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How to Quickly Find and Join Your Valheim Server

This guide will show you the different methods you can use to quickly find and join your Valheim server.

Method 1: Steam Launch Parameter

One of the fastest options is to add a Launch Parameter, or Launch Option directly to your game client. It basically forces you to join a specific server when you launch the game and select your character.

First, make sure the game is completely closed. In your Steam Library, right click on the Valheim game and select "Properties".

Finding Valheim's properties in the Steam Library

In the "General" tab, at the bottom will be the "Launch Options" text field. You will enter +connect <IP>:<PORT>. Do not include the < and >. It will end up looking like +connect 000.000.000.000:2456. Make sure you replace 000.000.000.000 with your server's IP address. You may also need to have the port be 2457. Some people have reported to us that having the "Keep games saves in the Steam Cloud for Valheim" option enabled was needed for this method to work for them.

Adding Launch Options to direct connect to a Valheim server

Once you've entered in the Launch Parameter, launch the Valheim game, select the character you want to use, and click "Start". You will begin the process of connecting to your server.

Method 2: Steam Favorites

In the upper left corner of Steam, click on the word "View" across the top. A drop down menu will appear, then click on "Servers" on that menu.

Navigating to the Steam Servers menu from the View tab

A window will appear, select the "Favorites" tab, then click on the "Add a Server" button.

The Steam Servers screen to add a server to your Favorites

In the small box that appears, enter your IP address. Make sure you include the port information like so: 000.000.000.000:2456 Make sure you replace 000.000.000.000 with your server's IP.

Some users have reported more success using the query port for the server (2457) instead of the game port. You can try this port if you have any issues with 2456.

Entering your server's information to add to favorites in Steam

Finally, refresh your favorites list within Steam, and the server should now be visible.

Valheim server visible in Steam Favorites list, ready to join

There does seem to be a temporary bug (at the time of writing this article) where the server will flash as "online" for a second, before the status changes to "not responding". You'll want to double click on the server quickly after refreshing before this happens to join the server. The reason this happens is usually because the Steam servers are overloaded. If you don't have much luck even after refreshing, you'll want to use the Server Listings.

Method 3: Server Listings

This method can take a few minutes or so for the server to appear in the listings. The search function also tends to need to be refreshed several times as well.

Give your server a unique name to make it easier for you to find it in the Server Listings. Click on the "Game Settings" tab on the left hand side of your NodePanel. Enter in the name you'd like for your server in the "Server Name" text field. Save your changes, then stop the server and start it again, your server if it's already online.

Giving a Server Name for Valheim in NodePanel

If you don't have access to our NodePanel, you can change your server name by using the startup argument:

-name "Your desired server name"

Load up the Valheim game on your PC, and select the "Start Game" option.

Valheim's main menu

After you have created your character (Iron Gate AB recommends you create a separate character for multiplayer from your singleplayer character), select the "Join Game" tab, then the "Community" option. From here, the easiest way to look for your server is to use the scrollbar to find your server alphabetically.

Valheim's server listings to find our Nodecraft server

You can also use the search bar, but it can take a few minutes and refreshes for it to narrow down the results.

Valheim's server listings search function to find our Nodecraft server

Select the "Connect" button and you'll be transported to your Server!

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