A server.properties file opened with Notepad++
Server.properties is the file which stores all the settings for a multiplayer (Classic, Alpha or Beta) server.
If you are going to edit server.properties it is important that you use the same structure as the original uses. The text before the equal sign is the key, which you shouldn't change. The text after the equal sign is the key's value, which you can edit. Lines that begin with # are comments - altering or removing these has no effect on the game.
You need to restart your server if you change the server.properties file for the new changes to take effect.
File Location
This file is automatically generated upon first start of the server (if it doesn't exist).
| OS | File Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Same directory as Minecraft_Server.exe | |
| Linux
Unix *nix/Mac |
Present Working Directory (pwd) |
If you start it from your home directory (/home/yourname) the server files will be created in /home/yourname. Follow these guidelines for ensuring that the server files are generated where you would expect them.
|
Server.properties
As of 14th September 2011 [Beta 1.8], these are the default settings for a newly installed Beta Minecraft server:
#Minecraft server properties #Wed Sep 14 14:33:18 CEST 2011 level-name=world allow-nether=true view-distance=10 spawn-monsters=true online-mode=true difficulty=1 gamemode=0 spawn-animals=true max-players=20 server-ip= pvp=true level-seed= server-port=25565 allow-flight=false white-list=false motd=A Minecraft Server
Beta Keys
| Option Name | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| level-name | text | world | The "level-name" value will be used as world name and as folder name. You may also copy your saved game folder here, and change the name to the same as that folder's to load it instead.
|
| allow-nether | boolean | true | This option is introduced in Beta 1.6. Allows players to travel to the Nether. |
| view-distance | number
(3-15) |
10 | The amount of world data the server sends the client, measured in chunks in each direction of the player. The server-side viewing distance. The "Far" viewing distance is 9 chunks.
10 is the default/recommended. Tip: if you have major lag, reduce this value.
|
| spawn-monsters | boolean | true | Set true if you want monsters to be spawned at night, false if you don't.
Tip: if you have major lag, turn this off/set to false.
|
| online-mode | boolean | true | Server checks connecting players against minecraft's account database. Only set this to false if your server is not connected to the Internet. Hackers with fake accounts can connect if this is set to false! If minecraft.net is down or inaccessible, no players will be able to connect if this is set to true. Setting this variable to off purposely is called "cracking" a server, and servers that are presently with online mode off are called "cracked" servers.
|
| spawn-animals | boolean | true | Animals will be able to spawn.
Tip: if you have major lag, turn this off/set to false.
|
| max-players | number
(0-999) |
20 | The max numbers of players that can play on the server at the same time. Note that if more players are on the server it will use more resources. Note also, op player connections are not supposed to count against the max players, but ops currently cannot join a full server. |
| server-ip | text | blank | Set this if you want the server to bind to a particular IP. It is strongly recommended that you leave server-ip blank!
|
| pvp | boolean | true | Enable PvP on the server.
|
| level-seed | alphanumeric | blank | Add a seed for your world. Like in singleplayer.
|
| server-port | numeric
(1-65535) |
25565 | Changes the port the server is hosting on. This port must be forwarded if the server is going through a router. This forum post explains very well how to forward a port easily. |
| white-list | boolean | false | Enable a white list on the server.
With a white list enabled, users not on the white list will be unable to connect.
|
| allow-flight | boolean | false | Will allow users to use flight on your server while in Survival mode, if they have a mod that provides flight installed.
With allow-flight enabled griefers will possibly be more common, because it will make their work easier. In Creative mode this has no effect. This function was implemented by jeb.
|
| gamemode | number
(0 or 1) |
0 | Defines the mode of gameplay.
|
| difficulty | number
(0-3) |
1 | Defines the difficulty (such as damage dealt by mobs and the way hunger and poison affects players) of the server. Setting spawn-monsters=false overrides this setting and uses difficulty=0.
|
| motd | text | A Minecraft Server | Introduced in Beta 1.8. This is the message that is displayed in the server list of the client, below the name.
|
Classic Keys
| Option Name | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| verify-names | boolean | If enabled the server will make sure that the client is logged in with the same IP on Minecraft.net. This has caused problems for people trying to play on the same computer they are hosting the server on as the server will see the local IP (127.0.0.1) while Minecraft.net will see the external IP. It is recommended that this is enabled unless you want to play on your server from the same computer you are hosting it on
| |
| admin-slot | boolean | false | Allow ops to join even if the server is full. |
| public | boolean | Whether the server should be displayed in the server list, or not.
| |
| server-name | text | The name of the server. This is displayed in the server list and when someone is joining the server
| |
| max-players | number
(0-256) |
The max numbers of players that can play on the server at the same time. Note that if more players are on the server it will use more resources. Note also, admin connections are not counted against the max players. | |
| max-connections | 1-3 | The max number of connections the server will accept from the same IP.
| |
| motd | text | MOTD is short for Message of the day, though you do not need to change it every day. The MOTD is displayed when people join the server. | |
| grow-trees | boolean | Whether or not the server will allow planted saplings to grow into trees.
|
Other Features
In 1.8, having spawn-monsters=false & difficulty=1 will allow mobs to spawn from spawners and do not instantly disappear. Mob will not spawn just because it is dark. Unconfirmed bug or feature.
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