Minecraft server.properties Generator (Java)
Change your Minecraft server's settings in plain English and download a ready server.properties file. All 68 Java 26.3 settings are here with their defaults; for example, view-distance starts at 10 chunks and max-players at 20.
Runs on your device · nothing uploaded
This tool is code that runs inside your browser. Your files, text and pictures are read here and never sent to a server, so it even works offline once loaded. Signed in? Only what you save to your account (My Kit, wardrobe) or publish is uploaded.
- Whitelist is on: add each friend with /whitelist add <name> in the server console.
#Minecraft server propertiesaccepts-transfers=falseallow-flight=falsebroadcast-console-to-ops=truebroadcast-rcon-to-ops=truebug-report-link=chat-spam-threshold-seconds=10command-spam-threshold-seconds=10difficulty=easyenable-code-of-conduct=falseenable-jmx-monitoring=falseenable-query=falseenable-rcon=falseenable-status=trueenforce-secure-profile=trueenforce-whitelist=falseentity-broadcast-range-percentage=100force-gamemode=falsefunction-permission-level=2gamemode=survivalgenerate-structures=truegenerator-settings={}hardcore=falsehide-online-players=falseinitial-disabled-packs=initial-enabled-packs=vanillalevel-name=worldlevel-seed=level-type=minecraft\:normallog-ips=truemanagement-server-enabled=falsemanagement-server-host=localhostmanagement-server-port=0management-server-secret=management-server-tls-enabled=truemanagement-server-tls-keystore=management-server-tls-keystore-password=max-chained-neighbor-updates=1000000max-players=20max-tick-time=60000max-world-size=29999984motd=A Minecraft Servernetwork-compression-threshold=256online-mode=trueop-permission-level=4pause-when-empty-seconds=60player-idle-timeout=0prevent-proxy-connections=falsequery.port=25565rate-limit=0rcon.password=rcon.port=25575region-file-compression=deflaterequire-resource-pack=falseresource-pack=resource-pack-id=resource-pack-prompt=resource-pack-sha1=server-ip=server-port=25565simulation-distance=10spawn-protection=16status-heartbeat-interval=0sync-chunk-writes=truetext-filtering-config=text-filtering-version=0use-native-transport=trueview-distance=10white-list=true
Defaults match Java 26.3. Put the file next to your server jar and restart the server. Your settings are saved only in this browser (never passwords). Need memory settings too? Use the Server RAM Calculator.
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The settings most servers change
| Setting | Key | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server message (MOTD) | motd | A Minecraft Server | The line shown under your server's name in the server list. |
| Max players | max-players | 20 | How many players can be online at once. |
| Game mode | gamemode | survival | Game mode new players start in. |
| Difficulty | difficulty | easy | How hard the world is. |
| Hardcore | hardcore | false | One life: players become spectators when they die. Only for new worlds. |
| World folder name | level-name | world | Name of the world folder the server loads or creates. |
| World seed | level-seed | (empty) | Seed for a new world. Leave empty for a random one. |
| World type | level-type | minecraft:normal | Generation preset for a new world. |
| Online mode (check accounts) | online-mode | true | Only real Minecraft accounts can join. Turning it off lets anyone use any name. |
| Whitelist | white-list | true | Only players on the whitelist can join. Add them with /whitelist add. |
| View distance (chunks) | view-distance | 10 | How far players can see. Lower it first if the server lags. |
| Simulation distance (chunks) | simulation-distance | 10 | How far from players mobs, crops and redstone keep running. |
| Server port | server-port | 25565 | TCP port players connect to. |
How to use it
- Start from the defaults, pick a preset, or open your server's own server.properties file.
- Change the settings you need. Each one says what it does, and changed lines are highlighted.
- Read the notes on the right: they flag risky choices like turning off online mode.
- Press Download and put server.properties next to your server jar, replacing the old one.
- Restart the server so it reads the new settings.
How it works
server.properties is a plain text file of key=value lines that a Java Edition server reads when it starts. This tool writes it exactly the way the server does: a header, then every key in alphabetical order, with special characters (like § colour codes in the MOTD) escaped so they survive. Defaults come from the current Java 26.3 server, and your file stays in your browser; passwords are never put in a link.
Questions
Where is server.properties?
In the same folder as your server jar. It's created the first time the server starts; if it isn't there yet, download one here and put it next to the jar.
Do I need to restart after changing it?
Yes. The server only reads server.properties when it starts, so stop it (type stop in the console) and start it again.
Should I turn off online-mode?
Only if you understand the risk: with online-mode off, anyone can join under any name, including an operator's. If you must, keep the whitelist on or use a login plugin.
Why can't my friends join after I set up the whitelist?
The whitelist is on by default in current versions. Add each player with /whitelist add <name> in the server console, or turn white-list off.
What view distance should I use?
8 to 12 suits most servers. Every extra chunk of view distance loads a lot more of the world, so it's the first thing to lower if the server lags.
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By PickaxeKit Editorial Team. Updated 2026-11-09.