Valheim Server Setup Guide

Overview

Valheim is a co-op Viking survival game by Iron Gate AB. A dedicated server provides a persistent world that stays online whether or not anyone is connected, so your group can drop in and out without anyone needing to host from their own game client.

GameGrid provisions your Valheim server with the latest dedicated server build (Steam App ID 896660), crossplay enabled by default, and automatic updates. You do not need to install SteamCMD, configure port forwarding, or edit batch files - everything is managed from the control panel.

GameGrid also installs the BepInEx mod loader and the GameGrid Bridge plugin on every start, on new and existing servers alike. The bridge is what the Game Tools page, the live map and the economy talk to; there is nothing for you to install and nothing for your players to install.

Server Requirements and Limits

Max players: Valheim itself stops at 10 and offers no setting or launch argument to change it. GameGrid can raise it by installing Azumatt's MaxPlayerCount plugin, which is server-side only - nobody joining installs anything. Once it is present, a Max Players setting appears in Settings (up to 64; GameGrid supports up to 16, and higher values carry a performance warning). If you need more than 10, open a support ticket to have the plugin installed.

RAM and disk: GameGrid allocates resources according to your plan automatically. Large, long-lived worlds with extensive building use more of both.

Network: ports are assigned from GameGrid's own 28000-39000 pool and firewalled automatically. They are not editable, and you never configure port forwarding. See the Ports guide for what each one does.

Configuring Your Server

Open the Settings tab for your Valheim server. Settings are grouped into categories down the left-hand side - Basic, World, Gameplay, Performance, Security, Game Tools and System - and a Save Changes button sits at the bottom. Every Valheim setting needs a restart to take effect.

Basic - Server Name: the name shown in the community server browser.

Basic - List in Server Browser: OFF by default, so a new server is not listed. Valheim refuses to list a server that has no password, so this only takes effect once a Server Password is set.

World - World Name: the name of the world file to load or create. A new world is generated on first boot if it does not exist. Changing this on a live server loads a different (or fresh) world - back up first.

World - World Preset: sets a bundle of world modifiers. Normal, Casual, Easy, Hard, Hardcore, Immersive or Hammer. See the World Modifiers guide.

Security - Server Password: optional. Leave it blank for an open server. If you set one it must be at least 5 characters and must not appear inside the server name, or Valheim refuses to start. A password is also the precondition for being listed in the browser.

Security - Enable Crossplay: ON by default. Runs the server on the PlayFab backend so Xbox and Game Pass players can join, and makes the six-digit join code the way in for everyone. Turn it off for a Steam-only server joined by address.

Gameplay - the individual modifiers (Combat, Death Penalty, Resources, Raids, Portals) and ten on/off toggles: No Build Cost, No Crafting Cost, No Workbench Required, All Build Pieces Unlocked, All Recipes Unlocked, Allow Building in Dungeons, Always Fire, Player-Based Raids, Passive Enemies and Disable Map.

Performance - Save Interval: how often the world autosaves. Default 1800 seconds (30 minutes); range 600-86400.

Performance - Number of Backups: how many of Valheim's own rolling backups it keeps. Default 4, range 1-10.

Performance - Short Backup Interval: time until the first automatic backup. Default 7200 seconds (2 hours).

Performance - Long Backup Interval: interval between subsequent backups. Default 43200 seconds (12 hours).

Game Tools - Show All Players on the Admin Map and Capture Chat With One Player Online. Both are covered in the Game Tools guide.

System - Game Port, Query Port, Crossplay Join Code and World Save Directory are read-only. The platform assigns them.

Starting and Stopping

Start: click Start in the control panel. The server boots, loads (or generates) the world, and begins accepting connections. A fresh world generates in under a minute; loading a large existing world may take 30-60 seconds.

Stop: click Stop. GameGrid sends a graceful shutdown signal and waits up to 120 seconds for the server to save and exit. Always stop the server this way - never kill the process directly, or the world save since the last autosave is lost.

Restart: click Restart to stop and start in one action. Useful for applying setting changes that require a restart.

Connecting to Your Server

With crossplay on (the default), everybody joins by the six-digit Crossplay Join Code shown in Connection Info on the Overview tab - Steam players included. The server relays traffic through PlayFab and does not listen on its own game port, so its address will not accept a connection.

The join code changes on every restart, and takes about a minute to appear after a start. Share the current one.

With crossplay off, Steam players join by address instead: Join Game > Add Server > the host and port from Connection Info, e.g. 203.0.113.50:28000.

Community browser: only on a Steam-only server, and only once "List in Server Browser" is on and a Server Password is set. A newly started server takes several minutes to appear.

Full step-by-step instructions for both routes are in the Connect guide and the Crossplay guide.

First Boot Checklist

1. Start the server once and wait for the dashboard to show it as Online. The first start is also what installs the mod loader and the GameGrid Bridge, so the Game Tools page comes up after it.

2. Confirm the server name and, if you want one, the password in Settings.

3. Note the Crossplay Join Code from Connection Info on the Overview tab. If crossplay is off, note the Server Address instead.

4. Connect from your own Valheim client to verify you can get in.

5. Optional: add yourself to the Admin List in Settings > Player Management, then restart (see the Admin Commands guide).

6. Optional: adjust world modifiers from the Settings tab (see the World Modifiers guide).

7. Optional: take a manual backup from the Backups tab once the world is how you want it.