7 Days to Die Private Server for Friends: Access & Privacy
Set up a 7 Days to Die private server for friends by choosing a password, allowlist, or hidden listing—and learn why crossplay must stay public.
You will need
- A 7 Days to Die server and its current game version
- The platform mix your friends plan to use
If you want a 7 Days to Die private server for a small PC group, combine an entry rule with a discovery choice: use a password, restrict access to your friends’ player IDs, and keep the listing out of the public browser if your server build supports that mode. These controls do different jobs. The server must stay publicly listed for console crossplay, so a strict “nobody can browse to it” setup is PC-only. If you would rather not maintain the machine or edit server files, Game Hosting’s 7 Days to Die panel puts a password field and player allowlist in one place; the rest of this reference helps you choose the right privacy model. If you are choosing between devices and online schedules for just two people, see our guide to playing 7 Days to Die as a couple.
Choose the right 7 Days to Die private server setup#
Start by deciding whether you want to stop strangers from joining, stop the server appearing in a browser, or both. A password is a shared secret. An allowlist ties entry to approved player IDs. A hidden or unlisted server reduces discovery. None of these is a substitute for the others, and hiding a listing does not protect a server if someone already has its address.
| Control | What it helps with | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Password | Adds an entry check that you can share with the group | Does not hide a public listing or stop a friend from forwarding the password |
| Player allowlist | Limits the permitted identities to IDs you approve | Does not conceal the server name or address from a browser by itself |
| Unlisted visibility | Keeps the server out of ordinary public discovery when supported by the server build | Does not block someone who already knows the address and can pass the entry checks |
| Console crossplay | Lets compatible PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players use the same dedicated server | Requires public listing, so it does not fit a strict hidden-server requirement |
For a closed PC world, password plus allowlist is the practical default. Add an unlisted setting if you also do not want the server in a public browser. If the server is just for friends who can keep a password private, a password may be enough; avoid maintaining an allowlist unless you need identity-based control. For the cross-platform rules and join flow, see the separate PC, PS5 and Xbox crossplay guide.
Size a private 7 Days to Die server for your group#
For a PC group of two to six friends choosing a managed option, we recommend comparing Game Hosting’s Squad plan first: it lists 8 GB of RAM for $15.99 per month and a recommended population of eight players. That population is guidance, not a hard player cap. The panel documents a join-password field and permitted player IDs, and the service includes three free backup slots; those are product features, not proof of a successful privacy or restore test.
Treat 8 GB as a starting point, not a promise that every map or mod fits. The Fun Pimps lists 8 GB as the minimum and 16 GB as the recommended memory for a dedicated server, and says more players need more RAM and bandwidth. Compare the price and memory trade-offs across budget plans or review monthly server costs before picking a tier. If you are still deciding whether to rent or run a PC at home, see the self-hosting comparison.
If children are part of the group, read the rating for the edition they play. The ESRB’s PC listing for 7 Days to Die is Mature 17+ and lists Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Users Interact and In-Game Purchases. A private server changes who can join; it does not make the game child-safe.
Use a password as the first entry check#
A server password asks a player for a shared secret when they try to join. It is the simplest barrier to explain to a few friends: set it before you announce the address, then send it through a channel meant only for the group. If you remove the password or post it publicly, anyone who can find the server can try to use it.
Keep the server password separate from your Steam, Microsoft, PlayStation or hosting-account password. Do not reuse an account credential. If someone leaves the group, change the server password and send the replacement only to the people who still need access. That is easier than asking every friend to change their platform account.
The game’s dedicated-server configuration exposes a ServerPassword property, and Game Hosting’s current 7 Days to Die panel exposes a password field. Exact file defaults and field behavior can vary by build, so check the configuration shipped with the version actually installed. The V3 server-settings reference documents the V3.2.0 file we inspected; it is a dated V3.2 reference, not a promise that every V3.3 default is identical.
In the Game Hosting panel, the corresponding controls are under Settings → General. The panel writes its managed values into data/serverconfig.xml and shows whether a change is saved or still needs a restart. If you use a different host, look for equivalent settings in its game panel or build-matched server config.
Set the join password
Open the server’s Settings tab, select General, and enter a secret in Join password. Select Save & restart if the button shows that label, then wait for the server to return before sharing the address and password privately.
Hide a PC server from browser listings
In the same General section, turn off List in the server browser. The panel’s setting hint says friends will need the address and port and must choose Connect to IP. Leave this off only for a PC-only setup; console crossplay needs a public listing.
The password and browser toggle are separate fields, so changing one does not make the other unnecessary. If the save button says Save changes instead of Save & restart, follow the status shown in the panel and confirm the server is running with the intended values before you invite the group.
Add player IDs when a shared password is not enough#
An allowlist (also called a whitelist) is useful when the address or password might circulate beyond your group. You approve each player identity that should be permitted, instead of relying only on a secret that every member can forward. Keep the list current when someone changes platform or joins from a different account: the name shown in chat is not always the identifier used by server administration.
On current 7 Days to Die servers, player identifiers can use Steam_… or EOS_… prefixes. Do not paste a Steam64-only list from an older guide into the current configuration and assume it covers every player. Game Hosting’s Players tab accepts the Steam_ and EOS_ forms for its 7 Days to Die allowlist. The panel documents the control; we have not run a current V3.3 two-client test that proves an unlisted identity is refused, so treat the allowlist as a configuration control rather than a tested result in this guide.
In the panel, open Players, switch to Permitted, type the friend’s full ID and select Permit player. The panel validates the ID shape, shows a pending state while it adds the entry, then confirms it and lists the ID under Permitted. Its empty-list message says anyone with the password can join, so populate the list before treating it as a restriction. This describes the control and its panel confirmation; it is not a live test of how V3.3 refuses an unlisted player.
Approve the IDs your group actually uses and keep a private note of who each ID belongs to. The panel’s Players → Online view shows a connected player’s full ID so you can copy the same Steam_… or EOS_… form into Permitted. If you add someone before their first join, ask for the full ID; do not guess it from a display name. If someone still cannot join, confirm they are using the same platform account that supplied the ID and that the client and server versions match.
Choose hidden visibility without mistaking it for access control#
An unlisted server is less discoverable; it is not secret. People may still join if they already know the address and satisfy the server’s entry checks. Send the address only to your group, and pair unlisted visibility with a password or allowlist when you need an actual entry barrier.
For a dedicated server, do not choose “friends-only” just because the phrase sounds right. The V3.2.0 configuration file we inspected says its friends-only value works only after the first player connects manually by IP, because the dedicated server is not itself a friend. That first-join wrinkle can leave the server absent from the friends browser until somebody shares and uses the address directly.
The verified numeric visibility values in our published V3.2 settings reference come from the V3.2.0 b10 shipped XML. V3.3.0 became stable on October 5, 2026, and we have not inspected its shipped XML in this run. Before copying a number or editing a raw file, check the serverconfig.xml that shipped with your exact server build. Many older tutorials also put difficulty, XP, loot or blood-moon options in XML; V3 moved those gameplay rules into SandboxCode, so do not copy a pre-V3 file as a current template.
Keep console crossplay public#
If anyone in the group is joining from PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, plan for a public listing. The official Dedicated Servers for Cross-Platform requirements specify a maximum of 8 players, ServerAllowCrossplay=True, EACEnabled=True and IgnoreEOSSanctions=False. Console players find servers through the in-game browser and cannot join by typing a direct IP address. The currently published crossplay guide covers the current platform split and the rest of the compatibility rules.
That public listing is the important privacy trade-off: crossplay discovery does not fit a requirement that the server stay out of the public browser. A public listing is not the same as unrestricted entry, but this guide does not promise that a password or allowlist will behave identically for every console join path. If your first priority is a hidden server, keep the group on compatible PC clients. If consoles are essential, use the supported public crossplay setup and verify the actual join and entry flow before building a long-running world around it.
Do not confuse the modern PS5 and Xbox Series X|S editions with the Xbox One and PS4 release from 2016. The modern console edition launched in 2024; it is separate from the older console release, which does not join a modern dedicated crossplay world. Check the exact console edition with your friends before choosing a host or configuring a world; the official current-console launch announcement describes the newer release.
Match the server and every client to the same release#
As of October 6, 2026, The Fun Pimps has announced V3.3.0 Stable, and the latest official experimental announcement located in this check is V3.3.0 EXP b18. Stable and experimental builds are separate choices; the server and players need compatible versions. Use the official V3.3.0 Stable notes and V3.3.0 experimental announcement to confirm which branch your group is running before troubleshooting a join failure.
The feature names in this article describe privacy choices, not a guarantee that an old XML recipe works in the latest release. Start with the matching build’s configuration file, then change only the property you intend to change. Keep a copy of the original file so you can put back a known-good setting if the server stops appearing or rejects connections. For gameplay rules such as difficulty and XP, use the current SandboxCode controls instead of stale standalone XML values.
Before inviting friends, write down the game version, platform mix, intended listing visibility, password-sharing plan and approved player IDs. Ask one trusted friend to try the browser or direct-IP route and entry check you chose. If your group requires console crossplay, check the server remains public and meets the official conditions. If you want the server hidden, choose a PC-only privacy plan and share the address carefully.
Quick answers
Can I make a 7 Days to Die server private?
Yes. A password controls entry, an allowlist limits access to named player IDs, and an unlisted server is harder to discover. Use more than one layer for a closed PC group.
Can I hide a 7 Days to Die crossplay server?
No. Keep the listing public for crossplay. The official requirements also require crossplay and EAC to be enabled and cap the server at 8 players.
What RAM plan do small groups need?
Start with the plan’s published memory and player recommendation, then check your map and mods with the host. TFP lists 8 GB as a dedicated-server minimum and 16 GB as recommended; no plan recommendation guarantees a particular workload.
Does a password make a 7 Days to Die server invisible?
No. A password is an entry check; listing visibility controls whether the server appears in a browser. Treat them as separate settings.
Can I use an old serverconfig.xml guide?
Only after checking it against the exact server build. V3 moved many gameplay options into SandboxCode, and the current stable version is V3.3.0.