Valheim Server Updates

How Updates Work on GameGrid

When Iron Gate releases a Valheim update, the dedicated server software (Steam App 896660) is updated on Steam. GameGrid detects it and, by default, applies it for you.

The control is on the Admin tab, in the Game Updates card: a switch called "Automatically apply game updates", which is ON unless you turn it off. Under it the panel shows which build your server is running, and a badge when a newer one is available.

When an update is available there is also an "Update now" button, whether or not the switch is on. That is the manual route - there is no "Check for Updates" control, and updating is not something you trigger by restarting.

The sequence the platform runs is: stage the new build on the host, take a pre-update backup, warn anyone playing, stop the server, move it to the new build, start it, and record the build that actually landed. If it fails, the server is rolled back to the build it was on and the panel says why.

It runs as a job rather than a page request, so it can take several minutes on a large patch. The panel reports the result on its own and you can leave the page.

The build that lands is whichever is newest on the branch, so it may not be the exact version number the panel detected. The panel says so when they differ.

When to Update

When Iron Gate releases a game update, all players must update their Valheim client to the new version. The server must also be updated to match. If the server and client versions do not match, players will see a "version mismatch" error and cannot connect.

GameGrid applies server updates automatically. If your players are getting version mismatch errors, check the Game Updates card on the Admin tab: either an update is available and you can press "Update now", or the server is already on the newest build and the mismatch is on the client side.

If you are running mods, turn the auto-update switch OFF before the patch lands. Wait until your mods have been updated for the new Valheim version. See below.

Updates and Mods

Game updates frequently break BepInEx and its plugins. The loader itself is usually updated within hours of a game patch, but individual mods may take days or weeks.

Turn "Automatically apply game updates" OFF on the Admin tab if you run mods you cannot afford to have broken. That is the only way to hold a server on its current build; there is no version pin.

Before updating a modded server:

1. Check for updated versions of each mod you use.

2. Remove any mod that has not been updated yet from BepInEx/plugins/ using the Files tab. An outdated mod can crash the server on load.

3. Press "Update now" on the Admin tab, or turn auto-update back on.

4. Restart and check the Console tab and BepInEx/LogOutput.log for errors.

5. Reinstall the mods as their updates land, one at a time, restarting after each.

GameGrid reinstalls BepInEx and the GameGrid Bridge itself on every start, so you never have to update those two by hand.

Version Mismatch Errors

If players see "Incompatible version" or "Version mismatch" when trying to connect:

1. The server is running an older build than the player's client. Open the Admin tab and press "Update now" in the Game Updates card. Restarting alone does not fetch a new build.

2. If the server was just updated but players still see the error, have them restart their Steam client to force a client update.

3. For crossplay players: Xbox and Game Pass clients update through the Microsoft Store, which can lag behind Steam. They may get the patch at a different time.

4. If the issue persists, compare the build shown in the Game Updates card on the Admin tab against the latest version on the Valheim Steam page.

Pre-Update Checklist

1. Create a manual backup with "Create Backup Now" on the Backups tab. The platform also takes one automatically immediately before an update, but a labelled one of your own is easier to find.

2. If modded, verify all your mods have updated versions.

3. Notify your players. The platform warns anyone connected before it stops the server, but a few minutes' notice from you is better.

4. Press "Update now" on the Admin tab, or leave auto-update on and let it happen.

5. Watch the Game Updates card for the result. It reports the build that landed, or the reason it failed.

6. Connect and verify the world is intact. If anything is wrong, restore from the backup.