Configuring server.properties

Understanding the server.properties file is crucial for configuring and customizing your Minecraft server. This guide highlights the essential attributes within the file, enabling you to optimize and alter your server settings for the best gameplay experience.

Accessing & Configuring server.properties

There are two possible methods to access server.properties, you may either directly alter the file found in the File Manager, or using our server.properties editor:

1. Log in to the Dashboard.

2. Choose a server within your server list.

3. You will be redirected to your server’s Console page. On the top navigation bar, hover over “Server” then click on Server Properties.

To edit a setting, depending on the type, you may have to select an option from the given dropdown or type in a string of values. Settings that only accept a true or false value are referred to as booleans, while settings that require a typed value are called strings. In boolean settings, true signifies enabled while false signifies disabled.

To save your changes, simply click on “Submit” at the top of the properties list.

Configurations:

accepts-transfers

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: false

This setting determines if the server accepts player transfers from other servers in a network. It’s often used in server networks to facilitate smooth transitions between different server instances using the /transfer command.

allow-flight

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: false

This option determines whether or not the server checks if players are flying. It’s useful for servers with plugins that don’t override this check and allow flight in Survival mode.

Most cheat clients bypass this check easily, making it essentially useless and making trouble with false positives. If you want to protect from hackers, you should use an Anti Cheat.

allow-nether

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

This setting controls whether players can travel to the Nether dimension. Disabling it prevents players from accessing the Nether, which can be useful for servers with specific gameplay rules.

broadcast-console-to-ops

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

This property controls whether console command outputs are shown to online operators.

broadcast-rcon-to-ops

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

This property controls whether RCON command outputs are shown to online operators.

bug-report-link

Possible Values: URL Default Value: ` `

A URL where players are able to report bugs and issues in the server. This can be accessed within the client’s menu by navigating to “Server Links…” and then “Report Server Bug”. Players will then be prompted with a warning message with the URL of the website provided.

debug

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: false

Enabling this option will cause the server to display additional information relating to its inner functions and processes in the console. As is clear from it’s name, it is very useful for server owner’s looking to fix bugs and other issues in their server.

difficulty

Possible Values: peaceful, easy, normal, hard Default Value: easy

This setting defines the difficulty level of the server, affecting mob behavior and player damage.

• If set to peaceful, no hostile mobs will spawn and health regenerates quickly.
• If set to easy, hostile mobs will spawn but deal less damage compared to normal. Hunger depletes slowly.
• If set to normal, mobs will deal average damage. Some additional behavior is enabled (eg. vindicators can break doors).
• If set to hard, hostile mobs will deal more damage, hunger will deplete faster, and additional behavior is enabled, including the changes from normal.

enable-command-block

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: false

Command blocks allow for automation and complex commands within the game. Enabling them can enhance server functionality if used, but may pose security risks if not properly managed. They are often used in custom maps and some datapacks.

enable-rcon

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: false

Remote Control (RCON) is an alternate way to access the server console through an RCON client such as MCRCON.

enable-status

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

When disabled, your server will appear as if it is offline in the server list without any additional information being shared. However, players will still be able to join the server.

enforce-secure-profile

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

This setting ensures that players without a Mojang-signed public key will not be able to connect to the server. And therefore, players without a legitimate copy of the game or those with mods that alter their messages or public keys will be prevented from joining your server.

enforce-whitelist

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: false

Enabling this setting ensures that only players listed in the whitelist can join the server, providing control over the players you want to join. This is ideal for private or community servers that limit access to certain players.

The whitelist is not reliable and can easily be bypassed if online-mode is set to false.

entity-broadcast-range-percentage

Possible Values: Between 10 to 1000 percent Default Value: 100

Controls how close entities are sent to the client; at higher values, players will be able to see entities (such as mobs) at a farther distance at the cost of performance.

force-gamemode

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: false

This setting forces all players to be switched to the default game mode upon (re)joining the server.

function-permission-level

Possible Values: Integer between 1 to 4 Default Value: 2

Sets the default required permission level to run /function, with 1 being the least power and 4 being operator level. Functions are provided by datapacks as a way to run certain features provided by the datapack itself.

gamemode

Possible Values: survival, creative, adventure, spectator Default Value: survival

This setting defines the default game mode for players joining the server, such as survival, creative, or adventure mode.

generate-structures

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

This setting controls whether structures like villages and desert temples generate in the world.

generator-settings

Possible Values: String Default Value: {}

Highly customizable arguments used to generate your world file, allowing you to alter world generation. You may either use online generators or refer to the guide provided by the Minecraft Wiki.

hardcore

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: false

Enabling this will change the server difficulty to hard while giving the player a single life, once this life is lost, the player will only be allowed to spectate their world.

hide-online-players

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: false

Allows you to hide the names of players online when viewed in the server list.

level-name

Possible Values: String Default Value: world

The name given to the world folder.

level-seed

Possible Values: String Default Value: ` `

This setting allows specifying a seed for world generation, enabling the creation of specific world layouts or replicating previous worlds. In order for this change to take effect, old worlds must be deleted to allow one with the set seed to be generated. If unspecified, a random value is used.

level-type

Possible Values: minecraft:normal, minecraft:flat, minecraft:large_biomes, minecraft:amplified, minecraft:single_biome_surface Default Value: minecraft:normal

Alters the type of world generation, allowing different styles, such as flat and amplified to be generated. As such, previous worlds must be deleted to allow a new world with the set settings to be created.

• normal Generates a normal world with all standard features, such as hills and rivers.
• flat Generates a flat plains world with no land features.
• large_biomes Same as normal, but with larger and bigger biomes.
• amplified Same as normal, but world generation height is increased, resulting in more mountains and taller biomes.
• single_biome_surface Generates the entire overworld as a single biome.

log-ips

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

Determines if player IP addresses are logged upon connection, which can be useful for monitoring and security purposes. Set this to false if you prefer the server to be privacy-friendly.

max-players

Possible Values: Integer Default Value: 20

This setting specifies the maximum number of players allowed on the server simultaneously, impacting server load and community size.

max-tick-time

Possible Values: Integer (milliseconds) or -1 Default Value: 60000

This setting defines the maximum time in milliseconds a single tick may take before the server watchdog stops the server, causing the server to be shutdown resulting in a crash. A value of -1 will result in it being disabled.

max-world-size

Possible Values: Integer Default Value: 29999984

The maximum allowed size of the world radius, in blocks. This only affects the chunks that are generated when the world is initially created, and not the world border.

motd

Possible Values: String Default Value: A Minecraft Server

The message of the day (MOTD) is displayed in the server list and provides a brief description or welcome message for players.

Refer to the MOTD article for instructions on how to create one!

network-compression-threshold

Possible Values: Integer (bytes) or -1 Default Value: 512

The maximum number of bytes of a packet before it is compressed. A value of -1 disables this setting.

online-mode

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

This setting requires players to authenticate with Minecraft’s account database before joining, preventing players with illegitimate accounts from connecting. Disabling this configuration will allow cracked players to join your server.

op-permission-level

Possible Values: Integer between 1 to 4 Default Value: 4

The permission level to grant to server operators by default. With 1 being the least powerful and 4 being the highest permissions.

player-idle-timeout

Possible Values: Integer (minutes) Default Value: 0

This setting determines how long a player can be idle before being kicked from the server, helping to manage active player slots. If set to 0, players can idle indefinitely.

pvp

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

Controls whether players can engage in player-versus-player combat, or in other words fight each other with weapons.

rate-limit

Possible Values: Integer Default Value: 0

Limits the maximum amount of packets that can be sent before being kicked. Leaving this value as 0 disables it.

rcon-password

Possible Values: String Default Value: ` `

Sets the password used to authenticate when connecting with RCON.

rcon-port

Possible Values: Integer Default Value: 25575

Sets the port used to connect when using RCON. This will only work when set to an extra port.

require-resource-pack

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: false

Forces players to use the server provided resource pack otherwise kicking them out.

resource-pack

Possible Values: URL Default Value: ` `

This setting specifies a direct download URL of the server’s resource pack, prompting users to use the provided resource pack when joining.

resource-pack-id

Possible Values: String Default Value: ` `

This setting provides the UUID of the resource pack, used to identify and verify the correct pack version.

resource-pack-prompt

Possible Values: String Default Value: ` `

This setting displays a custom message when players are prompted to download the resource pack, providing additional information or instructions.

resource-pack-sha1

Possible Values: String Default Value: ` `

This setting provides a hash of the resource pack for verification, ensuring players download the correct and unmodified pack.

simulation-distance

Possible Values: Integer Default Value: 10

Controls the chunk radius around each player where chunks are ticked, meaning mobs and gameplay mechanics are active, affecting server performance and gameplay experience.

spawn-animals

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

Affects whether animals can spawn naturally in the world.

spawn-monsters

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

This setting controls whether monsters can spawn naturally in the world.

spawn-npcs

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: true

This setting controls whether villagers and other NPCs can spawn naturally in the world.

spawn-protection

Possible Values: Integer Default Value: 16

This setting defines a protected area of blocks around the spawn point where players cannot build or destroy blocks, helping to preserve the spawn environment.

view-distance

Possible Values: Integer Default Value: 10

This setting determines a chunk radius around each player where the server sends information about the world, affecting how much of the world is loaded and visible.

white-list

Possible Values: Boolean Default Value: false

This setting enables a whitelist on the server, allowing only selected users to connect and providing controlled access to the server. Which is ideal for private servers or community servers where certain servers requires only limited access of players.

The whitelist is not reliable and can easily be bypassed if online-mode is set to false.