Joining Friends in Hytale
How to invite friends to your singleplayer world, use share codes, and troubleshoot connection issues with UPnP, Tailscale, and more.
Hytale allows you to open your singleplayer world to friends without a dedicated server. This guide covers how to host, join, and troubleshoot friend connections.
⚠️ Share codes contain your IP address. Never post them publicly, paste them in public chats, or show them on stream. Only share codes directly with people you trust.
Hosting Your World
Open Your World
Load into your singleplayer world.
Enable Online Play
Press ESC to open the pause menu, click Online Play, and toggle Allow Other Players to Join to ON.
Configure Options
Optionally set a Password and toggle Include Password in Share Code to embed it.
Copy the Share Code
Click Save. Hytale will negotiate with your router via UPnP. Once complete, a share code appears — click Copy to Clipboard and send it to your friends.
Joining a Friend's World
Open Servers
From the main menu, go to Servers.
Join via Code
Click Join via Code, paste the share code, and enter the password if required.
Connect
Click Connect. The client tries each connection candidate until one succeeds.
Troubleshooting
Share Code Not Generated
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| UPnP disabled on router | Log into your router admin panel and enable UPnP |
| Router doesn't support UPnP | Use manual port forwarding or Tailscale |
| Multiple routers (Double NAT) | Enable UPnP on all routers, or connect directly to the main router |
| Firewall blocking UPnP | Allow Hytale through Windows Firewall |
Friend Cannot Connect
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| CGNAT (Carrier-Grade NAT) | Your ISP shares one public IP — UPnP won't work. Use Tailscale or a dedicated server |
| Firewall blocking inbound | Allow Hytale through Windows Firewall for both private and public networks |
| UPnP mapping expired | Re-save Online Play settings to refresh the mapping |
| Antivirus interference | Temporarily disable or add Hytale as an exception |
How to Check for CGNAT
Compare your router's WAN IP (shown in router admin panel) with your public IP (search "what is my IP" in a browser). If they don't match, you're behind CGNAT.
You can also run in PowerShell:
tracert -d 8.8.8.8If you see multiple private IP ranges (10.x.x.x, 172.16-31.x.x, 192.168.x.x) before reaching public addresses, you're behind CGNAT or Double NAT.
Alternative Solutions
Try Having Your Friend Host
Different network configurations mean one player may be able to host while another cannot. If you have an existing world, find it in %appdata%\Hytale\saves\, send the folder to your friend, and have them host.
Using Tailscale
Tailscale creates a peer-to-peer VPN tunnel that bypasses NAT and firewall issues entirely. It's free for personal use.
- Both players install and sign into Tailscale
- Re-save your Online Play settings to generate a new share code
- The new code automatically includes Tailscale addresses as high-priority candidates
- Share the code with your friend
Use a Dedicated Server
For persistent worlds or reliable connectivity, a dedicated server is the best option:
- 24/7 availability without the host being online
- Better performance with dedicated resources
- No NAT or UPnP issues
💡 Tip: Get Hytale Server Hosting starting from just $4/month with instant setup and 24/7 support.
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