Enshrouded Dedicated Server Setup Guide for 1.0 (2026)

An Enshrouded dedicated server is a free Windows program that comes with the game on Steam: you install it from the Tools section of your Steam library, run it once to create the enshrouded_server.json file, set a name, passwords and player slots, and your friends join through the in-game server browser. It keeps the world online for up to 16 players without anyone having to host from their own game, and as of November 2026 the setup works the same way in the 1.0 release.

We checked this against Keen Games' official knowledge base articles on installation, configuration, server roles, gameplay settings, recommended specs and save management, the Enshrouded FAQ, and the Steam store entry for the server tool in November 2026.

Peer-to-Peer or Dedicated: Which One You Need

Enshrouded supports two kinds of multiplayer. Any player can host a regular peer-to-peer session from their own game, but the world is only reachable while that player is online. A dedicated server runs on its own, so friends can drop in whenever they like. The official FAQ puts it plainly: dedicated servers exist so you do not have to always be online for your friends to play, and they can be self-hosted or rented.

Player limits differ by platform. Keen's FAQ lists up to 16 players on PC and up to 8 on PS5, with PS5 dedicated servers raising that to 16. Keen also partners with a hosting company so you can rent a server directly from inside the game, and the FAQ notes that other providers work too. The rest of this guide covers the self-hosted Windows route, which is the one Keen documents step by step.

• What lives where. The Dedicated Server FAQ says the world progression is stored on the server, while character progression is stored only on the players' own machines.
• Characters travel. The official FAQ confirms you can take a character between servers and keep equipment, inventory, levels and skills, map memory and personal recipes, but not most workshop recipes or rescued survivors, which belong to the world.
• No mixing platforms. Enshrouded had no crossplay at launch. Our guide to Enshrouded crossplay covers what Keen has said since.

Hardware You Need

Keen's Recommended Server Specifications article says the requirements depend mostly on how many people play at once. For a group of 4 to 6 players, it recommends an Intel Core i7 at 3.2 GHz or an AMD equivalent with 6 cores and 12 threads, 16 GB of RAM and SSD storage with at least 30 GB free. For a full 16 players, it suggests a stronger CPU: a Core i7 at 3.7 GHz or AMD equivalent with 8 cores and 16 threads, again with 16 GB of RAM.

• Memory use. According to the Dedicated Server FAQ, the server process uses about 4.4 GB of RAM when idle, each player adds up to 100 MB, and the total should stay under 6 GB.
• Disk space. The uncompressed server files are about 13 GB; Keen recommends 30 GB free. A world save ranges from 1 MB to 100 MB, growing with large bases.
• Bandwidth. Plan for 2 Mbit per second of upload per player, with download roughly matching.
• Network. The server uses IPv4.

Every extra slot adds load. The configuration article notes that lowering the maximum number of slots helps if CPU or RAM become the bottleneck, which is a simple fix for an older spare PC.

Installing the Server on Windows

Owning Enshrouded unlocks the server automatically. Steam lists Enshrouded Dedicated Server as a separate free entry, app 2278520, for Windows, and Keen's installation article explains how to find it.

1. In your Steam library, enable the Tools filter so tools appear in the list.
2. Find the dedicated server entry under Tools and download it.
3. Right-click it, open Properties, go to Installed Files and click Browse to open the folder.
4. Start enshrouded_server.exe from that folder. Keen recommends running the executable directly rather than using Steam's Launch button.
5. Let it start once. It creates enshrouded_server.json in the same folder, which you then open in any text editor.

The installation article says only Windows is supported for now. The FAQ adds that Linux servers currently need a Windows emulator and that native Linux server support is planned, without a date. The server can run in the background, but it keeps a command window open. You know it has finished starting when the window and log show lines such as "[Session] 'HostOnline' (up)!" followed by the transition to Host_Online.

The enshrouded_server.json Basics

The generated file holds a short list of core settings. Keen's configuration article describes each one:

• name: the server name everyone sees in the server list. Keen asks hosts to keep it non-offensive.
• saveDirectory and logDirectory: default to ./savegame and ./logs. Old logs are archived automatically in a backup subfolder.
• ip: 0.0.0.0 by default, changeable for internal network setups.
• queryPort: 15637 by default. Forward it in your router and allow it in your firewall; Steam's own required ports apply as well.
• slotCount: any number from 1 to 16.
• voiceChatMode, enableVoiceChat, enableTextChat: proximity or global voice, and on or off switches for voice and text chat.
• gameSettingsPreset: Default, Relaxed, Hard, Survival or Custom.

Keen recommends Default for first-time players. Relaxed reduces enemies and gives more resources and loot, aimed at builders. Hard adds more and more aggressive enemies, Survival layers extra survival mechanics on top, and Custom unlocks the long list of individual values covered below. Since Wake of the Water, hosts can also add tags such as LookingForPlayers, BaseBuilding, Exploration, Roleplay and language tags so the right players find the server.

Passwords, User Groups and Permissions

Access control on a dedicated server works through user groups in the same file. Each group has its own password, and the password a player types decides what they may do. The Server Gameplay Settings article shows the default file with four groups, Admin, Friend, Guest and Visitor, each with randomized placeholder passwords so strangers cannot walk in by default.

• canKickBan: kicking and banning players. Admin only by default.
• canAccessInventories: opening chests and other containers. Admin and Friend.
• canEditBase and canExtendBase: editing player bases and, as the name says, extending them. In the default file, Friends may edit bases but not extend them.
• canEditWorld: changes outside bases. Visitor is the only default group without it.
• reservedSlots: keeps slots free for a group, so admins can still join a busy server.

Keen's Server Roles article strongly recommends setting passwords, because a server without one is visible and open to everyone. One 1.0 detail is worth knowing: peer-to-peer hosts can now promote or demote individual players during a session, but the changelog says that on dedicated servers the user groups and passwords work as before and promoting or demoting is not possible while playing on the server. Plan your groups in the file before you invite people. Because extending bases is limited to admins in the default file, it is also worth agreeing on where the shared base goes first; our guide to the best base locations in Enshrouded helps with that conversation.

Gameplay Settings, Saves and Backups

With the Custom preset, a gameSettings block opens dozens of values. The official article lists each one with its range, and out-of-range numbers are clamped to the nearest limit, while invalid text stops the server from booting and prints the bad value in the command window. A few that groups change most often:

• shroudTimeFactor: 0.5 to 2, how long players can stay in the Shroud.
• curseModifier: Easy turns the Shroud curse off, Normal is default, Hard doubles the chance.
• plantGrowthSpeedFactor: 0.25 to 2. Builders who garden a lot will want to read our Enshrouded farming guide before raising it.
• experienceCombatFactor, experienceMiningFactor, experienceExplorationQuestsFactor: XP multipliers for each activity.
• tombstoneMode: lose only materials on death (the default), everything, or no tombstone at all.
• dayTimeDuration and nightTimeDuration: written in nanoseconds, from 2 to 60 minutes. The default day is 30 minutes and the default night 12.

Saves are automatic. The Dedicated Server FAQ says the server writes a save file every 5 minutes, one file per world, into the savegame folder next to the executable. Keen's Save Game Management article explains that world saves use fixed hexadecimal names (the first world is 3ad85aea), each world keeps 10 numbered rolling copies, and an accompanying index file records which copy is the latest. To roll back, you change that number to a value from 0 to 9, and Keen strongly recommends copying all save files before touching anything.

Connecting and Troubleshooting

Players join from the main menu with Join, which opens the server browser. Make sure the Show dedicated servers filter is on, then use the star icon to favorite the server so it sorts to the top. If a server does not show up at all, Keen's Favorite Server via IP article describes the fallback: in the Steam client, open View, then Game Servers, go to Favorites, click the plus button and enter the IP and query port separated by a colon. The server then appears at the top of the in-game list.

If the server will not start after an update, the gameplay settings article notes that older versions of the file can be updated incorrectly, and that deleting it lets the server create a fresh one on the next start. Keep a copy first so you can restore your passwords and settings. Stability fixes are still landing as of November 2026: Hotfix 1.0.0.2 fixed a server crash when fighting very large numbers of enemies, and Patch 1.0.1.0 improved stability when hosting worlds with very large bases. If your group plans long sessions with big parties, our guide to Enshrouded builds helps everyone pick roles that complement each other.

More Time Playing, Less Time Grinding

A dedicated server is about spending your evenings together in Embervale rather than waiting for the host. If your group would rather skip some of the grind as well, the Enshrouded services page lists everything the store offers for the game, from a level 50 modded save for PS5 and PC to legendary weapons, armor sets, building blocks, gems, resources and base builds.

Most of those services are PC only, so check the platform on each listing before ordering for a mixed group.

Frequently Asked Questions