How to join your Valheim server

Your players join your Valheim server with its Server Address, shown on the server's Overview page in the panel. Valheim is a co-op Viking survival and exploration game for 1 to 10 players (left early access as version 1.0 on 9 September 2026); a hosted dedicated server keeps your world running around the clock so friends can join without anyone having to host from their own PC.

Join in a few steps

1. Open your server in the panel. If the status badge says Offline, click Start and wait until it says Online. See How to start, stop, restart and force-stop your server.
2. On the Overview page, click the copy icon next to Server Address. It looks like address:port.

3. Note the six-digit join code printed in the Console tab. Check it again after every restart.
4. Launch Valheim and choose Join Game from the main menu.
5. To join by join code (needed for console players, and the reliable route when crossplay is on): in Join Game press Add server, paste the join code, then enter the server password when asked.
6. To join by address instead: use the Join IP button, type the address and port from the Server Address on the Overview page, then enter the server password when asked. Iron Gate says this works on crossplay servers too.
7. If you want a Steam-only server joined by address, open Settings, then Game Settings, set Enable Crossplay to off and restart. Console players can no longer join once crossplay is off.

Ports

Players only use the game port from the Server Address on the Overview page. Valheim also uses the next port up for queries. Both are set up for you, so nothing needs opening. With crossplay on, the server registers with Microsoft PlayFab, prints a join code and traffic goes through a relay; Iron Gate says crossplay servers can still be reached by public IP and port, by join code, or from the server list, but not by a local or loopback IP.

Game version

The server downloads the newest Valheim build at each start while Auto Update is on, which is the default, so after Iron Gate ships a patch restart the server to pick it up. Iron Gate has said some fixes must reach every platform at the same moment so as not to break crossplay, so keep players and server on the current patch. Switching Auto Update off holds the server on its current build, which only makes sense for a modded server. A test branch can be set in Beta Branch and only applies while Auto Update is on, at the next start.

If you cannot join

• The server must be Online. Check the badge at the top of the page.
• Copy the address again from the panel. A missing or mistyped port is the most common cause.
• Make sure every player runs a compatible game version and the same mods.
• Check the password, if you set one. See How to set up your Valheim server.
• More checks: How to join your server and Valheim server problems and fixes.