How to Edit Minecraft Server Settings

Arnau FalconArnau Falcon
Mar 31, 20252 min read
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The server.properties file is basically the settings menu for your Minecraft server. It’s where you can change how the game runs and what it’s like for everyone playing. Are you looking to change game rules, make the server run smoother, or build a custom world? This file lets you do all that, so knowing how to edit it is key to adjust your server exactly the way you want.

Getting Into Your Server Settings

Before we get started, please note that if your server is online, any changes made to the file won't take effect until you restart it. So, after you’ve modified the settings, you’ll need to restart the server for those changes to apply. Now, let’s jump in and see how to access your server.properties file settings!

Step 1: Access your Minecraft Server


DatHost control panel


Step 2: Navigate to the File Manager Tab


DatHost File Manager Tab


Step 3: Look for the server.properties file in the search bar


DatHost Minecraft Dedicated Server Server.Properties File


Customizing Your Server Settings

Now that you know how to access the server.properties file, you can change the settings however you like. Find below the most popular settings:

12 of 12 rows
Setting NameDefault ValueDescription
allow-flightfalseAllows or denies flight in survival mode.
allow-nethertrueWhether players can access the Nether dimension.
difficultyeasySets the game difficulty (peaceful, easy, normal, or hard).
enable-command-blockfalseAllows or disables the use of command blocks.
enable-rconfalseEnables RCON (remote console) access.
gamemodesurvivalDefault game mode (survival, creative, adventure, or spectator).
max-players20Maximum number of players allowed on the server.
online-modetrueRequires players to log in with a valid Minecraft account.
pvptrueWhether player versus player combat is allowed.
spawn-protection16Radius (in blocks) around the spawn point where players cannot break blocks.
view-distance10The number of chunks around each player that are visible and loaded.
white-listfalseWhether only whitelisted players are allowed to join the server.

Frequently Asked Questions

A: The server.properties file allows you to customize things like game rules, server performance, and world generation.

To access the file, first, log in to your DatHost server's control panel. From there, navigate to the File Manager tab and search for "server.properties." After that, you can open it and start making changes to the server settings.

Yes! You can set the game difficulty to peaceful, easy, normal, or hard by adjusting the "difficulty" setting. This allows you to control the challenge level of your Minecraft world.

Yes, you must restart your minecraft server for the new settings to take effect. If your server is online, the changes won't apply until it restarts.

To keep unwanted players out, you can enable the whitelist setting in the server.properties file by setting "white-list" to true. This will only allow players you’ve added to the whitelist to join your server.