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How to Customize Your Factorio Server Name and Details

A practical guide to customizing Factorio dedicated-server listings, access controls, visibility, ports, and startup commands.
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Change a Factorio server’s name, description, tags, player limit, visibility, and join requirements in a JSON settings file. Copy data/server-settings.example.json to data/server-settings.json, edit the copy, then start or restart the dedicated server with that file.

The name and description affect the server-browser listing; credentials, passwords, ports, and runtime options determine who can connect and how the server operates.

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What you can customize

Factorio reads dedicated-server options from a JSON file. The settings template supplied with the installation is an example, not the file you should repeatedly edit. Make a working copy so updates to the installation do not overwrite your configuration.

The name value is the label shown under which the server is listed in the server browser. The description is the longer text displayed with that listing; the Factorio Wiki specifies a maximum of 5,000 characters. tags adds searchable game tags.

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Other keys decide whether the game is published, who may join, and how many players can connect. Options such as autosaving and automatic pausing change server behavior but do not change the visible listing.

Before editing the file

  • Install or unpack the Factorio dedicated-server files and identify the installation directory.
  • Make sure a save file exists. A dedicated server must load a save; it cannot run as an empty lobby.
  • Use a text editor that can save plain UTF-8 text without adding formatting.
  • Keep a backup of any working settings file before changing authentication, visibility, or network values.

Paths in the commands below are relative to the Factorio installation directory. If your installation is elsewhere, adjust the paths while preserving the file names.

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Create a working server-settings file

  1. Open the Factorio installation directory.
  2. Open its data folder and locate server-settings.example.json.
  3. Copy that file in the same folder and name the copy server-settings.json.
  4. Open server-settings.json in your text editor. Edit the copy, not the example, so your changes are isolated from the shipped template.
  5. Save the file as valid JSON. Use double quotation marks around property names and text values, commas between properties, and no comma after the final property in an object.

Factorio will reject malformed JSON before the server can start. If you are unsure about a change, make one edit, save, and start the server so an error is easy to associate with that edit.

Set the server name, description, and tags

name: the browser title

Set name to the concise title players should recognize in the public or LAN browser. This is the name shown under which the server is listed, not the name of the save file or the operating-system process.

description: listing information

Use description for rules, schedule, mod expectations, region, or contact information that players need before joining. The documented limit is 5,000 characters. Keep the most important information near the beginning because players may see only the first portion in a narrow browser window.

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tags: searchable labels

tags is a JSON array of strings. Use short, accurate labels such as vanilla, co-op, or beginner-friendly. Tags describe the game and help players filter listings; they do not enforce rules or install mods.

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Example server-settings.json

This complete example shows the commonly edited listing and access fields. The login, token, and password values are deliberately illustrative: replace them with your own values and never publish a real token in a guide, repository, screenshot, or support ticket.

{
  "name": "Copper Canyon Cooperative",
  "description": "Vanilla 2.0 survival | EU evenings | Be respectful",
  "tags": ["vanilla", "co-op", "beginner-friendly"],
  "max_players": 8,
  "visibility": {
    "public": true,
    "lan": true
  },
  "username": "YOUR_FACTORIO_LOGIN",
  "token": "YOUR_FACTORIO_TOKEN",
  "game_password": "CHANGE_ME",
  "require_user_verification": true
}

JSON property order is not important. What matters is spelling, capitalization, value type, and valid punctuation. Keep Boolean values as true or false rather than quoted text, and keep max_players as a number.

Server-settings fields at a glance

Field Value What it controls Important qualification
name String Name displayed in the server browser Visible listing text
description String Description displayed with the listing Factorio Wiki limit: up to 5,000 characters
tags Array of strings Game tags used by the listing browser Labels do not enforce server rules
max_players Number Maximum simultaneous players The template documents 0 as unlimited
visibility.public Boolean Publishes the game to the official Factorio matching server Public publication requires credentials
visibility.lan Boolean Broadcasts the game on the local network LAN visibility does not publish the game publicly
username String Factorio account name used for public listing authentication Store it only in the private settings file
password or token String Credential used with the account for public listing The file is plain text; protect it like a password
game_password String Password players must enter to join Different from the account credential or token
require_user_verification Boolean Requires joining clients to have a valid Factorio.com account Set to true when account verification is part of your access policy
auto_pause Boolean Runtime pausing behavior when nobody is connected Does not change browser text
autosave_interval and related keys Number or Boolean, depending on key Runtime save behavior Does not change the visible listing

Choose public, LAN, or hidden visibility

Public listing

Set visibility.public to true when you want the server to appear in the public server list. The Wube template describes this as publishing the game on the official Factorio matching server. Public publication requires a Factorio account name plus a password or token in the settings file.

LAN browser

Set visibility.lan to true to broadcast the game to the local-network browser. This is appropriate for players on the same home, office, or event network. LAN broadcasting is separate from public publication; a server can enable LAN while keeping public disabled.

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Hidden direct-connect server

Leave both publication options disabled when the server should not appear in either browser. Players then connect with the server’s IP address and port. Hidden mode is useful for private groups, testing, or operators who distribute connection details themselves, but it does not remove the need to secure the network endpoint.

Goal public lan Players find it by
Internet listing true Optional Public server browser
Local-network game only false true LAN browser
Private direct connection false false IP address and port supplied by the operator

Protect credentials and control who can join

Public listing credentials and the in-game join password serve different purposes. username with password or token authenticates the server to the public matching service. game_password is the secret players enter to join your game.

  • Do not commit server-settings.json to a public source-control repository when it contains a token or password.
  • Restrict file access to the account that runs the server and administrators who genuinely need it.
  • If a token is exposed, revoke or replace it through the appropriate Factorio account controls, then update the file and restart the server.
  • Use a distinct game password rather than reusing your account password.
  • Set require_user_verification to true when only authenticated Factorio.com accounts should be allowed to join.

max_players limits simultaneous connections. Set a positive number for a fixed capacity; the shipped template documents 0 as unlimited. An unlimited setting does not increase hardware, bandwidth, or simulation capacity, so choose a value your machine and network can sustain.

Start or restart with the customized settings

Load the newest save automatically

From the installation directory, the documented Linux-style command is:

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./bin/x64/factorio --start-server-load-latest --server-settings ./data/server-settings.json

This starts the server using the latest save and the settings file you edited. Stop the existing server cleanly before restarting so the current save is written and the new settings are read at startup.

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Load a specific save

To select a particular save archive, use:

./bin/x64/factorio --start-server ./saves/my-save.zip --server-settings ./data/server-settings.json

Replace my-save.zip with the actual archive name. The dedicated server requires this save file; a settings file alone does not create a world.

Confirm that the new values loaded

  1. Watch the startup log for JSON or authentication errors.
  2. Connect locally or through the intended browser and verify the displayed name, description, and tags.
  3. Test the join password with a non-operator account if you enabled one.
  4. Check the player limit by confirming the server reports the configured capacity.
  5. If a value is unchanged, verify that the process was restarted with the same settings-file path you edited.
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Network settings for internet hosting

Factorio uses UDP. The Factorio Wiki identifies UDP port 34197 as the default for a server. Internet hosting generally requires forwarding that UDP port from the router to the server machine and allowing it through the machine’s firewall. If you change the port, forward and allow the replacement port instead.

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The command-line reference documents additional operator controls, including:

  • --port to select the game port;
  • --bind to choose the network address on which the server listens;
  • --rcon-port and --rcon-password for remote-console administration;
  • --server-whitelist and --server-banlist for connection policy;
  • --server-adminlist for administrator permissions.

These command-line options complement the JSON settings. They do not replace the listing fields in server-settings.json. Keep RCON credentials separate from the public listing password and never expose an RCON port directly to an untrusted network without appropriate firewall rules.

Runtime options versus listing details

It is easy to edit a setting that has no visible effect in the browser. name, description, tags, visibility, and player capacity describe or expose the server. auto_pause, autosave_interval, and related options affect simulation behavior and save cadence while the server is running.

When troubleshooting a listing, first inspect the listing and access fields. When troubleshooting pauses, save frequency, or simulation behavior, inspect the runtime fields instead. Keeping those categories separate prevents you from changing an operational setting while trying to fix a browser display.

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Troubleshooting common problems

The server does not appear publicly

  • Confirm visibility.public is exactly true.
  • Check that username and either password or token are present and valid.
  • Read the startup log for authentication or matching-service errors.
  • Verify the server was restarted with the intended settings file.
  • Check that the UDP game port is allowed through the host firewall and forwarded by the router when hosting from a private network.

It appears on the public list but not in the LAN browser

Public and LAN publication are independent. Set visibility.lan to true, make sure the client and server are on the same local network, and check local firewall rules that could block LAN broadcasts.

The name or description is unchanged

Inspect the running command and confirm its --server-settings path points to the file you edited. Validate that the property is spelled correctly, enclosed in quotes, and located at the top level of the JSON object. Restart the process after saving; existing processes do not automatically reread the file.

Factorio reports invalid JSON

Look for a missing comma, an extra trailing comma, mismatched braces, smart quotation marks, or a number accidentally enclosed in quotes. Restore the last known-good backup, reapply one change at a time, and start the server after each successful edit.

Players cannot join despite seeing the listing

  • Confirm they are using the current game_password, if one is configured.
  • Check whether require_user_verification blocks clients without a valid Factorio.com account.
  • Verify the configured UDP port is reachable from the client network.
  • Check max_players and whether all available slots are occupied.
  • If you use a whitelist, banlist, or admin policy, inspect the corresponding command-line configuration.

The server starts but loads the wrong world

--start-server-load-latest selects the newest save detected by the installation. Use --start-server ./saves/my-save.zip when an exact save is required, and confirm the archive exists at that path.

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Self-managed JSON or managed hosting?

Editing the JSON yourself gives direct control over names, descriptions, tags, visibility, credentials, and every documented command-line option. It also leaves you responsible for updates, backups, firewall rules, port forwarding, token protection, and process restarts.

A managed Factorio host usually exposes the same server-settings controls through a dashboard and may handle the machine, public address, and network setup. Before choosing one, verify that it permits editing the fields you need and provides a way to retrieve backups and change credentials. The underlying Factorio rules remain the same: public publication still needs valid credentials, and a dedicated server still needs a save file.

Pre-launch checklist

  • Copy server-settings.example.json to server-settings.json.
  • Set a recognizable name and an informative description within the 5,000-character limit.
  • Add accurate tags as a JSON array.
  • Choose a positive max_players value or the template’s documented unlimited value, 0.
  • Enable only the visibility modes you actually need.
  • Add public-listing credentials only when public publication is enabled, and keep them private.
  • Set a separate game_password if the game should not be open to everyone who can discover it.
  • Decide whether account verification is required.
  • Confirm the save path and startup command.
  • Allow the selected UDP port through the host firewall and router when internet players must connect.
  • Restart, then verify the listing and a real join attempt.

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