Edit server.properties

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Backup First!

Before making any changes to your files, it's always a good idea to backup first using the Backups link in Command Center.

How to edit server.properties

1. Login to Command Center.
2. From the server list, select the server for which you would like to change settings by pressing it's Manage button.
3. Stop the server.
4. Click the Files tab.
5. Click on the server.properties file.
6. Find the line that contains the config you want to change and edit it (or add the line if it does not exist).
7. Save server.properties
8. Restart your server.

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No server.properties file?

If you don't see a server.properties file on your server, you'll want to run the server long enough to create it.

For more information on what you can edit in that file, see below and the Minecraft Wiki.

Specific configurations for server.properties

allow-flight

If you get kicked for flying or you need flight to be enabled on your server, change the following setting in server.properties as explained above:

allow-flight=false to allow-flight=true

enable-command-block

If you need command blocks to be enabled on your server, change the following setting in server.properties as explained above:

enable-command-block=false to enable-command-block=true

hardcore

If you want to enable hardcore mode for your Minecraft server, change the following setting in server.properties as explained above:

hardcore=false to hardcore=true

To disable hardcore mode, just reverse that.

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Reset the World

After changing the hardcore setting, you will need to reset the world.

level-type

Some modpacks have mods installed that generate the world differently. Examples would be Biomes O' Plenty or Garden of Glass. To use those, you will need to edit the level-type setting in server.properties as explained above to one of the following:

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After you edit 'level-type', you'll need to reset your world so it can generate using the new setting.

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Vanilla World Types

For information on world types supported by vanilla Minecraft, see the official wiki for server.properties.

max-players

Max players is the setting you would use to change the number of players slots available on the server. The default is usually 10, but you can change it to whatever you want by editing server.properties as explained above. However, just because you've increased the number of slots does not mean the server will be able to handle that many players. So lower it back to the default if you get too much lag.

• Example: max-players=20

online-mode

Running your server in offline mode allows players to connect without authenticating with the Minecraft session servers. Authenticating with the Minecraft session servers ensures that a player is connecting with a registered and paid Minecraft account. Running your server in offline mode can be useful when there are the Minecraft session servers have problems and prevent players from connecting. However, it introduces security risks, as it allows anyone to use any username to join your server. For example, one would be able to login as any white listed player, or as an op and run all administrator commands.

If you need online mode to be enabled/disabled on your server, change the following setting in server.properties as explained above to true or false as needed:

online-mode=true to online-mode=false

pvp

If you want to disable pvp for your Minecraft server, change the following setting in server.properties as explained above:

pvp=true to pvp=false

To enable pvp again, just reverse that.

spawn-protection

When a player is made into an Op on a server, spawn protection automatically kicks in. With in the spawn radius players will be unable to break blocks. To disable or lower the radius of it, change the following setting in server.properties as explained above:

• To disable: change spawn-protection=16 to spawn-protection=0
• To lower, change the 16 to a smaller radius of blocks around the spawn point. Such as: spawn-protection=8

view-distance

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What is view-distance?

From the Minecraft Wiki page for server.properties:

Set the amount of world data the server sends to the client, measured in chunks in each direction of the player (radius, not diameter). It determines the server-side viewing distance.

10 is the default/recommended. If the player has major lag, this value is recommended to be reduced.

Lowering your server's view distance can greatly reduce server lag while raising it can greatly increase lag. If you want to edit your server's view-distance property, change the following setting in server.properties as explained above:

• view-distance=10 to view-distance=8

The lower you set view-distance, the less your server will lag generally speaking. However, setting it too low means you will see the edge of the world in game more easily. We recommend lowering the view-distance in increments of 2 and restarting to test to see if it helps. If your lag is reduced, then you should be good to go without lowering it further.

simulation-distance

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What is simulation-distance?

From the Minecraft Wiki page for server.propreties:

Sets the maximum distance from players that living entities may be located in order to be updated by the server, measured in chunks in each direction of the player (radius, not diameter). If entities are outside of this radius, then they will not be ticked by the server nor will they be visible to players.

10 is the default/recommended. If the player has major lag, this value is recommended to be reduced.

Lowering your server's simulation distance can greatly reduce server lag while raising it can greatly increase lag. If you want to edit your server's simulation-distance property, change the following setting in server.properties as explained above:

• simulation-distance=10 to simulation-distance=8

The lower you set simulation-distance, the less your server will lag generally speaking. The main consequence of setting this value too low is that you have to be close to mobs or machines in the world for them to be updated in a game tick. We recommend lowering the simulation-distance in increments of 2 and restarting to test to see if it helps. If your lag is reduced, then you should be good to go without lowering it further.

MOTD

MOTD or Message of the day is the text that appears in your server list next to your server icon and below the server name you set in your Minecraft Client. You can use the MOTD to promote features or create announcements and more. You can use colors and change the text style. We suggest using MCtools to create a unique MOTD.

If you want to edit your server's MOTD property, change the following setting in server.properties as explained above:

• MOTD= to MOTD= Cool awesome prompt here