How to set up an Enshrouded dedicated server

🧭 What you'll have at the end

Your Enshrouded server online 24/7, with your group's world saved, everyone in their role (admin, friend or guest) and the difficulty you pick. Everything is done from the panel, in your browser. Follow the steps in this order.

🛒 1. Choose a plan

When you order the Enshrouded server, you only choose the RAM. Right after starting it uses less than 1 GB, but usage grows with each player, with what you explore and with your bases. For a small group of friends, the 6 GB plan works well; for a full server with 16 players, the 8 or 10 GB plan. If you outgrow it, you can upgrade without losing your world.

🔐 2. Check the three passwords

Enshrouded doesn't need any token: the server comes with three passwords already set, different for each server. You'll find them on the Startup tab:

Admin password: can kick and ban players, build anywhere and open every chest. Keep it to yourself.
Friend password: builds in the bases and opens chests. This is the one you give your group.
Guest password: just plays. If you leave it empty, anyone can join as a guest.

You can change them whenever you like; they can't be numbers only. Changes apply when you restart the server.

⚙️ 3. Name, players and difficulty

On the same tab:

Server name: the name shown in the game's list.
Max players: up to 16, Enshrouded's maximum.
Difficulty preset: Default, Relaxed, Hard, Survival or Custom.

With Custom, the server uses the values in the gameSettings section of the enshrouded_server.json file: enemy damage, hunger, the day and night cycle and much more. You can edit that file from Files or over SFTP, with the server stopped.

▶️ 4. Start it

Press Start. The first time, it downloads the game, about 8 GB, so it takes a few more minutes. When the console shows HostOnline and the panel shows it online, people can join.

🎮 5. Connect

Open Enshrouded and, in the menu to join a game, look for the server by its name in the list. You can also join with the address and main port shown in the panel. When you join, the game asks for a password: depending on which one you type, you join as admin, friend or guest.

Your character is saved on your PC, so you join with your own; what the server saves is the world.

💾 6. Saving and backups

When you stop the server from the panel, the world is saved. Even so, make a copy in Backups before big changes, such as switching to Custom or editing files (backup guide). With a copy, you can go back in one click.

🔄 Updates

Update on startup is on by default: the server updates itself on every start, because all players need the same version as the server. If a patch comes out and you can't join, restart the server.

🚨 If something goes wrong

The game says the password is wrong: check on Startup which one you're using, and restart if you just changed it.
You can't find it in the list: wait a minute after HostOnline and search for the exact name, or join with the address and port.
You can't join after a patch: restart the server so it updates.
It's short on memory with a full group: upgrade your plan, which you can do without losing your world.

If you'd rather receive it ready to go, Assisted setup is an optional one-off paid service in which a technician leaves the server ready with the difficulty, passwords and settings you ask for. If you have questions, open a ticket on our Discord. And if you don't have a server yet, here are the Enshrouded hosting plans.