How to Host an Enshrouded Dedicated Server in 2026

An Enshrouded dedicated server keeps one Embervale online for your group, even when the person who created the world is away. Friends can build, explore and progress on their own schedules, while the world save stays on a machine intended to run around the clock.

The setup has a few traps in 2026. Keen Games still distributes a Windows-only server, the old single password has been replaced by role-based access, and many older guides still tell people to configure a gamePort that current builds no longer use. This guide follows the current server format.

Skip SteamCMD, Wine and port forwarding with managed Enshrouded hosting

What the server needs

Keen Games says the process uses roughly 4.4 GB of physical RAM while idle and should remain below about 6 GB, with additional memory used as players join. Its machine recommendation for four to six active players is a six-core 3.2 GHz CPU, 16 GB of system RAM, SSD storage and at least 30 GB free.

The difference matters: 4.4 GB describes the game process, while 16 GB describes the whole recommended machine. Do not buy a one or two gigabyte server simply because the group is small. Enshrouded is also sensitive to CPU performance and contention, especially in an older world with large builds.

Install the dedicated server on Windows

The easiest Windows route is Steam. Open your Library, enable the Tools filter and install Enshrouded Dedicated Server. Keen recommends opening the installed files and running enshrouded_server.exe directly instead of using Steam's Launch button. The first start creates enshrouded_server.json.

For a headless machine, use SteamCMD. Enshrouded's dedicated-server app ID is 2278520 and it supports anonymous login:

steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\enshrouded-server \
  +login anonymous +app_update 2278520 validate +quit

Run the update command again whenever the game client receives a patch. Updating the game on your gaming PC does not update the separate server installation.

Run it on Linux through Wine

There is still no native Linux dedicated-server build. Linux hosts download the Windows depot and run it through Wine. Install SteamCMD and a current 64-bit Wine package, then force SteamCMD to request the Windows depot:

steamcmd +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows \
  +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformBitness 64 \
  +force_install_dir /srv/enshrouded \
  +login anonymous +app_update 2278520 validate +quit

cd /srv/enshrouded
WINEARCH=win64 WINEPREFIX=/srv/enshrouded/.wine wine enshrouded_server.exe

Run it under a dedicated unprivileged user and a service manager such as systemd. The working directory must be the install directory because the server resolves its config, save and log paths relative to that location.

Use the current config format

The main file is enshrouded_server.json. A small current config contains the server name, save and log directories, bind address, one query port, player slots, chat options, a difficulty preset and user groups.

{
  "name": "Friday Flameborn",
  "saveDirectory": "./savegame",
  "logDirectory": "./logs",
  "ip": "0.0.0.0",
  "queryPort": 15637,
  "slotCount": 6,
  "voiceChatMode": "Proximity",
  "enableVoiceChat": false,
  "enableTextChat": true,
  "gameSettingsPreset": "Default",
  "userGroups": [
    {
      "name": "Admin",
      "password": "use-a-unique-admin-password",
      "canKickBan": true,
      "canAccessInventories": true,
      "canEditWorld": true,
      "canEditBase": true,
      "canExtendBase": true,
      "reservedSlots": 0
    },
    {
      "name": "Friend",
      "password": "share-this-with-friends",
      "canKickBan": false,
      "canAccessInventories": true,
      "canEditWorld": true,
      "canEditBase": true,
      "canExtendBase": false,
      "reservedSlots": 0
    }
  ]
}

Players enter a group's password when joining, and that decides their permissions. Do not leave the Admin password blank. Keen Games explicitly recommends password protection because public server names are visible and an unprotected role can be entered freely.

Ports and connecting

Current builds expose queryPort, which defaults to UDP 15637. Forward that UDP port from the router to the server and allow it through the machine firewall. Old configs and guides may mention gamePort 15636; the current official configuration and FAQ list only the query port.

In Enshrouded, choose Join and enable the dedicated-server filter. Search by the server name or add the server as a Steam favorite using its public IP and query port. If it works on the local network but not for friends, the remaining problem is normally the router rule, host firewall, changing private IP or ISP-level CGNAT.

Difficulty and gameplay settings

The built-in presets are Default, Relaxed, Hard and Survival. Choose Custom before adding individual values under gameSettings. Current options include health, stamina, hunger, durability, resource yield, experience, weather, enemy and boss strength, day and night duration, fishing and other survival rules.

Invalid text can stop the server from booting, and a missing comma is enough to make the entire JSON invalid. Keep a copy before editing and change a few settings at a time.

Saves, backups and updates

World progression is stored below savegame; character progression stays on each player's client. The server writes its world approximately every five minutes. Stop the service before taking a manual backup so the copy represents a clean point in time, then keep at least one backup away from the server machine.

After a client patch, update app 2278520 with SteamCMD before troubleshooting anything else. A stale server often remains visible but disables the Join button with a version mismatch. Back up the save, stop the process, run app_update 2278520 validate, and start it again.

Managed hosting instead

Self-hosting is a reasonable weekend project when you already have suitable hardware, a public address and time to maintain Wine and SteamCMD. Managed hosting is for groups that only want the persistent world.

GHosting's Enshrouded server plans start at 8 GB RAM and include automatic installation, current role settings, a fixed address, live console, files, SFTP and update controls. Terms do not renew automatically.

Technical values in this guide are based on Keen Games' official installation guide, dedicated-server FAQ, role documentation and gameplay-settings reference.