Fixing a Project Zomboid Server That Is Not Showing in the Browser

If your Project Zomboid server is missing from the in-game Internet browser, it is almost always because it is set to private, still starting up, or filtered out, and the quickest fix is to connect straight to it by IP under Favorites.

2 min read · Updated Sep 24, 2026 · By GuavaHost Team

Connect by IP first

Before troubleshooting the browser, just get yourself and your players in. The browser is only one way to join, and direct connection always works.

Copy the IP and port from the top of your server page in the control panel, for example 123.45.67.89:16261. There is a copy button right next to it.
In Project Zomboid, click Join, then the Favorites tab.
Enter the IP and port on the right, add your username and password, and click Save, then Join.

Sharing that IP and port with your players is the most reliable way for everyone to connect, private or public.

Make the server public

To appear in the Internet list at all, the server must be set to public. Open Server properties under Game tools in the server menu, and on the Server settings (servertest) tab check:

Public=true
PublicName= has a name filled in.
PublicDescription= has some text.

Click Save changes and restart the server. A server with Public=false will never show in the browser, by design, even though it is running perfectly.

Give it time to start

A server that is still booting, or downloading Workshop mods on first launch, will not list until it is fully ready. Watch the Console tab and wait for the line that says the server is up before you go looking for it. This can take several minutes on a big modlist.

Clear the browser filters

The in-game browser hides a lot behind filters. In the Internet tab:

Type your exact server name into the search box.
Clear any ping, mod or password filters that might exclude it.
Click refresh and give the list a moment to repopulate.

The public list is large and busy, so searching the exact name is far quicker than scrolling.

Check the port

Project Zomboid uses port 16261 by default. Make sure the DefaultPort in servertest.ini matches the port in your server address, which is also listed in the Ports & network card on the Overview tab. If you changed the port, players must include the new number when they connect. GuavaHost opens the ports for you, so you do not need to forward anything yourself.

Still hidden?

The public list relies on Steam registering your server, which can lag or hiccup. A clean Restart from the top of the server page often nudges it back onto the list. In the meantime, direct connection by IP keeps everyone playing while it sorts itself out.

Still stuck? Jump into our Discord at discord.gg/GuavaHost and the team will help you out.

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