Installation & Setup - The Foundry VTT Guide

The Journey Begins

Installing Foundry VTT is like setting up a new game room in your house. You need to choose the right space (your computer or a server), arrange the furniture (install the software), and make sure your friends can find the door (network configuration). Don't worry - we'll make this as smooth as rolling a natural 20!

Before You Start: Gathering Your Tools

Like a wise adventurer checking their pack before a quest, let's make sure you have everything you need:

flowchart TD A[What you need] --> B[A Foundry license] A --> C[A host computer or server] A --> D[A supported browser] A --> E[An internet connection] B --> F["One-time purchase; key appears in your foundryvtt.com profile"] C --> G["Windows 10/11, macOS Sonoma+, or 64-bit Linux; 8 GB RAM minimum"] D --> H["Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Opera (not Safari)"] E --> I["License validation, downloads, and remote players"]

License: only the host buys one (about $50 USD, one-time). After purchase, the license key is added to your profile on foundryvtt.com within a few minutes.
Hardware: Foundry's official minimum for a computer running the app is 8 GB of RAM, an integrated GPU with hardware acceleration, and a 1366×768 display; a dedicated GPU supporting WebGL 2.0 is recommended. A dedicated server (no player sitting at it) needs much less: 2 GB RAM (4 recommended), 1 vCPU (2 recommended) and 1 GB of storage, plus room for your maps and music.
Internet: needed to validate your license and accept the EULA, to download packages, and for players who join from outside your home. Otherwise Foundry does not normally need a live connection.

Choosing Your Installation Path

Think of this like choosing between different types of homes for your game:

Which Download Do I Need?

After purchase, log in to foundryvtt.com; the downloads are available from your account. Pick the build that matches how you plan to host:

Build	Best for	Notes
Windows, macOS or Linux desktop app	Most GMs hosting on their own computer	An installer for your operating system. The app is an Electron application with its own built-in Chromium browser, so you can run the game and use it as the GM's window.
Windows Portable	Running Foundry from a USB stick or external drive	New in V13. A zip file you extract and run; nothing is installed into Windows.
Node.js	Dedicated servers, VPS rentals, always-on home servers, several installs on one machine	Cross-platform. Version 14 requires Node.js 24 (V13 and older used Node 22 or earlier, so old guides mentioning Node 16 or 18 are out of date). The server needs an OS with glibc 2.28 or newer. Players (and you) connect with a browser.

Step-by-Step: Local Installation

Let's walk through the most common path - installing the desktop app on your personal computer. It's like building a cozy game room in your house!

flowchart TD A[Buy a license] --> B[Download the desktop app] B --> C[Run the installer] C --> D["First launch: paste license key, accept EULA"] D --> E[Set an administrator password] E --> F[Install a game system] F --> G[Create and launch a world] G --> H[Invite your players]

Detailed Walkthrough

Getting Your License

Buy a license on the Foundry VTT website. Think of this as buying the deed to your digital game space: it is a perpetual license that includes future updates. Your license key appears in your foundryvtt.com profile shortly after purchase.

Downloading the Software

From your account on foundryvtt.com, choose the build for your operating system (see the table above). Make sure you download the current Stable release; the site also offers testing builds that are not meant for live games.

Installation Dance

Installing Foundry is easier than assembling flat-pack furniture:

Run the installer (or, for the Portable and Node.js builds, extract the zip).
Follow the prompts; the default install location is usually fine.
If your firewall asks, allow Foundry to accept network connections, because that is how players reach your game.
Launch Foundry. On first launch, copy and paste your license key (don't type it by hand) and accept the End User License Agreement.

First Launch: The Setup Screen

After the license step you arrive at the Setup screen, the backstage area where you manage everything before a game starts. Don't panic! It's like walking into an empty tavern before decorating. It has tabs for Game Worlds, Game Systems and Add-on Modules (each with an Install button), plus a Configuration tab for server settings such as the port, the User Data path and the administrator password.

The drawing above is a simplified diagram, not a screenshot; field labels in your copy may be worded slightly differently.

Your User Data Folder

Foundry keeps the program and your data in separate places. Everything you create lives in the User Data folder, so reinstalling or updating the app never touches your campaigns. Default locations:

Windows: %localappdata%/FoundryVTT
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/FoundryVTT
Linux: /home/$USER/.local/share/FoundryVTT

Inside you'll find Config/ (server settings such as options.json), Data/ (your worlds, systems and modules, plus any images and audio you upload), Logs/, and Backups/. You can move the User Data folder (for example, to a bigger drive) from the Configuration tab of the Setup screen.

Network Configuration: Opening the Gates

Players on your home network can join right away. For friends elsewhere to join, you need to open a path through your router. Think of it like installing a doorbell so visitors can announce themselves!

flowchart TD A[Your Foundry server] --> B{"Router: is TCP port 30000 open?"} E["UPnP (automatic)"] --> B F["Manual port forwarding"] --> B B -->|No| C["Remote friends can't connect"] B -->|Yes| D["Friends join via the Internet link"]

Try UPnP First

Foundry's Enable UPnP option (on by default) asks your router to open the port automatically. Many home routers allow this; if yours doesn't, or UPnP is switched off on the router, forward the port by hand.

Port Forwarding Made Simple

Port forwarding sounds scary, but it's just telling your router: "When someone knocks on door 30000, send them to my Foundry game room!" Here's the simplified process:

Find your router's settings: Usually by typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 in your browser
Locate Port Forwarding: Sometimes called "Virtual Servers" or "NAT"
Create a new rule:
- External Port: 30000
- Internal Port: 30000
- Internal IP: the local IPv4 address of the computer running Foundry
- Protocol: TCP
Save and celebrate! Your gateway is open!

Sharing the Address: Invitation Links

Once a world is running, open the Invitation Links window from the Settings tab of the sidebar. It shows a Local Network link (for players in your home) and an Internet link (for everyone else), and tells you whether Foundry thinks your port is open. Recent versions list both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. Send the Internet link to your players.

Test from outside your network. Opening the Internet link on the host computer itself often fails even when everything works. Test from a phone with Wi-Fi turned off (on cellular data), or ask a friend.

Alternative: Hosting Services

Not comfortable with port forwarding, or don't want to leave your computer on? A hosting service is like renting a game room that's always open! Foundry lists these as official hosting partners:

The Forge
Molten Hosting
Sqyre
Foundry Server

Each one runs Foundry for you on its own servers, so there's no port forwarding and no computer of yours left running; players get a web address to join. Prices, storage limits and how each one handles your license differ, so compare their current plans on their own sites.

Self-Hosted Cloud (a rented VPS)

For the technical adventurers, you can rent a virtual server from any cloud provider and run the Node.js build on it. It's like having a game room in another dimension: always accessible, but requiring some setup wizardry. Plan for Node.js 24, a Linux OS with glibc 2.28+, at least 2 GB RAM (4 recommended) and 1 vCPU (2 recommended), and secure the site with HTTPS before you share it.

Initial Configuration: Setting the Scene

With Foundry installed, a few steps on the Setup screen turn it into a game. This is like deciding whether your game room will have medieval tapestries or sci-fi posters!

Configuration Checklist

✓ Administrator password: set it in the Configuration tab. It locks the Setup screen, so a player with your link can't open it and delete worlds. Keep it safe (if you lose it, the official Knowledge Base has a reset procedure).
✓ Game system: on the Game Systems tab, use the Install button to pick your rules (D&D 5e? Pathfinder 2e?).
✓ World: on the Game Worlds tab, create a world, give it a title ("Bob's Amazing Adventures" or "The Doom of Doomsville"), and choose its game system. A world is built around its system, so choose carefully.
✓ Modules (optional): install from the Add-on Modules tab, then switch them on inside the world. Start with few or none.
✓ Users: launch the world, log in as Gamemaster, and create a user (with a password) for each player. Players pick their user name on the join screen.

Built-in Backups

Since Version 11 (build 11.311), Foundry has backups built in, so "just copy the Data folder" is no longer the only plan:

Back up one package: on the Setup screen, right-click a world, system or module and choose Take Backup.
Back up everything: use Manage Backups and Create a Snapshot to back up all installed packages at once.
Before updates: Foundry offers to make a backup before major updates. Always take a full snapshot before a generation upgrade (for example, V13 to V14).

Backups are saved as .bak files with a JSON manifest in the Backups/ folder of your User Data.

Snapshots skip loose assets. Images and sounds you uploaded outside the worlds, systems and modules folders are not included. Copy those folders yourself, or keep your maps and music inside a world's own folder.

Try It in Foundry: Test Your Setup

Local Connection Test

Launch Foundry VTT
Click "Launch World" on your test world
Open a web browser on the same computer
Navigate to: http://localhost:30000
Success! You should see the world's join screen

Network Test

In the running world, open the Invitation Links window and copy the Internet link
Open it on a phone using cellular data (Wi-Fi off), or have a friend open it
If you see the join screen, your port forwarding works!
If not, check the UPnP setting and your router's port-forwarding rule

Backup Test

Return to Setup, right-click your test world, and take a backup
Look in the Backups/ folder of your User Data to see the file it made

Troubleshooting Tips

Windows Firewall: May need to allow Foundry through
Antivirus: Sometimes overprotective - add Foundry as an exception
ISP Restrictions: Some ISPs block incoming connections - contact them, or use a hosting partner
Dynamic IP: Your external IP might change - recheck the Invitation Links window each session, or consider a dynamic DNS service
Safari: Not supported - players on a Mac should use Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Opera

Real-World Setup Stories

The Panic-to-Pro Pipeline

Mark had never configured a router before. The phrase "port forwarding" made him break out in a cold sweat. But his D&D group was counting on him! He followed a video guide, asked for help in the Foundry Discord, and within an hour, his friends were connected. Now he helps other new GMs with their setups. "If I can do it, anyone can!"

The Cloud Convert

Jennifer tried local hosting but her laptop would overheat during long sessions. She switched to a hosting partner and never looked back. "It's like having a butler for my game. Everything just works, and I can access my games from any computer."

The Family IT Solution

Carlos set up Foundry on an old laptop that sits in his closet, always running. His kids use it for their games, his partner runs a book club campaign, and he hosts two different groups. One server runs one world at a time, so the family keeps a shared calendar of who launches which world when. "It's become the family game server. We even decorated the laptop with dice stickers!"

What's Next?

Congratulations! Your Foundry VTT is installed and running. You've built your digital game table and opened the doors for players to join. The next part, The GM Interface, explores your command center for creating amazing adventures!

Remember: every technical hurdle you overcome makes you a more capable digital GM. You're not just installing software; you're creating a space where stories come to life!