How to Make a 7 Days to Die Server (2026 Guide)

A 7 Days to Die dedicated server keeps your world, your base and the day counter running even when the host logs off, so your group can play on their own schedule and still face horde night together. The server is free and does not need a copy of the game. This guide walks through a full self hosted setup on Windows or Linux, and ends with a faster option if you would rather skip it. It is written for V3, where many gameplay settings moved into the new SandboxCode.

Short on time? A hosted 7 Days to Die server is live in about 60 seconds with nothing to install or forward. Our quick start guide walks through it.

What you need

• A PC or server that stays on. The dedicated server runs natively on Windows and Linux. If nobody in your group has a spare machine to leave running, this is the point where a hosted server usually makes more sense.
• A CPU with strong single core speed. 7 Days to Die leans on clock speed more than core count. Four fast cores is a sensible minimum.
• Enough RAM for your world and group:

• 15 to 25 GB of SSD space. Random generated worlds and mods take extra room.
• Access to your router for port forwarding.

Read how much RAM a game server needs for more on sizing.

Step 1: Install SteamCMD

Download SteamCMD from Valve. On Windows, extract steamcmd.exe into a folder like C:\steamcmd and run it once. On Debian or Ubuntu, install the steamcmd package or download the Linux tarball, and run the server as a normal user rather than root.

Step 2: Download the dedicated server

The 7 Days to Die dedicated server is Steam app ID 294420 and downloads anonymously.

Windows:

steamcmd +force_install_dir "C:\7dtd-server" +login anonymous +app_update 294420 validate +quit

Linux:

./steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/sdtd/7dtd-server +login anonymous +app_update 294420 validate +quit

Run the same command after every game update. Players cannot join a server on a different version, which is the most common reason a group suddenly cannot connect after a patch (see 7 Days to Die version mismatch fix).

Step 3: Make your own config file

The install folder contains serverconfig.xml. Updates can overwrite it, so copy it to a new name such as myserver.xml and edit the copy. Every setting is a line like this:

<property name="ServerName" value="My Game Host"/>

Change only the value part. The settings that matter most:

• ServerName and ServerDescription: what players see in the server browser.
• ServerPassword: leave empty for an open server, or set one for friends only.
• ServerMaxPlayerCount: the player limit, 8 by default. More players means more RAM and CPU.
• ServerPort: 26900 by default.
• ServerVisibility: 2 lists the server publicly, 1 shows it to friends only, 0 hides it.
• GameWorld: Navezgane for the handmade map, or RWG for a random generated world.
• WorldGenSeed and WorldGenSize: the seed and size used when GameWorld is RWG. Larger worlds take longer to generate and use more memory.
• GameName: the save name. Changing it starts a new save.
• SandboxCode: all gameplay settings in one code, see below.
• EACEnabled: Easy Anti-Cheat. Leave it on unless you run mods that need it off.
• TelnetEnabled and WebDashboardEnabled: remote control tools. If you enable them on an internet facing server, set strong passwords and do not forward their ports unless you need to.

Difficulty, blood moon and loot: the SandboxCode

Since V3.0 (June 2026), gameplay settings are no longer separate lines. Difficulty, XP, day length, loot abundance and respawn, zombie speed and every blood moon option (frequency, range, warning and enemy count) are packed into one property:

<property name="SandboxCode" value="AAAJABJACJADJARFBNC"/>

The default value above equals the old Adventurer difficulty. To change it, open the Sandbox Options menu when setting up a new game, pick a preset, adjust what you want, copy the generated code and paste it as the SandboxCode value. Old lines like GameDifficulty, BloodMoonFrequency or LootAbundance are ignored now, with no error, so an old config quietly runs on Adventurer. More in how to change 7 Days to Die server settings.

Step 4: Start the server

On Windows, open startdedicated.bat in a text editor and change serverconfig.xml to myserver.xml, then run the batch file. On Linux, start it with the bundled script:

./startserver.sh -configfile=myserver.xml

The first start with a random world generates the map, which can take several minutes. When the log shows the server has started and is waiting for players, it is ready.

Saves are stored in your user profile by default: %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\Saves on Windows and ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/Saves on Linux. The UserDataFolder and SaveGameFolder settings let you move them somewhere easier to back up.

Step 5: Make yourself admin

Admins are listed in serveradmin.xml, which the server creates in its saves folder on first start. Add your Steam ID with permission level 0 (full admin), save, and restart. Once in game, press F1 to open the console and use commands like kick, ban and saveworld.

Step 6: Open the ports

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

If you change ServerPort, the server uses that port and the two above it instead. Allow the server through Windows Defender Firewall or ufw as well. Our port forwarding guide shows how to set this up and test it. If your ISP uses CGNAT or you cannot get into the router, a hosted server skips this step completely, since it has its own public address.

Step 7: Let friends connect

1. Launch 7 Days to Die on the same version as the server.
2. Click Join a Game.
3. Find the server by name in the browser, or click Connect to IP and enter your public IP and port 26900.
4. Enter the server password if you set one.

Everyone needs their own copy of the game.

Adding mods

Mods go in a Mods folder in the server directory, one folder per mod. Small XML modlets that tweak loot, recipes or zombies are sent to players automatically when they connect. Mods that include custom code or new assets, which covers overhauls like Darkness Falls, Undead Legacy and Rebirth, must be installed by every player on the same version, and usually need EACEnabled set to false. Overhauls work best on a fresh world, and many also need more RAM.

Common problems

• The server is missing from the browser: check ServerVisibility, the ports, including UDP, and the firewall. Search by name or use Connect to IP instead of relying on the list. More in 7 Days to Die server not showing up.
• "Version mismatch" or a mod error on join: the player's game or mod versions differ from the server. Update both to match.
• The server shuts down during world generation: it ran out of memory. Pick a smaller WorldGenSize or give it more RAM.
• Rubber banding on horde night: too many zombies for the CPU. Lower the blood moon enemy count in your SandboxCode, or the player limit.
• Difficulty feels wrong after the V3 update: the server has no SandboxCode, so it runs Adventurer. Generate one in the Sandbox Options menu.
• Settings did not change: you edited serverconfig.xml while the server was started with a different file, or the server was running. Stop it, edit the file it actually loads, and start again.

The easy way

Self hosting 7 Days to Die is a great project if you have a strong spare PC, but it comes with a to do list: keep that PC on around the clock, forward 26900 TCP and UDP plus 26901 to 26902 UDP on your home router, share your home IP with every player, and run SteamCMD by hand after every patch before anyone can join again.

A GamezServers 7 Days to Die server skips all of that. Pick a plan from 8 GB, pay, and the server is live in about 60 seconds with its own address, serverconfig.xml editable in the browser, a full console for admin add and one click backups before horde night. You can split the bill with up to 9 friends, and new customers get 50% off the first month. Follow how to host a 7 Days to Die server for the step by step.