A Valheim whitelist lets you control exactly who can join your server. This is useful for private worlds, friend groups, or communities where you only want approved players to have access.

Valheim handles whitelisting through its built-in permittedlist.txt file, so you do not need to install any mods or plugins. The process is also essentially the same whether you are self-hosting or using Valheim server hosting.

What Does A Valheim Whitelist Do?

Valheim dedicated servers use three permission files:

  • adminlist.txt gives selected players administrator permissions.
  • bannedlist.txt prevents selected players from joining.
  • permittedlist.txt controls which players are allowed to join.

Once at least one player is added to permittedlist.txt, everyone who is not on the list is prevented from joining the server. Iron Gate's dedicated server documentation confirms that each permission file uses one Platform User ID per line.

This makes the whitelist more restrictive than simply using a server password. Even if someone knows how to connect to your server, their account still needs to be included in the permitted list.

How To Find A Valheim Platform User ID

Before you can whitelist someone, you need their Platform User ID.

The easiest way to find it is through the F2 player panel while they are connected to the server. Platform User IDs can also be found in your server logs.

Valheim displays these IDs using the following general format:

[Platform]_[User ID]

For example:

Steam_123456789

Newer Valheim versions can also use IDs such as:

V_123456789

Platform User IDs are case-sensitive, so copy the ID exactly as Valheim displays it rather than trying to enter it manually.

If you are setting up a new whitelist, it can be easiest to let everyone join once, collect their IDs, and then configure permittedlist.txt.

How To Whitelist A Valheim Server

The actual whitelist process is the same regardless of where your server is hosted.

First, stop your Valheim server before editing its permission files.

Locate the server's Valheim save directory and find:

permittedlist.txt

If you are self-hosting on Windows, the default Valheim save directory is:

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim

If you are using a custom -savedir startup argument, the permission files will instead be stored inside the directory you specified.

With Pine Hosting, you can whitelist your Valheim server by accessing permittedlist.txt directly through the File Manager in your server panel.

Open permittedlist.txt and add each player's Platform User ID on a separate line:

Steam_123456789
Steam_987654321
V_123456789

Save the file and start your server again.

Once the server loads, only players whose IDs are included in permittedlist.txt will be permitted to join.

How To Remove Someone From A Valheim Whitelist

Removing a player from the whitelist uses the same file.

Stop the server, open permittedlist.txt, and remove that player's Platform User ID. Save the file and restart the server.

Remember that removing someone from the permitted list is different from banning them. The whitelist simply determines who is allowed onto a restricted server.

If you need to explicitly ban a player, their ID can instead be added to bannedlist.txt. Valheim also provides ban, unban, and other moderation commands for server administrators.

Valheim 1.0 Whitelists And Player IDs

Valheim 1.0 introduced newer player ID formats, which briefly caused problems with existing whitelists.

Iron Gate confirmed that a bug caused the banlist and whitelist to accept newer IDs such as V_123456789 while failing to correctly recognize older IDs such as Steam_123456789.

The issue was fixed for Steam in Valheim 1.0.12, with Iron Gate stating that the fix would also be extended to the other platforms.

If a whitelist that previously worked suddenly stops recognizing players after the Valheim 1.0 update, make sure both the server and players are running the latest available version before replacing existing IDs.

Does A Valheim Whitelist Work With Crossplay?

Yes. Valheim's permission system uses Platform User IDs, allowing players from different supported platforms to be identified individually.

This is why you should use the ID displayed by Valheim rather than assuming every player needs a Steam ID. Valheim's crossplay backend allows players from different platforms to connect to the same dedicated server.

Each player's full Platform User ID should be copied into permittedlist.txt exactly as shown.

Valheim Whitelist Not Working?

If a whitelisted player cannot connect, start by checking their Platform User ID. Incorrect capitalization, a missing platform prefix, or copying the wrong ID can prevent the whitelist entry from working.

Also check that:

  • Each player has their own line in permittedlist.txt.
  • You edited permittedlist.txt rather than adminlist.txt.
  • The server was restarted after the changes.
  • The permission file is inside the server's active save directory.
  • Your Valheim server is fully updated.

If you use a custom -savedir, remember that Valheim stores its permission files there instead of in the normal Windows or Linux save path.

Manage Your Private Valheim Server With Pine Hosting

A whitelist is an easy way to keep a Valheim world limited to the players you actually want on it, but running a private community also means managing server files, passwords, admins, backups, mods, and settings.

With Valheim hosting, you can manage those files and settings directly through the Pine Hosting game panel instead of maintaining the underlying server yourself.

That makes it easier to keep your world online for your community while still controlling exactly who is allowed to join.