Configuring server.properties for Your Minecraft Server

Guide to the most important server.properties settings — difficulty, game mode, world seed, player limits, and more.

Configuring server.properties for Your Minecraft Server

The server.properties file controls your Minecraft server's core settings. You can edit it directly from the control panel's file manager.

How to Edit server.properties

Stop your server from the panel
Go to the File Manager tab
Click on server.properties
Make your changes, then click Save
Start the server — changes take effect on next startup

Always stop the server before editing. Changes made while the server is running may be overwritten.

Key Settings

Game Settings

Property	Default	Description
`gamemode`	`survival`	Default game mode: `survival`, `creative`, `adventure`, or `spectator`
`difficulty`	`easy`	`peaceful`, `easy`, `normal`, or `hard`
`hardcore`	`false`	Players are banned on death when `true`
`pvp`	`true`	Whether players can damage each other
`allow-nether`	`true`	Enables the Nether dimension
`spawn-monsters`	`true`	Hostile mobs spawn when `true`
`spawn-animals`	`true`	Passive mobs spawn when `true`

World Settings

Property	Default	Description
`level-seed`	(empty)	World generation seed — set before first startup to use a specific seed
`level-name`	`world`	Name of the world folder
`level-type`	`minecraft\:normal`	World type: `normal`, `flat`, `large_biomes`, `amplified`
`max-world-size`	`29999984`	Maximum world radius in blocks
`generate-structures`	`true`	Villages, temples, and other structures generate when `true`
`spawn-protection`	`16`	Radius around spawn where non-ops cannot build (set to `0` to disable)

Server Settings

Property	Default	Description
`max-players`	`20`	Maximum players allowed (limited by your plan's slot count)
`view-distance`	`10`	Chunk render distance — lower values reduce RAM usage
`simulation-distance`	`10`	Distance in chunks where entities are ticked
`online-mode`	`true`	Authenticates players against Mojang — keep this `true` for security
`white-list`	`false`	Only whitelisted players can join when `true`
`motd`	`A Minecraft Server`	Message shown in the server list
`server-port`	`25565`	Do not change — the panel manages this

Performance Tuning

Property	Recommended	Description
`view-distance`	`8`	Reduce from default `10` if players experience lag
`simulation-distance`	`6`	Reduce to lower entity processing load
`entity-broadcast-range-percentage`	`75`	How far entities are visible (percentage of view distance)

Properties You Should Not Change

server-port — Managed by the control panel. Changing it will prevent players from connecting.
server-ip — Leave blank. The panel binds the correct address.
enable-rcon / rcon.port / rcon.password — Managed by the panel for console access. Changing these may break panel functionality.

Common Gamerules

Gamerules are in-game settings that you change with commands, not by editing server.properties. Run these in the server console or in-game with OP permissions:

/gamerule <rule> <value>

Changes take effect immediately — no restart needed.

Gamerule	Default	Description
`keepInventory`	`false`	Players keep items on death when `true`
`playersSleepingPercentage`	`100`	Percentage of players that must sleep to skip night (set to `0` for one-player sleep)
`mobGriefing`	`true`	Mobs can destroy blocks (creepers, endermen, ghasts) when `true`
`doFireTick`	`true`	Fire spreads when `true` — set to `false` to prevent accidental burns
`doDaylightCycle`	`true`	Time progresses when `true` — set to `false` to freeze time
`doInsomnia`	`true`	Phantoms spawn when `true` — set to `false` to disable them
`naturalRegeneration`	`true`	Players regenerate health from food when `true`
`announceAdvancements`	`true`	Advancement messages broadcast to chat when `true`

Note: Gamerule names are case-sensitive. keepInventory works, keepinventory does not.

Resetting to Defaults

To reset server.properties:

Stop the server
Delete server.properties in the file manager
Start the server — it generates a fresh server.properties with default values