How to Set Up an Unturned Dedicated Server

An Unturned dedicated server keeps your world up for the whole group, whoever is online. There are three ways to run one: by hand with SteamCMD, in Docker, or managed on Flux.

Option 1: by hand with SteamCMD

The Unturned Dedicated Server (U3DS) is a free, anonymous download from Steam, application 1110390, about 2 GB, with builds for Linux and Windows.

  1. Install SteamCMD, then run: +login anonymous +app_update 1110390 +quit
  2. Start it: ./ServerHelper.sh +InternetServer/MyServer (on Windows, a .bat with the same argument).
  3. Wait for "Loading level: 100%", then use the Shutdown command so it writes its files.
  4. Edit Servers/MyServer/Server/Commands.dat: Name, Map, MaxPlayers, Password, Port, and GSLT with your login token.
  5. Open the port and the one after it (27015 and 27016 by default), UDP, and start it again.
Tip:Unturned has no autosave. Run Save in the console now and then, and stop it with Shutdown, never by closing it, or the world since the last save is lost.

Option 2: Docker

runonflux/unturned-server-flux, our image, installs and updates the server with SteamCMD on every start and writes Commands.dat from environment variables (UNT_NAME, UNT_MAP, UNT_MAX_PLAYERS, UNT_PASSWORD, UNT_GSLT, FLUX_PORT...), saves every 10 minutes and on stop, and gives the console a command, flux-console. Its source is on GitHub, RunOnFlux/unturned-server-flux.

  • Mount /mnt/unturned/data on a volume: the world and the settings live there.
  • Mount /mnt/unturned/server too, or every start downloads the 2 GB install again.
  • Publish FLUX_PORT and the port after it, UDP.

Option 3: managed on Flux

Deploy an Unturned server on the Flux decentralized cloud, on that same image, with the ports opened and routed for you, DDoS protection included, and a dashboard with your settings as a form, the server console, a file browser, a live terminal and backups. Plans start at $4.49 a month.

  1. Pick the 12, 24 or 48-player plan.
  2. Choose a region close to your players.
  3. Name the server, pick the map, paste your free Steam login token and deploy. The first start downloads about 2 GB.
  4. Connect with the address and port from the dashboard, or find it by name in the Internet list.
Deploy an Unturned server →

Frequently asked questions

Is the Unturned dedicated server free?

Yes. It is a free, anonymous download from Steam (application 1110390), like the game itself.

Does the Unturned server run on Linux?

Yes: Unturned_Headless.x86_64, started with ServerHelper.sh, which is what Docker images run.

How long does an Unturned server take to start?

The first start downloads about 2 GB; in our tests the map was loaded about two minutes after start. Later starts took about 20 seconds.

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