What command installs the Valheim server with SteamCMD?

As the steam user, run steamcmd +force_install_dir ' ' +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quit (Steam app ID 896660).

How do I start the Valheim server after installation?

Switch to the game’s main directory and run the start_server.sh file: '/home/steam/Valheim-Server/start_server.sh'.

Can I connect directly through the server list?

Yes. In the in-game server list, use the search field to enter '[your_ip_address]:2456'.

Dedicated Server: Valheim Dedicated Server Setup on Linux

Learn how to set up a Valheim Dedicated Server on Linux to host your game efficiently and optimize server performance → Learn more now

10 November 20262 min read0 Views0 helpful

Introduction

You have a Linux Dedicated Server and want to install the Valheim Dedicated Server on it? You’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll explain step by step how to install this service on your Linux server using SteamCMD. We’ll use Ubuntu as an example, but the process is very similar for other distributions.

Dedicated Server: Valheim Dedicated Server Setup on Linux

Preparation

First, connect to your Dedicated Server via SSH. If you need help, check out our SSH Initial Access guide.

You’ll also need to set up SteamCMD on your Linux server the first time you use it. Follow our SteamCMD Linux Setup guide, and make sure SteamCMD is fully configured before you continue.

Installation

Code

sudo -u steam -s
cd ~

Once you’re logged in, start the installation with the following command. This installs the Valheim server directly through SteamCMD as the steam user.

Code

steamcmd +force_install_dir '/home/steam/Valheim-Server' +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quit

Please wait for the download to finish—it may take a while for larger games. If everything worked, you’ll see a confirmation message.

Configuration

You’ve now completed the basic installation of your Valheim server. You can make additional settings directly in the startup file.

Switch to your home directory and open the .sh file to edit the parameters.

Code

nano /home/steam/Valheim-Server/start_server.sh

Start and connect to the server

Now for the main event: start your server by switching to the game’s main directory and running start_server.sh.

Code

/home/steam/Valheim-Server/start_server.sh

You should now see logs in the terminal indicating that the server started successfully. Note that the first start may take a little longer while everything is set up. Alternatively, you can connect directly by using the search at the bottom of the server list and entering [your_ip_address]:2456.

Info

If you can’t connect and PlayFab errors appear in the console, you may need to disable Crossplay support because there is currently an issue with the Linux version. To do this, open nano /home/steam/Valheim-Server/start_server.sh and remove the -crossplay option. If you need Crossplay, you can instead install the Windows version and use Wine as a compatibility layer. Our quick Wine Compatibility Layer Setup guide will help you with this. Then install the Valheim Windows server via SteamCMD as follows:

Code

steamcmd +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows +force_install_dir '/home/steam/Valheim-Server' +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quit

To start the Windows version using Wine, run this command: xvfb-run wine /home/steam/Valheim-Server/StartServer.bat

Conclusion

Congratulations, you’ve successfully installed and configured your Valheim server on your Dedicated Server! As a next step, we recommend following our Setup Linux Service guide. It shows you how to set up your new Dedicated Gameserver as a service—with benefits such as automatically starting the server at boot, automatic updates, easy management, and access to logs, and much more!

If you have any questions or run into any problems, our support team is available every day and will be happy to help!

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

You need SSH access to your Linux server and a one-time SteamCMD setup (see the “SteamCMD Linux Setup” guide).

As the steam user, run steamcmd +force_install_dir '<path>' +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quit (Steam app ID 896660).

This prevents the server from running with root privileges. The guide uses the steam user and installs everything in that user’s home directory.

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Dedicated Server: Valheim Dedicated Server Setup on Linux

Introduction

Preparation

Installation

Configuration

Start and connect to the server

Conclusion

Frequently asked questions

Software

Preparation

Installation

Configuration

Start and connect to the server

Conclusion

Game Server

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