How to Update Your Valheim Server

When to Update

Update your server any time Iron Gate releases a Valheim patch. If your server version doesn't match the client version, players will see an "Incompatible Version" error when they try to connect.

Steam auto-updates Valheim on your players' machines, so a server patch means you need to update the server too — usually within a few hours.

How to Update via the Panel

1. Log into your panel and open your Valheim server
2. Stop the server if it's running
3. Look for an Update button on the dashboard — it will download and install the latest Valheim server binaries from Steam
4. Once the update completes, start the server

The process usually takes 1–5 minutes depending on the patch size.

Vanilla servers: The update step above is all you need. Skip to "Verifying the Update" below.

Updating a Modded Server

Valheim updates often break mods — especially hybrid mods that the server and clients both run. After every game patch:

1. Update the server (steps above)
2. Check each mod's Thunderstore / Nexus page for a compatibility update — major patches usually have mod updates within a day or two
3. Update mods on the server — delete old .dll files from /BepInEx/plugins/, upload new versions
4. Update clients — re-export your Thunderstore profile code and share it with your players (see Thunderstore Mod Manager)
5. Start the server

If mod updates aren't available yet, your options are:

• Wait — most popular mods update within 24–48 hours of a major patch
• Run vanilla temporarily — rename /BepInEx/plugins/ to /BepInEx/plugins_disabled/ to run without mods until updates are ready

Verifying the Update

After the server restarts, confirm the version in the panel console output — look for a line like:

Valheim version: 0.220.X

Have a player try connecting. If they see "Incompatible Version", either:

• The server update didn't complete — run the update again
• Their Steam client hasn't updated yet — have them restart Steam

Handling Iron Gate Force-Updates

Occasionally Iron Gate pushes a mandatory update that breaks compatibility immediately. Signs:

• Players suddenly get "Incompatible Version" on a previously working server
• The server console shows a version number that doesn't match the client

Fastest fix:

1. Stop the server
2. Trigger the update
3. Disable mods temporarily if needed
4. Restart and confirm version number

Automatic Restart and Update (Optional)

If you want the server to restart and apply updates automatically:

1. In your panel, go to the Schedules tab
2. Create a new schedule (e.g. daily at 5:00 AM)
3. Add two actions in sequence:
   • Update (or "Re-install") — pulls the latest server files
   • Start — starts the server after the update
4. Save

Note: If you run mods, automatic updates can break things if mod updates aren't available yet. For modded servers, manual review before updating is usually safer.

Related

• How to Install Mods on Your Valheim Server (BepInEx)
• Valheim Common Connection Issues — troubleshooting version mismatch and other connection problems