How to Set Up an Unturned Dedicated Server on Windows & Linux

Unturned is a blocky zombie survival game, and it plays best when the map is still standing after the person who started it logs off. A dedicated server gives your squad a map that keeps running, your own rules for PvP, perspective and difficulty, and a server that does not share a PC with the game you are playing.

This guide covers installing the Unturned Dedicated Server with SteamCMD on Windows or Linux, getting a Steam login token, editing Commands.dat, opening ports, setting admins, backing up the map and fixing the usual problems. Smartly Dressed Games keeps the official Unturned documentation, and it is the reference to check if a step here no longer matches what you see.

Why Run a Dedicated Unturned Server?

A map that stays up: Your base, vehicles and loot stay in place and your squad can log in at any hour.

Your own rules: Pick the map, turn PvE on, choose first person, third person or both, set the difficulty, and add a password.

Hosting stays off your gaming PC: The server is its own process, so it does not compete with the game for CPU.

A cap you choose: Unturned's MaxPlayers command defaults to 8 and accepts 1 to 200, according to the Unturned wiki command list.

What You'll Need

• A machine to run it on: The official docs say servers can be hosted on Windows and Linux, and there is no support for hosting on macOS.
• SteamCMD: Valve's command line Steam client, covered in the SteamCMD page of the Unturned docs.
• A Steam account for the login token: A Game Server Login Token (GSLT) is needed for a server on the Internet server list. More on that below.
• Open UDP ports: Unturned uses two consecutive ports, 27015 and 27016 by default.
• Hardware: The docs do not publish RAM or CPU figures for the server. Watch real usage once your players are on.

Step 1: Install SteamCMD

Download SteamCMD from Valve's SteamCMD page. On Windows, extract it and run steamcmd.exe. On Linux, follow Valve's instructions for your distribution, then run steamcmd.sh.

Step 2: Download the Unturned Dedicated Server

At the Steam> prompt, run:

login anonymous
app_update 1110390
quit

1110390 is the app ID of the Unturned Dedicated Server. The files land in steamapps/common/U3DS inside your SteamCMD folder. To update an existing install, run app_update 1110390 again. To repair missing or damaged files, run app_update 1110390 validate.

If you own the game on Steam you can skip SteamCMD for a small private server: launch the Unturned Dedicated Server tool from your Steam Library. SteamCMD is the better route for a machine that runs on its own.

Step 3: Launch the Server Once

Every server has an ID, which is just a folder name. The launch commands use MyServer as an example.

Windows: Create a batch file in the U3DS folder, for example MyServer.bat, containing:

start "" "%~dp0ServerHelper.bat" +InternetServer/MyServer

If Windows hides file extensions, turn on "File name extensions" so you can rename the file from .txt to .bat.

Linux: From the U3DS folder, run:

./ServerHelper.sh +InternetServer/MyServer

Use +LanServer/MyServer instead if the server is only for your local network. The docs state that servers are LAN servers by default and that LAN servers are not visible from the Internet server list.

Wait until the console shows Loading level: 100%. Then type Shutdown so the server saves and closes. The first launch creates the server folder at U3DS/Servers/MyServer.

Step 4: Get a Steam Game Server Login Token

The docs call a login token necessary when hosting an Internet server. Without one, the server is anonymous and hidden from the Internet server list.

1. Log in to your Steam account and open the Steam game server management page.
2. Enter Unturned's app ID, 304930, and a memo that tells you which server the token belongs to.
3. Create the token and copy it.

Note that the token uses the game's app ID, 304930, while SteamCMD downloads the server with 1110390. Mixing them up is the most common token mistake.

The official token page gives two places to put it: the Login_Token property in the Browser section of the server configuration, or the GSLT command in Commands.dat or on the command line. A token also keeps your Server Code linked to the server between sessions, where without one you must share a new code each time you start it.

Treat the token like a password and do not post it in screenshots or Discord.

Step 5: Edit Commands.dat

Open Servers/MyServer/Server/Commands.dat. It holds the basic settings: map, password and maximum players. Lines that start with // are ignored, and each command goes on its own line. A small example:

Name My Unturned Server
Map PEI
MaxPlayers 24
Password squadpass
Perspective Both
Cheats

What each line does, per the official hosting page and the wiki command list:

• Name: The name in the server list. The wiki lists a length of 5 to 50 characters.
• Map: PEI is the default. The docs point to WorkshopDownloadConfig.json for Workshop maps.
• MaxPlayers: Defaults to 8 and accepts 1 to 200. The official example file sets it to 24.
• Password: Players must enter it to join. Leave it out for an open server.
• Perspective: First, Third, Both or Vehicle.
• PvE: Add it to turn off player-versus-player combat.
• Cheats: Enables cheat commands, such as spawning items or vehicles, for administrators.
• Mode: Easy, Normal or Hard. Normal is the default.
• Port: Defaults to 27015. See the ports section.

The advanced options live in Servers/MyServer/Config.txt: difficulty tuning, advanced settings such as item spawn chance, and the token if you use the Login_Token route. Values left empty use the default. Servers made before version 3.25.8.0 use Config.json instead, which is converted to per-difficulty .txt files at startup, as the server configuration page explains.

Ports and Firewall

Per the port forwarding page, each server uses two consecutive ports. The defaults are 27015 and 27016. The first handles server list queries and the second handles in-game traffic. Set a different value with the Port command and the server uses that value and the next one. For several servers on one machine, the docs suggest 27015, 27017 and 27019.

Forward the range with UDP enabled, from your router to the machine's local IP address. If your router will not take a range, make one rule per port. Since update 3.23.14.0, forwarding is only needed for players who join directly by IP address or domain name. For everyone else the docs recommend Server Codes or Fake IP.

Server Codes

A Server Code is a random 17-digit number. Friends enter it in the Connect Directly menu and need no port forwarding. The code shows in the server console after loading, and CopyServerCode copies it. Without a login token it changes at every restart. Joining by code also skips the pre-join screen with the name, mods and player count.

Fake IP

Steam Fake IP lets players join by IP address without port forwarding and, unlike Server Codes, it can appear on the Internet server list when you set a login token. It uses Steam Datagram Relay, which hides your real IP address.

1. Set Use_FakeIP to true in your server configuration.
2. After startup, run CopyFakeIP in the console.
3. Paste it into the Host field of the Connect menu. The port moves to the Port field on its own.

The address and port change on every restart, and Fake IP does not work with Steam's Favorites and History lists. The docs suggest the Bookmarking feature as a workaround. See the Fake IP page.

Admins

Give yourself administrator privileges one of three ways: set Owner in Commands.dat to your SteamID64, add your ID to Adminlist.dat, or run the Admin command with a SteamID or player name while the server runs. With Cheats on, admins can run cheat commands such as spawning items or vehicles. Keep the admin list short.

Welcome sets a message with an RGB colour for players who join, and Queue_Size sets a queue for full servers.

Saves and Backups

Savedata and configuration for each server live in U3DS/Servers/<ServerID>, one folder per server. That folder is your backup: Commands.dat, Config.txt, Adminlist.dat and WorkshopDownloadConfig.json plus the world's saved data.

To back up by hand:

1. Run Save in the console, or Shutdown to save and close.
2. Copy the whole server folder somewhere else.
3. Keep a few dated copies, so a corrupted save does not overwrite the only good one.

To restore, stop the server, replace the folder contents and start it again.

Workshop Mods and Staying Safe

Servers install and update the Workshop mods and dependencies listed in WorkshopDownloadConfig.json at startup, per the docs. Players need compatible content, and keeping your mods working across game updates is on you.

Be choosy. On July 30, 2026, patch 3.26.3.5 fixed a remote code execution exploit found in a malicious server's Workshop mod, and the developers temporarily disabled all Internet server listings while they prepared the patch. Later patch notes keep warning players to be careful with untrusted servers and Workshop content. Install only mods you trust, and read each patch note before updating a live server.

Smartly Dressed Games also publishes server hosting rules. The main one: a server may not sell or give access to vanilla premium content, such as Gold Upgrade benefits or Stockpile cosmetics. The optional Monetization field in the server configuration, if you set it, must be accurate.

Updating the Server

Run app_update 1110390 in SteamCMD with the server stopped, then start it again. Updates arrive often (the 3.26.3 series alone had patches on July 30, August 3, August 28, September 3, September 21 and September 30, 2026). Back up first.

Troubleshooting

The server does not show in the Internet list

Check, in order:

1. You launched with +InternetServer/<ID> and not +LanServer/<ID>.
2. A login token is set. Without one the server is anonymous and hidden.
3. The token was made for app ID 304930, not 1110390.
4. Fake IP or port forwarding is set up. The docs say an Internet server needs one of them.

Friends cannot join by IP

Forward UDP 27015-27016 to the machine, or switch to a Server Code or Fake IP. If you changed Port, forward that value and the next one.

The Server Code changes every time

That is normal without a login token. Set one and the code stays linked to it.

Everyone is limited to 8 players

MaxPlayers defaults to 8. Add a larger number in Commands.dat and restart.

The server will not start after an update

Run app_update 1110390 validate to repair files. Then remove recently added Workshop mods and add them back one at a time.

Players time out

The Timeout command defaults to 750 on the wiki, with a range of 50 to 10000. Raise it only if connections are dropping for players whose connection is otherwise fine.

FAQ: Unturned Dedicated Server Setup

How do I set up an Unturned dedicated server?

Install the server with SteamCMD using app ID 1110390, run it once with +InternetServer/<ID>, edit Servers/<ID>/Server/Commands.dat, add a Steam login token made for app ID 304930, and open UDP 27015-27016 or use a Server Code or Fake IP.

What is the Unturned server app ID?

The dedicated server is app ID 1110390, and the game is 304930. Download with the first. Make your login token with the second.

What ports does Unturned use?

Two consecutive UDP ports, 27015 and 27016 by default. The first is for server list queries and the second for in-game traffic.

Do I need a Steam login token?

For an Internet server, yes. Without one the server is anonymous and hidden from the Internet server list.

How many players can an Unturned server hold?

MaxPlayers defaults to 8 and accepts 1 to 200. Unturned's docs publish no hardware figure, so judge by how the server behaves with your group.

How do I make myself admin?

Set Owner to your SteamID64 in Commands.dat, add it to Adminlist.dat, or use the Admin command in the console.

How do I back up my map?

Run Save, or Shutdown to save and close, then copy the whole Servers/<ServerID> folder.

Final Thoughts

An Unturned server comes down to a few moves: SteamCMD with app ID 1110390, a login token made for app ID 304930, a Commands.dat with your name, map and player cap, UDP 27015-27016 or a Server Code, and regular copies of the server folder. If something breaks, the official docs are the first place to check.

Unturned Hosting on EZ Game Host

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