How to Set Up a Conan Exiles Server and Maintain the Database
Set up a Conan Exiles dedicated server and keep it healthy: ServerSettings.ini, building decay policy, mod installation and managing a growing database.
How to Set Up a Conan Exiles Server and Maintain the Database
A Conan Exiles server runs well right after setup. The trouble starts a few months later, once the database has grown. This guide covers the install plus the maintenance work that keeps a server alive long term.
1. Server Files
The App ID for the Conan Exiles dedicated server is 443030:
mkdir -p ~/steamcmd && cd ~/steamcmd
curl -sqL "https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz" | tar zxvf -
./steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir ~/conan-server +login anonymous +app_update 443030 validate +quit💡 The Conan Exiles server is built for Windows. Running it on Linux through a Wine or Proton layer is possible, but the most stable result comes from a Windows Server install.
2. Basic Settings in ServerSettings.ini
ConanSandbox/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ServerSettings.ini:
ServerName=Your Server Name
ServerPassword=
AdminPassword=STRONG_PASSWORD
MaxNudity=1
PVPEnabled=True
serverRegion=23. Game Balance Multipliers
PlayerXPRateMultiplier=2.0
HarvestAmountMultiplier=2.0
ItemConvertionMultiplier=2.0
ThrallCraftingTimeMultiplier=0.5
StaminaCostMultiplier=1.0These values shape the player experience and are where you define your server’s character.
4. The Key to Performance: Building Decay
Abandoned bases are the number one cause of performance loss on Conan Exiles servers. A decay policy cleans them up automatically:
EnableBuildingDecay=True
DecayTimeMultiplier=1.0
MaxDecayTimeMultiplier=1.0| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| EnableBuildingDecay | Lets abandoned structures disappear |
| DecayTimeMultiplier | Shortens or lengthens the decay window |
⚠️ On servers with decay turned off entirely, the database just keeps growing. A few months later, that is usually the answer to “why did the server get slow”.
5. Ports
| Port | Protocol | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 7777 | UDP | Game traffic |
| 7778 | UDP | Additional game port |
| 27015 | UDP | Steam query |
6. Installing Mods
Workshop mods download into ConanSandbox/Mods/ and are listed in order in modlist.txt. The order matters, and getting it wrong causes conflicts.
Players need the same mods in the same order.
7. Database Maintenance
All world data lives in a single game.db file. To keep it healthy:
- Regular backups: archive the file daily and keep it on another server
- Watch the size: if the file is growing fast, revisit your decay settings
- Restarts: a daily restart clears accumulated memory
tar czf /backup/conan_$(date +%F).tar.gz ConanSandbox/Saved/game.db8. Automatic Restarts
Memory usage climbs gradually on Conan Exiles servers that stay up for a long time. A daily restart clears it. Pick the hour with the fewest players online.
Conclusion
On a Conan Exiles server the initial setup is the easy part. The real work is maintenance. A decay policy, regular backups kept on a separate backup server and a daily restart are the three things behind a server that still runs smoothly three months in.
👉 See our Conan Exiles server hosting page to match a package.