Self-Host an Enshrouded Server (2026): SteamCMD & Ports 15636/15637

Self-Host an Enshrouded Server with SteamCMD (2026 Walkthrough)

Enshrouded supports up to 16 players in a single persistent world. Hosting a dedicated server ensures that the world state (buildings, terrain changes, flame altars) is constant and not dependent on one player's PC being online.

Prerequisites

• OS: Windows 10/11. Keen publish the dedicated server for Windows only; there is no native Linux build to download.
• CPU: Strong multi-core processor (Ryzen 5 / Intel i5 Gen 10+).
• RAM: 16GB System RAM (Server uses ~4-6GB).
• Network: Fiber connection recommended for 16 players.

Installation via SteamCMD

1. Download SteamCMD

Download and extract SteamCMD for Windows.

2. Install the Server Files

Open a command prompt in your SteamCMD folder and run:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2278520 validate +quit

App ID 2278520 is the Enshrouded Dedicated Server.

3. First Launch & Config

Navigate to steamapps/common/EnshroudedServer/ and run enshrouded_server.exe. It will close immediately but generate a config file.

Open enshrouded_server.json and customize:

{
  "name": "My Enshrouded Server",
  "saveDirectory": "./savegame",
  "logDirectory": "./logs",
  "ip": "0.0.0.0",
  "queryPort": 15637,
  "slotCount": 16,
  "userGroups": [
    {
      "name": "Admin",
      "password": "pick-your-own",
      "canKickBan": true,
      "canAccessInventories": true,
      "canEditWorld": true,
      "canEditBase": true,
      "canExtendBase": true,
      "reservedSlots": 0
    }
  ]
}

Two things people get wrong in this file:

• There is no gamePort setting. queryPort, default 15637, is the only port key the server reads. A gamePort line is ignored.
• The top-level "password" line is legacy. It has not been the way to set a server password since Update 2 in June 2024. If the server finds one it quietly builds a user group called "default" around it with Friend-level rights, which is almost never what you wanted. Set passwords per group under userGroups instead.

slotCount accepts a number between 1 and 16. Sixteen is both the default and the maximum.

Port Forwarding (Critical)

For friends to join a server on your own connection, forward both ports:

• 15637 (TCP/UDP) - the query port. This is the one value you set, through queryPort, and 15637 is its default.
• 15636 (TCP/UDP) - game traffic. There is no config key for this one.

If You Only Have a Linux Box

Keen ship no Linux build of the Enshrouded server, so a Linux machine cannot simply install and run one. Your options are a Windows machine, a Windows VM, or a hosted server. If you would rather not solve that problem at all, Enshrouded dedicated server hosting gives you a running server and a config panel, with updates handled for you.