How to Expand Minecraft Servers

Tweak some settings, and crowds of people can be on your server.

"Minecraft" can be a single-player game, but it gets even better in multiplayer. The more people you have on a server, the more community driven the game becomes. With enough people, all building their own unique structures onto the world, you can have a thriving metropolis. Unfortunately, the default settings on any "Minecraft" server limit the player count to 20. But that can be changed.

Things You'll Need

• "Minecraft" server files

Instructions

1. Download the "Minecraft" server files from the Minecraft.net downloads page.

2. Place "Minecraft_Server.exe" somewhere convenient, then double-click the program.

3. Close the server and check the location where you placed "Minecraft_Server.exe"; you'll see a small number of new files. Right-click the "Server.properties" file, select "Open With..." and open it in Notepad.

4. Change the "max-players=20" to a higher number. For example, "max-players=64."

5. Click "File" and "Save" and close the "Server.properties" file.

6. Restart your server by double-clicking the "Minecraft_Server.exe" file. More players will now be able to join your server.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure your computer can handle the increased player limit. If you don't have a lot of RAM, changing the "max-players" line to "2000" isn't a good idea.

References

• Segment Next: "Minecraft" Dedicated Server Guide

Resources

• Minecraft: Server Files