Valheim Dedicated Server: Admin Commands & Hosting Guide
Data Verified: May 2026The ultimate Valheim server guide. Discover essential devcommands, server config parameters, and the hardware requirements for smooth 10+ player communities.
Commands & configuration database
| Command | Default Value | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
-name | My Valheim Server | The name of your server in the browser. | |
-port | 2456 | The port used for the dedicated server. | |
-world | Dedicated | The name of the world file to load. | |
-password | password | The server join password. | |
-public | 1 | 1 = Public, 0 = Private. |
Showing 5 of 5 configuration parameters.
| Command | Default Value | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
devcommands | N/A | Enables administrative console commands. | |
god | N/A | Toggles God mode (invincibility). | |
spawn <item> <amount> | N/A | Spawns a specific item or creature. | |
teleport <x>,<z>,<y> | N/A | Teleports the player to specific world coordinates. | |
goto <x>,<z> | N/A | Teleports player to map coordinates. | |
location | N/A | Teleports player to a random location. | |
killall | N/A | Kills all nearby enemies. | |
tame | N/A | Tames all nearby creatures. | |
debugmode | N/A | Enables creative mode (freebuild/no-cost). | |
pos | N/A | Prints current player coordinates in chat. | |
exploremap | N/A | Reveals the entire world map. | |
resetmap | N/A | Hides map exploration. | |
removedrops | N/A | Clears all loose items on the ground. | |
optterrain | N/A | Optimizes terrain heightmap data. | |
raiseskill <skill> <amount> | N/A | Levels up a specific skill (e.g., raiseskill run 30). | |
setkey <key> | N/A | Sets a global world key (boss/progression state). | |
resetkeys <key> | N/A | Removes a global world key. | |
listkeys | N/A | Lists all active world keys. | |
setworldmodifier <modifier> <value> | N/A | Sets world rules (Combat, DeathPenalty, Resources, Raids, Portals). | |
setworldpreset <preset> | N/A | Applies world presets (Normal, Hard, Casual, Hammer). | |
kick <player> | N/A | Kicks a player by name or ID. | |
ban <player> | N/A | Bans a player by name or ID. | |
unban <ID> | N/A | Unbans a player. | |
banned | N/A | Lists all banned players. | |
save | N/A | Forces a world save. | |
ping | N/A | Displays server latency. | |
info | N/A | Displays server version and world info. |
Showing 27 of 27 admin console commands.
Recommended hosting providers
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Visit Shockbyte →Hardware specifications
Sizing guidance for self-hosting a Valheim dedicated server.
| Tier | Specification | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| Small Group (1-4 players) | 4GB RAM / 2 Cores | Vanilla world, casual co-op play with friends. |
| Community Server (5-10 players) | 8GB RAM / 4 Cores | Larger explored worlds and light mod usage (Valheim Plus). |
| Heavy Modded (10+ players) | 16GB RAM / 6 Cores | Large modpacks (Epic Loot, Jotunn) and high-pop communities. |
Default file locations
Default installation paths for Valheim dedicated servers installed via SteamCMD.
Windows
C:\valheimserver\Linux
/home/steam/valheimserver/Pro-Tip: Always stop the server completely before editing configuration files, or the server will overwrite your changes upon restart.
Default ports for port forwarding
Open these on your router and firewall before exposing the server to the internet.
| Service | Protocol | Port |
|---|---|---|
| Game Port | UDP | 2456 |
| Query Port | UDP | 2457 |
| RCON / Telnet | - | N/A |
Quick start: launch your Valheim server
Copy-paste these two commands to install and start a Valheim dedicated server. Tested against SteamCMD on a fresh box.
Step 1, Install via SteamCMDSteam App ID 896660
steamcmd +force_install_dir /home/steam/valheim +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quitStep 2, Launch the Valheim server
cd /home/steam/valheim && ./start_server.sh -name "My Valheim Server" -port 2456 -world "Dedicated" -password "secret123" -public 1Note: On Linux, edit start_server.sh and set the password/world before first launch.
Step 1, Install via SteamCMDSteam App ID 896660
steamcmd +force_install_dir "C:\valheim" +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quitStep 2, Launch the Valheim server
C:\valheim\valheim_server.exe -nographics -batchmode -name "My Valheim Server" -port 2456 -world "Dedicated" -password "secret123" -public 1Note: Password must be at least 5 characters and cannot contain the world or server name.
Starter start_server.sh
A working baseline config with sensible defaults for Valheim. Copy it, tweak the marked values, and drop it into your server directory.
#!/bin/bash
# Valheim dedicated server launcher
# Place in your Valheim server directory, chmod +x, then run.
export templdpath=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=./linux64:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export SteamAppId=892970
./valheim_server.x86_64 \
-name "My Valheim Server" \
-port 2456 \
-world "Dedicated" \
-password "secret123" \
-public 1 \
-savedir "/home/steam/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim" \
-crossplay
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$templdpath
Frequently asked questions
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Host your own Valheim server
All hosting guides →Step-by-step install and deploy walkthroughs (panels, ports, RAM sizing). Pair these with the command reference above.
Reference and hosting hub for Valheim
All reference articles →- Open hub
Hosting hub
How to host a Valheim dedicated server with crossplay
Docker and SteamCMD guides, crossplay, world backups.
- Read reference
Console commands
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