If your Valheim server will not appear in the browser or keeps rejecting your password, the cause is almost always a public listing setting, the query port, or Valheim's strict password rules.
Check the password rules first
A broken password is a common reason a server will not even start. Valheim requires a password of at least five characters, and it cannot be the same as, or contained inside, the server name or the world name. If the password breaks a rule the server refuses to boot, and the Console shows an error such as Password is invalid or Password too short. Set the password on the Startup tab, keep it five or more characters and different from the server and world names, then restart.
Make sure the server has fully started
Instant setup means your server is live within seconds, but the world still needs to load. Watch the Console until it reports that the world has loaded and the server is ready. It will not appear in any list until it is fully up.
Turn on public listing
To appear in the community browser, the server must be public, which is the -public 1 setting. If it is set to -public 0 the server is hidden but still joinable by direct IP or crossplay code. Check the community or public option on the Startup tab and restart.
Use the right ports
Steam uses the query port, which is one higher than the game port, to list a server. If friends can join by IP but cannot see the server in the browser, the query port is the usual culprit. Confirm your allocations on the Network tab. GuavaHost includes free DDoS protection and opens your ports for you, so there is no router forwarding to do.
Give the community list a minute
Valheim's community list can take a few minutes to index a freshly started server. While you wait, share your IP:port so people can connect directly.
Cross-platform friends cannot see it
If players on Xbox, PlayStation, or Game Pass cannot find the server, crossplay is probably off. Enable crossplay on the Startup tab, restart, and share the join code that appears in the Console.
Fastest workaround
Direct connect by IP almost always works even when the browser does not. In game, choose Join Game, then Join IP, and enter your IP:port. If that connects but the browser still does not list the server, you have a listing or query port issue rather than a real connection problem, which narrows things down fast.
Still stuck? Jump into our Discord at discord.gg/GuavaHost and the team will help you out.