{"id":3818,"date":"2026-10-27T17:11:43","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T14:11:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gameteam.io\/blog\/project-zomboid-server-settings\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T17:11:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T14:11:43","slug":"project-zomboid-server-settings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gameteam.io\/blog\/project-zomboid-server-settings\/","title":{"rendered":"Project Zomboid Server Settings Explained (servertest.ini and SandboxVars.lua)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Project Zomboid server settings live in two files in Zomboid\/Server<\/code>: servertest.ini<\/code> for the server and servertest_SandboxVars.lua<\/code> for the world.<\/strong> The first holds the name, password, player limit, PvP, mods and backups. The second holds zombies, loot, day length and XP. To change server settings, stop the server, edit the file and start it again, or edit servertest.ini<\/code> and run \/reloadoptions<\/code>. Sandbox changes always need a restart. Below is what each file controls, the options worth changing, and why edits sometimes don’t stick.<\/p>\n

Where the server settings live<\/h2>\n

Every server has a set of files named after it in the Server<\/code> folder of your Zomboid data directory. On Windows that’s C:\\Users\\<you>\\Zomboid\\Server<\/code>, and on Linux ~\/Zomboid\/Server<\/code>. The default server name is “servertest”. Start the server with -servername friends<\/code> and the files become friends.ini<\/code>, friends_SandboxVars.lua<\/code> and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
File<\/th>\nWhat it controls<\/th>\nFormat<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
servertest.ini<\/code><\/td>\nServer rules: name, password, players, PvP, safehouses, mods, ports, backups, Discord<\/td>\nKey=value<\/code> lines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
servertest_SandboxVars.lua<\/code><\/td>\nWorld rules: zombies, loot, utilities, day length, XP, start date<\/td>\nLua table<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
servertest_spawnregions.lua<\/code><\/td>\nWhich towns players can spawn in<\/td>\nLua<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
servertest_spawnpoints.lua<\/code><\/td>\nExact spawn points<\/td>\nLua<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

A game started with the Host button uses the same kind of files. The Host screen’s Manage settings\u2026<\/em> edits them for you. The server writes a comment above every option with its range and default, so the file doubles as its own manual.<\/p>\n

How to change server settings<\/h2>\n

There are three ways to change Project Zomboid server settings. You can stop the server, edit the files and start it. You can edit servertest.ini<\/code> while it runs and apply it with \/reloadoptions<\/code>. Or you can change one option from chat or the console with \/changeoption<\/code>. Sandbox settings in SandboxVars.lua<\/code> are read only when the server starts, so they always need a restart.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Stop, edit, start<\/strong> (safest). Type quit<\/code> in the console so the server saves and stops. Edit the file and start it again.<\/li>\n
  2. Edit and reload.<\/strong> Save your changes to servertest.ini<\/code>, then run \/reloadoptions<\/code> straight away. The server re-reads the file and sends the new options to players.<\/li>\n
  3. One option at a time.<\/strong> \/changeoption MaxPlayers \"16\"<\/code> changes the value and writes it to the file in one step. \/showoptions<\/code> lists the current values.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Can you change server settings mid game?<\/strong> Yes. Most servertest.ini<\/code> options apply after \/reloadoptions<\/code> without kicking anyone. Sandbox settings apply at the next restart and carry on in the existing world. Options that only describe how a world begins, like the start month and time, don’t rewind a world already in progress. The world seed is the same: the file says to change Seed<\/code> and delete map_worldgen.bin<\/code> in the save folder.<\/p>\n

    servertest.ini: the settings worth changing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Setting<\/th>\nDefault<\/th>\nWhat it does<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    PublicName<\/code><\/td>\nMy PZ Server<\/td>\nThe server name in the in-game browser and the Steam browser<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PublicDescription<\/code><\/td>\nempty<\/td>\nDescription in the in-game public server browser<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    ServerWelcomeMessage<\/code><\/td>\na chat guide<\/td>\nFirst chat message after login. <LINE><\/code> starts a new line; <RGB:1,0,0><\/code> colours it<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Password<\/code><\/td>\nempty<\/td>\nThe password everyone needs to join (ignored by the Host button)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Public<\/code><\/td>\nfalse<\/td>\nShows the server in the in-game browser. Steam servers always show in Steam’s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Open<\/code><\/td>\ntrue<\/td>\nFalse makes the server whitelist-only (see below)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    MaxPlayers<\/code><\/td>\n32<\/td>\nPlayers at once, not counting admins. The game warns that above 32 can mean poor map streaming and desync<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PVP<\/code><\/td>\ntrue<\/td>\nPlayers can hurt each other. Note it starts on<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SafetySystem<\/code><\/td>\ntrue<\/td>\nPlayers toggle PvP mode themselves (the skull icon); false means anyone can be hit any time PvP is on<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PauseEmpty<\/code><\/td>\ntrue<\/td>\nGame time stops while nobody is online<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PingLimit<\/code><\/td>\n0<\/td>\nKicks players above this ping in milliseconds; 0 turns it off<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SpawnItems<\/code><\/td>\nempty<\/td>\nItems new players start with, comma-separated, e.g. Base.Axe,Base.Bag_BigHikingBag<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SpawnPoint<\/code><\/td>\n0,0,0<\/td>\nForces every new player to spawn at x,y,z (ignored at 0,0,0)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PlayerSafehouse<\/code> \/ AdminSafehouse<\/code><\/td>\nfalse \/ false<\/td>\nWhether players (and admins) can claim safehouses, or only admins<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SleepAllowed<\/code> \/ SleepNeeded<\/code><\/td>\nfalse \/ false<\/td>\nLets players sleep, and whether they have to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    MapRemotePlayerVisibility<\/code><\/td>\n1<\/td>\nWho shows on the map: 1 hidden, 2 friends, 3 friends and nearby, 4 everyone<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SaveWorldEveryMinutes<\/code><\/td>\n0<\/td>\nSaves loaded map areas every X real minutes; 0 saves an area when players leave it<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    BackupsCount<\/code> \/ BackupsPeriod<\/code><\/td>\n5 \/ 0<\/td>\nBackups to keep, and minutes between timed backups (0 = off). Backups on start and on version change are on by default<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    WorkshopItems<\/code> \/ Mods<\/code> \/ Map<\/code><\/td>\nempty \/ empty \/ Muldraugh, KY<\/td>\nMods to download, mods to load, and map folders. See how to add mods to a Project Zomboid server<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    DiscordEnable<\/code><\/td>\nfalse<\/td>\nMirrors global chat to a Discord channel using your bot’s DiscordToken<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    DoLuaChecksum<\/code><\/td>\ntrue<\/td>\nKicks players whose game files don’t match the server’s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    ShowCoordinates<\/code><\/td>\nfalse<\/td>\nShows each player’s coordinates on screen (added in 42.20)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    SandboxVars.lua: the world rules<\/h2>\n

    Sandbox options are numbered choices or multipliers inside the SandboxVars = { \u2026 }<\/code> table. Keep the commas and braces intact. A typo in this file stops the server at start-up with Exiting due to errors loading \u2026_SandboxVars.lua<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Option<\/th>\nValues<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Zombies<\/code><\/td>\nPopulation: 1 Insane, 2 Very High, 3 High, 4 Normal (default), 5 Low, 6 None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Distribution<\/code><\/td>\n1 Urban Focused (default), 2 Uniform<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    ZombieRespawn<\/code><\/td>\nHow often new zombies appear: 1 High, 2 Normal, 3 Low, 4 None (default)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    ZombieLore.Speed<\/code><\/td>\n1 Sprinters, 2 Fast Shamblers, 3 Shamblers, 4 Random (with SprinterPercentage<\/code>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    ZombieLore.Transmission<\/code><\/td>\n1 Blood and Saliva (default), 2 Saliva Only, 3 Everyone’s Infected, 4 None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    ZombieLore.Mortality<\/code><\/td>\nHow fast infection kills: 1 Instant \u2026 5 2\u20133 Days (default) \u2026 7 Never<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    ZombieConfig.PopulationMultiplier<\/code><\/td>\nFine-tune the population: Normal is 0.65, Insane 2.5 (set by Zombies<\/code> unless you change it)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    DayLength<\/code><\/td>\n1 is 15 minutes, 4 is 1 hour 30 (default), 5 is 2 hours \u2026 27 is real time<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    WaterShut<\/code> \/ ElecShut<\/code><\/td>\nWhen water and power go off: 2 cuts them within the first 30 days (default), 9 Disabled keeps them on<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    FoodLootNew<\/code> \/ WeaponLootNew<\/code><\/td>\nLoot multipliers from 0 to 4; defaults 0.8 and 0.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    HoursForLootRespawn<\/code><\/td>\nRefills town containers after X hours once looted; 0 (default) turns respawn off<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    MultiplierConfig.Global<\/code><\/td>\nXP rate for every skill, default 1.0, while GlobalToggle<\/code> is true<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    StarterKit<\/code><\/td>\ntrue gives new characters chips, a water bottle, a small backpack, a baseball bat and a hammer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    CharacterFreePoints<\/code><\/td>\nExtra trait points at character creation, -100 to 100<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Private and whitelisted servers<\/h2>\n

    A private Project Zomboid server takes two settings: a Password<\/code>, and Public=false<\/code>, which is already the default. Then only people you give the address and password to can join. For tighter control, make it whitelisted with Open=false<\/code>. Players can no longer create their own accounts, and an admin adds each one with \/adduser \"name\" \"password\"<\/code>. The Indie Stone recommended whitelisted servers when Build 42 multiplayer launched, and roleplay groups usually run this way.<\/p>\n