Troubleshooting

The most common problems on a Conan Exiles server, and how to fix them. In every case, the panel Console is your first tool: read the last lines shown before the shutdown or error. The full server log is in ConanSandbox/Saved/Logs/ (ConanSandbox.log file).

The server won't start

The first start seems stuck

On first launch, the server installs its files, then creates its configuration and database. This takes several minutes, and the console may stay quiet for a while. Don't restart until the server has finished starting.

It stops after adding a mod

An incompatible, missing or wrongly declared mod often blocks startup.

1. Stop the server
2. Check that each line of ConanSandbox/Mods/modlist.txt matches a .pak file in the folder exactly (capitalisation included)
3. Remove the last mod added from modlist.txt
4. Restart: if the server comes back, that mod is the culprit. Check that it is compatible with Conan Exiles Enhanced and with your other mods

See Install Steam Workshop mods.

It stops because of insufficient memory

Since the move to Unreal Engine 5, Funcom recommends 16 GB of RAM for the server. If the server stops without a clear error, especially while loading the world or when many players are online, memory is probably insufficient.

• On the Exile (12 GB) plan, stick to a small group (up to 10 players) in vanilla
• Reduce the number of mods, especially the heaviest ones
• Move up to Barbarian (16 GB) or higher for a modded server or more than 10 players, see Getting started

Error in a configuration file

A badly written line in ServerSettings.ini, Engine.ini or Game.ini can stop the server from starting or be ignored. Check the section headers ([ServerSettings]), the Key=Value format and the decimal dot (1.5). Compare with your last working copy. See Configure ServerSettings.ini.

The save no longer loads

After a game update, adding or removing a mod, or importing a game.db from elsewhere, the database can become incompatible. Restore a backup from the Backups tab: see Backups and importing a world.

Don't replace the server files

The Conan Exiles dedicated server is a Windows application that YorkHost runs in a suitable environment (Wine). Don't replace the server's executables or libraries with files copied from your PC, and don't install Windows tools in its folders: this can stop it from starting. When in doubt, contact support.

My settings are ignored

• You edited ServerSettings.ini while the server was running: the server may have rewritten the file on shutdown. Stop it, make the change again, then restart.
• You edited a Default…ini file in ConanSandbox/Config/ instead of ConanSandbox/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/.
• The same setting is defined in the Startup tab, which overrides the files.
• The key name is misspelled or has changed with the version: change the setting from the in-game admin panel and look at the line written to the file.

Players who can't connect

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
The server doesn't show up in the list	Server still loading, or list not yet updated	Use Direct Connect with the panel's IP and port; the list can take a few minutes to update
Connection failed / timed out	Wrong IP or port, server not ready yet	Use the IP and port shown in the panel, wait for startup to finish
Refused because of a version mismatch	The game was updated but not the server (or the other way around)	Restart the server so it updates according to the Startup tab configuration; when in doubt, contact support
Mod mismatch error	Mod missing, in a different version or a different order	Same mods, same versions, same order for everyone; update the server's .pak files after a Workshop update (see Install mods)
Wrong password	ServerPassword changed without a restart, or set in two places	Check Engine.ini and the Startup tab, then restart
Server full	MaxPlayers reached	Raise the value in Game.ini, keeping RAM in mind
Player refused even though everything is correct	Player banned	Check the ban list in the admin panel or blacklist.txt (see Become an admin)
Friend on PlayStation or Xbox	The dedicated server is for PC players only	Console players can't join a PC dedicated server

Ports

Opening the required ports is handled by YorkHost. Don't change the ports in the configuration files: the server must listen on the ports assigned by the panel. See Are all ports open? and Unable to connect to the server.

Lag and slowdowns

On Conan Exiles, server load mostly depends on what exists in the world: bases, thralls, pets, animal pens, and events such as Purges. If the server gets slow:

1. Limit thralls and pets: set rules for your community (number of thralls per base or per clan); large numbers of followers are a classic cause of lag.
2. Space out or disable Purges from the server settings in the admin panel: these NPC attacks put a heavy load on the CPU.
3. Turn on abandoned building decay: bases of players who left disappear after a while instead of piling up.
4. Keep harvest multipliers moderate: very high rates lead to huge bases faster.
5. Trim your mod list: every mod adds content to load.
6. Restart the server regularly, for example every night, with an automatic restart.

If the server stays maxed out on RAM or CPU despite these settings, a higher plan is justified. To analyse resource usage, see also Performance debugging.

The server degrades over time

Like many game servers, Conan Exiles runs better after a restart. Schedule a daily restart at an off-peak time from the Schedules tab: see Configure automatic restart. Warn your players, and avoid scheduling the restart during your raid hours.

Still stuck?

Contact support 7 days a week on Discord or through your client area, with:

• your server name
• what you changed just before the problem (mod, setting, update)
• the last lines of the console when the error occurred