Enshrouded Server Not Showing Up? Every Fix (2026)

An Enshrouded server not showing up in the Join Game list is most often a filter problem: the list hides dedicated and password protected servers unless you tick both boxes. If the filters are right, the cause is usually the query port, the firewall, a broken config file or a version mismatch. This guide goes through each one in the order worth checking.

Quick fix

1. In Enshrouded, click Play, then Join Game.
2. Tick Show dedicated servers and Show password protected servers.
3. Type the exact server name in the search box. Do not scroll, there are thousands of servers.
4. Still missing? Open Steam, go to View > Game Servers > Favorites, click the plus button and add the server's IP with the query port, for example 203.0.113.10:15637. If Steam finds it, the server is up and the in game list is the issue.

Cause 1: The list filters

The Join Game screen hides dedicated servers and passworded servers by default. Almost every Enshrouded server uses role passwords, so without Show password protected servers it will never appear. Tick both boxes every time. They can reset after a game update.

Cause 2: The server has not finished starting

A dedicated server is only listed once it has loaded the world. After an update, or on a big world, that can take a few minutes. Check the console or log for the line where the session comes up as online. If the log ends in an error instead, the server stopped and needs fixing first.

Cause 3: Broken enshrouded_server.json

The config is plain JSON. One missing comma or quote and the server either refuses to start or falls back to defaults, often with a different name than you expect. Common mistakes:

• A comma after the last item in a list or block.
• Straight quotes replaced by curly quotes when copied from a website.
• ip changed from 0.0.0.0 to your public IP. Leave it at 0.0.0.0, putting your public address there stops the server from binding.

Paste the file into any online JSON validator to find the broken line. Our Enshrouded server settings guide shows a working layout.

Cause 4: The query port is blocked (self hosted)

Current builds use UDP 15637 as the query port, which is what the server list talks to. Older builds also used 15636, and forwarding both does no harm. If you host at home:

1. Forward UDP 15636 to 15637 to your server PC's local IP. Not TCP.
2. Give the server PC a fixed local IP with a DHCP reservation, so the rule does not break after a reboot.
3. Allow enshrouded_server.exe through Windows Defender Firewall on both private and public networks.
4. Check the queryPort in enshrouded_server.json matches the port you forwarded.

Our port forwarding guide covers each router step and how to test. If your provider uses CGNAT, forwarding cannot work at all. A hosted server has no ports to forward, which removes this whole cause.

Cause 5: Version mismatch

After a patch, Steam updates players automatically but a self hosted server stays on the old build until you update it. Depending on the build, an outdated server either disappears from the list or fails when players try to join. Update it with SteamCMD while it is stopped:

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

Expect this on 15 October when Enshrouded 1.0 releases. Back up the savegame folder before updating.

Cause 6: Your public IP changed

Home internet addresses change from time to time. If friends saved your IP in Steam favorites, it can go stale overnight. Searching by name in game avoids this, and so does a server with a fixed address.

It shows up but I cannot join

• Wrong password: each role has its own password. Check the player typed the one for the group they should be in.
• Server full: slotCount is reached, or reserved slots are held for another group.
• Banned: check bannedAccounts in the config.
• Stuck on loading: the server is short on memory with a big world. See Enshrouded server lag.

Enshrouded server not showing up on a hosted server

On GamezServers the ports are already open and the address never changes, so causes 4 and 6 do not apply. If friends cannot find it:

1. Check the dashboard. With Sleep when empty on, the server stops after 90 minutes with nobody online, and anyone with access can start it again in one click.
2. Make sure both filters are ticked and search the exact name. If you renamed it in Settings, restart so the list picks it up.
3. If you edited enshrouded_server.json, check the console for errors on start.

FAQ

Why can I not find my Enshrouded dedicated server in the list?

Usually the Show password protected servers filter is off. Tick it and Show dedicated servers, then search the exact name.

What port does an Enshrouded server use?

UDP 15637 as the query port. Forward 15636 to 15637 UDP to cover older builds too.

Can I join an Enshrouded server by IP?

Add the IP and query port to your Steam favorites under View > Game Servers. The in game list is still the normal way to join.

Do I need to port forward for my friends to join?

Only if you host at home. A hosted server has its own address and nothing to forward.

Skip the setup

Most "not showing up" problems come from running the server at home: Windows firewall, router rules and changing IPs. A hosted Enshrouded server is online in about a minute with its own address and one click backups. See Enshrouded server hosting, or follow how to host an Enshrouded server.