A dedicated Valheim server gives your group a shared world to return to without relying on one player’s local game session. With MaximusHost you create a server, choose a location and resources, then manage its connection details, settings, and saved worlds through your account.
Decide what kind of Valheim server you need
Choose a location convenient for the players who will join, and decide whether you want a world listed publicly or a private one reached through a shared address or join code. Valheim uses a server password, so plan a way to share it privately.
For a new group, MaximusHost recommends 4–8 GB RAM and 2–4 vCPU. The creation form shows your available allocations and a running credit estimate. The current standard Valheim setup uses managed networking with a game port and adjacent query port, not a separate dedicated IP.
If you already have a world, consider whether you will import it or start fresh. Back up the existing data before attempting an import. You can use the Worlds tab after creation; you do not have to create a second MaximusHost server for another save.
Create the server on MaximusHost
Open My Servers, select Create New Server, and choose Valheim. Enter a recognizable name, select your server location, choose RAM and vCPU, and provide the required server password. Review the running estimate and the 50-credit creation charge before submitting.
The game-specific creation instructions live at Create a Valheim server. After submission, the manager may report queued or provisioning states while installation finishes. Wait until the server is ready before assuming connection details are usable.
Open Server Manage for your new server. You will find the supported Overview, Console, Settings, Worlds, Resources, Backups, and other management areas. These names refer to your hosting dashboard; they are not Valheim’s in-game menus.
Start Valheim and find the connection details
Start your server and watch the Console or progress overlay until it reaches its ready state. Initial world generation may take longer than a routine restart, and join-code discovery may not be instantaneous.
Use the address shown in your MaximusHost manager. The server’s connection display distinguishes its allocated game and query ports.
Crossplay is enabled on MaximusHost’s current Valheim setup. A PlayFab join code may appear in the game log when the lobby becomes available. Treat it as a convenient connection method, not a permanent server identifier: join codes can change and shouldn’t be hardcoded into long-lived instructions. The join code will be visible from the Overview tab once available.
Join through Valheim
Launch Valheim and look for the server in the appropriate community/server browser. If the server appears, select it and enter the current password when prompted. For a more direct approach, use the game’s “Add Server” button with the address or join code you obtained from the manager.
Browser visibility and joinability are separate things. Turning public listing off will not remove the world or account connection information; it changes how other players discover the server. To limit access, use a strong password and share it through an appropriate private channel.
A server may be healthy but temporarily absent from a browser list. Test an alternate join method before restarting a world that is already running.
Choose a password policy
By default, you can set a Valheim password in the create form and update the saved value later under Properties → Settings. A saved change to an already running server takes effect on the next restart.
The Overview tab also supports Randomize player password on start/restart. This is optional and disabled unless you enable it. When enabled, every start or restart changes the configured join password. This function is commonly used along with the discord bot, on a discord server where you and your fellow gamers meet up.
The owner can reveal the current saved password from Settings → Show current password. When Discord management is enabled and a matching Discord grant includes Get Password, the bot can return it in an ephemeral response. Discord permissions are independent of website ownership; a Discord owner still needs a matching grant.
Share credentials privately, verify which password is active after a restart, and avoid pasting passwords into public support tickets or logs.
Configure world rules before inviting everyone
The Worlds tab lets an owner see saved worlds, create a new random-seed world, or enter a supported custom seed before first generation. Stop the server before switching worlds.
Settings contains server listing, password, save behavior, difficulty presets, and modifiers such as combat, raids, resources, portals, and death penalty. The same Settings launch configuration follows the selected world in this release; it is not a separate saved profile for each world.
Some Valheim world-key options require extra care on existing saves. If you want a No Map or other special-rule adventure, configure initial world rules before the first launch where applicable and back up before later experiments. See Valheim worlds and settings.
Troubleshoot common connection problems
Start by confirming that MaximusHost shows the server as running and that game startup completed. Check the Console for errors rather than relying only on a browser listing. If nobody can connect, recheck server readiness, client version compatibility, the displayed connection address, and the current password.
If one person can connect but another cannot, compare which join method they use, whether their Valheim client is compatible, and whether they are entering an expired join code. Do not disable access controls merely to make a test pass.
If a restarted server rejects the old password, check whether automatic password rotation is enabled. Retrieve the new saved password and reconnect with it. If the server starts an unexpected world, stop the game and check the selection in Worlds before making unrelated configuration changes.
A stuck provisioning indicator or a repeated crash should be reported with the server ID, approximate time, and relevant non-sensitive Console messages. Never include passwords, personal account tokens, or secret configuration in support messages.
More info
Before trying a different seed or modifier combination, read Valheim world seeds and settings and Valheim backups and restoration.
For a full feature and pricing overview, visit Valheim server hosting.
