Change the name players see in the DayZ server browser by editing the hostname value in the active serverDZ.cfg file, then stopping and starting the server. The setting is read when DayZ boots, so saving the file while the server is running is not enough.
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What actually controls a DayZ server’s name?
The public server name is controlled by the hostname parameter in DayZ’s server configuration. A typical entry looks like this:
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hostname = "Chernarus Survival | First-Person | No Traders";The text between the quotation marks is the name displayed in the server browser. The quotation marks and the final semicolon are part of the configuration syntax; do not remove them.
The file is normally called serverDZ.cfg. It is located in the server’s root directory, alongside folders such as mpmissions, keys, and any installed @Mod folders. The name is not guaranteed to be fixed, however. DayZ’s launch command includes a -config option, and that option determines which configuration file the server actually reads. If the launch command points to a different file, changing a similarly named file will have no effect.
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DayZ reads the configuration at startup. The reliable sequence is therefore: stop the server, edit the active configuration, save it, and start the server again.
Before you edit: identify the active configuration
Many “the name did not change” problems come from editing the wrong file rather than from a faulty hostname. Confirm these points first:
- You are working in the server installation’s root directory, not inside
mpmissions, a mission folder, or a mod folder. - The file is the one selected by the server’s
-configlaunch option. The default-looking filename may not be the active one on a customized installation. - You have permission to write the file and enough access to stop and start the server.
- You have a backup of the current configuration, or at least a copy of the original
hostnameline.
On a self-managed machine, inspect the command, script, service definition, or shortcut that starts the DayZ server and find the argument beginning with -config. That argument may contain a relative or absolute path. On a rented server, the host’s control panel normally exposes the startup configuration or a file manager; if it does not, ask the host which configuration path is assigned to the instance before changing files.
How to change the name in serverDZ.cfg
1. Stop the DayZ server
Use the server control panel’s Stop command, or stop the DayZ server process through the operating system or service manager. Editing while the process is running can leave you unsure whether the file was saved before the next restart, and a running process will not reload the hostname immediately.
2. Open the active configuration file
Browse to the server root and open the file selected by -config. On a standard installation this is often serverDZ.cfg. A root directory commonly contains a layout similar to this:
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DayZServer/
├── serverDZ.cfg
├── mpmissions/
├── keys/
└── @ModName/The exact folder list varies by installation. The important checks are the file’s location and the launch option, not the presence of a particular mod.
3. Find the hostname parameter
Search for a line that starts with hostname. Keep the parameter name, equals sign, quotation marks, and semicolon intact. Replace only the text inside the quotation marks.
hostname = "Old server name";becomes:
hostname = "New server name";Do not create a second hostname line unless you are deliberately correcting a duplicate. When two entries exist, the result can depend on how the configuration parser handles the file, which makes troubleshooting harder. Edit the existing entry in place.
4. Use a valid string
The name is a quoted string. A semicolon terminates the parameter. For example:
hostname = "Chernarus | Vanilla | Active Admins";Characters that are meaningful to the configuration format require care. A quotation mark inside the name can close the string early, and an omitted semicolon can prevent later parameters from being interpreted correctly. If you need punctuation, use ordinary text and test the result after a restart rather than adding configuration syntax inside the name.
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5. Save the file without changing its format
Save the file in plain text using the same filename and extension. Do not save an extra copy such as serverDZ.cfg.txt, and do not use a rich-text editor that adds formatting. Preserve the rest of the configuration exactly as it was unless you have another reason to change it.
6. Start the server again
Start the same server instance using the same launch command or control-panel profile. DayZ reads serverDZ.cfg—or the file named by -config—at boot, so the new hostname should be applied during this startup. A stop/start is required; changing the file alone does not rename an already running process in the server browser.
7. Verify the correct field changed
Search for the server in the DayZ client’s server browser after the restart. Confirm that the browser’s main server name matches the new hostname value. If you are checking a server listing immediately after startup, allow the instance to finish launching before deciding that the change failed.
Editing on a rented game server
Rented hosts generally provide one of two ways to change the file:
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- Web File Manager: Open the host’s file manager, navigate to the server root, select the active configuration file, choose the edit action, change the
hostnameline, save, and use the panel’s stop/start controls. - SFTP: Connect with the credentials supplied by the host, download a backup of the active configuration, edit it locally in a plain-text editor, upload it to the same path, and then restart the server from the panel or service controls.
The labels differ between providers, but the underlying requirements do not: edit the file selected by -config, retain the exact configuration syntax, and restart the instance. If the panel offers several profiles or configuration files, verify which profile is attached to the server you are actually joining. Editing a dormant profile will not affect the running instance.
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Some panels expose a “server name” field that writes the configuration for you. If you use such a field, still verify the resulting hostname line and restart the server. A panel’s save button and a server restart are separate operations.
Hostname and description are different settings
Do not confuse the public server name with the server’s description. The hostname value supplies the name shown in the main server browser listing. The description parameter is a separate field and is shown in the client’s server-browser details.
| Setting | Purpose | Where players see it |
|---|---|---|
hostname |
The server’s displayed name | The main server browser listing |
description |
Additional server information | The server’s details view in the client browser |
If the browser still shows the old name but the details panel contains your new wording, you probably edited description instead of hostname. Conversely, changing only hostname will not replace text in the details view.
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Use these examples to check the punctuation around your value.
| Example | Result | Why |
|---|---|---|
hostname = "Livonia | Community"; |
Valid form | Quoted value followed by a semicolon |
hostname = "Livonia Community" |
Risky | The terminating semicolon is missing |
hostname = Livonia Community; |
Invalid form | The string is not enclosed in quotation marks |
hostname: "Livonia Community"; |
Invalid form | The parameter requires an equals sign, not a colon |
hostname = "Livonia "Community""; |
Invalid form | Unescaped quotation marks break the string |
A missing semicolon has been reported in community configuration guidance as a cause of later parameters being ignored or of a failure that produces little visible feedback. Treat that as a syntax warning: restore the semicolon, check the surrounding lines, and consult the official Bohemia Interactive server-configuration reference if the server does not start normally.
Troubleshooting when the name does not change
The old name is still displayed
- Check the active file. Re-read the launch command and confirm the path supplied to
-config. This is the first check because DayZ may be reading a different file from the one you edited. - Confirm the exact parameter. Make sure the changed line begins with
hostname, notdescription, and that there is only one intentional hostname entry. - Confirm the save location. On an SFTP workflow, verify that the edited file was uploaded back to the server and replaced the original in the same directory. On a web panel, verify that the editor reported a successful save.
- Perform a complete stop/start. A browser refresh or reconnect does not reload server configuration. Stop the instance, wait for it to exit, and start it again using the normal profile.
- Check the spelling and punctuation. The parameter name must be
hostname; the value must be inside double quotes and end with a semicolon.
The server fails to start or other settings disappear
- Restore the backup you made before editing, then start the server to confirm that the previous configuration works.
- Compare the edited line character by character with the original. Look for a missing semicolon, an unmatched quotation mark, or accidental deletion on the line before or after
hostname. - Check whether the text editor changed the file extension or inserted formatting. Replace the uploaded file with a plain-text copy.
- If the file is syntactically correct but the problem continues, switch back to the original file and investigate the launch command. A changed
-configpath can make the server load a different configuration than expected.
The name is correct but the details text is unchanged
This is expected if you changed only hostname. Edit the separate description parameter when you want to change the information shown in the browser’s details view. Keep the two purposes separate so players can identify the server quickly from the listing and read longer operational information only when they open its details.
Only one of several servers changed
Each DayZ instance can have its own launch command and configuration path. Check the -config argument for every instance, then edit and restart each active file separately. Do not assume that a shared-looking filename means every server uses the same file.
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The available evidence does not establish an authoritative hostname character limit. Published guidance differs, so do not treat an unofficial number as a guaranteed DayZ rule. A practical name should nevertheless be concise enough to scan in the browser and should put the information players need first.
- Lead with the community or server identity.
- Use short separators such as a vertical bar to divide identity, map, perspective, or play style.
- State a rule that materially affects whether a player should join, such as a first-person-only perspective or a role-play focus.
- Avoid unnecessary punctuation and quotation marks that can make configuration syntax harder to inspect.
- Put extended rules, contact information, and explanations in
descriptionrather than trying to fit everything into the browser name.
For example, hostname = "North Coast | Chernarus | Community"; communicates more at a glance than a long sentence, while the details field can carry the fuller rules.
Backup and rollback procedure
A hostname change is small, but the configuration file controls more than the displayed name. Protect the working setup before editing:
- Stop the server.
- Download or copy the active configuration file.
- Give the backup a meaningful name, such as
serverDZ.cfg.before-hostname-change, outside the live configuration path so the server cannot mistake it for the active file. - Edit only the existing
hostnamevalue. - Save, start the server, and verify the listing.
- If startup fails or unrelated settings change, stop the server and restore the backup to the exact path selected by
-config.
Keeping the original file makes it possible to distinguish a naming problem from a broader configuration or launch-path problem. Once the new name has worked through a full restart, retain the backup until you are satisfied that no other settings were altered.
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Quick checklist
- Find the server root and identify the file selected by
-config. - Stop the DayZ server before editing.
- Back up the active configuration.
- Change the text inside
hostname = "...";. - Keep the double quotes and terminating semicolon.
- Save as the same plain-text filename and path.
- Start the same server profile again.
- Check the main browser listing, not only the details description.
- If the old name remains, re-check the active file, save/upload result, syntax, and restart sequence in that order.
Key takeaway
The dependable method is simple: edit the hostname line in the configuration file named by -config, preserve its quoted-string and semicolon syntax, and restart the DayZ server. The separate description field affects the browser’s details view, not the main server name.
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