Valheim – First-Time Setup

From order to a ready-to-use server

Once your payment is completed, the server is built automatically and delivered to you already set up. We will send you an email as soon as it is ready.

During the build, we take care of the following on our side. There is nothing you need to prepare yourself.

• Downloading the game server itself and verifying that all files are complete
• Assigning the required ports
• Generating a join password dedicated to that server

Logging in to the game panel

All server operations are done from the game panel, which you use in your browser.

1. Use the details in your order completion email to log in to the game panel.
2. After logging in, select the Valheim server on your account.
3. From the menu on the left you can move to screens such as Console, Files, Backups, Network, Schedules and Startup.

Checking the settings

Server settings are configured on the game panel's Startup screen. What you enter is saved automatically and takes effect the next time the server starts.

You can play with the default settings as they are. Only change them when you want to.

Changing the world modifiers

Enter your settings in the World Modifiers (Valheim 1.0) field on the game panel's Startup screen, then restart the server to apply them.

The format is -modifier <key> <value>. To set several, separate them with spaces.

-modifier combat easy -modifier deathpenalty casual -modifier resources more

On/off settings (-setkey)

World modifiers come in two kinds. The -modifier settings described above choose a level (such as combat difficulty), while the -setkey settings described here turn something on or off. Both go in the same field, separated by spaces.

-modifier combat easy -setkey playerevents

Reverting the settings

To revert them, use -resetmodifiers.

1. Stop the server.
2. Set the World Modifiers (Valheim 1.0) field to -resetmodifiers and nothing else.
3. Start the server. The settings are now back to their defaults.
4. Stop the server again.
5. Clear the field. If you want different settings instead, enter them here.
6. Start the server.

Common mistakes

These are the mistakes we see most often. In each case the server still starts, but that one entry has no effect. We have confirmed every one of them on our own test server.

Starting the server

On the game panel's Console screen, press the Start button.

1. The first start takes several minutes. This is because the world is generated from scratch.
2. When the status turns Online and the connection details appear at the top of the console, the server is ready.
3. From the second start onward it finishes in a few seconds, because the world already exists.
4. When you change a setting, restart the server to apply it.

Checking the join password

If you leave [SERVER] Join Password blank, a password dedicated to that server is generated automatically on the first start. The same password is never reused across servers.

1. Open the game panel's Files screen.
2. Open valheim_password.txt in the top-level directory (home).
3. The string written in it is the join password for that server.

Joining the server

How people join depends on the crossplay setting. Start by checking which setting your server is using.

Method A: Enter the server address and port directly

This method works whether crossplay is on or off. The address does not change when the server restarts, so once you have noted it down you can use it every time.

1. Open the Console screen in the game panel and look at Address: ***.***.***.***:***** printed at the top (the same value is also shown at the top of the panel).
2. Start Valheim, pick your character and world, and open the Join Game screen.
3. In the field for joining by IP, enter address:port exactly as shown.
4. Enter the join password you looked up above, and you are in.

Method B: Enter with a join code (only when crossplay is on)

Servers with crossplay on are issued a 6-digit join code. Share the code and people can join without being told the address.

1. Open the Console screen in the game panel.
2. Look for a line reading Session "server name" registered with join code ...... (it appears one or two minutes after startup).
3. The 6 digits on that line are the join code.

Joining across platforms

To play together with people on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox, the Microsoft Store edition or Game Pass, turn Enable Crossplay on on the Startup screen of the game panel and restart the server. Once it is on, a 6-digit join code is issued, and sharing it lets people join from any of those platforms (Method B).

If everyone plays on Steam, leaving it off is perfectly fine. With crossplay off, connections do not pass through a relay server, so latency may be lower.

PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox

On these platforms you cannot host a dedicated server (you can still join one).
If you want your world to keep running while nobody has the game open, use a dedicated server.

About mods

Mods (BepInEx) cannot be used on our Valheim servers.

In Valheim, crossplay and the mod loading mechanism cannot both be active — that is how the game itself works. We prioritise a setup in which any server can be switched over to crossplay, so we do not offer a configuration for mods.

Backups

There are two backup mechanisms. Both are active by default.

Where the world data is stored

The world data is stored in the following location.

• .config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/
• <world name>/ — the world data (a folder containing several files)

Migrate a World from Another Server or PC

You can transfer and continue playing with a world from another server or your own PC.

What You Need

Prepare the folder (all contents) of the world you want to migrate.

• From another server … On the source server's file screen or via FTP, download the entire world name folder located inside worlds_local.
• From your own PC (Windows) … Enter %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local in the Explorer address bar to open it, and you will find the world name folder.

Procedure

1. Stop the server in the game panel.
2. As a precaution, create a backup on the "Backup" screen.
3. On the "Files" screen, open .config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/, create a folder with the same name as the world, and upload all files into it.
   • The folder name must be the same as the source (do not change the name).
   • For the 2 files in pre-1.0 format, place them directly under worlds_local/ without creating a folder.

   

4. On the "Startup" screen, set World Name to the same name as that folder (match uppercase and lowercase). ★Change this before starting the server.

   

5. Start the server.
6. On the "Console" screen, verify that it loaded correctly.
   • Check if the ワールド : <world name> displayed at the top matches the uploaded folder name
   • Check if the ZNet.LoadWorld: <world name> (<world name>), save number <number> number matches the number in the uploaded _main.<number>
   • If both match, the migrated world has been loaded.

   

   

7. Wait 1–2 minutes, then join using the newly displayed join code (or connection destination) (see "Join the Server").

Notes

• The _main.<number> number increases by 1 with each save (e.g., 757 → 758). This is normal behavior, so do not rename files back or re-upload them.
• Do not create copies of files within the save folder. This will prevent loading and cause a new world to be created with each startup.
• The <world name>_backup_auto-<date> folder is an automatic backup created by Valheim. The date and time in the folder name is in UTC (9 hours behind Japan time).
• Characters are saved on each player's PC or game console. There is no need to migrate them to the server.
• Do not delete files from the source until you have confirmed the new server works correctly.

Adding an administrator

To allow admin commands to be used in game, write the Steam IDs, one per line, in the following file.

• .config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/adminlist.txt

In the same location there are also bannedlist.txt (the list of players who are refused) and permittedlist.txt (the list of players who are allowed).

Troubleshooting

Next steps

• Logging in to the game panel and feature overview — how to use the panel as a whole
• How to set up a recurring schedule on your game server — automatic restarts and automatic backups
• Restoring from a backup
• How to add an administrator to your server
• Valheim Dedicated Server — plans and pricing