To make a DayZ server, you run Bohemia’s DayZ Server files on a Windows or Linux machine with at least 6 GB of RAM, configure it in serverDZ.cfg, and open UDP port 2302 plus a Steam query port so players can reach it. The files come from SteamCMD (app 223350) with your Steam login, and the server starts with one line: DayZServer_x64.exe -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302. Below: what it needs, every setup step on Windows and Linux, ports, restarts, admin tools, and the fixes for the errors people actually hit.
Can you make your own DayZ server?
Yes, on PC. Anyone who plays DayZ Standalone on Steam can run a dedicated server on their own Windows or Linux machine, or rent one from a host. On Xbox and PS5 it works differently: console players can’t run the server software, and console private servers are rented through Bohemia’s own console hosting partner, with far fewer options than PC and no Steam Workshop mods. So “how to make your own server in DayZ on Xbox” really means renting a console private server.
One more distinction: this guide is about DayZ Standalone, Bohemia’s 2018 game. The original DayZ Mod for Arma 2 is a different game with different server software, covered briefly in how to add mods to a DayZ server.
| Self-hosted PC server | Rented PC server | Console private server | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who runs the hardware | You | The host | Bohemia’s console partner |
| Mods (Steam Workshop) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Full file access (serverDZ.cfg, XML) | Yes | Yes, through the panel | Limited |
| Port forwarding | Yes | No | No |
| Cost | Your PC, power and time | A rental fee | A rental fee |
Official vs community servers
Official servers are run by Bohemia, play pure vanilla and share one central database, so your character follows you between official servers. Community servers are run by players and groups with their own rules, mods and character saves. In the in-game server browser they sit under separate Official and Community tabs, and there is a LAN tab for servers on your home network. The server you make shows up under Community.
Bohemia also shuffles its own fleet: when population drops it merges quiet official servers and shuts the rest down, and in busy periods it adds temporary servers for capacity (the “temp servers” people search for). A community server only shuts down when its owner says so.
What kind of DayZ server should you make?
Decide this first, because it decides which files you’ll spend your time in. A vanilla server only needs serverDZ.cfg. A high-loot or beginner-friendly server is mostly XML edits. PvE, roleplay and themed servers lean on mods, because vanilla DayZ has no setting that turns PvP off: neither serverDZ.cfg nor cfggameplay.json has one.
| Server style | What makes it | Where you configure it |
|---|---|---|
| Vanilla | Official rules, your own population and restarts | serverDZ.cfg only |
| Vanilla+ (or “vanilla++”) | Vanilla gameplay plus a few quality-of-life mods | -mod= and the mods’ own settings |
| High loot | More of everything, or more of the good stuff | nominal and min in db/types.xml |
| Beginner-friendly | More loot, fewer infected, third person on, bases that can’t be wrecked | types.xml, ZombieMaxCount in db/globals.xml, disableBaseDamage |
| PvE | Players fight the infected, not each other | Mods plus server rules |
| RP / roleplay | Characters, factions, a whitelist and a Discord to apply through | enableWhitelist, mods, community rules |
| Deathmatch | Spawn geared, fight, respawn fast | spawnGearPresetFiles in cfggameplay.json, respawnTime |
| Custom map | Namalsk, Deer Isle and other community maps | The map’s Workshop mod plus its mission folder |
| Themed | STALKER, Tarkov-style, Star Wars, Walking Dead, dinosaurs | Mod packs, mostly |
Most good community servers start as vanilla on day one and change one thing at a time. The DayZ server settings guide explains every option, and how to add mods to a DayZ server covers the Workshop side.
DayZ server requirements
Bohemia’s minimum for a DayZ dedicated server is 6 GB of RAM, a dual-core CPU and 2.5 GB of disk space, on Windows 10 or later, Windows Server, or Linux, with an SSD “highly recommended” for the install and logs. That’s a floor. A public server loaded with mods and months of stored bases will struggle at the minimum, so it needs more headroom than a fresh vanilla one.
| Bohemia’s minimum | What we’d plan for | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows Server 2012–2016, Windows 10 or later, or Linux | Whatever you’re comfortable maintaining |
| CPU | Intel dual-core 2.4 GHz or AMD dual-core Athlon 2.5 GHz | A modern CPU with fast single cores |
| RAM | 6 GB | 6 GB for a private group, 8 GB for a public server with mods |
| Storage | 2.5 GB | An SSD with room for mods, logs and persistence backups |
| Network | Not specified | Stable upload and a router you can forward ports on |
Map choice matters too. Nasdara, the map in the DayZ Badlands expansion (out October 15, 2026), is 267 km², the largest terrain Bohemia has made for DayZ.
Don’t have a spare machine that can stay on? DayZ server hosting runs the same server files on rented hardware, so the rest of this guide still applies, minus the port forwarding.
How to set up a DayZ dedicated server on Windows
Creating a server from zero takes three moves: download the server files with SteamCMD, edit serverDZ.cfg, then start DayZServer_x64.exe from a batch file. Bohemia’s docs say to log in with your Steam account (the DayZ Server app doesn’t download anonymously), and the same command that installs the server also updates it later.
- Get SteamCMD. Download it from Valve and unzip it to a folder such as
C:\steamcmd. - Download the DayZ server. From that folder, run (use
1042420instead of223350for the experimental branch):steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\dayzserver +login your_steam_name +app_update 223350 +quit - Edit
serverDZ.cfginC:\dayzserver. At minimum, set the name, passwords and slots (see the config section below). - Create a start batch file. Save this as
start.batin the server folder:@echo off cd /d "C:\dayzserver" start "DayZ Server" DayZServer_x64.exe -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -profiles=profiles -dologs -adminlog -netlog -freezecheck - Start it and watch the console. The first start builds the mission’s storage folder and writes logs to
profiles. When the console settles, the server is up. - Open the ports (next section), then join.
Bohemia also documents a PowerShell Server_manager.ps1 script in the server’s server_manager folder that downloads SteamCMD, the server and mods, and starts the server for you. The wiki notes the script went missing in 1.24, so check whether your install has it before you rely on it.
On Linux
Same steps, with SteamCMD’s Linux build and the DayZServer binary. Bohemia’s guide says not to run the server as root.
mkdir -p ~/servers/steamcmd && cd ~/servers/steamcmd
curl -sqL "https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz" | tar zxvf -
~/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir ~/servers/dayz-server/ +login your_steam_name +app_update 223350 +quit
cd ~/servers/dayz-server/
./DayZServer -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -BEpath=battleye -profiles=profiles -dologs -adminlog -netlog -freezecheckOn Debian you need lib32gcc-s1 first. For a server that starts with the machine, Bohemia’s guide wraps that line in a systemd service with Restart=on-failure, plus an update script that runs before every start.
Configure serverDZ.cfg
serverDZ.cfg holds the server-wide rules: name, passwords, slots, time of day, first- or third-person, and which map to load. There’s no default file name. The server reads whatever you pass with -config= and refuses to launch without it. Start with these lines:
hostname = "My DayZ Server | 1PP | Vanilla";
description = "Friends-only vanilla Chernarus. Restarts every 4 hours.";
password = "";
passwordAdmin = "something-long-and-private";
maxPlayers = 60;
disable3rdPerson = 0;
serverTimeAcceleration = 4;
serverTimePersistent = 1;
steamQueryPort = 2305;
class Missions
{
class DayZ
{
template = "dayzOffline.chernarusplus";
};
};The template picks the map: dayzOffline.chernarusplus, dayzOffline.enoch (Livonia), dayzOffline.sakhal or dayzOffline.nasdara, each matching a folder in mpmissions. The description (up to 255 characters) appears in the browser’s server details, so use it to say what your server is about. Tags in the name, like | PVE | or | 1PP |, are how most community servers advertise their style in the list. Every other option is in DayZ server settings explained.
DayZ server ports and port forwarding
A DayZ server needs its game port, UDP 2302 by default, reachable from the internet, plus the Steam query port you set with steamQueryPort (2305 in Bohemia’s example config). The query port is what puts the server in the browser. Forward both on your router to the PC running the server and allow them through the firewall.
| Port | Protocol | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| 2302 | UDP | Game traffic. Change it with -port= |
2305 (your steamQueryPort) |
UDP | Steam query: server browser listing |
If you run several servers on one machine, give each its own game port, query port and instanceId so their storage folders don’t collide.
LAN or local play: players on the same network don’t need any forwarding. They find the server under the LAN tab, or connect to the server PC’s local IP.
How to join (and find) your DayZ server
- Launch DayZ and open the server browser.
- Go to the Community tab and type your server name into the search. If it’s slow to appear, search by IP instead (
203.0.113.25, for example). - Or skip the list: the DayZ Launcher on Steam has a direct connect window for an IP and port.
- Enter the password if you set one.
Can’t find your server in the browser? Check three things: that the query port is set and open, that the server has finished starting, and the browser’s ping filter. By default it only shows servers under 100 ms, so a far-away server can be filtered out of your own list.
Restarts, persistence and shutdowns
DayZ servers restart on a schedule to save their state cleanly and start fresh. Bohemia recommends a graceful shutdown through messages.xml instead of killing the process, because a hard stop can damage player characters and the server’s stored data. The countdown warns players at 90, 60, 45, 30, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2 and 1 minute before it shuts down.
<messages>
<message>
<deadline>240</deadline>
<shutdown>1</shutdown>
<text>#name restarts in #tmin minutes.</text>
</message>
</messages>That file lives at mpmissions\dayzOffline.chernarusplus\db\messages.xml, and a deadline of 240 shuts the server down four hours after it starts. Something still has to start it again: a restart loop in your batch file, a systemd service with Restart=on-failure, or a host that brings it back up.
- How long does a server restart take? As long as the server needs to stop, save and load the mission and its stored world. That grows with map size, mods and the number of stored items. A queue builds when people rejoin at once;
loginQueueConcurrentPlayers(5 in the reference config) sets how many are let in at a time. - Does loot respawn on server restart? Not by default.
RestartSpawnindb/globals.xmlis 0%, so a restart doesn’t refill the map. Loot respawns gradually while the server runs, and a full spawn (InitialSpawn, 100%) only happens on a first start without storage. - Does the clock reset? Only if
serverTimePersistentis 0. Set it to 1 and the time of day carries over. - Where does persistence live? In the mission folder’s
storage_1folder (the number followsinstanceId). The server keeps rolling backups of it: one every 60 minutes, the last 12, by default. Deleting the storage folder is a full reset. That is a wipe, covered in how to update a DayZ server.
Admin tools, server managers and logs
Vanilla DayZ gives you an admin password, BattlEye RCon and logs. Most communities add a GUI admin mod on top. Here is what each one does.
- passwordAdmin in serverDZ.cfg is the password for logging in as admin.
- BattlEye RCon: set
RConPasswordinBEServer_x64.cfg(next to the BattlEye DLL, or in the folder set with-BEpath) and connect with an RCon tool such as BEC or DaRT to kick, ban and message players remotely. - Community Online Tools (COT), a Workshop mod that needs Community Framework, adds in-game admin menus: teleporting, setting health, changing the weather, spawning vehicles. Admin permissions go in a JSON file under
profiles/PermissionsFramework/Players, and it can post admin actions to a Discord channel through webhooks. - Logs: the
.RPTfile is the server log, where startup errors show up. With-adminlog, a.ADMfile in the profiles folder records connects, chat, hits and kills, plus player reports sent with#toadminin chat. - DayZ Tools (a separate Steam app) is the modding suite, not a server tool. It contains Workbench, Addon Builder, Publisher, Terrain Builder, Object Builder and the Central Economy Editor.
Mods, updates and wipes
Mods come from the Steam Workshop, go next to the server with their key in the keys folder, and load with -mod=. Updates use the same SteamCMD command as the install, and you decide whether an update comes with a wipe. Two guides go deeper: how to add mods to a DayZ server and how to update a DayZ server, including when Bohemia wipes the official servers.
Common DayZ server problems and fixes
Almost every “my server is broken” moment comes down to ports, versions or a typo in an XML file. Start with the RPT log, then this table.
| Problem | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Could not connect to server because it is unreachable” | Server still starting, wrong IP or port, or the port is blocked | Wait for the console to settle, check the IP and port, forward UDP 2302 and allow it through the firewall |
| Server not showing up in the browser | Query port not set or not open, or the browser’s ping filter | Set steamQueryPort, open it, search by IP |
| “Server version doesn’t match the local version” | Server and players on different builds (forceSameBuild = 1), or stable vs experimental |
Update the server, or both sides to the same branch |
| Server won’t start after an edit | An XML syntax error in the economy files | The RPT log names the file; find the unclosed tag or stray character |
| Players kicked for ping | MaxPing (300 ms in the reference config) |
Raise it, or host closer to your players |
| Players kicked right after adding a mod | Mod’s .bikey missing from keys, or players on a different mod version |
Copy the key in; have everyone update the mod |
| Server struggles once the map fills up | Not enough RAM for mods, vehicles and stored bases | Add RAM, or trim mods and base limits |
Skip the setup: rent a DayZ server
Hosting a DayZ server yourself means a PC that stays on, forwarded ports, and a stack of XML files that break on one missing tag. If you’d rather just play, DayZ server hosting on GameTeam is ready in minutes: you pay per GB of RAM (from $0.49/GB a week, so a 6 GB server is $2.94 a week), slots are unlimited, there’s nothing to forward, and the AI copilot does the fiddly parts. Tell it “make M4s and AKMs more common” and it edits types.xml and reads the file back. Ask “why won’t the server start since my edit?” and it reads the RPT log and points to the broken line.
FAQ
How much does it cost to make a DayZ server?
Running one on your own PC costs the hardware, the electricity and your time. Renting costs a fee. On GameTeam that’s $0.49 per GB of RAM a week, so $2.94 a week for 6 GB or $3.92 for 8 GB, or $1.99/GB billed monthly.
Can you have a solo server in DayZ?
Yes. Make a server, set a password, and you’re the only one in it. Turn the loot up or the infected down if you want a gentler solo run. It’s also a good way to learn the map.
Are DayZ private servers free?
Self-hosting costs nothing beyond your own hardware and power. Hosted PC servers and console private servers are paid rentals.
Is 200 ping too high for DayZ?
200 ms is playable but noticeable. It’s exactly where Bohemia’s reference config starts the yellow ping warning (pingWarning = 200). The red warning comes at 250 and the kick at 300 (MaxPing). Server owners can change all three.
How long is 1 DayZ hour?
It depends on the server’s serverTimeAcceleration. At 1, an in-game hour is a real hour. At 4, it’s 15 minutes. At 12, 5 minutes. serverNightTimeAcceleration multiplies on top, so nights can pass even faster.
Do DayZ server owners make money?
Some do, within Bohemia’s rules. Donations with nothing in return are always allowed. Selling perks needs Bohemia’s approval, and only things that don’t affect gameplay qualify, like cosmetics and reserved slots. Bohemia takes no cut, and you need permission from the authors of every mod you run.
Which DayZ server is best for a beginner?
For beginners, the best server is one where you can learn without losing everything every ten minutes. Look for PvE or beginner-labelled community servers, or make your own beginner-friendly server: more loot in types.xml, a lower ZombieMaxCount, third person on, and disableBaseDamage = 1 so your first base survives.
Why are DayZ servers shutting down?
Usually it’s a scheduled restart. The “server shutting down in X minutes” messages are the countdown from messages.xml. Bohemia also closes official servers now and then, merging low-population ones and removing temporary capacity servers after busy periods.
What are the official DayZ servers?
The servers Bohemia runs itself: vanilla rules, listed under the Official tab, and sharing one character database. Everything else, including the server you make, is a community server.