Rust keeps its settings in server.cfg, in the server/wilderack/cfg/ folder. The main ones are also easy settings in Settings, and everything else goes in server.cfg under Advanced or in Files. This page lists where every file is and what the important settings do.
Where the files are
wilderack is your server’s identity: the folder name Rust uses for your world, players and configs. It is the same on every Wilderack Rust server, and you don’t need to change it.
| File | Path | What it holds |
|---|---|---|
server.cfg |
server/wilderack/cfg/server.cfg |
Your settings. Read every time the server starts |
users.cfg |
server/wilderack/cfg/users.cfg |
Owners, moderators and skip queue players |
bans.cfg |
server/wilderack/cfg/bans.cfg |
Banned players |
| Oxide plugin settings | oxide/config/ |
One .json file per plugin |
| Carbon plugin settings | carbon/configs/ |
One .json file per plugin |
How to change settings
- Settings has easy fields with plain labels: server name, description, header image, max players, map size, seed, PvE and the wipe schedule. Use these first.
- Settings > Advanced opens the real
server.cfgfor anything else. - Files (or SFTP, which works with FileZilla) lets you edit
server.cfgand the other files directly. - The Console changes most settings right away, like
decay.scale 0.5. The change is lost at the next restart unless you also put it inserver.cfg.
In server.cfg, write one setting per line, without the + you see in startup parameters. Put text with spaces in quotes:
server.description "Monthly wipe. Max team of 4. Be nice."
server.tags "monthly,vanilla,EU"
decay.scale 0.5Values in server.cfg win over the startup settings. If you put server.hostname in server.cfg, it replaces the name from Settings. Keep each setting in one place.
Can’t remember a setting’s name? Type find and a word in the Console, like find decay. Rust lists every matching setting with a short description. Type a setting’s name alone to see its current value.
Server list and tags
| Key | Example | What it does |
|---|---|---|
server.hostname |
"Outpost 2x Monthly" |
Your server’s name in the server browser. Don’t use “official” in it |
server.description |
"Monthly wipe. Max team of 4." |
Text players see when they open your server in the browser |
server.url |
"https://example.com" |
A link to your website or Discord invite page |
server.headerimage |
"https://example.com/header.png" |
The banner in the server browser. Must be a direct link to a .png or .jpg |
server.logoimage |
"https://example.com/logo.png" |
Your server icon in the browser and the Rust+ app. Facepunch suggests 256 by 256 pixels, shown in a circle |
server.tags |
"monthly,vanilla,EU" |
Tags people can filter by, separated by commas. The browser shows up to four |
Tags come in groups, and you should use only one tag from each group:
| Group | Tags |
|---|---|
| Wipe schedule | monthly, biweekly, weekly |
| Difficulty | vanilla, hardcore, softcore |
| Region | NA, SA, EU, WA, EA, OC, AF |
| Other | pve, roleplay, creative, minigame, training, battlefield, broyale, builds |
server.pve adds the PvE tag by itself, and Oxide or Carbon add the modded tags. Pick the region tag that matches your region: EU, or NA for US East.
World and players
| Key | Default or example | What it does |
|---|---|---|
server.maxplayers |
50 |
Most players online at once |
server.worldsize |
3500 |
Map size in metres along each side, from 1000 to 6000. Bigger maps need more RAM |
server.seed |
12345 |
The number that decides the map layout, from 0 to 2147483647. Same size and seed always give the same map |
server.level |
"Procedural Map" |
The map type. Leave it as it is unless you use a custom map |
server.levelurl |
"https://example.com/island.map" |
Loads a custom map from a direct download link. Players download it from that link, so it must stay online |
server.pve |
Off | Players can’t hurt each other or their bases |
server.gamemode |
Empty | Facepunch’s game modes, like softcore or primitive. Empty means normal Rust. Never change it in the middle of a wipe |
relationshipmanager.maxteamsize |
4 |
Most players in one team |
Changing server.worldsize, server.seed or server.levelurl builds a new map, like a wipe. When you use server.levelurl, remove the size and seed: the custom map sets them.
Gameplay
| Key | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
decay.scale |
1 |
How fast unprotected buildings decay. 0.5 is half speed, 0 turns decay off |
decay.upkeep_period_minutes |
1440 |
How long a day of upkeep lasts. Higher numbers make upkeep cheaper |
hackablelockedcrate.requiredhackseconds |
900 |
Seconds a locked crate (like the one on Oil Rig) takes to open |
wipetimer.wipeDayofWeek |
4 |
The wipe day shown on the in-game wipe countdown. 0 is Sunday, 4 is Thursday |
wipetimer.wipeHourofDay |
19 |
The wipe hour, from 0 to 23 |
wipetimer.wipeTimezone |
Europe/London |
The time zone of the wipe countdown |
The wipe countdown is a laptop at the bottom of the Missile Silo. Set it to match your own wipe schedule. See Rust wipe day.
Saving
| Key | Example | What it does |
|---|---|---|
server.saveinterval |
600 |
Seconds between the server’s own saves |
We also save the world every time the server sleeps and every 10 minutes while it runs, for your backups. See Rust backups.
Set for you by Wilderack
These keep your server reachable. We set them from your address card and secrets, so leave them out of server.cfg:
| Key | What it is |
|---|---|
server.port |
The game port, shown on your address card |
server.queryport |
The port the server browser asks for your server’s info |
app.port |
The Rust+ app port |
rcon.port, rcon.password, rcon.web |
Remote console. The panel’s Console uses it, and it isn’t open to the internet unless you open it in the panel |
server.identity |
Always wilderack |
Which changes need a restart
| Change | When it applies |
|---|---|
Most gameplay settings in the Console, like decay.scale or env.time |
Right away, until the next restart |
Anything in server.cfg or Settings |
At the next restart |
| Map size, seed, custom map or game mode | At the next restart, with a new map |
On a sleeping server, changes wait until it next starts. The panel tells you when that is.
Admin, whitelist and ban files
Rust has no built-in whitelist. The admin and ban lists live in server/wilderack/cfg/:
users.cfgholds owners, moderators and skip queue players, one per line, likeownerid 76561198000000000 "YourName" "". Add people withownerid,moderatoridandglobal.skipqueueidin the Console. Edit the file by hand only while the server is stopped.bans.cfgholds bans made withbanandbanid. Remove one withunban.
The admin lists in Settings write these files for you. All the commands are in Rust admin commands.
Questions
Where is server.cfg on a Rust server?
In server/wilderack/cfg/server.cfg on your Wilderack server. Open it from Files, or from the Advanced section of Settings. The server reads it every time it starts.
Do settings in server.cfg override the startup settings?
Yes. Rust reads server.cfg at start, and its values win over the startup parameters. Keep each setting in one place so you always know which value is used.
How do I change the map size or seed of my Rust server?
Change Map size or Seed in Settings and restart. Rust then builds a new map, so everything on the old one is gone, like a wipe.
How do I find the name of a Rust setting?
Type find and a word in the Console, like find decay. Rust lists every command and setting with that word, and what each one does.
Sources we checked
- Creating a serverFacepunch Studios
- Server Browser TagsFacepunch Studios
- Server Wipe TimerFacepunch Studios
- Hosting Custom MapsFacepunch Studios
