How to Whitelist (Allowlist) Your Valheim Server
Valheim's whitelist locks your server to a specific list of Steam IDs, even if someone knows the password. Here's how to set it up.
How the Whitelist Works
Valheim's whitelist is controlled by a plain text file called permittedlist.txt (older versions may call it permitted.txt). When this file contains at least one Steam64 ID, the whitelist is automatically active — no separate toggle required.
Any player who has the server password but is not on the whitelist will be rejected at the connection screen. The whitelist overrides the password: knowing the password isn't enough.
File Location
The permitted list lives in the same directory as adminlist.txt and bannedlist.txt:
~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/
If your server uses a custom -savedir path, look there instead.
File Format
One Steam64 ID per line. No names, no labels — just the raw 17-digit ID.
76561198012345678
76561198087654321
76561197990000001
You can find Steam64 IDs at steamid.io or by looking up a player's Steam profile URL.
How to Enable the Whitelist
- Stop the server.
- Open (or create)
permittedlist.txtin the Valheim config directory. - Add the Steam64 IDs of every player you want to allow, one per line.
- Include your own Steam64 ID — if you forget yourself you'll be locked out too.
- Save the file and start the server.
As soon as the file has at least one ID in it, the whitelist is live.
How to Disable the Whitelist
Delete all Steam64 IDs from permittedlist.txt so the file is completely empty (or contains only blank lines). The whitelist deactivates automatically. Do not delete the file itself — just clear its contents.
Whitelist vs. Admin List
These are two different systems:
- permittedlist.txt — controls who can connect to the server
- adminlist.txt — controls who has in-game console/admin powers
Being on the admin list doesn't automatically put you on the whitelist, and vice versa. If you're running a whitelisted server, your admins need to be in both files.
Editing the File While the Server Is Running
Valheim reads the permit list at connection time, so you can add or remove IDs while the server is running without a full restart. However, a restart guarantees the changes are picked up — if you're in any doubt, restart.