Before you start
- Agree which player or server holds the world. The world host and each player’s character save are separate responsibilities.
- Check that every player and the dedicated server have finished updating. Record the actual version shown in each installation.
- Keep the current world and character backups before changing mods or moving a world. Use the returning-player checklist.
Join a friend across platforms
Iron Gate confirms crossplay across the 1.0 platforms and a maximum of ten players. Menu wording may differ by platform.
- The host starts the intended world with multiplayer and crossplay enabled, then checks the current join code in the pause menu.
- The joining player opens Join Game, chooses Add server and enters that code. Confirm the password separately if the host set one.
- Join with one player first. Verify the world name and a familiar landmark before inviting the rest of the group.
Mechanics sources: Iron Gate: Crossplay FAQIron Gate: Valheim 1.0 FAQ
Work through a failed connection
| What you see | What to check next |
|---|---|
| Version mismatch | Finish updates on both clients and the server. Restart the host and repeat with one player. |
| No crossplay option | Check the platform’s account, family and multiplayer permissions. |
| A join code fails | Ask the host to confirm the current code and password after the server has started. |
| Mods are installed | Use a separate unmodded test world and clean profile. Do not load the only copy of a modded world as a diagnostic. |
| Only one friend cannot join | Compare that player’s version, account permissions and connection method with a working player. |
| Nobody can join | Check the host’s startup log and backend before changing each player’s device. |
Mechanics sources: Iron Gate: Crossplay FAQIron Gate: Valheim 1.0 FAQIron Gate: dedicated server guide
Check the dedicated server’s backend
The official manual distinguishes Steam networking from the crossplay relay. A crossplay server uses the -crossplay argument and cannot be joined using a local or loopback IP address; use the current join code or the documented public connection method.
For a Steam-backend server, the published default port range is 2456–2457. Follow the current manual and your router documentation. Crossplay uses a relay and does not require that port-forwarding setup.
Keep a separate copy of a customized launch script because updates can replace the original. Read the manual supplied with the installed server before making configuration changes.
Mechanics sources: Iron Gate: dedicated server guide
Keep the world and character progress straight
Crossplay does not provide universal save synchronization. Iron Gate documents shared saves between Xbox and the Microsoft Store PC version; other platform combinations do not receive automatic cross-platform save sync.
Before moving a world, identify its current owner and make an independent backup. Confirm the migrated world in a test session before resuming normal play. Do not treat a cloud-sync prompt as proof that the right version of the world is stored safely.
Mechanics sources: Iron Gate: Valheim 1.0 FAQ
Leave a useful record if it still fails
- Record the time, player platforms, client and server versions, and whether crossplay is enabled.
- Capture the exact error and the last relevant server messages. Remove passwords, join codes and personal identifiers before sharing a log publicly.
- Write down the smallest setup that still fails and the settings you already tested. That gives the host or official support a reproducible problem.
Mechanics sources: Iron Gate: dedicated server guide
You are ready when…
0 of 3 ready
Saved in this browserWhen something goes wrong
My progress did not appear on another platform.
Check the save-sync limits above. Being able to join a friend does not transfer your character between every platform.
The unmodded test works but the normal world does not.
Stop testing on the only copy of the normal save. Keep the backup and compare the mod versions and requirements with their maintainers’ current instructions.
I can connect from outside but not using a local address.
Check whether the server uses crossplay. The official relay instructions exclude local and loopback addresses.
Keep the result useful
Use the success check to finish this job, restock any reserves you used and return to the supporting journeys or your current boss objective.
Sources & checks
- Iron Gate: Valheim 1.0 FAQ
Crossplay across platforms, one to ten players, Xbox/Microsoft Store save continuity, and mod compatibility limits.
Official publication · Checked . Official release FAQ. It establishes supported platforms and save-sync limits; it does not guarantee that a particular network or mod configuration works.
- Iron Gate: Crossplay FAQ
Host join codes, the Join Game / Add server workflow, console crossplay settings and Xbox dedicated-server limitations.
Official publication · Checked . Published February 2025 from earlier support guidance. Menu labels should be checked against the installed version.
- Iron Gate: dedicated server guide
Steam and crossplay backends, relay behavior, local-address limitations, server startup, permissions and configuration preservation.
Official publication · Checked . Official server manual, originally published in 2024. Compare instructions with the manual bundled with the installed server.