Fix Valheim connection problemsServer not found, joining fails, mods act up

Published on September 2, 2026 · last updated on October 21, 2026

The wrong way to join

Cause number one, by a clear margin. Valheim knows two ways onto a server, and which one applies depends on a single setting:

• Crossplay active - join via the join code.
• Crossplay off - join via the server address made up of IP and port.

Anyone trying the other way reliably ends up with "server not found". Both details are in the web interface, the process is described in Join a server.

A second classic in the same category: the default port from a generic guide instead of the actual port. Our servers share one IP and are told apart by their port - more on that in Ports and firewall.

Version mismatches

Valheim only connects when the versions match exactly. After an update, that applies to everyone individually:

• With us, the server is updated automatically.
• The players update via Steam - usually at the next start.
• If you keep Steam running in the background, you occasionally have an older version loaded; restarting the game fixes that.

The typical picture: part of the group gets in, the other part does not - then the versions have drifted apart.

Mods

As soon as BepInEx mods are involved, they become a possible cause. The rule is relentless: the server and all players need the same mods in the same version.

Symptoms: joining aborts immediately, or you get in and cannot see parts of the world. Both point to a different mod list. The quickest test is to compare someone who gets in with someone who does not.

After a Valheim update, it can take a few days until mods catch up. During that time, a modded server may not be playable - a good reason to keep the mod list deliberately small.

Password and permitted list

If the message only appears after the password prompt, the connection itself worked - then it is a question of permission:

• Password changed? Saved access becomes invalid.
• Permitted list active? As soon as it contains an entry, only those listed in it get in - see Password and whitelist.
• Banned by accident? A look at the ban list clears that up.

The server is still starting or loading

After a restart, the server needs a moment until the world has loaded - with a map that has grown over months, noticeably longer than with a fresh one. During that time, it cannot be reached, even though everything looks green in the web interface.

If the server does not start at all, it is usually the configuration: a password that appears in the server name, a world name that does not match the existing files, or an incomplete mod installation.

Stutter instead of disconnects

Delays in the game are a different chapter. If everyone is affected at the same time and it gets better as soon as the group gathers in one place, that is typical for Valheim: players spread far apart keep many parts of the map active at once.

If it stutters permanently, look at the world size and the mod load - a grown world needs more than a fresh one, see How much RAM do I need?. If, on the other hand, only one person is affected, it is down to their connection or hardware.

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