Windows

Enshrouded Server Setup on Windows

Complete guide to installing and running an Enshrouded dedicated server on Windows using SteamCMD.

1Download and Install SteamCMD

SteamCMD is a command-line version of the Steam client used to download dedicated server files.

Download SteamCMD from the official Valve developer wiki
Create a folder for SteamCMD, e.g., C:\SteamCMD
Extract the downloaded zip file into this folder
Run steamcmd.exe once to let it update itself

2Download the Enshrouded Dedicated Server

Create a folder for your server files, then use SteamCMD to download the Enshrouded dedicated server.

# Create server directory
mkdir C:\EnshroudedServer

# Run SteamCMD and download the server
C:\SteamCMD\steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir C:\EnshroudedServer +login anonymous +app_update 2278520 validate +quit

App ID: 2278520

This is the Steam App ID for the Enshrouded Dedicated Server.

3Configure the Server

Create or edit the enshrouded_server.json file in your server directory.

enshrouded_server.json

{
  "name": "My Enshrouded Server",
  "saveDirectory": "./savegame",
  "logDirectory": "./logs",
  "ip": "0.0.0.0",
  "queryPort": 15637,
  "slotCount": 16,
  "gameSettingsPreset": "Default",
  "userGroups": [
    {
      "name": "Admin",
      "password": "change_this_password",
      "canKickBan": true,
      "canAccessInventories": true,
      "canEditBase": true,
      "canExtendBase": true,
      "reservedSlots": 1
    }
  ]
}

Use our Config Builder to generate a customized configuration file.

4Configure Windows Firewall

Open the required ports in Windows Firewall to allow connections to your server.

# Run these commands in PowerShell as Administrator

# Allow Game Port (UDP 15636)
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Enshrouded Server Game" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 15636 -Action Allow

# Allow Query Port (UDP 15637)
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Enshrouded Server Query" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 15637 -Action Allow

Port Forwarding Required

If hosting from home, you'll also need to forward these ports on your router. Access your router's admin panel (usually at 192.168.1.1) and add port forwarding rules for UDP 15636 and 15637.

5Start the Server

Navigate to your server folder and run the server executable.

cd C:\EnshroudedServer
enshrouded_server.exe

The first startup may take a few minutes as the server initializes. You'll see log output indicating when the server is ready for connections.

6(Optional) Create a Start Script

Create a batch file to easily start and auto-update your server.

start_server.bat

@echo off
echo Updating Enshrouded Server...
C:\SteamCMD\steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir C:\EnshroudedServer +login anonymous +app_update 2278520 +quit

echo Starting Enshrouded Server...
cd C:\EnshroudedServer
enshrouded_server.exe

pause

Connecting to Your Server

Once your server is running, players can connect using:

Direct Connect: Use your public IP address and port (e.g., 123.45.67.89:15637)
Server Browser: Your server should appear in the in-game server list
Find your IP: Visit whatismyip.com to find your public IP