7 Days to Die Server Not Showing Up? How to Fix It (2026)

If your 7 Days to Die server is not showing up in the server browser, the quickest check is to connect by IP: if that works, the server is fine and the problem is the listing, usually ServerVisibility, a browser filter or a missing query port. If connecting by IP fails too, the server is not reachable from outside, which almost always means ports or the firewall. This guide walks through both cases for V3 dedicated servers.

Quick fix

1. In the game, click Join a Game, then Connect to IP, and enter the server IP and port 26900. If you get in, skip to the listing fixes.
2. In serverconfig.xml, set ServerVisibility to 2 and give ServerName a unique name. Restart.
3. Clear every filter in the server browser and search for the exact name.
4. Wait 5 to 10 minutes after the server starts. The list is not instant.
5. Self hosting? Forward 26900 TCP and 26900 to 26902 UDP to the server and allow it through the firewall.

Step 1: Test with Connect to IP first

The server browser and actually joining are two separate things. Friends can join a server that never appears in the list, as long as they have the address.

• Connects by IP but is not in the list: the server works. Go to Step 2.
• Cannot connect by IP either: the server is offline, on a different version, or blocked. Go to Step 3.

When you test a home server, test from outside your network, such as a friend's PC or a laptop on a phone hotspot. Many routers cannot connect to their own public IP from inside, which makes a working server look broken.

Step 2: Fix the listing

Check ServerVisibility

In serverconfig.xml:

<property name="ServerVisibility" value="2"/>

• 2: public, shows for everyone.
• 1: friends only, shows only to your Steam friends.
• 0: hidden, join by IP only.

A lot of people copy a config from a friend or a guide that uses 1 or 0 and then wonder why strangers, or even friends on another platform, cannot see it.

Edit the file the server actually loads

On Windows, startdedicated.bat names the config file it loads. On Linux, startserver.sh -configfile=... does. If you copied serverconfig.xml to myserver.xml but the server still starts with the original, your changes do nothing. Stop the server, check which file it loads, edit that one and start it again.

Clear the browser filters

The 7 Days to Die server browser has several filters that are easy to leave switched on. Reset them and check:

• Region and language filters.
• Password filters, if your server has a password.
• EAC and crossplay filters. A server with EACEnabled set to false does not show for players filtering for EAC servers.
• Version. Servers on another version do not show as joinable.

Then search for the exact server name. A generic name like "My Game Host" is buried under hundreds of others.

Wait a few minutes

After a restart it can take 5 to 10 minutes for the server to register and appear. Random generated worlds also take a while to generate on the first start, and the server only lists once it is fully up. Watch the log for the line saying the server started and is waiting for players.

Crossplay servers

On V3, a server with ServerAllowCrossplay set to true only shows to PS5 and Xbox players if it meets the crossplay rules: EACEnabled on, ServerMaxPlayerCount of 8 or less, no mods, WorldGenSize of 8192 or smaller, IgnoreEOSSanctions set to false, and sandbox settings within the allowed ranges. PC players can see it either way. If your console friends cannot find the server, one of those is usually off.

Step 3: Fix a server nobody can reach

Ports and firewall

With the default ServerPort of 26900, forward these to the server's local IP:

If you changed ServerPort, the server uses that port and the two above it. Also allow the server through Windows Defender Firewall or ufw. A rule that forwards TCP only looks correct in the router but misses the UDP traffic the game and the browser rely on. Our port forwarding guide shows how to set up and test this.

If your ISP uses CGNAT, forwarding cannot work at all, because you do not have your own public IP. That is one of the most common reasons a home server never shows up. A hosted server has its own public address, so there is nothing to forward and nothing to get wrong here.

Version mismatch

A server on a different game version than the player either does not appear or refuses the connection. This happens most after a big update, when the server updated but players did not, or the other way round. See 7 Days to Die version mismatch fix.

Is the server actually running?

It sounds obvious, but check the console. A server that crashed while generating a large world, or ran out of memory, is simply not there. A smaller WorldGenSize or more RAM fixes that.

Still not showing?

• Restart the server once after changing any setting. Most config changes need it.
• Make sure ServerName is not empty.
• Ask a friend on a different internet connection to search too. If they see it and you do not, it is your browser filters or your network.
• Remember that friends can always use Connect to IP while you sort out the listing.

Skip the setup

Most "not showing up" problems on home servers come down to router ports, CGNAT and firewalls. A 7 Days to Die server from GamezServers has its own address with nothing to forward, and you edit serverconfig.xml in the browser. If you are starting fresh, how to host a 7 Days to Die server walks through it.

FAQ

Why can my friends see my 7 Days to Die server but strangers cannot?

ServerVisibility is set to 1, which shows the server to Steam friends only. Set it to 2 and restart.

How long does it take for a new server to show in the list?

Usually a few minutes after it finishes starting. First starts on random worlds take longer because the map generates first.

Can PS5 and Xbox players see my server?

Only if crossplay is on and the server meets every crossplay requirement, including 8 players max, EAC on and no mods.

Do I need the server in the list for friends to join?

No. Connect to IP works whether the server is listed or not.