If a player can see your Enshrouded server but cannot join, there are four usual causes: the wrong password, a full server, a game that is newer than the server, or a ban. Check them in that order. If the server does not show in the list at all, read Enshrouded server not showing instead.
1. The password
Enshrouded does not have one server password. It has groups, and each group has its own password. The password a player types decides which group they join as, and so what they may do. A password that matches no group does not get a player in.
In the ArthOS panel:
- Open the Players page and find Groups and passwords. The groups are Admin, Friend, Guest and Visitor, plus any added in the settings file.
- Read the password for the group the player should be in. If you cannot see passwords, your role does not allow it.
- Give the player exactly that password. You can choose Copy beside it.
- Let anyone join is offered only for Guest and Visitor. A group set to it has no password, and players join it by leaving the password empty.
- New password on a group card saves the new password at once. Restart the server to apply it, then tell your players. Save groups saves only the switches and Reserved slots.
- Passwords on the Startup page are at most 64 characters and never only digits.
The panel warns you when two groups share a password, because a player can then only ever join as one of them. A new server starts with random passwords for all four groups.
2. The server is full, or the free slots are reserved
The most players a server takes is its Player slots, at most 16.
A group can also hold Reserved slots. Once a group has reserved slots, the server counts as full for players of other groups when only the reserved slots are left. That keeps room for your Admins or Friends when many Guests join.
If a Guest cannot join but a Friend can, check Reserved slots under Groups and passwords. The page shows how many of the slots are reserved. Lower the number, or raise Player slots on the Startup page.
3. The player’s game is newer than the server
Players can only join a server on the same version as their game. When Keen Games release an update, the server must be updated before those players can join.
Checked on the 0.9 server. Enshrouded 1.0 is released on 15 October 2026. A player on 1.0 cannot join until the server has the 1.0 build.
To update, follow update an Enshrouded server. The Players page shows an “An Enshrouded update is out” notice with Restart and update when one is waiting.
4. The player is banned
A banned player cannot rejoin. Bans are made in game by an admin, from the Social tab. In the ArthOS panel:
- Open the Players page and find Banned.
- Find the player. The list shows their name and the character they played.
- Stop the server, then choose Lift. You need the permission to edit files. The page only lets you lift a ban here while the server is stopped. While it runs, lift bans in game from the Social tab.
- Start the server.
More in kick and ban players.
If it does not work
- Nobody can join. Check the server is Running on the Players page, and that the Console shows
[Session] 'HostOnline' (up)!. A server still starting takes nobody. - The player joins but cannot build or open chests. They joined in a group that is not allowed to. Each group lists what it may do, such as Build in bases and Open storage in bases. They need the password of a higher group.
- A player is refused and none of the above fits. Ask them to copy the password again. Do not type it by hand from memory.
More about the game: Enshrouded servers.
Sources: enshrouded.zendesk.com: 19191581489309 Server Roles Configuration, enshrouded.zendesk.com: 16056312924957 Dedicated Server FAQ, store.steampowered.com: 1203620