Configuring server.properties#

The server.properties file contains essential configuration settings for your Minecraft server. Access it through your server's Files tab.

Important

Restart your server after making changes. World generation modifications may require deleting existing world folders.

World Settings#

level-seed#

level-seed=-1696067516

The seed determines world terrain generation. Find your singleplayer world's seed with /seed and paste it here for identical terrain.

level-name#

level-name=world

Specifies which world folder to load. Useful for switching between multiple saved worlds.

level-type#

level-type=minecraft:normal

Options:

minecraft:normal - Standard generation
minecraft:flat - Superflat world
minecraft:large_biomes - Larger biome sizes
minecraft:amplified - Extreme terrain heights

Gameplay Settings#

gamemode#

gamemode=survival

Options: survival, creative, adventure, spectator

Use force-gamemode=true to override player-specific settings on join.

difficulty#

difficulty=normal

Options: peaceful, easy, normal, hard

hardcore#

hardcore=false

Locks difficulty to Hard. Deceased players enter Spectator Mode.

Player & Access Settings#

max-players#

max-players=20

Maximum concurrent players. Server optimization becomes critical above 100 players.

online-mode#

online-mode=true

Caution

Keep this enabled to prevent unauthorized/cracked accounts and impersonation. Only disable when using a proxy with proper forwarding.

white-list#

white-list=true

Enabled by default. Prevents unwanted players from joining.

Protection & Building#

spawn-protection#

spawn-protection=16

Radius in blocks around spawn protected from non-operator modifications. Set to 0 to disable.

Performance Settings#

view-distance#

view-distance=10

Maximum render distance for all players. Lower values improve performance.

simulation-distance#

simulation-distance=6

Radius around players where entities are actively simulated. Lower values reduce entity lag but affect mob farms.

Tip

For laggy servers, try view-distance=8 and simulation-distance=4 as a starting point.

Server Messaging#

motd#

motd=Welcome to my server!

Message shown in the server list. Use \n for line breaks.

Tools like mctools.org's MOTD Creator help with formatting and colors.

Resource Packs#

resource-pack#

resource-pack=https://download.mc-packs.net/pack/example.zip

URL to automatically download when players join. See Adding Resource Packs.

resource-pack-sha1#

resource-pack-sha1=ae1f474756c0011f0837188b6be478da5764d495

Prevents clients from redownloading the pack unnecessarily.

require-resource-pack#

require-resource-pack=false

Set to true to require acceptance before joining.

Security Settings#

enforce-secure-profile#

enforce-secure-profile=true

Enables chat signing (1.19.1+). Disable if causing mod compatibility issues.

allow-flight#

allow-flight=true

Enabled by default on QualityNode. Prevents false "flying" kicks when players use minecarts or boats.

Settings Moved to Game Rules#

As of Minecraft 1.21.9, these settings are now controlled via /gamerule:

Old Property	New Game Rule
`pvp`	`pvp`
`enable-command-block`	`commandBlocksEnabled`
`allow-nether`	`allowEnteringNetherUsingPortals`

Quick Reference#

Setting	Recommended Value	Purpose
`online-mode`	`true`	Security
`white-list`	`true`	Privacy
`view-distance`	`8-10`	Performance
`simulation-distance`	`4-6`	Performance
`spawn-protection`	`0-16`	Build protection