Create an Enshrouded server: Windows and Linux guide

An Enshrouded dedicated server keeps your co-op world available even when the original host is offline. It supports up to 16 concurrent players and gives you control over access, difficulty, resource rates and world saves.

You can run the server natively on Windows, operate the Windows build through Wine on Linux, or use a managed game server. Self-hosting is free, but it requires an always-on machine, network configuration and regular maintenance.

What you will learn

• how to install the Enshrouded dedicated server with SteamCMD
• why the official server runs natively on Windows only
• how to configure enshrouded_server.json and user groups
• which UDP port must be opened in your firewall and router
• how to manage game settings, backups and updates
• how to resolve common startup and connection problems

Create an Enshrouded server: quick overview

1. Prepare a Windows host with a fast CPU, SSD storage and sufficient memory.
2. Install SteamCMD and download dedicated-server App 2278520.
3. Run enshrouded_server.exe once to generate the configuration file.
4. Stop the server and edit enshrouded_server.json.
5. Configure the server name, slots and password-protected userGroups.
6. Allow 15637/UDP through the firewall and forward it on a home router.
7. Start the server and add it to Steam server favourites if necessary.
8. Back up the configured save directory before updates or major changes.

Table of contents

• Requirements and hardware
• Install the dedicated server
• Configure the server
• Ports and firewall
• Connect to the server
• Adjust game settings
• Create backups
• Update the server
• Troubleshooting
• Frequently asked questions
• Related guides
• Summary

Requirements and hardware

Enshrouded benefits from strong single-core CPU performance and reserves several gigabytes of memory even with no players connected. A current CPU, SSD storage and a stable wired connection are more important than a large number of slow CPU cores.

Memory planning

These process figures are not guaranteed for every game build. Windows or Linux, Wine, monitoring and other services require additional memory. A dedicated host with 16 GB system RAM is therefore the more reliable option for a full server.

Additional requirements

Self-hosting or renting a server

For related survival-server setups, see Create a Valheim server and Create a Palworld server.

Install the Enshrouded dedicated server

The dedicated-server SteamCMD App ID is 2278520. It is separate from the game and can be downloaded anonymously. Do not use the client App ID 1203620 as the server App ID.

On Windows

1. Create C:\steamcmd and C:\enshrouded-server, for example.
2. Download Valve's SteamCMD package and extract it to C:\steamcmd.
3. Open PowerShell and run:

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

+force_install_dir selects the installation directory. +login anonymous signs in without a Steam account. +app_update 2278520 validate downloads and verifies the dedicated-server files.

1. Open C:\enshrouded-server and run enshrouded_server.exe once.
2. Wait for the server to finish starting, then stop the process cleanly.

The first launch creates enshrouded_server.json in the server directory. Configure the server only after that file exists.

On Linux through Wine

There is currently no native Linux binary for the Enshrouded dedicated server. Linux hosts must download the Windows build and run it through Wine. This is an advanced setup and may require adjustments after game, Wine or distribution updates.

The following example targets Debian or Ubuntu and uses a dedicated service account:

sudo adduser --disabled-password --gecos "" enshrouded
sudo mkdir -p /opt/enshrouded
sudo chown -R enshrouded:enshrouded /opt/enshrouded
sudo apt update
sudo apt install steamcmd wine64 winbind

Package names and binary paths vary between distributions, and SteamCMD may require an additional repository.

Download the Windows build explicitly:

sudo -u enshrouded steamcmd \
  +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows \
  +force_install_dir /opt/enshrouded \
  +login anonymous \
  +app_update 2278520 validate \
  +quit

Create an isolated Wine prefix and start the server once:

sudo -u enshrouded env WINEPREFIX=/opt/enshrouded/.wine wineboot -u
sudo -u enshrouded env WINEPREFIX=/opt/enshrouded/.wine wine /opt/enshrouded/enshrouded_server.exe

Stop it after the first complete launch, then edit the generated JSON file.

Start automatically with systemd

Create /etc/systemd/system/enshrouded.service:

[Unit]
Description=Enshrouded Dedicated Server via Wine
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=enshrouded
Group=enshrouded
WorkingDirectory=/opt/enshrouded
Environment=WINEPREFIX=/opt/enshrouded/.wine
ExecStart=/usr/bin/wine /opt/enshrouded/enshrouded_server.exe
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=15
TimeoutStopSec=120

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable the service:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now enshrouded
sudo systemctl status enshrouded

Check the actual Wine path with command -v wine and adjust ExecStart if necessary. Follow logs with journalctl -u enshrouded -f.

For another persistent survival-server setup, see Create a Project Zomboid server.

Configure the server: enshrouded_server.json

enshrouded_server.json is created in the installation directory after the first launch. Current versions use password-protected user groups with separate permissions.

Important settings

Example configuration

The following example creates one administrator group and one regular-player group. Replace both sample passwords with strong unique values.

{
  "name": "DSH Enshrouded",
  "saveDirectory": "./savegame",
  "logDirectory": "./logs",
  "ip": "0.0.0.0",
  "queryPort": 15637,
  "slotCount": 16,
  "voiceChatMode": "Proximity",
  "enableVoiceChat": false,
  "enableTextChat": true,
  "gameSettingsPreset": "Default",
  "userGroups": [
    {
      "name": "Admin",
      "password": "REPLACE_WITH_ADMIN_PASSWORD",
      "canKickBan": true,
      "canAccessInventories": true,
      "canEditBase": true,
      "canExtendBase": true,
      "reservedSlots": 1
    },
    {
      "name": "Friend",
      "password": "REPLACE_WITH_PLAYER_PASSWORD",
      "canKickBan": false,
      "canAccessInventories": true,
      "canEditBase": true,
      "canExtendBase": true,
      "reservedSlots": 0
    }
  ]
}

Restart the server after every change. If it fails, inspect the server console and the configured logDirectory first.

Ports and firewall

Current Enshrouded dedicated servers use 15637/UDP as their query and connection port. Older guides may additionally list 15636/UDP as gamePort. That separate configuration key has been removed and should not be presented as a current mandatory port.

Open Windows Firewall

Run PowerShell as Administrator:

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Enshrouded Dedicated Server" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 15637 -Action Allow

Open UFW on Linux

sudo ufw allow 15637/udp
sudo ufw status

Forward the port on a home router

Forward 15637/UDP to the server computer's local IP address. Reserve that local address through DHCP or configure it statically so the forwarding target does not change.

Also confirm that:

• the server listens on 0.0.0.0 or the correct local address
• the router rule targets the current LAN address
• no second firewall or security suite blocks the executable
• the connection has a publicly reachable IP address

Connect to the server

1. Start Enshrouded and open the join-game screen.
2. Enable the dedicated-server filter.
3. Search for the value configured as name.
4. Select the server and enter the password for the intended user group.

If it does not appear, add it to Steam server favourites:

1. Open View → Game Servers in Steam.
2. Select Favourites.
3. Add SERVER-IP:15637.
4. Refresh the list and restart Enshrouded.

A home router without NAT loopback may prevent clients inside the same network from connecting through the public address. Use the local IP internally or test from an external connection.

Adjust game settings

Choose a baseline with gameSettingsPreset:

For individual rules, set the preset to Custom and use only keys supported by the current server version. Depending on the build, these can include damage multipliers, stamina, resource yields, crafting times and enemy values.

Change a small number of values at a time and validate the JSON after each edit. This makes faulty settings easier to identify.

Create backups

The world data is stored in the directory configured as saveDirectory, which defaults to ./savegame relative to the server directory.

1. Inform connected players about maintenance.
2. Stop the Enshrouded process completely.
3. Copy the entire saveDirectory.
4. Back up enshrouded_server.json as well.
5. Store at least one backup on a different disk or system.

Linux example:

sudo systemctl stop enshrouded
sudo tar -czf /opt/backups/enshrouded-$(date +%F-%H%M).tar.gz \
  /opt/enshrouded/savegame \
  /opt/enshrouded/enshrouded_server.json
sudo systemctl start enshrouded

Update the server

Create a backup and stop the server before a major update. On Windows, run:

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

On a Linux Wine setup:

sudo systemctl stop enshrouded
sudo -u enshrouded steamcmd \
  +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows \
  +force_install_dir /opt/enshrouded \
  +login anonymous \
  +app_update 2278520 validate \
  +quit
sudo systemctl start enshrouded

Clients and the server must use the same game version. A mismatch can make the server disappear or prevent players from joining.

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

How much RAM does an Enshrouded server need?

An Enshrouded server process uses roughly 4.4 GB RAM while idle and grows as players join. Plan at least 8 GB of free memory for a small standalone server and preferably 16 GB of system RAM for a full 16-player host.

Which ports does an Enshrouded server need?

A current Enshrouded dedicated server uses 15637/UDP by default. The gamePort 15636 found in older guides has been removed from the current server configuration.

Can an Enshrouded server run on Linux?

An Enshrouded server does not run natively on Linux because only a Windows build is officially supplied. You can operate enshrouded_server.exe through Wine, but this requires additional maintenance.

How many players does an Enshrouded server support?

An Enshrouded dedicated server supports up to 16 concurrent players. Set the limit with slotCount in enshrouded_server.json.

Where is the configuration file?

enshrouded_server.json is created in the dedicated server's installation directory after the first launch. Stop the server before editing it.

How do I back up my Enshrouded world?

Stop the server and copy the complete directory configured as saveDirectory. Back up the JSON configuration as well and keep at least one copy outside the server disk.

Related guides

• Create a Valheim server
• Create a Palworld server
• Create a Project Zomboid server
• Create a Satisfactory server

Planned cluster guides cover Enshrouded game settings, Linux hosting through Wine, world backups and transfers, performance optimisation and safe updates.

Summary

Create an Enshrouded server with SteamCMD and App ID 2278520. enshrouded_server.exe runs natively on Windows, while Linux must execute the Windows build through Wine. Current configuration uses enshrouded_server.json, password-protected userGroups and UDP port 15637.

Stop the process before configuration changes, backups and updates. A managed game server is the simpler alternative when you want to avoid port forwarding, Wine maintenance and an always-on home computer.