How to Host a Valheim Dedicated Server for You and Your Friends
JN
[JN] Jamie
Co-Founder · 19 Aug 2026 · 2 min read
Valheim is a co-op game at heart, and a dedicated server keeps your Viking world alive whether or not the host is online. Setting one up is genuinely quick.
Why bother with a dedicated server?
- One persistent world everyone shares.
- Online 24/7 — no "we can only play when Dave's on".
- Better performance than hosting from inside your own game.
What you need
- A server with 4 GB RAM for a small group; 8 GB once your base and boss progress grow.
- A server name, password and world name — that's basically the whole config.
World modifiers worth knowing
Recent Valheim updates added world modifiers you set at creation:
- Combat difficulty — dial it down for a chilled build-focused run, or up for a challenge.
- Resource rate — more drops for faster progression.
- Portals — allow metals through portals if you hate the boat-hauling grind.
- Raids — turn base raids off if you just want to build in peace.
Backups are non-negotiable
Valheim worlds are precious and corruption does happen. Make sure your host takes daily automatic backups you can restore instantly — losing a maxed base to a bad save is heartbreaking and totally avoidable.
Want a Valheim world online in a couple of minutes with backups sorted? Check our game hosting plans.