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Valheim 1.0 Dedicated Server Setup and Cross-Platform Multiplayer Guide

Deploy a Valheim 1.0 dedicated server: SteamCMD 896660, UDP 2456~2458 forwarding, key startup arguments, -crossplay options, adminlist.txt permissions, and open-source LGSM management.

The Viking sandbox survival game Valheim opened its final biome, the Deep North, with the 1.0 release. For long-running group adventures, a Dedicated Server keeps camp smelting, longhouse construction, and crop growing running while the host is offline. This article covers setup and long-term tuning for the 1.0 server architecture.

1. Server hardware baseline

Specification 2~5-player Viking group Full 10-player exploration guild
CPU 4 cores / 3.0GHz+ 6~8 cores / 3.5GHz+
Memory (RAM) 8 GB physical RAM 16 GB physical RAM
Storage 20 GB SSD 50 GB SSD
Upload bandwidth 10 Mbps dedicated 25 Mbps ~ 40 Mbps dedicated

2. Install the dedicated server with SteamCMD

Download the dedicated server anonymously through SteamCMD (AppID 896660):

Shell
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quit

After the download, the Windows executable is valheim_server.exe and the Linux startup script is valheim_server.sh.

3. Network port planning

Default port Protocol Purpose Router forwarding
2456 UDP Main direct client connection (GamePort) Required
2457 UDP Steam/PlayFab queries and lobby listings (QueryPort) Required
2458 UDP Cross-platform or fallback connection Recommended

4. Startup script and arguments explained

Copy start_headless_server.bat from the root and write the actual startup command:

Batch
@echo off
set SteamAppId=896660

valheim_server.exe -nographics -batchmode -name "LanGame Valheim 1.0" -port 2456 -world "Dedicated" -password "your_secret_pwd" -crossplay -savedir "C:\ValheimData"

Key arguments:

  • -name: Name displayed in the server list (at least one character).
  • -port: Communication port, default 2456.
  • -world: World save name; automatically creates a new world if the specified one does not exist.
  • -password: Join password; at least 5 characters, and it must not appear in the server name.
  • -crossplay: Cross-platform multiplayer switch. Enables registration with Microsoft's PlayFab relay so Steam, PC Game Pass, and Xbox players can join together. If everyone uses PC Steam, removing -crossplay is recommended for lower direct-connection latency and better resilience to packet loss.
  • -savedir: Explicit world data directory, avoiding the hidden default AppData/LocalLow/IronGate path.

5. Grant administrator permissions: adminlist.txt

Enter administrator 64-bit SteamIDs or PlayFab IDs in adminlist.txt under the save directory, one per line:

Config
76561198000000000

Administrators can press F5 in-game to open the console and enter maintenance commands (such as save, kick <player name>, and ban <player name>).

6. Choose an approach: manual configuration or LanGame Server Manager (LGSM)

Manual Valheim maintenance requires checking batch scripts at each update and lacks graphical World Modifiers settings.

We recommend the official open-source dedicated server management platform to automate routine administration:

LGSM provides the following for Valheim 1.0:

  1. One-click World Modifiers: Edit portal restrictions (allow raw metal teleportation), death drops, and resource gathering multipliers graphically.
  2. Cross-platform relay switching as needed: Select -crossplay visually with real-time feedback on the current direct connection mode.
  3. Automatic world snapshots: Create compressed .fwl and .db backups before challenging The Elder, Moder, or the Deep North boss.
  4. Self-healing supervision: Monitors process heartbeats in the background and restarts safely after unexpected disconnection.