If your friends can’t join your Valheim world after a new patch drops, the problem almost always comes down to one thing: your dedicated server hasn’t been updated yet. Here’s exactly how to fix it, whether you set your server up through Steam or SteamCMD.
Table of Contents
Valheim:Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| When to update | Immediately after any new Valheim patch |
| Before updating | Stop the server, back up your world files |
| Method 1 | Steam Library (GUI-based) |
| Method 2 | SteamCMD (command line) |
| Common fix if update fails | Verify integrity of game files |
| World save location (Windows) | %UserProfile%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local |
Before You Update: Stop and Back Up
Before touching anything, make sure your server isn’t actively running. If you installed it via Steam, stop it by pressing Ctrl + C in the server’s command window. It’s also worth backing up your world files first — Valheim autosaves roughly every 20 minutes, but a manual backup gives you a safe rollback point if anything goes wrong during the update.
Method 1: Updating via Steam Client
According to Sportskeeda’s guide, this is the simpler route if you originally set up your server through Steam:
- Open Steam and go to your Library.
- Make sure the Tools filter is enabled so dedicated server tools show up.
- Find Valheim Dedicated Server in your list.
- Download and install the latest available update.
- Once finished, restart your server using your normal startup script.
If Steam doesn’t seem to update the server correctly, right-click on the dedicated server tool, select Properties, open Local Files, and choose Verify Integrity of Game Files. This forces Steam to re-check and repair any files that didn’t update properly.
Method 2: Updating via SteamCMD
If you installed your server manually using SteamCMD rather than the Steam client, updating is just as straightforward through the command line:
- Open SteamCMD.
- Run the standard app update command pointed at Valheim’s dedicated server app ID (896660).
- Let the update process complete fully before doing anything else.
- Once finished, start the server again using your existing startup script.
This method is common for server hosts running Linux-based setups or Docker containers, where GUI access to Steam isn’t available.
Why This Matters
Valheim’s dedicated server and client versions need to match exactly, or players attempting to connect will hit a version mismatch error and get rejected. This is by design — it prevents desync issues and save corruption that can happen when players run different game logic than the server. Skipping the update isn’t really optional if you want your world to stay accessible after a patch.
If you’re running mods like Valheim Plus alongside your server, double check the mod’s own update status after patching the base server, since mod compatibility can lag behind official updates by a day or two.
For more game server setup guides and troubleshooting tips, check out TechnoSports’ gaming coverage.
FAQs
1. Why can’t my friends connect to my Valheim server after an update?
This almost always means your dedicated server hasn’t been updated to match the new game version — Valheim requires the server and client versions to match exactly.
2. Do I need to back up my world before updating the server?
It’s strongly recommended. While Valheim autosaves every 20 minutes, a manual backup gives you a safe rollback point in case anything goes wrong during the update process.
