Bedrock server.properties File Explained

What Is server.properties

The server.properties file is the main configuration file for Bedrock Dedicated Server. It controls gameplay rules, network settings, player limits and world behavior. Every time you start BDS, it reads this file and applies the values. Changes require a server restart to take effect. This guide has every key in the file explained so you know exactly what each one does. Consider this your bedrock server properties explained reference.

Server Identity

server-name=Dedicated Server

The name shown in the server list. Keep it short and descriptive. Supports section sign color codes on some clients.

server-port=19132
server-portv6=19133

UDP ports for IPv4 and IPv6. The default Bedrock port is 19132. Change these if you run multiple servers on one machine. Both ports must be open in your firewall. See our port forwarding guide if players cannot connect.

max-players=10

The maximum number of players allowed at once. Set this based on your server's RAM and CPU. A rough guideline: 1 GB of RAM supports 10 to 15 players comfortably.

Gameplay Settings

gamemode=survival

Default game mode for new players. Options: survival, creative, adventure. Players with operator status can change their own mode in-game.

difficulty=easy

Options: peaceful, easy, normal, hard. Affects mob damage, hunger drain and other survival mechanics.

allow-cheats=false

When true, players with operator status can use cheat commands like /give, /tp and /gamemode. On a survival server, keep this false unless you are testing.

level-name=Bedrock level

The name of the world folder inside worlds/. If you change this, BDS loads a different world (or creates a new one if the folder does not exist).

level-seed=

World generation seed. Leave blank for a random seed. Set a specific value to reproduce a known world layout.

level-type=DEFAULT

World type. DEFAULT generates standard terrain. FLAT generates a superflat world. LEGACY uses old world generation (limited world size, not recommended).

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Performance Settings

view-distance=32

Maximum render distance in chunks. Lower values reduce CPU and bandwidth usage significantly. For most servers, 10 to 16 is a good balance between visibility and performance. When reviewing bedrock server properties explained resources, this is the single most impactful setting for performance.

tick-distance=4

How many chunks around each player are actively ticked (mob spawning, crop growth, redstone). Range: 4 to 12. Lower values save CPU but may slow farm production near players.

max-threads=8

Number of threads BDS can use. Set this to your CPU core count. More threads help with chunk generation and network encoding on busy servers.

compression-threshold=1

Minimum packet size (in bytes) before compression is applied. Lower values compress more packets (saves bandwidth, costs CPU). Higher values send smaller packets uncompressed (saves CPU, costs bandwidth). The default of 1 compresses almost everything.

compression-algorithm=zlib

Options: zlib or snappy. Snappy is faster but produces larger output. Zlib compresses better but uses more CPU. For servers with bandwidth constraints, use zlib. For servers with CPU constraints, try snappy.

Network and Security

online-mode=true

Requires Xbox Live authentication. Always keep this true on public servers. Disabling it allows anyone to join with any username, which breaks skin loading, achievements and player identity.

white-list=false

When true, only players listed in allowlist.json can join. See our whitelist guide for setup details.

texturepack-required=false

When true, players must accept server resource packs to join. See our resource pack guide for how to configure packs.

World Rules

default-player-permission-level=member

Permission level for new players. Options: visitor (cannot break/place), member (normal play), operator (full commands). Never set this to operator on a public server.

player-idle-timeout=30

Minutes before idle players are kicked. Set to 0 to disable. Useful for freeing slots on busy servers.

emit-server-telemetry=false

Sends anonymous usage data to Mojang. Disable if you prefer not to share telemetry.

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Less Common Settings

content-log-file-enabled=false

Logs content errors (resource pack issues, behavior pack errors) to a file. Enable this when debugging custom content.

server-authoritative-movement=server-auth

Options: client-auth, server-auth, server-auth-with-rewind. Server-authoritative movement reduces cheating by validating player positions on the server. Rewind mode corrects invalid positions retroactively. Use server-auth-with-rewind for the best anti-cheat coverage, though it adds slight latency on poor connections.

correct-player-movement=false

When true, the server snaps players back to valid positions if it detects impossible movement. Works with server-authoritative movement modes.

Editing Tips

• Use a plain text editor. Do not use word processors that add formatting.
• No spaces around the = sign.
• Comments are not supported in this file. Do not add # lines.
• Restart the server after changes. BDS does not reload properties on the fly.

For installation instructions if you are setting up BDS for the first time, see our Linux setup guide. This bedrock server properties explained reference covers the settings as of BDS 1.21.x. New versions may add additional keys.