How to Update Your DayZ Server
Keep your DayZ server up to date by updating both the server binary and your installed mods — and know what to check before you pull the trigger on a new patch.
Overview
A DayZ server update has two parts: the server binary (the core DayZ dedicated server files) and your mods (each mod is a separate Workshop item that also needs updating). Miss either one and players will get version mismatch errors on connect.
Before You Update — Check the Changelog
Always read the DayZ patch notes before updating. Bohemia publishes them on the DayZ Steam page and the Bohemia forums.
Key things to look for:
- Protocol version changes — if the protocol version bumps, all connected clients must also update before they can join. Schedule the update during low-traffic hours.
- Config changes — new or deprecated
serverDZ.cfgfields may appear. Applying these early avoids warnings on startup. - Mod compatibility breaks — major updates often break mods that haven't been updated yet. Give popular mods 24–48 hours to update before pulling the trigger on a community server.
Step 1 — Stop the Server
Always stop the server before updating. Updating files while the server is running can corrupt the installation.
Stop the server from your control panel.
Step 2 — Update the Server Binary
In your control panel, use the Update button (sometimes labeled "Reinstall" or "Update via SteamCMD"). This triggers SteamCMD to pull the latest DayZ dedicated server files from Steam.
Behind the scenes, the command looks like this:
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 223350 validate +quit
The app ID 223350 is the DayZ dedicated server. Wait for it to complete — this can take a few minutes on a major update.
Step 3 — Update Your Mods
Steam Workshop mods live in your server's steamapps/workshop/content/221100/ directory. Each mod is a numbered folder matching its Workshop ID.
To update mods, use the Workshop update tool in your control panel, or trigger SteamCMD with the +workshop_download_item command for each mod ID. After downloading, make sure the updated mod folders are copied or linked into your server root directory where your -mod= launch parameter expects them.
If a mod hasn't been updated by its author yet, you have a few options:
- Wait for the author to push an update.
- Remove the mod temporarily until it's compatible.
- Check if the mod's Steam Workshop page or Discord has a hotfix.
Step 4 — Verify and Start
After updating, scan your launch parameters to make sure all mod paths still resolve. Start the server and watch the startup log for errors. A clean start looks like:
Roles assigned.
That line confirms the server is fully initialized and accepting connections.
Version Mismatch Errors
If players see "Version mismatch" on connect, either:
- The server updated but their game client hasn't — they need to restart Steam and update DayZ.
- The server is running an older version — check if the update completed successfully.