You’re a minute into a Valheim run with your friends when the connection icon starts flashing a red X. Your character freezes, the world stops responding, and shortly afterward you’re back at the main menu.
A Valheim server disconnected error can have several causes, but don’t worry. In this guide, we’ll walk you through 8 proven fixes.
Quick checks before you start
Before performing more advanced tweaks, rule out the simple causes first:
- Restart Valheim and reconnect.
- If you’re using a dedicated server, restart the server and wait until its console shows Game server connected before trying again.
- Verify the game files in Steam: LIBRARY > Valheim > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files.
- If you’re using a dedicated server, make sure the server software has also been updated.
- If you’re playing across PC and console, confirm that the server is configured for Crossplay.
How to fix Valheim server disconnected
You may not need to try them all; simply work your way down the list until you find the one that works.
- Make sure the client and server versions match
- Keep the host or server PC awake
- Check the power settings of the network adapter
- Allow Valheim through Windows Firewall
- Check port forwarding for Steam servers
- Update your network adapter driver
- Flush DNS and renew your IP address
- Temporarily disable IPv6
1. Make sure the client and server versions match
A game update or hotfix can temporarily leave a dedicated server on an older build. If the client and server aren’t compatible, you may be unable to connect or get disconnected during the connection process.
This is especially worth checking after major updates. Valheim 1.0 launched on September 9, 2026, and Iron Gate has already released post-launch hotfixes, so version differences can occur when different platforms receive updates at different times.
- Restart the dedicated server or server-hosting panel so it can check for updates.
- Start Valheim on your PC or console.
- Check the installed game version/build information.
- Make sure the server has been updated to a compatible version.
- If your platform has a pending Valheim update, install it and restart the game.
For a self-hosted dedicated server, Steam normally handles updates to the Valheim Dedicated Server installation. If you use a hosting provider, check whether the server is pinned to a specific version.
2. Keep the host or server PC awake
If you’re hosting a world from a Windows PC rather than using a dedicated server, Windows can suspend the computer when it sits idle. A dedicated server running on a Windows PC can also become unreachable if the machine enters sleep or hibernation.
1) Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
2) On Windows 11, go to System > Power & battery. On Windows 10, go to System > Power & sleep.
3) Go to Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts. Set the Sleep option to Never while the PC is plugged in. You can allow the display to turn off; the important part is keeping the PC itself awake. If you’re on Windows 10, go to System > Power & sleep to change the settings.
3. Check the power settings of the network adapter
Even if the host PC stays awake, Windows has a habit of shutting off network adapters to save energy during quiet periods. This drops active sockets and triggers the red X icon. Follow the steps below to disable the power saving of the network adapter:
1) Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager.
2) Expand Network adapters, right-click your active adapter (e.g., Intel, Realtek, or Killer Ethernet/Wi-Fi), and click Properties.
3) Switch to the Power Management tab. Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power, and click OK.
4. Allow Valheim through Windows Firewall
If other players can’t connect to your server, Windows Firewall may be blocking Valheim or the dedicated server from accepting incoming connections. This is especially worth checking if the server works on the host PC but other players can’t join.
1) On the PC running the Valheim server, press Windows, type Windows Defender Firewall, and open it.
2) Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
3) Click Change settings.
4) Find Valheim or Valheim Dedicated Server in the list. Make sure the Private and Public network boxes are checked. Then click OK to save the changes.
If Valheim or the dedicated server isn’t listed, click Allow another app…, and click Browse. Find the Valheim executable or dedicated server executable and add it.
Restart the Valheim server after changing the firewall settings. Check if players on other PCs or networks can join the server.
5. Check port forwarding for Steam servers
If you’re running a dedicated server with the Steam backend and players outside your home network can’t connect, your router may not be forwarding Valheim’s server ports to the PC running the server. Here’s how to configure the settings properly:
Step 1: Find the server PC’s local IP address
1) On the PC running the dedicated server: Press the Windows key, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
2) Type ipconfig and press Enter. Find the network adapter you’re using and note its IPv4 Address. It usually looks similar to 192.168.1.100 or 192.168.0.100. You’ll use this address as the destination for the port-forwarding rule.
Step 2. Open your router’s port-forwarding settings
1) Open a web browser on a device connected to your home network and sign in to your router’s administration page.
2) Look for a setting named Port Forwarding, Port Forward, NAT Forwarding, Virtual Server, or something similar. The name and location vary by router manufacturer.
3) Create a new port-forwarding rule for the PC running the Valheim server. Use the server PC’s local IPv4 address as the destination and forward the Valheim server’s default ports:
- External port: 2456–2457
- Internal port: 2456–2457
- Protocol: UDP
- Destination IP: the server PC’s local IPv4 address
If your router requires separate rules for each port, create one for 2456 and another for 2457.
Note: If you’ve changed the Valheim server’s port from the default configuration, use your configured port range instead of 2456–2457.
Step 3. Make sure the server PC keeps the same local IP
Your router may assign a different local IP address to the server PC later. If that happens, the port-forwarding rule can stop working.
To prevent this, create a DHCP reservation for the server PC in your router’s settings, if your router supports it. This keeps the same local IP assigned to the server.
Step 4. Restart and test the server
Save the router settings and restart the Valheim dedicated server. Make sure the server is fully started before asking another player to connect.
6. Update your network adapter driver
This error message is related to network or server connectivity issues. So your outdated network adapter driver can be the culprit and you’ll run into the server disconnected issue. To fix it, you’re supposed to update your network adapter driver, especially if you can’t remember when was the last time you updated it.
You can manually update your network adapter driver by going to the manufacturer’s official website, such as Intel, Realtek, MediaTek, or Qualcomm, to download and install the correct network driver for your system.
Or you can do it automatically with Driver Easy. It will automatically recognize your system and find the correct driver for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running or risk downloading and installing the wrong driver.
Here’s how to update drivers with Driver Easy:
1) Download and install Driver Easy.
2) Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
3) Click the Activate & Update button next to the flagged device to automatically download and install the correct version of this driver. Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system.
This will prompt you to upgrade to Driver Easy Pro. The Pro version provides hassle-free driver updates and full technical support for you to keep your PC running smoothly. If you’re not ready to purchase now, you can try all the Pro features with our 7-day free trial.
After updating your drivers, restart your computer and try to connect to your dedicated server to check if the problem is solved. If not, then continue trying the fixes below.
7. Flush DNS and renew your IP address
If updating drivers didn’t help you fix the issue, you need to release and renew the IP address of your computer as the issue may be caused by your network connection.
1) Press the Windows logo key to open the Start menu. Type cmd. Right-click Command Prompt from the results and select Run as administrator.
When the User Account Control prompt appears, simply click Yes.
2) In the Command Prompt window that appears, type the following command and then press Enter.
ipconfig /release
After releasing the IP configuration from the active adapter, you need to flush the DNS cache in case the cache has become corrupted. To do this, simply type the following command and then press Enter.
ipconfig /flushdns
Once done, you should be able to receive a message that the task has completed successfully.
The final step you need to take is to renew the IP configuration for the active adapters installed in the system. To do this, simply type the following command and then press Enter.
ipconfig /renew
Once done, close the Command Prompt. Then try to connect to the server your friend is hosting. If you still get the Disconnected error, try the next fix below.
8. Temporarily disable IPv6
If Valheim still disconnects on one PC after you’ve ruled out the game version, server configuration, firewall, and network adapter driver, test whether IPv6 is contributing to the problem. This is more relevant when only one player keeps disconnecting while others remain connected, especially if the problem occurs on a particular network or when using crossplay.
IPv6 routing issues can sometimes cause connectivity problems when a device, router, or ISP handles IPv6 traffic incorrectly. You can temporarily disable it to see if that’s the cause.
1) On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and R at the same time to open the Run dialog box.
2) Type ncpa.cpl and then press Enter on your keyboard.
3) Right-click your active connection, whether it’s Ethernet, Wifi, or others, and click Properties.
4) Find Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP /IPv6) and untick it. Then click OK.
After you’ve done these, join your dedicated server and you should be able to connect.
Hopefully, you can play Valheim with your friends now. If you have any ideas or questions, feel free to drop us a line in the comment section below.
