Fix common Enshrouded server errors

Most Enshrouded join problems come down to a version difference, a server that doesn’t show in the list, or the wrong group password. This page covers what players run into most, and how to fix each one.

Enshrouded shows few error messages, and some problems show none at all. Where the game has no message, we describe what happens instead.

Quick checks

Before anything else:

1. Is the server running? Overview shows its status. A server that says Stopped won’t wake when someone joins.
2. Did you copy the address and port from the address card? The port is picked for your server.
3. Is everyone on the newest version of Enshrouded? Steam usually updates it on its own.
4. Did you get the right group password from the owner?

Errors when joining

The server isn’t in the server list

Enshrouded hides dedicated servers until you ask for them.

1. In Join, open the server filter and turn on the option to show dedicated servers.
2. Search by the address and port from your address card.
3. Still missing? Add the server to your Steam favourites. Keen Games suggests this for a server that won’t show up. See add the server to Steam favourites.

A server can take a few minutes to show up after it starts. A sleeping server may drop out of the main list, but it stays in your Steam favourites.

“Version mismatch”

The server list shows this when your game and the server run different versions. It’s most common right after an Enshrouded update.

1. Update Enshrouded. If Steam shows no update, restart Steam and look again.
2. In the panel, open Settings and check the game version. By default the server moves to the newest build when it next starts, so restart it. If you pinned an older version, pick the newest one.
3. Join again.

If only one friend sees it, their game is the one that needs the update.

“The server is full or not available”

The game couldn’t get you a place on the server. Common reasons:

• Every slot is taken. slotCount sets how many people can play at once, up to 16. Raise it in Settings and restart.
• Slots are reserved. If a group has reservedSlots, the last slots stay free for that group only. See reserved slots.
• Different versions. Keen Games says this message can also show when your game and the host are on different versions. Update both, as above.
• The server is asleep or still starting. Open the wake link, play.wilderack.com/w/embervale, wait until it says the server is awake, and join again.

The password isn’t accepted

Enshrouded asks for a password when you join. If it turns you away:

• Type the password exactly as the owner wrote it, capital letters included. Copy and paste is safest.
• Each group has its own password. Check that the one you have is still in use.
• If the owner just changed a password, the server needs a restart before the new one works. Until then, the old one still applies.

Owners can see and change every group’s password in Settings.

Can’t build or open chests

You’re on the server, but you can’t build in a base, use a chest or dig. The password you joined with put you in a group without those rights.

To fix it, ask the owner for the right group’s password. Leave the server and join again with it. You can’t be moved to another group while you play. See roles and permissions.

You were kicked or banned

A kick removes you, and you can join again straight away. A ban keeps you out until an admin unbans you. Players in a group with canKickBan can see the ban list in the social menu in game, and unban players there.

If nobody who can unban is able to join, the owner can stop the server and remove the player from the ban list in enshrouded_server.json, in Files.

The game can’t reach the server

The join hangs or fails, with no clear message.

1. Check Overview. If the server is asleep, open the wake link and wait until it’s awake.
2. Copy the address and port again from the address card. One wrong digit and nothing answers.
3. Try Keen Games’ network tips. Use a cable instead of Wi-Fi, and clear Steam’s download cache in Steam’s settings, under Downloads.
4. Clear your PC’s DNS cache. On Windows, press the Windows key and R, type cmd and press Enter. Then type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter.

Server problems

The server won’t start after an edit

Enshrouded reads enshrouded_server.json when it starts, so a mistake in it can stop the server.

• A text value is misspelled. Values like Normal or Automatic must match exactly, capital letters included. The server names the wrong value in Console. Fix it and start again.
• You can’t find the problem. In Files, open the file and restore an earlier version from before your edit.
• The file is broken after a game update. Keen Games says this can happen with older files. Download a copy, then delete the file in Files and restart. The server makes a fresh one. Your world is safe, but the group passwords are new, so set them again in Settings.

Custom settings don’t change anything

The values in gameSettings only count when gameSettingsPreset is Custom. Set it to Custom and restart. See the config reference.

The world is brand new after an upload

If the server starts a fresh world after you bring one in, it didn’t find your files in savegame.

1. Stop the server.
2. Read bring your single-player world and check which files you uploaded.
3. If you need the world from before the upload, look in Backups.

Enshrouded 1.0 changed how world files are laid out. If you’re stuck, write to us and we’ll help you move your world.

The server stops on its own

Open Console and read the last lines before it stopped. If Overview shows RAM near your plan’s limit just before the stop, move up a plan. Send us the log lines if nothing there makes sense.

Lag, frozen enemies or late doors

This usually comes from too many enemies, a big base with lots of water, or a full server. See Enshrouded server performance.

Still stuck?

Write to us at support@wilderack.com. Real people answer. Tell us your server name, what you tried and what you saw. The help form in the panel can attach your server’s last log lines for you.