How To Configure Unturned Server
Setting up your Unturned server just the way you want it is key to creating the perfect gameplay experience. Whether you’re customizing player limits, adjusting difficulty, or enabling PvP, configuring your server is all about fine-tuning the details. Here’s how to get started.
To fully customize your Unturned server, you’ll need to access a few key configuration files. These control everything from server settings to gameplay behavior and player permissions. Here’s what each file does and how to find it:
Located in the server’s world folder, this file sets core options like map name, game mode, max players, and whether cheats are enabled. It's perfect for quick setup changes.
Settings you can change in commands.dat are:
Name ["Server Name"] – Sets your server’s name as it appears in the server browser.
Map [Map Name] – Chooses which map your server loads on startup.
Mode [Easy/Normal/Hard] – Sets the server’s difficulty level.
Maxplayers – Limits how many players can join your server at once.
Password [Password] – Adds a password to make your server private.
Gold – Allows only Unturned Gold account holders to connect.
Perspective [First/Third/Vehicle/Both] – Controls the allowed camera views during gameplay.
PvE – Enables Player vs Environment mode by disabling player combat.
Cycle [Seconds] – Changes how long day and night cycles last.
Chatrate [Seconds] – Sets a delay between messages to reduce chat spam.
Timeout [Value] – Kicks players who exceed the allowed ping.
Welcome ["Message"] – Displays a custom welcome message when players join.
Owner [SteamID64] – Grants admin rights to a specific Steam user.
Loadout – Gives players a specific set of items when they spawn.
Log Y/N/Y/N – Enables or disables chat, join/leave, death, and anticheat logs in order.
Bind – Defines the server’s IP address; leave as 0.0.0.0 to auto-bind.
Found in the main server directory, this file controls deeper gameplay settings—zombie difficulty, loot spawn rates, PvP options, and more. Great for fine-tuning how the game feels.
Settings you can change in config.json are:
PvE – Enables Player vs Environment mode by turning off player damage.
Cheats – Allows the use of admin commands and cheat codes in-game.
Perspective [First/Third/Both] – Sets which camera views are allowed for players.
Hide_Admins – Hides admin status from other players in-game.
Friendly_Fire – Lets players in the same group damage each other when enabled.
Allow_Join_While_Loading – Lets players connect before the world fully loads.
Allow_Static_IP – Supports servers with static IP addresses.
BattlEye_Secure – Enables BattlEye anti-cheat for added protection.
VAC_Secure – Activates Valve Anti-Cheat to block known cheaters.
Max_Ping_Milliseconds – Kicks players with ping higher than the set limit.
Max_Attempts – Limits failed connection attempts before blocking access.
Auto_Save_Seconds – Sets how often the server autosaves the world.
Save_On_Exit – Saves the world automatically when the server shuts down.
Timeout_Seconds – Determines how long a player can freeze before being disconnected.
Vote_Kick_Duration_Seconds – Sets how long a vote kick punishment lasts.
Vote_Kick_Cooldown_Seconds – Defines how long players must wait between vote kicks.
Vote_Duration_Seconds – Controls how long players have to respond to a vote.
Use_Culture_Info – Uses specific regional formatting for dates, numbers, etc.
Language – Sets the server’s default language.
Time – Adjusts how long a full day/night cycle lasts in seconds.
Spawn_Rate_Multiplier – Scales the number of zombies, animals, and items that appear.
Experience_Multiplier – Controls how fast players earn experience points.
Also in the main server folder, this file lets you manage admin and moderator roles, custom commands, and group permissions. Use it to control who can do what on your server.
Don't hesitate to open a ticket with our support team, we're here 24/7 to assist!
By: Alecz R
Accessing Configuration Files
To fully customize your Unturned server, you’ll need to access a few key configuration files. These control everything from server settings to gameplay behavior and player permissions. Here’s what each file does and how to find it:
File 1: Commands.dat
Located in the server’s world folder, this file sets core options like map name, game mode, max players, and whether cheats are enabled. It's perfect for quick setup changes.
Settings you can change in commands.dat are:
Name ["Server Name"] – Sets your server’s name as it appears in the server browser.
Map [Map Name] – Chooses which map your server loads on startup.
Mode [Easy/Normal/Hard] – Sets the server’s difficulty level.
Maxplayers – Limits how many players can join your server at once.
Password [Password] – Adds a password to make your server private.
Gold – Allows only Unturned Gold account holders to connect.
Perspective [First/Third/Vehicle/Both] – Controls the allowed camera views during gameplay.
PvE – Enables Player vs Environment mode by disabling player combat.
Cycle [Seconds] – Changes how long day and night cycles last.
Chatrate [Seconds] – Sets a delay between messages to reduce chat spam.
Timeout [Value] – Kicks players who exceed the allowed ping.
Welcome ["Message"] – Displays a custom welcome message when players join.
Owner [SteamID64] – Grants admin rights to a specific Steam user.
Loadout – Gives players a specific set of items when they spawn.
Log Y/N/Y/N – Enables or disables chat, join/leave, death, and anticheat logs in order.
Bind – Defines the server’s IP address; leave as 0.0.0.0 to auto-bind.
File 2: Config.json
Found in the main server directory, this file controls deeper gameplay settings—zombie difficulty, loot spawn rates, PvP options, and more. Great for fine-tuning how the game feels.
Settings you can change in config.json are:
PvE – Enables Player vs Environment mode by turning off player damage.
Cheats – Allows the use of admin commands and cheat codes in-game.
Perspective [First/Third/Both] – Sets which camera views are allowed for players.
Hide_Admins – Hides admin status from other players in-game.
Friendly_Fire – Lets players in the same group damage each other when enabled.
Allow_Join_While_Loading – Lets players connect before the world fully loads.
Allow_Static_IP – Supports servers with static IP addresses.
BattlEye_Secure – Enables BattlEye anti-cheat for added protection.
VAC_Secure – Activates Valve Anti-Cheat to block known cheaters.
Max_Ping_Milliseconds – Kicks players with ping higher than the set limit.
Max_Attempts – Limits failed connection attempts before blocking access.
Auto_Save_Seconds – Sets how often the server autosaves the world.
Save_On_Exit – Saves the world automatically when the server shuts down.
Timeout_Seconds – Determines how long a player can freeze before being disconnected.
Vote_Kick_Duration_Seconds – Sets how long a vote kick punishment lasts.
Vote_Kick_Cooldown_Seconds – Defines how long players must wait between vote kicks.
Vote_Duration_Seconds – Controls how long players have to respond to a vote.
Use_Culture_Info – Uses specific regional formatting for dates, numbers, etc.
Language – Sets the server’s default language.
Time – Adjusts how long a full day/night cycle lasts in seconds.
Spawn_Rate_Multiplier – Scales the number of zombies, animals, and items that appear.
Experience_Multiplier – Controls how fast players earn experience points.
File 3: Permissions.config.xml
Also in the main server folder, this file lets you manage admin and moderator roles, custom commands, and group permissions. Use it to control who can do what on your server.
Still have some questions about configuring an Unturned server?
Don't hesitate to open a ticket with our support team, we're here 24/7 to assist!
By: Alecz R
Updated on: 09/06/2025
Thank you!