Every platform has an in-game server browser. Launch DayZ, choose Community or Official, filter the list, and join. Your character is saved per server (or per group of servers an owner links together), so the survivor you build on one server does not follow you to another.
Official vs community
- Official servers are run by Bohemia, strictly vanilla, with regular wipes and no admins in your business. Good for a pure experience.
- Community servers are run by people and groups. Owners change loot, restart times, zones, rules and (on PC) add mods. This is where most players spend their time.
Pick a server that fits
- Ping — lower is better; a high ping means rubber-banding and losing fights you should win. Sort by it.
- Population — a full server means more action and more danger; a quiet one is better for learning.
- Restart time & loot — owners list these in the name or description; frequent restarts and boosted loot gear up faster.
- Rules — "PvE", "RP", "safe zone trader" and so on are set by the owner, not the game. Read the server's Discord before you commit.
- Favourite it so your character and your stuff are one click away next time.
Finding servers
On PC you can also use the DZSA Launcher, which searches modded servers and installs their mods for you — handy because the in-game Community tab can be fiddly for heavily modded servers.
Looking for somewhere to play? Our public DayZ server list lets you browse community servers by platform and see which are online right now.
