Valheim Frequently Asked Questions

Server Setup

How many players can join a Valheim server? Valheim itself stops at 10 - the number is compiled into the game and it has no setting for it. GameGrid can raise it by installing Azumatt's MaxPlayerCount plugin, which is server-side only, so nobody joining installs anything. Open a support ticket to ask for it; once it is on your server a Max Players field appears in Settings. GameGrid supports up to 16.

Do I need to own Valheim to run a server? No. The dedicated server software (Steam App 896660) is free and does not require a Valheim licence on the host. Every player who connects must own Valheim on their platform.

How much RAM does a Valheim server need? GameGrid allocates resources according to your plan automatically. Large, long-lived worlds with extensive building use more.

What ports does Valheim use? GameGrid gives every server a 100-port block from the 28000-39000 pool: the game port at the base, the Steam query socket at base + 1, and the GameGrid Bridge on loopback at base + 3. They are assigned and firewalled automatically and are not editable. See the Ports guide.

Is a password required? No. Server Password is blank by default and an open server is fine. If you set one it must be at least 5 characters and must not appear inside the server name. You do need one to be listed in the community server browser - Valheim refuses to list a server with no password.

Crossplay

Does Valheim support crossplay? Yes, and it is ON by default on GameGrid. It runs the server on Microsoft's PlayFab backend so Steam (including Mac and Linux), Xbox, Game Pass, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 players share one world. See the Crossplay guide for how each platform joins.

How does everyone connect on a crossplay server? By the six-digit Crossplay Join Code shown in Connection Info on the server Overview tab - Steam players included. A crossplay server relays traffic through PlayFab and does not listen on its own game port, so its address will not accept a connection. Turn crossplay off if you want a Steam-only server joined by address.

Why does the Join Code keep changing? PlayFab issues a new one on every restart. There is also a gap of about a minute after a start before the first one exists.

Can Game Pass players join non-crossplay servers? No. Game Pass clients cannot switch to the Steam backend, so they can only join crossplay-enabled servers.

Do mods work with crossplay? Server-side mods are fine - the GameGrid Bridge is one, and it runs on every server. Game-changing mods that need a matching client mod will break Xbox and Game Pass players, who cannot install BepInEx. Run a vanilla server if your group includes them.

World and Saves

Where are my world saves stored? In the worlds_local directory inside your server folder, accessible from the Files tab. Each world has a .db (data) and .fwl (metadata) file. The admin, permitted and banned lists sit one level up, at the root of the server folder.

How often does the server save? Every 30 minutes by default (Save Interval, in Settings under Performance). The server also saves on graceful shutdown.

Can I upload my existing world? Yes. Stop the server, upload the .db and .fwl files to worlds_local via the Files tab, set the World Name to match, and start the server. See the Import World guide.

How do I reset my world? Stop the server, delete the .db and .fwl files from worlds_local, and start again - a fresh world is generated. Delete Savegames on the Admin tab does the same thing without file management. Wipe Server on that tab is a different, larger action: it resets the whole server to a fresh install. Always back up first.

What happens if the server crashes? Progress since the last autosave is lost. Restore from a GameGrid backup or from the .old files. Reducing the Save Interval (e.g. to 600 seconds) reduces the maximum progress loss.

Mods

Can I install mods on my Valheim server? Yes. BepInEx is installed for you on every server start, and the Mods tab browses Nexus Mods and Thunderstore, which are the marketplaces configured for Valheim on GameGrid. Anything neither carries can be uploaded into BepInEx/plugins yourself.

Do all mods need to be on the server? No. Some are server-side only, some client-side only, and some need to be on both. Check each mod's own description.

Will mods break after a game update? Frequently. Game updates can break BepInEx and its plugins. Wait for mod authors to update their mods before updating a modded server.

Administration

How do I become an admin? Add your identifier to the Admin List in Settings > Player Management, then restart the server. Use the Valheim 1.0 form: a single-letter platform prefix, an underscore and the numeric ID - V_ followed by your SteamID64 for Steam, M_ for Xbox, S_ for PlayStation, N_ for Nintendo. The bare number will not match, and the old Steam_ and Xbox_ prefixes no longer work.

What admin commands are available? In the in-game console (F5): kick, ban, unban, banned, ping, info, lodbias and save. Cheat commands (god, fly, spawn) require the Server Devcommands mod. See the Admin Commands guide.

Can I whitelist my server? Yes. Add players to the Permitted List in Settings > Player Management and restart. While it has any entry in it, only those players may join.

How do I kick or ban a player? The in-game console (F5) acts on the running server immediately: kick [name] or ban [name]. The Banned List in Settings > Player Management is the durable version and needs a restart.

Performance

Why is my server lagging? The most common cause is building piece count. A single base with 3000+ pieces will cause lag for everyone who enters the area. Other causes: too many tamed animals, excessive terrain modification, and long-lived worlds with many ZDOs.

How do I reduce desync? Reduce building piece counts and spread players across multiple bases first - those cost nothing. For an all-Steam group, a networking mod that raises Valheim's data-rate cap helps, but it must be installed on every client too, so it locks out Xbox and Game Pass players.

Why does my server take long to start? Loading a large existing world can take 30-60 seconds. A heavily modded server may take 2-3 minutes due to BepInEx mod initialization.

Gameplay

What is the progression order? Meadows (Eikthyr) > Black Forest (The Elder) > Swamp (Bonemass) > Mountains (Moder) > Plains (Yagluth) > Mistlands (The Queen) > Ashlands (Fader).

Can I change the difficulty? Yes. World Preset is in Settings under World; the five individual modifiers are under Gameplay. Presets run from Casual to Hardcore, and an individual modifier overrides its own category of whichever preset you chose.

Can I disable raids? Yes. Set Raids Modifier to None under Gameplay, or use the Casual preset.

Can I build freely without resource costs? Yes. Use the Hammer preset, or turn on the No Build Cost toggle under Gameplay.

Can I play without the map? Yes. Use the Immersive preset, or turn on the Disable Map toggle under Gameplay.

Do any of these apply without a restart? No. Every Valheim setting is a launch argument, so all of them need the server restarted.

Platform and Pricing

What does a Valheim server cost? One flat monthly price per server, not per player slot. Valheim's game group, the games it includes and the current price are all shown on the order page. Ordering several servers at once applies a volume discount at checkout, starting at 3.

Can I switch my server to a different game? Yes, to any game in your plan group, at no extra cost. A slot runs one game server at a time, so the switch is done by deleting the server and creating a new one in the same slot - there is no in-place swap. Back up your world first; deleting the server deletes its files.

Is DDoS protection included? Yes. Network-level DDoS mitigation is included on every GameGrid server through our infrastructure provider, at no extra cost. Protection is always on and requires no configuration.

Do you offer refunds? If you experience a service issue caused by the platform, contact billing@wdcgamegrid.com within 7 days. For subscription renewals, you can request a refund within 72 hours of the renewal charge.