An Astroneer dedicated server keeps your solar system running without a host, for up to 8 players. The server software is free: install ASTRONEER Dedicated Server from Steam’s Tools list (or download app 728470 with SteamCMD), set a port in Engine.ini, add your public IP and owner name to AstroServerSettings.ini, forward the port, and give friends the server URL. Below is every step, plus saves, Linux, Xbox and PlayStation, and the problems people run into.
Dedicated server vs. co-op
Astroneer’s normal co-op is hosted by one player: the world is their save, and it’s gone the moment they leave. A dedicated server is a separate program that holds the save itself, so anyone can drop in and the base is there whenever someone logs on.
| Co-op | Dedicated server | |
|---|---|---|
| Host has to be online | Yes | No |
| Players | Up to 4 | Up to 8 (MaximumPlayerCount) |
| How friends join | Platform friends list | Server URL (IP and port) in the Server List |
| Password and whitelist | No | Yes |
| Runs on | The host’s console or PC | A Windows PC or a hosted server |
Dedicated servers arrived with Update 1.12 on May 26, 2020, which is the release date most people are looking for. PS4 support followed in March 2021.
Astroneer dedicated server requirements
System Era doesn’t publish official server requirements, so here’s what actually matters:
- RAM: 4–6 GB for the server. Memory grows with terrain deformation, so a world your group has dug, flattened and tunnelled for months needs more than a fresh one.
- CPU: a modern processor with good single-core speed. The server does the physics and terrain work for every player, and it gets heavier with each person who joins.
- OS: 64-bit Windows. There is no native Linux version of the server software; Linux hosts run the Windows build under Wine (see Linux and Docker).
- Storage: a few GB for the server files plus room for saves and backups, which accumulate over time.
- Network: one UDP port you can forward on your router, and a public IP address.
Running the server on the PC you also play on works, but each needs its own share of RAM; the game alone asks for 4 GB. If no PC in the group can stay on, Astroneer server hosting takes the machine out of the picture.
How to set up an Astroneer dedicated server
Step 1: download the server files
Through Steam: in your library, switch the filter to Tools and install ASTRONEER Dedicated Server.
Through SteamCMD (handy on a machine without the Steam client; the same command updates the server later):
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 728470 validate +quitIf you ran SteamCMD from a temporary folder, the files land next to it, not inside your Steam library, so check there if you can’t find them.
Step 2: run it once to create the config files
Start AstroServer.exe in the server folder. It launches AstroServer-Win64-Shipping.exe (you’ll see both in Task Manager) and, on this first start, creates the config files. Close it again. The files are in:
...\ASTRONEER Dedicated Server\Astro\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\
Engine.ini
AstroServerSettings.iniGolden rule: only edit these files while the server is stopped. Changes made while it runs are not saved.
Step 3: set the port in Engine.ini
Engine.ini starts out nearly empty. Add a [URL] section with the port the server should listen on:
[URL]
Port=8777System Era’s guide uses 8777 as its example; any free port works, and some tools default to 7777. Use one port only: two Port= lines confuse the server.
Step 4: fill in AstroServerSettings.ini
Everything sits under one section header. PublicIP is the line the server needs, and OwnerName plus OwnerGuid make you the owner, which you’ll want before you invite anyone.
[/Script/Astro.AstroServerSettings]
PublicIP=203.0.113.25
ServerName=Our Astroneer Base
OwnerName=YourSteamName
OwnerGuid=0
ServerPassword=friends-only
MaximumPlayerCount=8
AutoSaveGameInterval=900
BackupSaveGamesInterval=7200
ActiveSaveFileDescriptiveName=SAVE_1| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
PublicIP |
empty | Your public IP address (look it up with any “what is my IP” site). Not a 192.168… address |
OwnerName / OwnerGuid |
empty | Your Steam name and 0. The first player with that name to connect becomes owner, and the server fills in their GUID |
ServerName |
Astroneer Dedicated Server | Name shown in the Server List |
ServerPassword |
empty | Join password |
MaximumPlayerCount |
8 | Player cap. 8 is the most Astroneer supports |
AutoSaveGameInterval |
900 | Seconds between autosaves |
BackupSaveGamesInterval |
7200 | Seconds between backup copies of the save |
ActiveSaveFileDescriptiveName |
SAVE_1 | Which save the server loads (the part of the file name before the $) |
DenyUnlistedPlayers |
False | True turns on whitelist mode: only players already listed may join |
PlayerActivityTimeout |
0 | Kick idle players after a set time (0 = never) |
MaxServerFramerate |
30 | Server tick rate; leave it unless you know why |
ConsolePort / ConsolePassword |
1234 / random | Remote console for tools like AstroLauncher |
To hand ownership to someone else, put their Steam name in OwnerName, set OwnerGuid=0 again, and let them connect first.
Step 5: open the port
The Port line only tells Astroneer where to listen. You still have to allow that port (UDP) through Windows Firewall and forward it on your router to the server PC. System Era is clear that it can’t help with home networks, firewalls or ports, so if friends can’t connect, this is the first place to look.
Optional: AstroLauncher
If you self-host on Windows, the community tool AstroLauncher (the maintained fork; the original repo was archived in November 2025) takes care of most of the above: it downloads and updates the server, writes the base config, checks your port forwarding and NAT loopback, restarts the server on a schedule, keeps rolling backups and gives you a web panel (port 5000 by default) to kick, ban, whitelist and force saves.
How to join: the Astroneer server URL
An Astroneer dedicated server doesn’t use a code. Players add it by address, which the game calls the server URL: your public IP, a colon and the port, like 203.0.113.25:8777.
- Launch Astroneer and open the Server List tab on the main menu.
- Click Add Dedicated Server, paste the server URL, give it a nickname, and click Add Server. It appears under Favorite Servers.
- Select it and click Join; enter the password if you set one.
- You connect but stay on the main menu. Open the CO-OP tab and choose Join Game to load in. The owner also gets a Server Admin tab here.
If a newly added server doesn’t show in the list, start and join a single-player world once, then go back to the Server List. And if you’re joining from the same PC or home network as the server, connecting through your own public IP can fail when your router doesn’t support NAT loopback.
Can Xbox, PlayStation and Steam players play together?
This is where self-hosting gets limited. According to System Era’s own guide:
- PS4 players can join any Astroneer dedicated server, including one you run at home.
- Xbox players can only join a “preferred” dedicated server, one rented from System Era’s official server partners. Xbox can’t connect to a non-authenticated server someone runs on their own.
- When dedicated servers launched, partner servers were also the only ones that unlock cosmetics and achievements, and the only way to get cross play between Xbox, Windows 10 and Steam.
So a home server works well for a Steam group (and PS4 players), but a mixed group with Xbox players needs a partner-hosted preferred server. You can’t make a dedicated server on an Xbox or a PS5 itself; the server software is Windows-only. Crossplay can also break for a few days after a big update while the console version waits for certification.
DLC on a dedicated server
Glitchwalkers and Megatech both work on dedicated servers, with one catch: everyone who joins needs the DLC. For Glitchwalkers that applies to servers on the Aeoluz system; for Megatech, a save counts as a Megatech save once someone deploys a Construction Anchor for a Biodome, Orbital Platform or Museum, so back up first.
Astroneer dedicated server save file location (and transferring a save)
Server saves live in ASTRONEER Dedicated Server\Astro\Saved\SaveGames\. Your single-player and co-op saves are on your PC in %LocalAppData%\Astro\Saved\SaveGames\. To transfer a save to the dedicated server:
- Stop the server.
- Copy your
.savegamefile into the server’sSaveGamesfolder. Save files are namedNAME$date.savegame, for exampleMYBASE$2026.10.01-18.30.00.savegame. The date just needs to be valid, not accurate. - In
AstroServerSettings.ini, setActiveSaveFileDescriptiveNameto the part before the$:MYBASE. - Start the server and join.
Back up the whole Astro\Saved folder regularly; it holds the saves, the backups the server makes on its own, and your config.
Astroneer dedicated server on Linux and Docker
System Era only ships a Windows server, but it runs on Linux under Wine. The easiest route is a community Docker image such as whalybird/astroneer-server, built on AstroTuxLauncher. It publishes 7777/udp, keeps the Astro/Saved folder in a volume, and runs on both x86 and ARM machines.
The one catch is encryption. Older Wine versions couldn’t handle the server’s network encryption, so many Linux servers run with it turned off, and then every player must turn it off too or they can’t connect. With the game closed, add this to %localappdata%\Astro\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor\Engine.ini on each PC:
[SystemSettings]
net.AllowEncryption=FalseThe image’s documentation says encryption works with Wine 10.6 or newer, which removes the need for this.
Astroneer server commands and admin
The owner manages the server from the Server Admin tab that appears in the main menu after connecting. Behind that, the server has a remote console on ConsolePort (1234 by default, protected by ConsolePassword) that tools such as AstroLauncher talk to. Its commands include:
| Console command | What it does |
|---|---|
DSListPlayers |
List players and their GUIDs |
DSKickPlayerGuid <guid> |
Kick a player |
DSSetPlayerCategoryForPlayerName <name> <category> |
Set a player’s category: Admin, Whitelisted, Blacklisted or Unlisted |
DSSetDenyUnlisted true |
Turn whitelist mode on |
DSSaveGame |
Save now |
DSListGames |
List the saves on the server |
DSLoadGame <name> / DSNewGame |
Switch save or start a new one |
DSServerStatistics |
Server stats, including the average server framerate |
DSServerShutdown |
Save and stop |
How to update an Astroneer dedicated server
When Astroneer updates, players on the new version can’t join a server on the old one. Stop the server, then let Steam update the Tools app or rerun steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 728470 validate +quit, and start it again. Back up Astro\Saved before every update. Self-hosted servers get the same updates as the main game.
Mods
Astroneer has no official mod support on dedicated servers. Unofficial .pak mods exist, but System Era doesn’t support modded saves, and modifying the game to bypass unlocks gets you banned. Keep a server you care about vanilla.
Common Astroneer dedicated server problems and fixes
| Problem | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated server not starting or not launching | Empty PublicIP, or a broken line in an .ini |
Set PublicIP, check for typos and duplicate Port= lines |
| Settings or owner not saving | Files edited while the server was running | Stop the server, edit, start again |
| Can’t connect / failed to connect | Port not forwarded or firewalled, wrong PublicIP, or joining from the same network without NAT loopback |
Forward the UDP port, set your real public IP, test from outside your network |
| Linux-hosted server: nobody can connect | Server encryption is off | Set net.AllowEncryption=False on every client, or move to Wine 10.6+ |
| Server not showing in the Server List | List hasn’t refreshed | Join a single-player world once, then check again |
| Xbox friend can’t join | Self-hosted servers aren’t “preferred” | Xbox needs a partner-hosted preferred server |
| “Server is full” | 8 players already on | 8 is the cap; it can’t be raised |
| Can’t join a DLC world | Save uses Glitchwalkers or Megatech content | Every player needs that DLC |
| Server gets slower over weeks | Heavily terraformed world | Give it more RAM; keep backups trimmed |
| Players can’t join after a game update | Server on an older version | Update the server |
Skip the setup: rent an Astroneer server
Self-hosting means a Windows PC that stays on, two .ini files you can only edit while it’s off, and a port to forward. With Astroneer server hosting on GameTeam there’s no port forwarding and the server runs around the clock. You pay per GB of RAM (6 GB is $2.94 a week on the Budget plan, or $1.99/GB billed monthly); slots are unlimited on our side, and Astroneer’s own 8-player cap still applies. The built-in AI copilot does the file work: tell it “make me the owner, my Steam name is Rover_Kat, and set a password” and it edits AstroServerSettings.ini while the server is stopped, or upload a save and say “load MYBASE” and it sets the active save and restarts.
FAQ
Is there a free Astroneer server?
The dedicated server software is free, and you can run it on your own Windows PC at no cost beyond the electricity. Rented servers cost a weekly or monthly fee.
How many players can join an Astroneer dedicated server?
Up to 8, set with MaximumPlayerCount. Co-op without a server is limited to 4.
Can I make a dedicated server on Xbox or PS5?
No. The server runs on Windows only. Console players can join one: PS4 players any server, Xbox players only partner-hosted preferred servers.
Can I run an Astroneer dedicated server without Steam?
You need SteamCMD to download it, but not the Steam client: app_update 728470 with an anonymous login gets the files.
Where do I find the dedicated server files?
In your Steam library under Tools, or wherever you pointed SteamCMD. Config is in Astro\Saved\Config\WindowsServer, saves in Astro\Saved\SaveGames.
Do achievements work on a dedicated server?
At launch, System Era said only partner servers unlock achievements and cosmetics. On a self-hosted server, plan on playing for the base, not the trophies.