Valheim Server Not Showing in the List
If your server is invisible in the community browser, it usually means the server is not public, ports are blocked, the password is invalid, or there's a version mismatch. This guide covers all known causes and fixes.
Important: the community list holds thousands of servers, so even a correctly listed server is hard to spot without typing its exact name into the search box. We recommend using Steam Favorites or Join Codes for reliable connections.
Quick Diagnostic Table
| Check | Why It Fails | Fix |
|---|---|---|
-public setting |
A dedicated server is public by default, but -public 0, or any value other than 1, makes it private |
Start it with -public 1, or with no -public at all |
| Password | A public server with a password under 5 characters, or one that appears in the world name or seed, does not start at all | Use 5 or more characters that are not part of the world name or seed |
| Ports 2456-2457 open | Steam query cannot reach the server | Forward 2456-2457 UDP on router and firewall |
| Query port (2457) | Browser uses 2457 for server discovery | Add server via Steam using IP:2457 |
| Game version | Version mismatch prevents listing | Update both server and client to same version |
| Registration delay | A server that has just started can take a few minutes to appear | Wait and refresh, or use direct IP |
Step-by-Step Fix
1. Verify Public Mode is Enabled
When creating a world through the game, you must select "Community Server" to make it visible. A dedicated server is public by default: the game files make it private only when it is started with -public 0, or with any -public value other than 1. On a Supercraft server, the listing is the Public switch in the configuration's Basic section, which stays off until you turn it on.
2. Check Password Requirements
A public server checks its password as it starts and refuses to run with a bad one. With fewer than 5 characters, an empty password included, it logs Error bad password:The password is too short and quits. With a password that appears inside the world name or the world's seed, it logs Error bad password:Invalid password and quits. So a server that never shows up may not be running at all: check the end of its log. A private server skips both checks.
# Wrong (too short)
-password "abc"
# Correct
-password "secret123"3. Open the Required Ports
Valheim uses the port you set and the next one up (Iron Gate's guide: "the specified Port AND specified Port+1"):
- 2456 - Game traffic (primary)
- 2457 - Steam query/browser listing
If you use a custom port (e.g., 2556), you must also open 2557. Older guides list a third port, 2458; current builds do not use it.
On a hosted server, those numbers are not 2456 and 2457. A hosted server is launched with its own port, and the same Port and Port+1 rule applies to it: a server on port 12000 answers the game on 12000 and Steam queries on 12001. Use the port your control panel shows. Both are already open, so there is nothing to forward and nothing to configure.
4. Use Alternative Connection Methods
The community browser is unreliable. Use these alternatives:
Option A: Steam Server Browser (Recommended)
- Open Steam → View → Game Servers
- Click "Favorites" tab, then "Add a Server"
- Enter
YOUR_IP:QUERY_PORT, which is one above the game port (2457 for a default server, or 12001 for a hosted server on 12000). This box wants the query port, not the game port, which is the single most common reason the server never appears. - Click "Add to Favorites" and connect
Option B: Join Code (Crossplay)
If crossplay is enabled, use the Join Code system:
- On a server hosted from the game, the host opens the pause menu and copies the Join Code. A dedicated server has no host menu: its code is in the server log, on the line ending "is active with ... player(s)", or in your host's panel, and it can change between sessions
- Friends go to "Join Game" → "Add Server"
- Paste the join code and connect
Option C: Direct IP Connection
- In Valheim, click "Join Game"
- Click "Add Server" and enter
IP:GAME_PORT(2456 by default, or the port on your panel for a hosted server). Unlike the Steam Favorites box, this one wants the game port. - Select the server and click "Connect"
5. Handle Crossplay Issues
If using -crossplay for Steam/Xbox cross-platform play:
- Make sure the server's firewall lets it reach the relay: a crossplay server registers itself there, and a failed registration logs a line starting
PlayFabwithfailed: - Players on Xbox, the Microsoft Store, PS5 and Switch 2 have no Steam connection, so they can only reach crossplay servers
- Console players cannot run mods, so a server whose mods every client needs shuts them out
6. Update Game Version
Version mismatch is a common cause after every patch. What has to match is the network version rather than the patch number: 1.0.12 to 1.0.17 all use network version 40, so a client and a server a patch apart could connect, but 1.0.20 (15 October 2026) uses 41, so a client on 1.0.20 cannot join a server still on 1.0.17 or earlier. 1.0.21 (28 October 2026) keeps 41, so 1.0.20 and 1.0.21 connect to each other.
- Verify server and all clients are on the same version
- Check Steam for pending Valheim updates
Example Launch Line
valheim_server -nographics -batchmode -name "Viking Realm" -port 2456 -world "Dedicated" -password "secret123" -public 1Still Not Working?
Additional Troubleshooting:
- Restart everything: Restart both the server and game client to refresh connections
- Check logs: Look for password or port errors in server console output
- Update network drivers: Outdated drivers can cause visibility issues
- Verify game files: Steam Library → Valheim → Properties → Verify Integrity
- Use "Friends" filter: If the host is in your Steam friends, enable the "Friends" filter in-game
Pro Tip: If the server appears for the host but not for remote players, the issue is almost always NAT or port forwarding. Double-check that ports are forwarded to the correct internal IP address.
Two related checks worth ruling out first: confirm you actually ticked both boxes rather than one, in Start Server vs Community Server, and if nothing is connecting at all, work through are Valheim servers down before touching your router.
Skip the networking headaches. Host your Valheim server with Supercraft: the ports come open, the community listing is one switch in the settings, and the panel shows the current crossplay join code.