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Valheim dedicated servers are configured almost entirely through startup parameters — there’s no big config file to edit. On your Wasabi Hosting server, these parameters are exposed in the Startup tab of the Game Panel. This guide explains each parameter and how to manage your world files.

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Startup Parameters

ParameterExampleDescription
-name-name "Midgard"Server name shown in the server browser.
-world-world "Dedicated"World name. Must match the world file names (Dedicated.db/Dedicated.fwl). A new world is generated if none exists.
-password-password "odinrules"Join password. Minimum 5 characters, and it must not be contained in the server name.
-port-port 2456Game port. The server uses this port and the next two (2456–2458 by default).
-public-public 11 lists the server in the community browser; 0 hides it (joinable via IP/favorites only).
-crossplay-crossplayEnables crossplay via a join code so non-Steam players can join. Omit for Steam-only.
-savedir-savedir "/path"Custom save location for worlds and lists. Usually leave at the panel default.
-saveinterval-saveinterval 1800Seconds between world saves (default 1800 = 30 minutes).
-backups-backups 4Number of automatic rolling world backups the server keeps.
-backupshort-backupshort 7200Seconds until the first automatic backup (default 7200).
-backuplong-backuplong 43200Interval in seconds for subsequent backups (default 43200).
If the password is shorter than 5 characters or appears inside the server name, the server refuses to start — this is the most common cause of a Valheim server that boots and immediately stops. Check the panel Console log if your server won’t stay online.
1

Edit in the Startup tab

Open your server in the Game Panel and go to Startup. Edit the variables (name, world, password, etc.) — the panel assembles them into the launch command for you.
2

Restart the server

Startup parameters are read only at boot. Restart the server to apply any change.
3

Verify in the console

Watch the Console during boot — the log prints the world name being loaded and confirms when the server is ready.

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World Files

Your world consists of two files, stored in the server’s worlds_local folder:
FileContents
WorldName.dbThe world itself — terrain modifications, buildings, items, player-placed everything
WorldName.fwlWorld metadata — name and seed
Both files are required and must share the same base name, which must match your -world parameter. The server also writes rolling .db.old/backup copies alongside them depending on your backup parameters.

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Uploading an Existing World

Want to move the world you’ve been hosting from your PC onto the server? Your local worlds live at: 
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim\worlds_local
1

Stop the server

Never swap world files while the server is running — a save would overwrite your upload.
2

Upload the .db and .fwl files

Using the panel File Manager or SFTP (see file management), upload both YourWorld.db and YourWorld.fwl into the server’s worlds_local folder.
3

Set the world name

In the Startup tab, set -world to the exact base name of the files (e.g. YourWorld — no extension, case matters).
4

Start and verify

Start the server and confirm in the Console that it loads your world instead of generating a new one.
The same process in reverse lets you download the server world to play or archive locally. Take a panel backup before swapping worlds — see backups.

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Save Behavior

  • The world autosaves every 30 minutes by default (-saveinterval) and saves on graceful shutdown.
  • Always stop the server from the panel rather than killing it, so the final save completes.
  • The -backups, -backupshort, and -backuplong parameters control Valheim’s own rolling world backups — these complement (not replace) the panel’s backup system, which snapshots your whole server.

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Common Questions

You can store multiple world file pairs in worlds_local, but the server loads only one at a time — whichever -world points to. Switch worlds by changing the parameter and restarting.
Stop the server, delete (or rename) the world’s .db and .fwl files, and start again — a fresh world with a new seed generates under the same -world name. Back up first.
Not on a standard dedicated server — Valheim requires a password of at least 5 characters. Use permittedlist.txt (whitelist) on top of it for a truly private server; see admin commands.

Ready for a bigger world?

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