At a glance: there are two honest ways to play Unturned with friends — join one community server together (zero setup) or host your own from the separate dedicated server app, Steam ID 1110390. The server install runs through SteamCMD with app_update 1110390, and the old one-click shortcut method only works before version 3.20.12.2 (14 October 2020).
Most “play with friends” problems are really one of two things: nobody picked the same server, or the host tried to run a server from the client and got confused. This page separates the easy path from the self-hosted one so you can pick in ten seconds.
Server quick facts
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Dedicated server app ID | 1110390 |
| Game-shortcut method retired in | 3.20.12.2 |
| That version released | 14 October 2020 |
| Install command | app_update 1110390 |
Everything below hangs off those four numbers.
Path 1: everyone joins the same community server
This is the default and it needs no setup. Unturned ships with a server browser, so:
- Decide on a map and a mode (PvE or PvP) with your group.
- Filter the browser to that map, and pick a server with a population and ping you all accept.
- Each friend connects to the same server; you meet in-game.
The trade-off is control. A community server’s loot rate, base decay and raiding hours are set by its owner, and those settings change the game far more than the map does. If your group wants a relaxed PvE build, joining a hardcore PvP server will ruin it. Read the server description before you commit.
For what the different rules mean for your base, the base building guide and raiding guide explain the consequences.
Path 2: host your own dedicated server
When you want your own rules, you host. The key fact most guides bury: the server is a separate application from the game you play. Your client stays free, and the server is a second copy that runs headless.
There are two install routes, and which one you can use depends on your game version:
| Method | Works on | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| SteamCMD | Any version | Downloads the dedicated server (app 1110390) cleanly, with update and verify scripts |
| Game shortcut | Before 3.20.12.2 (pre 14 Oct 2020) | Appends -nographics -batchmode +secureserver\Server to Unturned.exe |
Because the shortcut method is cut off at 3.20.12.2, almost everyone today uses SteamCMD. The shortcut route is legacy.
The SteamCMD route, step by step
- Download and extract SteamCMD into its own empty folder, then run
steamcmd.exeso it generates its files. - Log in with a real Steam account. Anonymous login will not download Unturned’s server files — this is the most common failure.
- Set the install directory:
force_install_dir .\unturned\. - Install the server:
app_update 1110390. - Quit SteamCMD when the files finish downloading.
If your account uses Steam Guard two-factor, the optional update script will not run unattended — the wiki’s advice is to create a separate Steam account without Steam Guard for the server rather than disabling security on your main account.
Update and verify scripts
Two batch files make maintenance easy:
- Update:
steamcmd +login <user> <pass> +force_install_dir .\unturned\ +app_update 1110390 +quit - Verify: the same line with
validateadded, to repair missing or damaged files.
The verify script always takes longer, so run it only when something is broken.
Starting the server and letting friends in
Once the files exist, you launch the server and share how to connect:
- Start it with the headless flags (
-nographics -batchmode +secureserver\Server) so it runs without a window. - Tell friends the server address — a community server is listed in-browser, but a self-hosted one usually needs the IP or a Steam invite.
- Use
shutdownto stop it cleanly.
If friends cannot see it, the usual causes are: the server did not actually start, the address is wrong, or visibility is set to private. Confirm the process is running before debugging the network.
Keeping a friend server alive
A self-hosted server is ongoing maintenance, not a one-off install. Three habits keep it usable:
- Update before you play. Unturned patches the client and server together, so a server left on an old build will reject friends whose client auto-updated. Re-run the update script before a session.
- Keep the login clean. The Steam Guard caveat matters here: an account with two-factor cannot run the update script unattended, so a separate no-Steam-Guard account is the smoother choice. Do not disable security on your main account to work around it.
- Stop it properly. Use
shutdownrather than killing the window, so the save is flushed and your friends’ bases are not corrupted.
Do those three things and the server just works between sessions instead of needing a rebuild every time you want to play.
Which path should you pick?
Use the decision rule:
- Just want to play tonight? Path 1, one community server, done.
- Want your own rules and a persistent base? Path 2, rent or run a dedicated server, then invite friends.
- Playing on console or a locked-down network? Path 1 is usually the only option.
Whichever you choose, the early-game advice is the same: read the beginner guide and survival guide so your first night with friends is not spent dying to zombies, and skim the tips and tricks for the group-play shortcuts.
A note on version drift
Server tooling changes between versions — the shortcut method was retired at 3.20.12.2, and SteamCMD commands evolve. Everything here — the app ID 1110390, the install/update/verify commands, the launch flags, and the 14 October 2020 cutoff — was read from the Official Unturned Wiki in October 2026. If a step fails after a patch, recheck the current dedicated server page before assuming the guide is wrong.