How to Edit Minecraft Server Properties
The server.properties file is a configuration file found in your Minecraft server folder. It contains various settings that control how your server behaves, such as:
- Server port and IP address
- Game mode and difficulty level
- Maximum number of players
- World settings and rules
Editing this file allows you to customize your server to create a unique gameplay experience. Changes made to the server.properties file take effect the next time the server starts.
This guide will show you how to access the server.properties file, and how to edit every single part of it.
Note: Depending on the type of Minecraft server you are running (Vanilla, Spigot, Paper, Forge, etc.) the server.properties file might not be the same. This guide shows off the different settings for Vanilla, so you might have some settings that look different.
Accessing server.properties
To open the server.properties file on your Minecraft server:
- Open your Apollo Panel
- Navigate through the options on the left side, until you find the Minecraft section, then click on Properties.
Make sure you have the server.properties option selected in the options at the top of the page.
Editing server.properties
Now that you have accessed your server properties file settings, you may modify this to your preference. The table below describes some of the more useful and frequently customized server settings options available in your server control panel.
Below is a list of every server.properties variable for a Vanilla Minecraft server, and what it does:
Setting | Name in File | Default Value | What It Does |
|---|---|---|---|
Spawn Monsters | spawn-monsters | Enabled | Controls whether or not monsters or hostile mobs will spawn. Acceptable values are Enabled or Disabled. |
Player vs Player | pvp | Enabled | Controls whether or not players can harm each other. Acceptable values are Enabled or Disabled. |
Online Mode | online-mode | Enabled | Controls whether or not the server will work with the Mojang Studios authentication server. Checks connecting players against the Minecraft account database. Acceptable values are Enabled or Disabled. Related article: How to disable Online Mode |
Spawn Animals | spawn-animals | Enabled | Controls whether or not animals will spawn in your worlds. Acceptable values are Enabled or Disabled. |
Protected Spawn Size | spawn-protection | 16 | Controls the number of blocks in each direction from your world's spawn block that cannot be interacted with without being opped. Any integer is acceptable and 0 will disable spawn protection. |
Whitelisting | white-list | Disabled | Controls whether or not whitelisting is enabled is used. Acceptable values are Enabled or Disabled. |
Allow Nether | allow-nether | Enabled | Controls whether players can travel to the Nether. Acceptable values are Enabled or Disabled. |
View Distance | view-distance | 10 | Controls the amount of server-side viewing distance and world data that can be seen by a player at any given location. It has a minimum value of 3 and a maximum value of 32. |
Level Seed | level-seed |
| Controls the seed your server will use when generating a new world. Any value is acceptable and no value will cause your server to use a random seed. |
Allow Flying | allow-flight | Disabled | Controls whether or not players are permitted to fly using exploits or mods. Acceptable values are Enabled or Disabled. |
Game Mode | gamemode | 0 | Controls the default game mode for the server. Acceptable values are Survival, Creative, Adventure, or Spectator (1.8+). Here is an article on changing the game mode. |
Difficulty | difficulty | 1 | Controls the difficulty level for the server. Acceptable values are Peaceful, Easy, Normal, or Hard. Related article: Change the Difficulty of Your Minecraft Server |
Server Message | motd | A Minecraft Server | Controls the message displayed below the server name in the Minecraft client. Any string under 60 characters is acceptable. Color and formatting codes, as well as special characters, may be used. Related article: How to change the MOTD on your Minecraft Server |
rcon.port | rcon.port | A random five-digit number | Controls the port needed to access your console using RCON. Acceptable values are any five-digit number not used by another server on your server's node. Related Article: How to Setup RCON on Your Minecraft Server |
enable-command-block | enable-command-block | true | Controls whether command blocks can be used. Acceptable values are true or false. |
max-tick-time | max-tick-time | 60000 | Controls the amount of time (in milliseconds) that a tick is allowed to take before the server crashes. Value must be an integer. |
enforce-secure-profile | enforce-secure-profile | true | Controls whether players using third-party launchers are prevented from connecting to your server. Acceptable values are true or false. |
generate-structures | generate-structures | true | Controls whether naturally-generated structures, such as villages, can spawn in new chunks on your server's world. Acceptable values are true or false. |
require-resource-pack | require-resource-pack | false | Controls if players who deny a server resource pack will be disconnected from the server. Acceptable values are true or false. |
broadcast-rcon-to-ops | broadcast-rcon-to-ops | true | Controls whether operators will see executed commands via RCON of other operators in chat. Acceptable values are true or false. |
resource-pack-prompt | resource-pack-prompt |
| Sets a custom resource pack prompt if a server resource pack is defined and require-resource-pack is set to true. Any custom message for the custom prompt is acceptable. |
enable-rcon | enable-rcon | false | Controls if RCON is enabled for the server, which allows operators to use the console remotely. Acceptable values are true or false. |
hide-online-players | hide-online-players | false | Controls if the number of players online can be seen from the Minecraft launcher server list. Acceptable values are true or false. |
resource-pack | resource-pack |
| Sets the server's resource pack, making it easier for players to download the server's resource pack, or make it mandatory. Acceptable values are download links configured to be downloadable by the server. Related article: How to add a resource pack to your Minecraft Server |
simulation-distance | simulation-distance | 10 | Controls the number of chunks in each direction from each player in which entities will remain loaded. It has a minimum value of 3 and a maximum value of 32. |
rcon.password | rcon.password |
| Sets a password for RCON to use your server's console remotely. |
player-idle-timeout | player-idle-timeout | 0 | Controls if and when players will be kicked from the server if they are idle. If the value is an integer other than 0, players will be kicked when they are idle for that number of minutes. |
force-gamemode | force-gamemode | false | Controls whether or not players should be in the same gamemode as the server every time they join the server. By default, players stay in the same gamemode they had before logging out of the server. Acceptable values are true or false. |
hardcore | hardcore | false | Controls whether or not hardcode mode is enabled. When enabled, players are set to spectator mode after they die. Acceptable values are true or false. |
broadcast-console-to-ops | broadcast-console-to-ops | true | Controls whether operators will see executed commands of other operators in chat. Acceptable values are true or false. |
spawn-npcs | spawn-npcs | true | Controls whether or not villagers spawn. Acceptable values are true or false. |
previews-chat | previews-chat | true | Controls whether players can preview their messages with how they will actually look in chat before sending them, particularly regarding styling. Acceptable values are true or false. |
enforce-whitelist | enforce-whitelist | false | Controls whether or not the whitelist is enforced with regard to online players when the whitelist is reloaded. Any player not on the whitelist will be kicked from the server if set to true. Acceptable values are Enabled or false. |
generator-settings | generator-settings |
| Used to customize world generation, and it could be used to create a completely custom world. |
max-build-height | max-build-height |
| Sets the world generation height limit at which players can place or destroy blocks. The default is 319 (blocks), which matches Minecraft’s vanilla build limit. |
server-authoritative-movement | server-authoritative-movement |
| Determines the difference between server and client positions that needs to be exceeded and whether the server enforces player movement, helping abnormal behavior is detected |
max-players | max-players |
| Sets the maximum number of players allowed. |
spawn point (x y z) | spawn-point |
| Sets the exact coordinates where new players and those without a bed/spawn point will appear. Example: spawn-point=33 -200 places players at X: 33, Y: 3, Z: -200. |
level-type | level-type |
| Sets the type of world generation, such as flat and default. |
server-auth-with-rewind | server-auth-with-rewind |
| The server will replay local user input and push it to the Client so it can correct the position if it does not match. (only works for bedrock edition) |
motd | motd=[{TEXT}] | motd= | Supports and expects chat component syntax for colors, styles, and interactions. |
Note: The table above may not reflect the options available for your server, or the order in which they are listed. This is due to differences between versions of Minecraft. Additionally, niche and technical options were not included in the table.
If you’d like to learn more about the different server settings you can configure, check out this Minecraft Wiki page.
Still have some questions about the server.properties file?
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By: Ali A.
Updated on: 09/05/2025
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