Valheim: How long is the day/night cycle?

One of the most common aspects players immediately notice in Valheim is the day and night cycle. 

After you’ve been dropped from the sky by one of Odin’s Ravens, you’ll be subject to the night time of Valheim. However, after some time, the sun will come out and you’ll begin the day cycle. 

While this is a fairly straightforward feature that’s found in most survival titles, it can still be frustrating to be far from your base and it turns to night because you don’t know how long the sun stays out for. 

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For those that have experienced, you no longer have any reason to worry. We know exactly how long the sun stays out for and how long the night lasts in Valheim. 

The day and night cycle in Valheim 

Sunset can both be a beautiful and terrifying sight for players. (Picture: Iron Gate AB)

To start, you’ll know when a new day starts in Valheim when the day counter pops up on your screen. For example, shortly after you wake up after sleeping or the sun starts to peek through, “Day 122” will appear on the screen. This means that nighttime is completely done. 

Conversely, you’ll know when the sun is officially down when you get the “Cold” message on your screen. You have to be standing outside for this message to appear but you can always use the sun’s disappearance as a guide. 

The day and night cycle of Valheim let's players enjoy the beautiful lighting engine of the game. (Picture: Iron Gate AB)

If you want to time the day and night cycle, then you’ll need to know just how long each cycle is. The days in Valheim last for 21 minutes, with the nights lasting 9 minutes. A full cycle takes 30 minutes to complete. Of course, you can skip the night by sleeping in a bed, which will reduce the cycle by a maximum of 9 minutes. 

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If you don’t want to use a timer on your computer or phone, you can use the “Rested” timer on the top of your screen as a guide. Depending on your Comfort Level, you’ll receive a certain Rested time after you’ve just woken up. This allows you to look at the timer to get a better idea of how far along in the day you are.