A 7 Days to Die dedicated server is a copy of the game that runs only the world, around the clock, so your group can play without anyone hosting from their own game. To make one, install the free 7 Days to Die Dedicated Server tool (Steam app 294420) on a Windows or Linux PC with 6–8 GB of RAM to spare, open TCP 26900 and UDP 26900–26903, and set it up in your own copy of serverconfig.xml. Everything here is current for V3.4, including the V3.0 change that moved most gameplay settings into a single SandboxCode line.
Dedicated server vs. hosting from your own game
Any player can host a 7 Days to Die multiplayer server straight from their own copy of the game, which is fine for an evening. If you’re working out how to host a 7 Days to Die server for a group that plays at different times, wants more players, or wants the day counter and blood moons to keep going after the host logs off, a dedicated server is the answer:
| Hosting from your game | Dedicated server | |
|---|---|---|
| Must the host stay in the game? | Yes — the world stops when they quit | No — it runs 24/7 |
| Who carries the load? | The host’s PC runs the game and the world at once | A separate machine runs only the world |
| Settings | Picked in the New Game menu | serverconfig.xml, a SandboxCode, an admin file and a whitelist |
| Admin tools | The in-game console | Console, telnet, the built-in web dashboard and server managers |
So yes, you can play on a 7 Days to Die server without the host: that is the whole point of a dedicated one.
7 Days to Die dedicated server requirements
The Fun Pimps don’t publish official 7 Days to Die server requirements, but in practice the dedicated server needs 6–8 GB of RAM for most groups and 12 GB or more for a 10K map, a months-old world or an overhaul mod. Add a modern 64-bit CPU, an SSD, and 64-bit Windows or Linux. It can’t run on a console or a Raspberry Pi.
| Your server | RAM for the server alone |
|---|---|
| 2–4 players on Navezgane or a 6K map | 6 GB |
| 5–8 players on an 8K random-gen (RWG) world | 8 GB |
| A 10K map, a long-running world or an overhaul mod | 12 GB or more |
- RAM grows with the world. The save keeps every chunk players have explored or dug into, so a server that was fine in week one can run short in week six without a single setting changing. View distance and the zombie cap are the two settings that move memory most.
- CPU: zombie pathing and block updates are CPU work, so each player who wanders off alone adds load. 8–16 players is the comfortable range.
- OS: Windows or Linux, 64-bit. The Linux server is the
7DaysToDieServer.x86_64binary, an x86 build, so ARM boards such as a Raspberry Pi can’t run it. Consoles can’t run a dedicated server at all. - Storage: an SSD with room to grow. Two settings, both off by default, keep saves in check:
SaveDataLimitcaps each save’s size in MB, andMaxChunkAgeresets chunks nobody has visited for a set number of in-game days. - Network: a stable upload and a router that lets you forward ports.
Two or three friends can get away with the server and the game on one PC. Beyond that, both fight over the same memory.
How to set up a 7 Days to Die dedicated server
The 7 Days to Die dedicated server setup takes four steps: download the server files with Steam or SteamCMD, copy serverconfig.xml to a file of your own and edit it, start the server with that file, and open the ports. On Windows the Steam client is the easiest route. On Linux, Ubuntu included, you use SteamCMD.
Option A: Windows, through the Steam client
- In your Steam library, open the filter, tick Tools, then find and install 7 Days to Die Dedicated Server.
- Right-click it and choose Manage → Browse local files. That folder holds
serverconfig.xmlandstartdedicated.bat. - Carry on with making your own config file.
Option B: SteamCMD on Windows or Linux
SteamCMD downloads the server with an anonymous login, so the server machine never needs your Steam account. On Windows:
steamcmd +force_install_dir "C:\Servers\7dtd" +login anonymous +app_update 294420 validate +quitOn Ubuntu, SteamCMD is a 32-bit package in the multiverse repository:
sudo add-apt-repository multiverse
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install steamcmd
steamcmd +force_install_dir ~/7dtd +login anonymous +app_update 294420 validate +quitRun the server as a normal user, not root. The same command downloads updates later.
Make your own config file
- Copy
serverconfig.xmlto a new name, for examplemyserver.xml, and only ever edit the copy. Avalidateupdate puts the shipped files back to default, which wipes edits made to the original. - Set at least these lines:
<property name="ServerName" value="My 7DTD Server"/> <property name="ServerPassword" value="pick-a-password"/> <property name="ServerMaxPlayerCount" value="8"/> <property name="GameWorld" value="RWG"/> <property name="WorldGenSeed" value="MyGame"/> <property name="WorldGenSize" value="8192"/> <property name="GameName" value="MyGame"/> - Pick the world before anyone joins. Moving from Navezgane to a random-gen map later means a new world, not a converted one.
Start the server
- Windows: copy
startdedicated.batto a new name, change-configfile=serverconfig.xmlto-configfile=myserver.xmland run it. The server runs in the background and writes its log to a file; connect with telnet on port 8081 from the same PC to type commands. - Linux:
./startserver.sh -configfile=myserver.xml. Without-configfilethe script refuses to start and prints “No config file specified”. Keep it running intmuxor as a systemd service.
-dedicated has to stay the last option on the start line. On the first start with GameWorld set to RWG, the server generates the map before it lets anyone in, and a 10K world takes a while. Players connecting during that time get “Server is still initializing”.
7 Days to Die server settings (serverconfig.xml)
The 7 Days to Die server config lives in serverconfig.xml: the server’s name, network, slots, world and admin options, and since V3.0 one SandboxCode line carries the gameplay rules. Stop the server, edit your copy of the file, and start it again. Any guide that tells you to change XPMultiplier, DayNightLength or BloodMoonFrequency in the file was written for V2 or older.
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
ServerName |
My Game Host | Name in the server browser |
ServerPassword |
(empty) | Password to join; empty means open |
ServerVisibility |
2 | 2 public, 1 friends only, 0 unlisted |
ServerPort |
26900 | Game port; the next three UDP ports follow it |
ServerMaxPlayerCount |
8 | Players at once (crossplay needs 8 or fewer) |
GameWorld |
Navezgane | RWG, Navezgane or a shipped pregen map such as Pregen08k01 |
WorldGenSize |
6144 | RWG map size; official sizes are 6144, 8192 and 10240 |
GameName |
MyGame | Save name; a new name means a fresh save |
SandboxCode |
AAAJABJACJADJARFBNC | All the V3 gameplay rules; the default equals Adventurer |
PlayerKillingMode |
3 | 0 no PvP (a PvE server), 1 allies only, 2 strangers only, 3 everyone |
MaxSpawnedZombies |
64 | Zombies alive across the map; a big performance lever |
ServerMaxAllowedViewDistance |
12 | 6–12; lower it to save memory |
LandClaimCount |
5 | Land claim blocks per player |
PersistentPlayerProfiles |
false | If true, players rejoin with their last character profile |
BuildCreate |
false | Cheat mode for everyone |
EACEnabled |
true | Easy Anti-Cheat |
The shipped file also points out that some game settings can be changed in game with setgamepref, for example setgamepref BedrollDeadZoneSize 30.
SandboxCode: where XP, loot and blood moons went
V3.0 added 150 sandbox options and removed the old gameplay lines from serverconfig.xml, among them GameDifficulty, XPMultiplier, DayNightLength, DayLightLength, BlockDamagePlayer, DropOnDeath, ZombieMove, ZombieMoveNight, BloodMoonFrequency, BloodMoonEnemyCount, LootAbundance, LootRespawnDays and AirDropFrequency. To set them now:
- In the game, open New Game and click Sandbox Options.
- Set difficulty, XP, day length, zombie speed, loot, blood moons and the rest.
- Click the copy code button and paste the code as the
SandboxCodevalue in your config. - Restart, then run
getsandboxoptions(orgso) in the console to see what the server is really using.
Codes are tied to the option list. V3.1 split enemy density and respawn into day and night settings, and an invalid code can drop some or all options back to default, so rebuild old codes after a big update.
7 Days to Die server ports and port forwarding
A 7 Days to Die dedicated server uses TCP 26900 and UDP 26900 to 26903 by default. Forward those to the server PC on your router and allow them through its firewall. The web dashboard (TCP 8080) and telnet (TCP 8081) only need opening if you manage the server from outside your own network.
| Port | Protocol | Purpose | Forward it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26900 | TCP + UDP | Game port that players join on | Yes |
| 26901–26903 | UDP | Game traffic and the query port (26902) | Yes |
| 8080 | TCP | Web dashboard, if WebDashboardEnabled is true |
Only for remote admin |
| 8081 | TCP | Telnet, local-only until you set TelnetPassword |
Only for remote admin |
If you change ServerPort, the three UDP ports move with it (port +1 to +3). Keep it between 26900 and 26905, or 27015 and 27020, if PCs on the same LAN should see it as a LAN server.
- Give the server a fixed local IP with a DHCP reservation on your router, so the forward doesn’t break after a reboot.
- Forward the ports in the router’s port-forwarding page: TCP 26900 and UDP 26900–26903 to the server’s local IP.
- Allow them through the firewall. On Windows, in an administrator Command Prompt:
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="7DTD TCP" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=26900 netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="7DTD UDP" dir=in action=allow protocol=UDP localport=26900-26903On Ubuntu with
ufw:sudo ufw allow 26900/tcp sudo ufw allow 26900:26903/udp
Some internet providers put you behind carrier-grade NAT, which shares one public IP between many customers. Port forwarding can’t work there; you’d need a public IP from your provider, or 7 Days to Die server hosting where the ports are already open.
How to connect to a 7 Days to Die server
To join, players open Join a Game from the main menu, choose Connect to IP, and enter the server’s public IP with port 26900. Public 7 Days to Die servers also appear in the in-game server browser under their ServerName. Anyone on the server’s own home network should use its local IP.
- Private server: to keep a 7 Days to Die private server to your group, set a
ServerPassword, or add players withwhitelist add. As soon as the whitelist has one entry, only listed players and admins can join.ServerVisibility 0keeps it out of the browser entirely. - Friends-only visibility is a trap: nobody is ever Steam friends with a dedicated server, so
ServerVisibility 1only works once the first player has connected by IP. - Joining from Steam’s own server list: that list shows the query port (26902). Players get “Could not retrieve server information” when they use it, so send them the game port instead.
- Changing character: with
PersistentPlayerProfilesoff (the default), each player can pick any of their profiles when they join.
Crossplay: can Xbox and PS5 players join?
Yes. Since V2.0, players on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S can find and join PC dedicated servers through their own server browser, as long as the server meets the game’s crossplay rules. Consoles cannot run a dedicated server themselves, so a console group still needs a PC, or a rented server, to host the world.
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
ServerAllowCrossplay |
true |
EACEnabled |
true |
IgnoreEOSSanctions |
false |
ServerMaxPlayerCount |
8 or fewer |
Mods folder |
Empty — consoles can’t load mods |
A 7 Days to Die crossplay server lets PC players join whatever the settings; consoles only see servers that pass. The Fun Pimps’ crossplay server requirements page also limits some gameplay values such as XP, loot and block damage. If a crossplay server is still not showing up on PS5 or Xbox, read the start of the log: since V2.3 the server prints an error at startup when crossplay is on but the config doesn’t qualify.
Admin setup and 7 Days to Die server commands
Admin rights live in serveradmin.xml, in the server’s Saves folder. The quickest way to add yourself is to join, then run admin add with your name and level 0 over telnet or from the web dashboard. After that, press F1 in game to open the console and use commands such as kick, ban add, say and saveworld.
Add an admin
- Join the server so it knows you.
- Over telnet, run
listplayersto see your name and ID, thenadmin add YourName 0. - Or stop the server and add a line inside
<users>inserveradmin.xml:<user platform="Steam" userid="76561198021925107" name="You" permission_level="0" />platformisSteam,EOS,XBLorPSN, anduseridis the player’s ID on that platform (a SteamID64 for Steam). The server log prints the ID every time a player logs in.
Permission levels run from 0 (full access) to 1000 (a normal player), and anyone can run a command whose level is equal to or above their own. Commands not listed in the file default to level 0, so only full admins can use them.
Useful 7 Days to Die server commands
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
admin add <player> <level> |
Makes a player admin; admin remove undoes it |
listplayers (lp) |
Everyone online, with IDs |
kick <player> [reason] |
Removes a player |
ban add <player> <duration> <unit> [reason] |
Timed ban, e.g. ban add 171 2 days griefing |
whitelist add <player> |
Turns on whitelist-only mode with that player in it |
say <message> |
Message to everyone |
saveworld (sa) |
Saves the world now |
teleportplayer (tele) |
Moves a player to coordinates or another player |
settime day / night |
Jumps the clock (can upset timers in a save) |
giveself <item> [quality] |
Drops an item at your feet |
creativemenu (cm) |
Turns the creative menu on or off, the quickest way to give yourself items |
getsandboxoptions (gso) |
Lists the sandbox options in use |
version |
Game version and every mod that loaded |
shutdown |
Stops the server cleanly |
Web dashboard, telnet and server manager tools
- Web dashboard: set
WebDashboardEnabledto true and open TCP 8080. It has been part of the core game since V3.0, and since V2.5 you can sign in with Steam. SetEnableMapRenderingto true if you want the dashboard to draw the server map as players explore. - Telnet: on by default on port 8081, but it only listens locally until you set a
TelnetPassword. After 10 wrong passwords a remote client is blocked for a while. - Server managers: admins of bigger 7DTD servers often add one. 7 Days to Die server tools fall into three groups: telnet bots such as Botman, web panels such as CSMM that talk to the server’s API, and server-side mods such as Server Tools. Telnet and API tools leave Easy Anti-Cheat alone; server-side mods may need it off.
Where 7 Days to Die saves and server files are
By default a 7 Days to Die dedicated server keeps its saves in %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\Saves on Windows and ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/Saves on Linux, one folder per world and save name. The config file, start scripts and log files sit in the server’s install folder. UserDataFolder in the config moves all user data elsewhere.
| What | Windows | Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Save files | %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\Saves\<world>\<save> |
~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/Saves/<world>/<save> |
| Random-gen maps | %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\GeneratedWorlds |
~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/GeneratedWorlds |
| Admin file | serveradmin.xml in the Saves folder |
|
| Config file location | Server install folder (your myserver.xml) |
|
| Server logs | output_log text files in the server install folder |
|
Inside a save folder, main.ttw holds the world state, Region holds the map chunks (r.X.Z.7rg files that grow as players explore), and Player holds one .ttp file per player with their character data.
Make a backup of the server
Run saveworld or stop the server, then copy the whole save folder, the map’s GeneratedWorlds folder if it is a random-gen world, serveradmin.xml and your config. Make a fresh backup before every update; a failed update is the usual way a world gets lost.
Transfer a world to the server
- Stop the server.
- Copy
Saves/<world>/<save>from your PC into the server’sSavesfolder. For a random-gen map, also copyGeneratedWorlds/<world>. Navezgane and the pregen maps ship with the server, so they only need the save. - Set
GameWorldto the world’s name andGameNameto the save’s name, then start the server.
Reset the map or start over at day 1
Stop the server and delete or rename the save folder, or simply set a new GameName: the server starts a fresh save on the same map. For a different random map, change WorldGenSeed too. Deleting the old GeneratedWorlds folder frees the disk space.
Delete a character or let a player start new
Stop the server and delete that player’s files in the save’s Player folder. The next time they join, they start a new character on the same world.
How to update a 7 Days to Die server
To update a 7 Days to Die server, stop it, back up the save, and run the same SteamCMD line you installed with (app_update 294420 validate), or let Steam update the tool. Players and the server must be on the same build, so update both together. Experimental builds and older versions are separate Steam branches that you choose with -beta.
# latest experimental build
steamcmd +force_install_dir ~/7dtd +login anonymous +app_update 294420 -beta latest_experimental validate +quit
# stay on an older version, e.g. for an overhaul that hasn't updated yet
steamcmd +force_install_dir ~/7dtd +login anonymous +app_update 294420 -beta v2.6 validate +quitPlayers pick the matching branch in Steam under 7 Days to Die → Properties → Betas. After an update, the version command shows what the server is running. Big updates also change how the server is configured: to carry a V2.6 save into V3.0, The Fun Pimps say to rebuild your old settings in the Sandbox Options menu and paste the code as SandboxCode.
Mods on a dedicated server
Mods go in a Mods folder in the server’s install folder, one folder per mod with a ModInfo.xml inside. XML-only modlets work on the server alone and players get the changes when they join. Mods with new models or compiled code, and full overhauls such as Darkness Falls, must be installed by every player too, usually with Easy Anti-Cheat off.
Darkness Falls server setup in short: the overhaul goes on the server and every player’s game, everyone stays on the game version it targets (a Steam branch if it hasn’t caught up), EAC goes off and you start a new world. Mods and crossplay don’t mix. Full steps and fixes: how to add mods to a 7 Days to Die server.
Common 7 Days to Die server problems and fixes
Most 7 Days to Die server problems come down to four causes: the server hasn’t finished starting, the ports aren’t open, players and server are on different builds or mod sets, or the server is short of memory. The output_log in the install folder usually names the culprit, so read it before changing anything.
| Problem | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Server is still initializing” | The server is still starting, or generating an RWG map on first start | Wait for startup to finish; check the log if it never does |
| “Could not retrieve server information” or server ID | Joining from Steam’s server list (query port), or ports closed | Use the in-game browser or Connect to IP with port 26900; forward TCP 26900 + UDP 26900–26903 |
| Connection timed out / can’t connect / connection to server failed | Ports not forwarded, firewall, or carrier-grade NAT | Forward and allow the ports; LAN players use the local IP |
| Server not showing up in the list, or friends can’t see it | ServerVisibility 0 or 1, or ports closed |
Set it to 2, or join by IP |
| Crossplay server not showing up on PS5 or Xbox | Config breaks the crossplay rules, or mods installed | Check the startup log for the crossplay error; empty the Mods folder |
| Disconnected right after joining, “unexpected data received” | Client and server on different builds or different mods | Put both on the same branch and the same mod set |
| Crash when joining the server | A mod with models or code the player doesn’t have | Install the same mod version on the client |
| Dedicated server won’t start | Broken XML in the config, a missing -configfile, or a bad mod |
Read the output_log; fix the line it names or remove the mod |
| Server crashing on blood moon nights | Out of memory as the horde spawns | Lower ServerMaxAllowedViewDistance or MaxSpawnedZombies, or add RAM |
| XP, loot or blood moon settings ignored after an update | Those lines were removed in V3.0 | Set them through SandboxCode |
Skip the setup: rent a 7 Days to Die server
Running your own 7 Days to Die dedicated server means a PC that stays on, four ports to forward and a config file that has changed shape more than once. If you’d rather just play, 7 Days to Die server hosting on GameTeam is typically live within seconds of ordering. You pay per GB of RAM (from $0.49/GB a week, or $1.99/GB billed monthly), slots are unlimited, there is nothing to forward, and the built-in AI copilot handles the fiddly parts. Tell it “allow 12 players, add a password and turn PvP off” and it edits serverconfig.xml and restarts the server, or ask “why did the server crash during the blood moon?” and it reads the log and tells you what happened.
FAQ
Is a 7 Days to Die dedicated server free?
The server software is a free download: SteamCMD fetches it with an anonymous login. What costs money is keeping it running: your own hardware and power bill, or a hosting plan billed weekly or monthly.
How many players can a 7 Days to Die server have?
Eight out of the box, set by ServerMaxPlayerCount, and the file lets you go higher. Past about 16, CPU becomes the limit, since every zombie chasing a player needs pathing. Keep it at 8 or below if console players need to join through crossplay.
Can you play on a 7 Days to Die server without the host?
Yes, if it’s a dedicated server: the world keeps ticking with nobody online. When a player hosts from their own game, the world closes when they leave.
Can I run a 7 Days to Die dedicated server on Linux?
Yes. The dedicated server has a 64-bit Linux build, and the SteamCMD steps above work on Ubuntu. It won’t run on ARM hardware such as a Raspberry Pi.
How do I give myself items on my server?
Make yourself admin, press F1, and either open the creative menu with cm or use giveself with the item name. BuildCreate set to true turns cheat mode on for everyone.
Can you use console commands on a dedicated server?
Yes, once you are in serveradmin.xml at a low enough permission level. Press F1 in game, or send commands over telnet or through the web dashboard.
Is there a 7 Days to Die Discord server?
Yes, The Fun Pimps run an official 7 Days to Die Discord for news and help. For your own server, GameTeam’s Live Discord Bridge posts start, stop, restart and kill events to your channel as embeds.
How much is a dedicated server for 7 Days to Die?
Run it on your own PC and it costs nothing beyond the electricity. On GameTeam an 8 GB server is $3.92 a week, with unlimited slots and the AI copilot included.