ᚱEverything a Valheim server host needs

BakaLoader replaces the batch files, the console window nobody is allowed to close, and the 2am mystery crashes. Host a Valheim dedicated server — vanilla or heavily modded — and manage it like an app, not a science project.

ᚠOne-click hosting

Start and stop your self-hosted Valheim dedicated server from a live dashboard. A first-launch wizard handles setup, ports, and world creation.

ᚱMod auto-updates

Scans your BepInEx mods against Thunderstore and updates them on your schedule — or automatically while the server is empty. Paste a Thunderstore link to install.

ᛏScheduled restarts

Restart on a timer with in-game countdown warnings so players can reach a bed first. Auto-restart when the server sits empty.

ᛞLive world map

The Atlas renders your actual world from its seed — no map mods required. Fog of war follows what your players have explored, plus a deterministic weather forecast.

ᛗPlayer management

See who's online, when they joined, and right-click for admin, kick, ban, heal, teleport, or item spawning.

ᚲBackups & logs

Layered world backups with one-click restore, a searchable color-coded live log, config file editing, and Discord status posting.

ᛋA look inside

Seven halls, one window: dashboard, players, mods, world settings, map, configs, and logs.

Valheim world map rendered from seed with fog of war and weather forecast — **ᛞ Atlas** — your world, mapped from the seed. No mods needed.

Thunderstore mod manager with automatic update checking — **ᚱ Mods** — Thunderstore scan, one-click updates, paste-link installs.

Online player roster with right-click admin management — **ᛗ Vikings** — the roster, with a right-click menu for everything else.

Live Valheim server log with search and level highlighting — **ᛋ Saga** — live server log with search, levels, and per-session files.

ᛃHost a Valheim server in minutes

No Docker, no SteamCMD scripts, no rented hardware. If your PC can run Valheim, it can host it.

Download and unzip.

Grab the latest release, unzip it anywhere, and run ValheimBakaLoader.exe. No installer.

Follow the wizard.

The first-launch wizard finds (or helps you install) the Valheim dedicated server, names your world, and sets the password.

Light the hearth.

Press start. Share your address from the dashboard, set a restart schedule, and let mod auto-updates do their thing.

ᚺQuestions

Is this really free Valheim server hosting?

Yes — BakaLoader is free software that runs the official Valheim dedicated server on your own Windows PC. You self-host, so there is no monthly fee and no rented server. Your only costs are the electricity and bandwidth you already pay for.

Does it work with mods?

That's the point. BakaLoader manages BepInEx mods, scans them against Thunderstore, updates them on a schedule or while the server is empty, and installs new mods from a pasted Thunderstore link. It was built running a ~50-mod server.

Do I need to know the command line?

No. Everything — install, world creation, ports, mods, restarts, backups, player admin — happens in the app. There is no console window to babysit.

What are the requirements?

Windows 10 or 11, the .NET 6 desktop runtime, and enough headroom to run the Valheim dedicated server (it's light — a few GB of RAM). You do not need to own Valheim on the hosting machine; the dedicated server is a free Steam tool.

Can my friends join from outside my network?

Yes — like any self-hosted Valheim server you'll forward one UDP port on your router, and BakaLoader's guide walks you through it with screenshots. Crossplay is supported, and you can point a custom domain at your server instead of sharing an IP.

Is it open source?

The source is available to read on GitHub under a source-available license: free to download and run, including for donation-supported community servers.