Factorio keeps its server settings in server-settings.json, in the top folder of your server. The most used ones are also in Settings in the panel. This page lists every key, its default and what it does, plus the admin, whitelist and ban files.
Three ways to change settings
- Settings in the panel. Plain fields for the server name, description, player limit, password, public listing, autosave interval and AFK kick. They work while the server sleeps, and the panel tells you when a change takes effect.
- The game, as admin. Type
/configto open the server settings window, or/config setfollowed by a setting and a value. These apply right away. - The files. Open Settings > Advanced, or the file in Files. The server reads them when it starts, so restart after you save.
Changes made with /config in the game apply at once. If you also want them after the next restart, set the same value in Settings or the file.
Where the files are
All of these sit in the top folder of your server in Files.
| File | What it’s for |
|---|---|
server-settings.json |
Name, password, player limit, listing, autosaves and more |
server-adminlist.json |
Players who are admins |
server-whitelist.json |
Players allowed to join, when the whitelist is on |
server-banlist.json |
Banned players |
map-gen-settings.json |
How a new map is generated |
map-settings.json |
Pollution, evolution and biter expansion for a new map |
saves/ |
Your maps, as .zip files |
mods/ |
Mods, plus mod-list.json and mod-settings.dat |
JSON is picky. A missing comma or quote stops the server from starting. Our editor checks the file before it saves, so use Files or Advanced rather than editing on your PC.
Server settings keys
These keys live in server-settings.json. Defaults below are the values in Wube’s example file. Your server may start with some set for you, like its name.
| Key | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
name |
Example text | The name in the public game list |
description |
Example text | The description in the public game list |
tags |
Example tags | Tags people can search for in the list |
max_players |
0 |
Player limit. 0 means no limit. Admins can always join |
visibility > public |
true |
List the game in Browse public games. Needs username and token |
visibility > lan |
true |
Show the game on a home network. You can turn it off |
username |
Empty | Your factorio.com username. Needed for the public list |
password |
Empty | Your factorio.com password. Don’t use it: use token instead |
token |
Empty | Your factorio.com token. See Add your factorio.com token |
game_password |
Empty | The password players type to join |
require_user_verification |
true |
Only lets in players signed in with a real factorio.com account. Leave it on |
max_upload_in_kilobytes_per_second |
0 |
Caps how fast the server sends the map to joining players. 0 means no cap |
max_upload_slots |
5 |
How many players can download the map at once. 0 means no limit |
minimum_latency_in_ticks |
0 |
Adds a minimum delay to smooth out shaky connections. One tick is about 16 ms |
max_heartbeats_per_second |
60 |
How often the server sends updates. Leave it |
ignore_player_limit_for_returning_players |
false |
Lets players who played before join a full server |
allow_commands |
admins-only |
Who can run Lua commands with /c: true, false or admins-only |
autosave_interval |
10 |
Minutes between autosaves |
autosave_slots |
5 |
How many autosave files to cycle through |
afk_autokick_interval |
0 |
Minutes before an idle player is kicked. 0 means never |
auto_pause |
true |
Pauses the game when nobody is connected |
auto_pause_when_players_connect |
false |
Pauses the game while someone is joining |
only_admins_can_pause_the_game |
true |
Stops non-admins from pausing for everyone |
autosave_only_on_server |
true |
Saves only on the server, not on every player’s PC |
non_blocking_saving |
false |
Saves in the background on Linux. Wube calls it highly experimental. Leave it off |
The file also has segment size keys (minimum_segment_size and friends). They tune how big network messages are. Leave them at their defaults.
Here’s a small example with the keys people change most:
{
"name": "Megabase",
"description": "Friends only. Trains welcome.",
"max_players": 8,
"visibility": { "public": false, "lan": false },
"game_password": "pick-something-long",
"autosave_interval": 10,
"auto_pause": true
}A real server-settings.json keeps all the other keys too. Change the values you need and leave the rest.
Admins, whitelist and bans
Each list is a JSON list of factorio.com usernames, like this:
["mia", "leo"]| Job | In the panel | In the game, as admin | File |
|---|---|---|---|
| Make someone admin | Admin list in Settings, or the Make admin quick action in Console | /promote name |
server-adminlist.json |
| Remove an admin | Admin list in Settings | /demote name |
server-adminlist.json |
| Allow only some players | Allow list in Settings | /whitelist enable, then /whitelist add name |
server-whitelist.json |
| Ban a player | Ban list in Settings | /ban name reason |
server-banlist.json |
| Unban a player | Ban list in Settings | /unban name |
server-banlist.json |
| See the lists | Each list in Settings | /admins, /whitelist get, /bans |
The whitelist only works once it’s turned on. In game, /whitelist enable does it. If you edit server-whitelist.json by hand, the server also needs the startup option --use-server-whitelist true, which you can add under Settings.
Settings for a new map
map-gen-settings.json and map-settings.json are only read when a new map is made. Changing them does nothing to the map you already have.
Useful keys in map-gen-settings.json:
| Key | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
width, height |
0 |
Map size in tiles. 0 means endless |
starting_area |
1 |
Size of the biter-free area around spawn |
peaceful_mode |
false |
Biters only fight back when attacked |
autoplace_controls > enemy-base |
Frequency and size 1 |
How many biter nests there are. Size 0 means none |
seed |
null |
A number for a set map, or null for a random one |
Useful keys in map-settings.json:
| Key | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
pollution > enabled |
true |
Pollution spreads and makes biters attack |
enemy_evolution > enabled |
true |
Biters get stronger over time |
enemy_expansion > enabled |
true |
Biters build new nests |
Turning some of these off can disable achievements for that map.
Settings we manage for you
Don’t change these. They’re set so players can reach your server.
- The game port and RCON (remote console) port, set when the server starts.
- The RCON password, which our Console uses.
Which changes need a restart
| Change | When it applies |
|---|---|
/config set in the game |
Right away. Also set it in Settings or the file so it stays |
/promote, /ban, /whitelist in the game |
Right away, and saved to the list files |
| Panel Settings | The panel tells you, and offers a restart if needed |
server-settings.json and the list files |
Next start |
map-gen-settings.json, map-settings.json |
Only on a new map |
Questions
Where is server-settings.json on my Factorio server?
In the top folder of your server in Files. You can also open it from Settings, under Advanced. Change it while the server is stopped, or restart afterwards.
How do I turn off auto-pause on a Factorio server?
Set auto_pause to false in server-settings.json and restart. With sleep on, the server still naps when it's empty, so also set sleep to always-on if the factory should run with nobody online.
How do I turn on the whitelist in Factorio?
As an admin, type /whitelist enable in game, then /whitelist add followed by each player's name. Only players on the list can join after that.
Sources we checked
- server-settings.example.jsonWube Software
- Command line parametersOfficial Factorio Wiki
- ConsoleOfficial Factorio Wiki
- MultiplayerOfficial Factorio Wiki
