Increase the Player Limit
Raise the Valheim 10-player cap using ValheimPlus and optimize your server for more players.
Valheim's default player limit is 10. With mods, you can increase this — but higher player counts require careful optimization.
Default Player Limit
Valheim officially supports up to 10 players per server. This is a hard limit built into the game that can only be changed with mods.
Increase the Limit with ValheimPlus
Install ValheimPlus
Follow the Install ValheimPlus guide.
Edit the config
Go to Files and open BepInEx/config/valheim_plus.cfg.
Find the [Server] section and set:
[Server]
enabled=true
maxPlayers=20Restart your server
⚠️ Warning: Increasing the player limit beyond 10 is not officially supported by the game. Expect increased lag and desync with more players.
Performance Impact
| Players | Performance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | Excellent | Smooth for most servers |
| 6–10 | Good | Default limit, well-optimized |
| 11–15 | Moderate | Noticeable desync during combat |
| 16–20 | Reduced | Significant lag during raids and building |
| 20+ | Poor | Not recommended without serious optimization |
Optimize for More Players
If you're running more than 10 players, these optimizations are essential:
Install BetterNetworking
This mod optimizes network traffic and significantly reduces desync:
Install through the Mods panel in the sidebar or from Thunderstore.
Scheduled Restarts
Set up daily restarts in Schedules to clear memory buildup.
Reduce Build Complexity
Large bases with many building pieces and items cause the most lag. Encourage players to build efficiently.
Disable Crossplay
If all players are on Steam, disable crossplay in Startup to reduce overhead.
ValheimPlus Network Settings
Increase the data rate in the config:
[Server]
enabled=true
maxPlayers=20
dataRate=512Higher dataRate values send more data per tick, reducing desync at the cost of more bandwidth.
Realistic Expectations
- 10–15 players: Works well with the optimizations above
- 15–20 players: Playable but with occasional lag spikes
- 20+ players: Significant compromises in gameplay quality
💡 Tip: If you need more than 20 players, consider running multiple servers with different world names. Players can keep their characters between servers since character data is stored client-side.
Related Guides
See also: Install ValheimPlus | Server Performance | Max Players
If you need help, join our Discord.
How is this guide?
