Where is the server.properties file?

It sits in the root folder of your Minecraft server, next to the server jar and the world folder. The server creates it the first time it starts. On Tree Host you can open it from the Files tab and edit it in your browser.

Do I need to restart the server after editing server.properties?

Yes. The server reads the file once, when it starts. Save your changes, then restart. Editing the file while the server is running does nothing until the next start, and the server can overwrite your edit when it stops.

What is the best view-distance for a server?

A good starting point is 8 to 10 for view-distance and 5 to 8 for simulation-distance. Lower values cut CPU and memory use. If your server lags with many players, drop view-distance first and keep simulation-distance low.

Is it safe to set online-mode to false?

Not on its own. With `online-mode=false` the server stops checking accounts with Mojang, so anyone can join with any name, including the name of an operator. Only use it behind a proxy that does the check for you, such as Velocity, and make sure players cannot reach the server directly.

How do I change the world seed or world name?

Set `level-seed` or `level-name`, then restart. A seed only affects chunks that are not generated yet, so it does not change an existing world. To use the new seed you need a new world folder.

Why was my change to server.properties reset?

Usually a typo or an invalid value. If a value cannot be read, the server falls back to the default. Check the spelling of the key and that true and false are lowercase. Also make sure you edited the file while the server was stopped.

What does spawn-protection do?

It stops players who are not operators from building or breaking blocks within a radius of the world spawn. The default is 16. Set it to 0 to turn it off. It is a radius measured from the spawn point, not a diameter.

Tree Host

server.properties Explained: Every Setting That Matters

Updated November 8, 2026 · by the Tree Host team

server.properties is a plain text file in your Minecraft server folder that controls the basics: game mode, difficulty, player limit, view distance, who can join and more. Each line is key=value. Edit the file, save it and restart the server. This guide explains the settings that matter and the defaults for Java Edition 1.21 and newer.

If you are still setting up, start with how to make a Minecraft server for friends. If you are choosing server software, read Paper vs Purpur vs Fabric first.

How server.properties works

The server writes server.properties the first time it starts. After that it reads the file on every start. Lines that begin with # are comments. A few rules save a lot of confusion:

Edit the file with the server stopped, or restart right after saving. The server only reads it at startup.
Use true and false in lowercase. Numbers have no quotes.
Keep the key names exactly as written. A wrong key is ignored, and a bad value falls back to the default.
Back up the file before big changes. Copy it to server.properties.bak.

On Tree Host, open the Files tab and click server.properties to edit it in your browser, or use the Game settings card in the Settings tab for the common options. See the server guide for both.

1. Gameplay settings

These decide how the game feels. Most are safe to change at any time, but remember the restart.

Setting	Default	What it does
`gamemode`	`survival`	The mode new players start in: `survival`, `creative`, `adventure` or `spectator`.
`force-gamemode`	`false`	If `true`, players get the default `gamemode` every time they join, not the one they left in.
`difficulty`	`easy`	`peaceful`, `easy`, `normal` or `hard`. Most survival servers use `normal` or `hard`.
`hardcore`	`false`	If `true`, players who die are put in spectator mode, and difficulty is locked to hard.
`pvp`	`true`	Whether players can hurt each other. Set `false` for a peaceful co-op server.
`allow-nether`	`true`	Turns the Nether on or off.
`allow-flight`	`false`	Lets players fly in survival without being kicked. Needed for some mods and plugins.
`spawn-monsters`	`true`	Whether hostile mobs spawn.
`generate-structures`	`true`	Villages, strongholds and other structures in new chunks.
`enable-command-block`	`false`	Lets command blocks run. Turn it on only if you use them.

2. World settings

Setting	Default	What it does
`level-name`	`world`	The name of the world folder. Changing it makes the server create a new world, or load another folder with that name.
`level-seed`	empty	The seed for a new world. Leave empty for a random one.
`level-type`	`minecraft\:normal`	`minecraft\:normal`, `minecraft\:flat`, `minecraft\:large_biomes` or `minecraft\:amplified`.
`max-world-size`	`29999984`	The world border radius in blocks, at most 29999984. A smaller number keeps the world file small.

A seed only applies to chunks that do not exist yet. If you set level-seed on a server with an old world, nothing changes. To use a new seed you need a new world. Back up the old one first, as in how to change the Minecraft version of your server.

3. Players and access

Setting	Default	What it does
`max-players`	`20`	How many players can be online at once. This does not raise your RAM or CPU, so a bigger number can mean more lag.
`white-list`	`false`	If `true`, only players on the whitelist can join.
`enforce-whitelist`	`false`	If `true`, players who are not on the whitelist are kicked when the whitelist reloads.
`online-mode`	`true`	Checks every player's account with Mojang. Leave it on.
`op-permission-level`	`4`	The op level new operators get, from 1 to 4.
`player-idle-timeout`	`0`	Minutes before an idle player is kicked. `0` means never.
`spawn-protection`	`16`	Radius around spawn where non-operators cannot build. `0` turns it off.

The whitelist has its own guide: how to whitelist a Minecraft server. The op levels are explained in how to make yourself op.

4. Performance settings

These are the settings that change how hard the server works. If your server lags, look here first.

Setting	Default	What it does
`view-distance`	`10`	How many chunks around each player the server sends to the player. Lower it to save CPU, memory and bandwidth.
`simulation-distance`	`10`	How many chunks around each player are ticked: mobs move, crops grow, redstone runs. Lowering it helps lag the most.
`entity-broadcast-range-percentage`	`100`	How far away entities are sent to players, as a percentage. Lower values can reduce network load.
`network-compression-threshold`	`256`	Packets larger than this many bytes are compressed. Leave it, unless a proxy tells you otherwise.
`max-tick-time`	`60000`	How many milliseconds one tick can take before the watchdog stops a frozen server. Slow machines sometimes need more, but a frozen server is still a problem.
`sync-chunk-writes`	`true`	Writes chunks to disk right away. Safer for your world, slightly slower.

A good start for a small survival server is view-distance=8 and simulation-distance=6. Players will notice a closer horizon before they notice slower crops. The RAM guide covers how memory and these two numbers work together.

Paper and Purpur have more performance options in their own config files, which is one more reason to pick one of them for a survival server.

5. Network and the server list

Setting	Default	What it does
`motd`	`A Minecraft Server`	The text shown under your server name in the multiplayer list. Up to two lines. Use `\n` for a line break and `\u00A7` for colour codes.
`server-port`	`25565`	The port the server listens on. Your host usually sets this for you.
`server-ip`	empty	Leave empty. Only set it if your machine has several network addresses.
`enable-status`	`true`	Whether the server shows in the server list with its player count.
`hide-online-players`	`false`	If `true`, the player list in the server list stays empty.
`enable-query`	`false`	Turns on GameSpy4 query, used by some status websites.
`enable-rcon`	`false`	Remote console. Leave off unless you know you need it, and always set a strong `rcon.password`.

On Tree Host the port comes from your plan, so you do not change server-port. Leave it as it is.

A sample file for a small friends server

Here are the lines a small survival server for friends might change from the defaults. Everything else can stay as the server generated it.

motd=Our survival world
max-players=10
difficulty=normal
white-list=true
enforce-whitelist=true
view-distance=8
simulation-distance=6
spawn-protection=0

spawn-protection=0 is handy on a small server where you trust everyone, because friends can build near spawn without being op. On a public server, keep the default so strangers cannot dig up your spawn.

How to change a setting step by step

Stop the server, or be ready to restart it straight after saving.
Open server.properties in the file editor, or over SFTP if you prefer a desktop app (see Connect with FileZilla).
Change the value on the line you want. Keep the key=value shape with no spaces around the equals sign.
Save the file.
Start or restart the server and read the console for warnings.
Join and check that the change worked, for example the new MOTD in the server list.

6. Settings you should change on day one

Set motd to something that tells people what your server is.
Set max-players to the number you actually expect, not 100.
Set difficulty and pvp the way your group wants to play.
Set white-list=true if the server is only for friends.
Drop view-distance to 8 if you have more than a handful of players.
Leave online-mode=true.

7. Mistakes to avoid

Setting online-mode=false to let friends with cracked accounts in. Anyone can then join under any name, including an operator's name. If you use a proxy such as Velocity, the proxy does the check, but the server must not be reachable except through the proxy.
Editing the file while the server runs. The server can overwrite your edit when it stops.
Raising max-players to fix a full server. It does not add RAM or CPU.
Changing level-name and thinking the world is lost. The old folder is still there. Change the name back and restart.
Copying a file from an old version. Some keys are removed or renamed between versions. Start from the file your current version generated.

What about Bedrock?

Bedrock Dedicated Server uses a different file, also called server.properties, with different keys such as server-name, level-name, gamemode, difficulty, max-players and server-port (19132 by default). Most of the ideas are the same, but the names and some values are not, so do not paste a Java file into a Bedrock server.

Tree Host lets you edit server.properties in your browser and restart in one click, with a shared demo server to try first. See the plans, or try the demo.

See plans Try the demo server

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