To host an Unturned server, install the free Unturned Dedicated Server tool from your Steam library, launch it, and share the 17-digit Server Code it prints with your friends. That’s a working private server in about five minutes, with no port forwarding. To list it publicly, pick a map, add Workshop mods or switch the difficulty, you edit a few text files and add a login token. This tutorial covers both: the five-minute version, then the full setup with SteamCMD, Linux, plugins and the fixes for “this server lost your connection”.
Three ways to play Unturned with friends
You don’t always need a dedicated server. Pick the option that matches how your group plays:
| Option | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Join a public server | Browse the server list and join | Playing with strangers on big modded, RP or PvP servers |
| Host on your own PC with the Dedicated Server tool | Run U3DS next to the game; friends join by Server Code or Steam invite | A private server for you and a few friends, while your PC is on |
| Rent a dedicated server | The server runs 24/7 at a host | A world that’s always up, public listing, more players |
You also don’t need a third-party “server maker” app: U3DS is the official tool, and everything below uses it. If you’ve seen guides about playing Unturned with friends over Hamachi: you don’t need it anymore. Server Codes and Fake IP (below) let friends connect without port forwarding or a fake LAN.
How to make an Unturned server: the simple setup
- Install the tool. In your Steam library, find Unturned Dedicated Server (often shortened to U3DS) and install it. It’s free, like the game.
- Launch it. A server console window opens. The first boot takes a few minutes while it generates files and loads the map. It’s ready when you see
Loading level: 100%and a Server Code. - Invite your friends. Invite them through your Steam friends list, or give them the 17-digit Server Code. They enter it in the game’s Connect Directly menu. You join the same way.
- Save before you close. Type
Savein the console to save, orShutdownto save and close properly. Don’t just close the window.
Two things to know about this setup. The Server Code changes every time the server restarts, unless you add a login token (see making it an Internet server). And the server is a LAN server by default, so it doesn’t show in the Internet server list. For a private server with friends, that’s exactly what you want.
Unturned servers run on Windows and Linux. There’s no macOS version of the server tool, so you can’t host an Unturned server on a Mac without another machine or a hosted server.
Where the server files are
Every server you create gets its own folder in ...\U3DS\Servers\. The simple setup uses ...\U3DS\Servers\Default\. Stop the server before editing; most settings are only read at startup.
| File | What it controls |
|---|---|
Server\Commands.dat |
Basic setup: name, map, password, max players, owner, cheats, PvE, port |
Config.txt |
Game rules and advanced options: loot, zombies, the login token, Fake IP, scheduled restarts |
WorkshopDownloadConfig.json |
Steam Workshop mods and maps to download |
Adminlist.dat |
Players with admin rights |
Servers created before update 3.25.8.0 have a Config.json instead. The server converts it to the newer text format on startup, one file per difficulty (for example Config_NormalDifficulty.txt).
Configure your Unturned server: Commands.dat
Most of what people want to change lives in Commands.dat: one command per line, and lines starting with // are ignored. A good starting point for a private server with friends:
// Name in the server list (5 to 50 characters)
Name Our Unturned Server
// Map to load. Official maps: PEI, Washington, Yukon, Russia, Germany
Map Washington
// Player cap (default 8, maximum 200)
MaxPlayers 16
// Your steamID64, gives you admin rights
Owner 76561198000000000
// Let admins use cheat commands
Cheats
// Keep it private
Password pick-something
// No player-vs-player damage
PvE
// First person, third person, or both
Perspective Both
// Difficulty: Easy, Normal or Hard
Mode NormalSave the file, start the server, and the changes apply. For the full list of commands (kick, ban, teleport, give, day and night, and what needs Cheats), see our Unturned server commands guide.
How to change the map on an Unturned dedicated server
Change the Map line in Commands.dat and restart. For an official map, that’s all. For a Workshop map, the server has to download it first, so add its File ID to WorkshopDownloadConfig.json as well (next section), then set Map to the map’s name.
How to change difficulty
Unturned keeps separate rule files for Easy, Normal and Hard, and servers use Normal unless you say otherwise. Set the preset with Mode Hard (or Easy) in Commands.dat. To fine-tune loot, zombies or anything else, edit the matching config file. Every option in Config.txt has a comment explaining what it does and what its default is, so you don’t need a wiki open.
How to enable cheats on an Unturned dedicated server
Add a line with just Cheats to Commands.dat, and make yourself an admin with Owner <your steamID64> or by adding yourself to Adminlist.dat. Restart, join, and type cheat commands in chat with a / or @ in front, for example /give [item ID]/[amount]. The commands guide lists them.
How to add Workshop mods and maps
Unturned servers download Workshop content themselves, and players download it automatically when they connect. To add something:
- Open the item on the Steam Workshop and copy the number at the end of the URL (
?id=1753134636→1753134636). - Add it to the
File_IDslist inWorkshopDownloadConfig.json, comma-separated:"File_IDs": [ 1753134636, 1702240229 ], - Restart. The server installs and updates the listed items, and their dependencies, on every startup.
Curated maps and a few official arena maps are only on the Workshop, so they go through this file too:
| Map | Workshop File ID |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | 1753134636 (plus Hawaii Assets, 1753131903) |
| Greece | 1702240229 |
| Ireland | 1411633953 |
| Belgium | 1727125581 |
| France | 1975500516 |
| Kuwait | 2483365750 |
| Carpat | 1497352180 |
| California | 1905768396 |
| Elver | 2136497468 |
| Rio de Janeiro | 3416057692 |
| A6 Polaris | 2898548949 |
A modded server is just a longer File_IDs list. Keep it lean: every mod adds to the download players face on their first join.
Make it an Internet server (GSLT, Fake IP and ports)
A server shows up in the Internet server list once it has a Game Server Login Token (GSLT). Without one, it counts as “anonymous” and stays hidden. The token also keeps your Server Code the same between restarts.
- Go to steamcommunity.com/dev/managegameservers while logged in, and create a token with Unturned’s app ID 304930. Use the memo to note which server it’s for.
- Put the token in
Config.txt(theLogin_Tokenoption in the Browser section), or addGSLT <token>toCommands.dat. - Pick how players reach you: Fake IP or port forwarding. You don’t need both.
Option 1: Fake IP (no port forwarding)
Set Use_FakeIP to true in Config.txt. After startup, run CopyFakeIP in the console to copy the address. Players paste it into the Connect menu. Traffic goes through Steam’s relay network, which hides your real IP. The catch: the fake address changes on every restart.
Option 2: Port forwarding
Each Unturned server uses two ports in a row: 27015 for server list queries and 27016 for game traffic, both UDP. Forward 27015-27016 to the server PC’s local IP (run ipconfig to find it). Since update 3.23.14.0, port forwarding is only needed if you want players to join by IP or a domain name. A second server on the same machine uses Port 27017 (so 27017-27018), a third Port 27019, and so on.
Advanced setup: SteamCMD, Linux and multiple servers
To run more than one server on a machine, or to host on a Linux box, install U3DS with SteamCMD instead of the Steam library. The SteamCMD app ID is 1110390:
login anonymous
app_update 1110390 validate
quitThe files land in steamapps/common/U3DS/. Then start a server by ServerID. The ServerID is the folder name under Servers\:
# Windows (put this in MyServer.bat inside the U3DS folder)
start "" "%~dp0ServerHelper.bat" +InternetServer/MyServer
# Linux
./ServerHelper.sh +InternetServer/MyServerUse +LanServer/MyServer instead for a LAN server. On Linux, run it inside screen so it survives closing your SSH session.
Updates, autosave and daily restarts
Run app_update 1110390 again to update. Unturned has no built-in autosave, so a crash loses everything since the last Save. Smart Dressed Games recommends restarting once every 24 hours, and two Config.txt options help:
Enable_Scheduled_ShutdownwithScheduled_Shutdown_TimeandScheduled_Shutdown_Warnings: a daily shutdown with chat warnings. Shutdown saves the world.Enable_Update_Shutdown: the server watches for game updates and shuts down, with warnings, when one lands.
Pair them with a loop script that runs SteamCMD and then starts the server again, and you get an update-and-restart cycle without touching it. The server also watches the hosted Workshop map: when its creator ships an update, it warns players in chat and shuts down after a timer, so your loop script brings it back on the new version.
Plugins: building an RP, PvE or military server
The big roleplay, “life” RP, military and WW2-style servers you see in the list run on two things: Workshop content (maps, vehicles, items) and server plugins for jobs, kits, economies and permissions. Workshop handles the first. For plugins, Unturned supports two frameworks:
- Rocket (LDM): Smart Dressed Games maintains a fork called Legally Distinct Missile, and it ships with the server. Copy the
Rocket.Unturnedfolder from the server’sExtrasfolder intoModules, and you’re done. - OpenMod: a newer plugin framework that also runs Rocket plugins. Install it through its RocketMod installer plugin, then run
/openmod install.
A good PvE server is often just vanilla with PvE on and a friendly Welcome message. A good RP server takes weeks of plugin and permission work. Start small.
How much RAM does an Unturned server need?
An Unturned server is light: 2 to 4 GB of RAM covers most servers. Big Workshop maps, lots of mods and a busy player count push it toward the top of that range. Player count is set by MaxPlayers (up to 200), but 24 to 48 is the practical range, depending on the map’s size. That’s why Unturned server hosting is cheap to run: a 2 to 4 GB plan covers most servers.
Common Unturned server problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Friends can’t find the server in the list | No GSLT (anonymous servers are hidden), or it’s a LAN server | Add a login token and launch with +InternetServer, or have them join by Server Code |
| Server Code stopped working | It changes on every restart | Share the new code, or add a GSLT to keep it fixed |
| “This server lost your connection” / timeouts | High ping (the Timeout default kicks above 750 ms), the server restarted, or a Workshop map update |
Check the console for a shutdown or update; raise Timeout only if players are far away |
| Can’t connect by IP | Ports not forwarded, or Fake IP changed after a restart | Forward UDP 27015-27016, or copy the new address with CopyFakeIP |
| Settings don’t change | Edited while running, or edited the wrong difficulty’s config | Stop first, and edit the config file for the Mode you use |
| Workshop map won’t load | Map name set but its File ID not in WorkshopDownloadConfig.json |
Add the ID, restart, then set Map |
| Lost progress after a crash | No autosave | Use Save often, schedule daily restarts, and back up the server folder |
| Players can’t join after a game update | Server on the old version | Update with app_update 1110390, or turn on Enable_Update_Shutdown |
Skip the setup: rent an Unturned server
Hosting at home works fine until you want the server up while your PC is off, or a big Workshop list declared and kept updated. Then it’s tokens, ports, restart scripts and a lot of console. Unturned server hosting on GameTeam keeps the server online while your PC is off. Billing is per GB of RAM and slots are unlimited, so a full 48-player map costs the same per GB as a squad: $0.49/GB a week on Budget, or $1.99/GB billed monthly. A 4 GB server is $1.96 a week.
The built-in AI copilot does the file editing. Tell it “switch the map to Hawaii, set 32 players, turn on PvE and add these three Workshop IDs” and it updates Commands.dat and WorkshopDownloadConfig.json, then restarts the server. Ask “why can’t anyone join?” and it reads the console log and tells you. It can also run Save and take a backup before you change anything. There’s a 72-hour money-back window, and when your group moves on, the same server can switch games.
FAQ
How do I host my own Unturned multiplayer server?
Install the free Unturned Dedicated Server tool from your Steam library, launch it, and share the Server Code with friends. For a 24/7 public server, add a GSLT and use Fake IP or port forwarding, or rent a server.
How do I make a private Unturned server for friends?
Add Password <something> to Commands.dat, or keep it a LAN server and only share the Server Code. Use Whitelisted with Permit if you want only listed players to get in.
Is the Unturned Dedicated Server tool free?
Yes. Unturned is free to play, and the server tool is a free download from Steam or SteamCMD (app 1110390). What costs money is a machine that stays on, or a host.
How do I make an Unturned LAN server?
The simple setup already is one: U3DS starts as a LAN server by default. With SteamCMD, launch it with +LanServer/MyServer. Players on the same network can see it in the LAN list.
How much RAM does an Unturned server need?
2 to 4 GB for most servers. Add headroom for big Workshop maps and long mod lists.
What ports does an Unturned server use?
Two consecutive UDP ports, 27015 and 27016 by default. Port forwarding is optional since update 3.23.14.0 if players join by Server Code or Fake IP.
Can I host an Unturned server on a Mac?
No. The server tool runs on Windows and Linux only. Use another PC, a Linux box, or a hosted server.
How do I save my Unturned server?
Type Save in the console, or Shutdown to save and close. There’s no built-in autosave, so scheduled restarts are the best safety net.