How to update your Valheim server and hold a version

Your Valheim server installs the newest game version every time it starts, while Auto Update is on. When Steam has a newer Valheim than your server, Settings, Game Settings shows A new Valheim version is out with three ways to restart and update. To stay on one version, switch Auto Update off under Show advanced. Players and server must run the same version.

Update when a new version is out

1. Open your server in the panel and click Settings, then Game Settings.
2. The notice A new Valheim version is out says which build Steam has and which one your server runs. Players on the new version cannot join until the server updates.

3. Choose how the server should restart:

   • Warn, then restart: players see a message in game 5 minutes and 1 minute before, the world is saved, then the server restarts. It takes 5 minutes and needs PlayNHost Tools.
   • Restart when nobody is online: the panel checks every 2 minutes and restarts as soon as the server is empty. It stops waiting after 12 hours.
   • Restart now: players are disconnected right away. The world is saved as the server stops.
4. Click the button: Warn and restart, Restart when empty or Restart and update.

While a warned or waiting restart is under way, the notice says so and offers Cancel the restart. The Console shows the download when the server starts.

On the Valheim BepInEx and Valheim Plus Mod types the notice adds: This server loads mods. A game update can stop a mod working until its author releases an update, so check your mods first. See How to update mods on your Valheim server.

Update without the notice

Any restart updates the server while Auto Update is on: use Restart in the power menu, or Stop then Start. The Daily restart early every morning does it for you: How to schedule restarts and backups for your Valheim server.

Hold the server on one version

You may want this on a modded server, when a game patch arrives before your mods are updated.

1. Click Settings, then Game Settings.
2. Scroll down and click Show advanced.
3. Switch Auto Update off.

4. Restart the server. It now stays on the version it has.

While the server is held back, players whose game has updated cannot join. When a new version is out, the notice still appears: with Auto Update off, its button installs the new version for that one restart only. Switch Auto Update on again when your mods catch up.

Try a test branch

Beta Branch, under Show advanced, runs one of the game's test branches. Enter the branch name exactly as the developers publish it, and leave it blank for the normal version. It only applies while Auto Update is on, and takes effect at the next start. If the branch is locked with a password from the developers, enter it in Beta Password.

Check and repair the game files

If the server misbehaves after an update, switch Verify Game Files on under Show advanced and restart. Each start then checks every game file against Steam and repairs anything missing or damaged. It makes starts slower and only runs while Auto Update is on, so switch it off again afterwards.

After you change server type

Auto Update goes back to on and the beta settings are cleared after a type switch. Check them again. See How to switch your Valheim server to BepInEx or Valheim Plus.

If players cannot join after an update

See Valheim players get a version mismatch after an update.