword"Preserve the script’s existing option order and executable command unless you have a separate reason to change them. Check the minimum length and the restriction on reusing text from -name.
3. Save and restart the process
Stop the running server, save the file, and launch the copied shell script again. A running process keeps the old startup value; editing the file alone does not change an already-started server. Wait for the server-connected message before asking a player to test.
4. Protect the script
Because the password is visible in the file, restrict access to the account or administrators who operate the server. Do not upload the script to a public repository or paste it into a support forum without removing the password first.
How to change an existing Valheim server password
- Tell connected players that the server will be restarted.
- Stop the dedicated-server process cleanly.
- Open the administrator’s copied
.bator.shstartup script. - Replace the old
-passwordvalue with a new value that follows the length and server-name rules. - Save the file without changing the argument name or removing its quotes.
- Start the server from that same copied script.
- Wait for the server-connected message, then give the new password to authorized players privately.
Players who still have the old value saved in a password field must enter the new one. If a join attempt succeeds before the restart, it was connecting to the still-running process and does not prove that the edited script has been loaded.
Why a Valheim password fails
The value is too short
Check the character count first. The current setup guidance requires at least five characters. Replace a shorter value and restart the server.
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The password appears in -name
Inspect both arguments side by side. Remove the overlap from the public name, save the script, and restart. Do not rely on changing only the listing display in a server browser; the text in the launch command is what matters.
The edited script was not the script being launched
It is common to create a copy and then continue launching the original file, or to edit one installation while Steam starts another. Start the server explicitly from the administrator’s copied script and verify that the console output belongs to that process.
The server was not restarted
Password options are read at startup. Stop the old process completely, launch the edited file, and wait for readiness. Closing an editor or saving the file while the server is running is not enough.
Quotation or character mismatch
Compare the value in the script with the value entered by the player, including capitalization and spaces. Use ordinary script quotation marks and avoid copying a trailing space. If the value includes shell-sensitive characters, keep it enclosed in quotes and test with a simple temporary value that meets the rules.
The player is reaching a different server
If one player can join with the expected value while another receives a password error, confirm the server name, world, address, and port with both players. A similarly named listing or an old process can make a correct password appear to fail.
Networking is being mistaken for an authentication error
Once the password rules and restart have been checked, verify the network path. The default dedicated-server ports are 2456 and 2457. Firewall rules, router forwarding, or an incorrect port can prevent a client from reaching the intended server at all.
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Ports, firewall, and crossplay
Default port pair
Valheim uses the port specified by -port and the next port as well. With the default setting, that pair is 2456–2457. If you choose another base port, account for both the selected port and the selected port plus one in firewall and router rules.
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For a server reachable directly from outside a home network, router and firewall configuration may be required. The exact steps depend on the router, operating system, and network layout, so first confirm that the dedicated-server process is listening on the intended pair and that the operating system firewall allows it.
What -crossplay changes
Iron Gate’s guide explains that the -crossplay backend does not require router port forwarding. That changes the connectivity setup, not the password rules: the startup script still needs a valid -password value, and the server still needs to be restarted after edits.
Using a private, unlisted server
The official options include -public 0, which makes the server invisible in the public list and allows joining through the game’s Join IP button. This controls discoverability; it does not replace the password or alter the minimum-length requirement.
Understand the other startup options before troubleshooting
| Setting | What players notice | What changing it does not do |
|---|---|---|
-name |
Changes the server name shown in the list. | It does not set or update the password. |
-world |
Chooses the loaded world, or names a new world to create. | It does not identify a password or migrate one between worlds. |
-port |
Determines the base network port used by the process. | It does not bypass firewall or router requirements. |
-public 0 |
Hides the server from the public list; players can use Join IP. | It does not disable password protection. |
-crossplay |
Uses the crossplay backend. | It does not permit an invalid password. |
Save a record of the intended values for all of these options, but keep the password itself in a private password manager or restricted administrator note rather than in a public setup document.
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Self-hosting versus renting a managed server
The password syntax is the same idea whether the process runs on your own computer or on a rented host: edit the startup configuration, restart the server, and test a client join. The operational trade-offs are different.
| Decision factor | Home machine | Rented managed host |
|---|---|---|
| Cost pattern | Uses hardware and electricity you already provide; no provider price is established here. | Uses a recurring hosting charge; the amount depends on the provider and plan. |
| Availability | The host computer and its network must stay online for the world to be reachable. | The provider keeps the assigned machine online according to its service terms. |
| Administration | You maintain Windows or Linux, the script, updates, firewall, and backups. | The provider may supply a control panel and support, but the exact features vary. |
| Networking | You may need router forwarding and local firewall changes unless using the crossplay backend. | The host normally handles datacenter networking; confirm its port and crossplay support. |
| Backups | You control where world files are copied and how often they are retained. | Backup frequency and restoration controls depend on the host’s service. |
| Location and latency | Players connect to your home network location. | You can often select a geographic region, subject to the host’s locations. |
| Capacity | Limited by your hardware, bandwidth, and other workloads. | Limited by the plan’s allocated resources and the provider’s policies. |
| Support | You diagnose script, operating-system, and network problems yourself. | Support scope depends on the provider; verify it before subscribing. |
Do not choose a host solely because it advertises a control panel. Confirm that you can edit the password argument, restart the process, select the required world, use the desired port or crossplay mode, and recover world backups.
Operational checklist for a reliable password change
- Use an administrator-owned copy of the startup script.
- Set a value of at least five characters.
- Ensure the value does not appear in
-name. - Keep the value out of screenshots, public repositories, and shared documentation.
- Confirm that
-worldstill points to the intended world. - Confirm the base port and its companion port, 2456–2457 by default.
- Decide whether
-crossplayor-public 0is appropriate for the way players will connect. - Stop the old process before starting the edited script.
- Wait for the server-connected message before testing.
- If joining fails, check the password rule first, then the script being launched, then ports and firewall configuration.
Permissions and world files are separate from the password
Iron Gate’s documentation also describes default save locations and separate adminlist.txt, bannedlist.txt, and permittedlist.txt files for permissions. Those files are maintained independently of the startup password. Changing a password does not replace a ban, grant administrator access, or select a different world; manage each function in its own configuration.
Quick diagnostic sequence
- Read the running command and confirm that it contains the intended
-passwordvalue. - Check that the value meets the minimum length and is absent from
-name. - Verify that you edited the copied script that is actually being launched.
- Stop and restart the process, then wait for the server-connected message.
- Have the player enter the new value exactly, without an extra space.
- Confirm the player is selecting the intended server and world.
- Check ports 2456 and 2457, or the chosen base port and its next port, in the firewall and router.
- If
-crossplayis enabled, use the crossplay connection method and do not assume ordinary router forwarding is required.
This order prevents a network problem from being misdiagnosed as a password problem and prevents an old server process from hiding a successful configuration change.
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