Valheim Server Setup: How To Set Up A Dedicated Server

But don’t just take our word for it. In this article, we explain what dedicated servers are, their benefits over local hosting, and how to set up a Valheim server in just five minutes with Valheim Server Hosting. Let’s dive right in.

What Is a Valheim Dedicated Server?

A dedicated server is a type of web hosting service in which a client has the exclusive use of an entire server. When you use a dedicated server for Valheim, your game is run using the full power and bandwidth of that server, rather than sharing it with other users and programs. 

The alternative to using a dedicated server is self-hosting or local hosting. This means running the game on your (or one of your fellow gamers’) current PC’s server. While local hosting works fine for solo players, or 2 or 3 of you playing at the same time, it’s still subject to bandwidth, connection strength, and PC hardware restrictions.

Why Set-Up A Dedicated Server In Valheim Over Self-Hosting?

How Valheim Works

First of all, a quick explanation of how Valheim multiplayer works. The game allows you to create multiple characters and drop into your friends’ worlds without having to start from scratch. When you take a character and their inventory from one game to another, their skill progress is carried over. 

With that said, there can sometimes be technical issues swapping between worlds. In fact, Valheim’s developers even recommend creating separate characters for single and multiplayer games to avoid losing your progress or equipment. However, using a dedicated server is a much simpler way to enjoy multiplayer and multi-world gameplay.

So, Do You Need A Dedicated Server To Play Valheim?

Like we mentioned earlier, you can host the game locally on your own PC, so you don’t *need* a dedicated server to play Valheim. However, using a dedicated server makes your game faster and more secure, regardless of the size of your world, the number of players, and where or when you’re all playing.

As a high-end, resource-intensive game, Valheim requires a powerful server, especially when multiplayer. With a dedicated server, you don’t need to worry about your game being affected by possible downtime, crashes, and lags, security issues, or any other technical problems that could occur while self-hosting.

What’s more, if you’ve exclusively played Valheim on someone else’s self-hosted game server, you may well have had issues playing while they’re offline. Not a problem with a dedicated server, which is up and running 24/7 no matter which time zone you and your friends are located in.

While tech-savvy Valheim players can set up their own dedicated server, it’s quicker and easier to trust a platform like Valheim Server Hosting to do it for you. Our advanced dedicated game servers are purpose-built to give you the best speed and performance for playing Valheim. 

Hosted in high-performing data centers located in the US and Canada, Valheim Server Hosting’s dedicated servers offer lightning-fast speed no matter where you or your fellow players are in the world. With robust infrastructure, reliable uplinks, and tight security, our servers maintain high network availability and little to no lag or downtime. So all you have to do is enjoy playing the game.

How To Set Up A Valheim Dedicated Server

If you own Valheim, you automatically have access to the Valheim Dedicated Server setup tool. However, setting it up yourself is complicated and time-consuming. Instead of having to edit server files and log into your router software when you could be building forts, slaying Valheim bosses, and drinking mead with your fellow Vikings, let Valheim Server Hosting automate the process for you with instant server setup.

We offer two options for creating your Valheim dedicated server: our trial Valheim server and our paid Valheim server. Both will have you set up and playing the game within 5 minutes.

Trial Valheim Server Setup

1. Enter your email, choose a password, and select your preferred server region on our trial Valheim server setup page. No need to enter credit card details.
2. This takes you to the server creation screen. We’ll then allocate resources, generate your world, and secure your server with a password. 

1. This process takes 1-5 minutes in total. Then you have 24 hours to play Valheim on your dedicated server for free and see how much better it makes the game.

Paid Valheim Server Setup

Great news - even though you’ll have to enter your credit card details to set up your server with this option, it also includes an 8-hour free gameplay trial so you can check the server is doing its job!

1. Sign up and click on the Server Setup menu option on the left-hand sidebar of the Valheim Server Hosting dashboard.

1. Enter your server's name, password, and preferred region.
2. This will take you to the World Configuration page. Choose to let Valheim Server Hosting create a new world for you or import an existing world. You can only upload one world while setting up your server. However, you can add more later via the Server Dashboard.

1. We’ll then create your server for you in just 5 minutes.

1. You can use your ​​free 8-hour trial to play the game and check everything’s up to scratch!

What Do I Do After Setting Up My Valheim Server?

After server setup, check out our guide to connecting to your Valheim server and get playing the game.

Try Valheim Server Hosting For Free

Now you know why and how to set up a dedicated Valheim sever, what are you waiting for? It costs as little as $13 per month when paid annually to rent a server with Valheim Server Hosting. Sign up for a free 1-day trial of your Valheim server and see for yourself the difference it makes to your gameplay!