Driver FixRecommendedSound, Wi-Fi or graphics acting up? Check drivers firstFind missing or outdated drivers fast.Check DriversHalloween DealsAmazon USHalloween week deals: useful picks before month-endAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsClean PCRecommendedOne scan can reveal what keeps slowing WindowsLook for cleanup and repair opportunities.Run Scan×
Skip to content
World desk9 min

How to Reduce Console Spam on a Minecraft Server

Identify the exact repeating line, then apply the narrowest fix: Paper settings for debug and command output, a targeted plugin filter for Multicraft /list, or Log4j2 only when you control startup files.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

The safest way to reduce Minecraft server console spam is to identify the exact line first, then change only the setting that produces it. Paper and Spigot separate debug logging, player-command logging, command-block feedback, and spam exclusions. If a hosting panel is repeatedly issuing /list, use a narrow filter such as Console Spam Fix on a Bukkit-based server. Use a custom Log4j2 configuration only when you control the server files or JVM startup arguments, because broad logger changes can hide useful warnings and may be overwritten by updates.

Start by identifying the message source

Do not begin by turning off every warning. Read several consecutive lines and note the wording, frequency, and whether the line appears only in the live console or also in logs/latest.log. The source determines the least risky remedy.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
  • Lines mentioning debug levels, packet markers, or repeated plugin diagnostics: check Paper or Spigot debug settings and, only when necessary, Log4j2.
  • Lines such as “<playername> issued server command: …”: player-command logging is enabled.
  • Vanilla command output generated by command blocks: control the command-block console setting.
  • Repeated lines beginning with “There are” after a regular interval: a panel may be running /list automatically to count players.
  • A message from one plugin: inspect that plugin’s own configuration before changing global logging.

Copy one complete example before editing anything. A filter that matches a short word can suppress unrelated errors, while a filter that matches the full, distinctive prefix is easier to audit.

Choose the narrowest remedy

Remedy Message source Where output is affected Auditability and risk Access required
settings.debug: false Paper debug logging Reduces debug-level output in the console and normal log stream Low risk during normal operation, but diagnostics are less verbose while disabled Edit spigot.yml and restart
commands.log: false Commands entered by players in chat or on signs Player-command audit lines You lose a useful record of who issued which command Edit spigot.yml and restart
commands.silent-commandblock-console: true Vanilla command-block feedback Command-block feedback in the console Can conceal command-block failures; use only when that trade-off is acceptable Edit spigot.yml and restart
Enabled spam exclusions Known command or chat prefixes Messages matching the configured prefixes Narrow when the prefix is specific; broad prefixes can hide actionable evidence Edit the Paper command settings in spigot.yml and restart
Console Spam Fix Multicraft’s automatic /list on Bukkit-based servers The matching console lines Targeted to the known “There are” text; does not solve unrelated spam Upload a plugin JAR and edit its generated configuration
Custom Log4j2 configuration Logger categories, levels, appenders, or markers Potentially both console and retained log files Broad and version-sensitive; a bad rule can hide warnings or prevent startup Control server files and JVM startup flags

Paper’s documented defaults include settings.debug: false, commands.log: true, and commands.silent-commandblock-console: false. Those defaults are configuration values, not measurements of server performance or spam volume.

#1 Best Overall
Sale
TOZO A1 Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth 5.3 Light Weight in Ear Headphones | IPX5 Waterproof,2 Mics for AI Calls,Immersive Premium Sound Bass Headset with Charging Case,32 EQ via App Black
  • [Ultra-Lightweight Ear Buds Designed for Small Ears] Each earbud weighs only 3.7g and features a compact, ergonomic in-ear design made especially for small ears. Secure, low-profile, and comfortable for workouts, all-day wear or overnight sleeping.The ultra-slim profile sits flush in your ear with no hard edges poking or rubbing, so you can even sleep on your side without discomfort.
  • [Immersive Stereo Sound with TOZO OrigX Technology] TOZO OrigX tuning delivers clear vocals, balanced mids, and natural stereo sound for music, podcasts, and videos.
  • [Long Battery Life for Daily Use] Get up to 7 hours of playtime on a single charge, with up to 32 hours total using the charging case—ideal for workdays, commuting, and extended listening sessions.
  • [Bluetooth 5.3 & Stable Connection] Bluetooth 5.3 provides fast pairing, stable wireless performance, and reduced dropouts as you move around home or office.
  • [Deep Bass with Clear Vocals] High-performance drivers produce punchy bass while keeping vocals clean and detailed for everyday listening.

Disable Paper debug logging when you are not diagnosing a fault

Paper’s current spigot.yml reference describes settings.debug as enabling debug logging “by setting the log level to ALL.” Leaving it false during normal operation prevents that broad debug mode from adding unnecessary volume. This does not repair a plugin exception, tick lag, or another underlying fault; it only changes how much diagnostic information is emitted.

Procedure

  1. Stop the server cleanly from the panel or terminal. Editing a live YAML file can be lost when the process rewrites configuration.
  2. Open the server’s spigot.yml in the server root.
  3. Under the settings section, set the value exactly as YAML:
    settings:
      debug: false
  4. Preserve spaces and indentation. Do not use tabs, and do not create a second settings section elsewhere in the file.
  5. Save the file and start the server again.
  6. Watch startup for YAML parse errors and compare a few minutes of normal activity with the previous console output.

Temporarily set debug logging back to true only while collecting evidence for a specific problem. Return it to false after troubleshooting so routine operation does not run at the most verbose level.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Control player-command and command-block output separately

Player commands: commands.log

Paper documents commands.log: true as logging commands executed by players in chat or on signs. The resulting line follows the form “<playername> issued server command: <command>”. Set it to false if those audit lines are the source of the clutter:

Rank #2
Sale
Smart Watch for Men Women Compatible with iPhone Samsung Android Phone 1.69 inch Full Touch Screen IP68 Waterproof Bluetooh Fitness Tracker Heart Rate/Sleep Monitor (Black)
  • 【IP68 Waterproof Multifunctinal Smart Watch】Torjalph fitness activity tracker smart watch is IP68 waterproof technology ,you can wear it when swimming,handwashing,it's rain-proof which means that you perform multiple exercise modes outside without worrying about sweat or rain corroding your fitness smart watch,and this watch equipped with a 230 mAh large capacity battery magnetic charging ,and this sports activity tracker watch can be used 5-7 days If fully charged.
  • 【Larger 1.83'' Full Screen Watch & Multi-dial Selection】1.83 inch full HD color touch screen smart watch for men / women provides excellent 240*284 resolution image quality ,This Bluetooth smart watch offers a better touch experience and remarkable immersion and ,more than 200 watch faces for you to choose from App"Da Fit ", you can change the dial style according to your mood to wear keeping the world on your wrist
  • 【Accurate Activity Tracker Smart Watch 】sports watch activity tracker uses sweat and dust resistant breathable silicone strap, our Fitness Tracker Smart Watch for Android iOS Phones supports 12 sports modes,walking,running,bicycle,swimming,badminton,basketball,football,rope skipping. This bluetooth calls smart watch for men women is lightweight and stylish, bringing more convenient and relaxing sports experience while also providing more protection.
  • 【Your 24 Hour Personal Daily Health Monitor】Fitness watch for women men full touch screen IP67 waterproof bluetooth smartwatch for Android iOS Phones with heart rate blood pressure monitor multifunction Andriod smart watch with steps counter sleep monitor sports fitness watch, monitoring blood oxygen saturation allows you to understand your physical condition in real time to track fitness progress ,to know your health status in time.
  • 【More Functions Bluetooth Call Smart Watch】This fitness activity smart watch full screen for iPhone and Android phones includes a bunch of new features including:The bluetooth smart watch can hang up the phone, receive and display WhatsAPP /Text /Facebook /Twitter /Messenger reminder.Support sedentary reminder, alarm clock, stopwatch, timer,weather information,music control, remote camera control compatible with Android 5.0 and above or iOS 9.0 and above smartphones.
commands:
  log: false

Restart after saving. This setting removes the command audit trail from routine logs, so keep it enabled on servers where operator accountability, moderation review, or incident investigation matters. If only one command is noisy, a specific spam exclusion is usually safer than disabling every player-command record.

Command blocks: commands.silent-commandblock-console

Vanilla command feedback generated by command blocks is controlled separately. The documented default is false, meaning feedback is allowed in the console. To silence that feedback, use:

commands:
  silent-commandblock-console: true

Apply the change only when you understand what the command blocks do. Console feedback can reveal failed selectors, permission problems, or a command running far more often than intended. If a command block is malfunctioning, leave this option false while diagnosing it.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3
New Bee Guitar Cable 10ft Electric Instrument Bass AMP Cord
  • [Low Noise High Fidelity] New bee guitar cord with 22AWG oxygen-free-copper center conductors provides enhanced signal transfer, the PVC insulation material and the high-density stranded copper double shield provide noise rejection for quiet operation
  • [Ideal for Choice] New bee 1/4 straight and right angle metal connectors, ensures a secure connection in any instrument, pedal, or amp jack. L shape great fro on stage guitar stands
  • [Wide Compatible] Suitable for mixer, power amplifier, microphone, effector, decoder, equalizer, electoronic organ, electric guitar, electric bass and other electronic equipments. Widely used in the installation of smart home, karaoke speaker, professional stage audio, etc
  • [Easy Disassemble] Making incidental repairs quick and easy! Very nice, flexible cable
  • [Dont Hesite to Order] 24 hours customer services and professional technology team are standing by

Spam exclusions: match a known prefix, not an entire category

Paper’s commands.spam-exclusions contains command or chat prefixes excluded from the built-in spam filter. commands.enable-spam-exclusions controls whether those exclusions are active. A command must include its leading slash to be treated as a command. For example, an exclusion intended for /somecommand should use the slash rather than only the word “somecommand.”

commands:
  enable-spam-exclusions: true
  spam-exclusions:
    - '/known-noisy-command'

Use the exact prefix you understand and test it with a harmless invocation. Avoid entries such as /, “error,” or a common plugin name; those can suppress unrelated messages and make a real failure difficult to find. Keep a copy of the original list so you can reverse the change quickly.

Stop Multicraft’s repeated /list messages

Multicraft can run /list automatically to track player counts. On a Bukkit-based server—such as Spigot, Paper, Purpur, or a similar implementation—the output commonly begins with “There are,” which makes it possible to filter this one recurring message without changing all logging.

Rank #4
BSIMB 15.6" Digital Family Calendar & Chore Chart, No Subscription Fees
  • Digital Family Calendar: BSIMB digital calendar wall touch screen puts an end to your chaotic life. Designed for busy families, the digital calendar keeps you organised and in step with your family. Assign different colours and tasks to each family member to make family scheduling easier and more intuitive.
  • Easy Setup and Auto-Sync: Plug in, connect to WLAN and auto-syn your electric calendar in minutes. Digital wall calendar compatible with Google calendar, iCloud calendar, Outlook calendar, Cozi calendar and Yahoo calendar. Add events directly on the device or through the ecalendar app. Electronic calendar stays current whether you're at work or traveling—no manual updates needed.
  • All-In-One Home Assistant: Smart calendar builds habits and encourage independence with personalised chores. Display daily meal plan to reduce the daily ‘What's for dinner?’ stress. To-do lists keep track of everything you want. Turning chores into valuable achievements with stars and rewards, making life easier and more enjoyable.
  • Manage Anytime Anywhere: BSIMB electronic calendar for family stay connected with the powerful ecalendar app. Access and manage your digital wall calendar anytime, anywhere with free features like stars & rewards, photo screensaver, chore charts, meals plans, to-do lists etc. Electronic planner paid features like Magic Import tailor advanced tools for users with special needs.
  • Stay in Touch with Loved Ones: Share photos or videos from your phone to electronic wall calendar with app, instantly update your life moment, and keep in touch with your family, especially those who are far away; you can also surprise your smart calendar digital wall by sending him a wish card; it's also great for keeping tech-illiterate elders in touch with the youngsters.

Install and configure Console Spam Fix

  1. Confirm that the server is Bukkit-based. A vanilla server cannot load a Bukkit plugin.
  2. Stop the server completely.
  3. Upload the Console Spam Fix plugin JAR into the server’s plugins directory. Use the plugin build compatible with your server software and Minecraft version.
  4. Start the server once. This first run creates the plugin’s configuration directory and file.
  5. Stop the server again so the generated file can be edited safely.
  6. Open plugins/ConsoleSpamFix/Config.yml.
  7. Under Messages-To-Hide-Filter:, add the quoted entry shown below, preserving the list indentation:
Messages-To-Hide-Filter:
  - 'There are'
  1. Save the configuration and start the server.
  2. Allow the panel’s normal player-count check to run. Output beginning with “There are” should no longer appear in the console.

This is a text filter, not a fix for Multicraft’s counting process. It does not hide other panel messages unless they match the configured text. If the line’s wording differs, copy the exact stable prefix from your console rather than adding a broad word that could match unrelated messages.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Use Log4j2 only when you control startup or server files

Spigot’s logging guidance explains that debug output can make both the console and log files harder to process. A custom Log4j2 file can target levels, appenders, or markers more precisely than a panel toggle, but it changes the logging pipeline rather than one plugin’s behavior.

File placement and JVM property

Place a file named log4j2.xml beside spigot.jar, then add the JVM property before the -jar argument:

java -Dlog4j.configurationFile=log4j2.xml -jar spigot.jar

If the file is stored elsewhere, Spigot documents an alternative such as:

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
java -Dlog4j.configurationFile=./plugins/log4j2.xml -jar spigot.jar

The property must be part of the actual startup command. Putting it after -jar can leave Java treating it as an application argument instead of a JVM option. Shared hosting panels may not expose startup flags; in that case, do not assume an uploaded XML file is being used.

Why the configuration is version-sensitive

Paper ships a log4j2.xml that uses an info-level root logger, an asynchronous appender, a rolling logs/latest.log file, and a NETWORK_PACKETS marker filter that denies those events. Treat that file as a baseline for the exact Paper build you run, not as a universal template. Compare your custom file with the configuration shipped by your current build after every server update.

Editing the server JAR itself is possible, but it is a poor maintenance strategy: updates replace the modified file, and a future build can change logger names or XML structure. Prefer an external configuration selected by the JVM property, keep a backup, and test startup on a copy of the server before deploying it to production.

Console-only filtering versus changing retained logs

Not every remedy has the same evidence trail. A panel display filter may make the live console quieter while the underlying application still writes to a log file. A Log4j2 appender or logger rule can affect both the console and retained files, depending on which appender and category it targets. Paper’s command and debug settings also change what is emitted at the source, so the message may never reach either destination.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
  • Need an audit trail? Keep commands.log enabled and filter only a demonstrably harmless recurring line.
  • Need a clean operator view but full forensic logs? Prefer a console-specific filter, if your panel or logging configuration supports one, and verify that logs/latest.log still contains the event.
  • Need to eliminate high-volume packet or debug events from disk? Use a carefully tested Log4j2 rule and confirm that important warnings still reach a retained appender.
  • Unsure whether a line is actionable? Do not filter it. Capture the context, identify the plugin or subsystem, and troubleshoot the cause first.

Troubleshoot changes that do not work

The spam continues after editing spigot.yml

  • Confirm the file belongs to the server instance that is actually running. Multi-instance hosts can expose several similarly named directories.
  • Check YAML indentation and spelling. A malformed file may cause the server to reject the setting or regenerate defaults.
  • Verify that you performed a full stop and start; many settings are read only during startup.
  • Read the line again. A plugin, panel, command block, or Log4j category may be the real source rather than Paper’s debug logger.

The plugin filter hides nothing

  • Confirm that the plugin loaded without an error during startup.
  • Check the path and capitalization of plugins/ConsoleSpamFix/Config.yml.
  • Ensure the list entry is indented beneath Messages-To-Hide-Filter: and enclosed in quotes.
  • Compare the live message with “There are.” If Multicraft or another plugin uses different wording, the configured prefix will not match.

The server fails after adding Log4j2

  • Remove the -Dlog4j.configurationFile option temporarily and confirm that the server starts with its packaged logging configuration.
  • Validate the XML for mismatched tags, invalid attributes, or references to appenders that do not exist.
  • Restore the configuration shipped with the exact Paper or Spigot build, then reintroduce one change at a time.
  • Keep the original startup command and XML outside the server directory so a rollback does not depend on the broken installation.

A safe maintenance workflow

  1. Capture: save a short excerpt containing the repeated line and several lines before and after it.
  2. Classify: decide whether it is debug output, a player command, command-block feedback, a panel-generated /list, or a plugin-specific message.
  3. Back up: copy spigot.yml, plugin configuration, startup flags, and any existing Log4j2 file.
  4. Change one control: use the smallest setting that matches the source.
  5. Restart and observe: verify startup and watch both the live console and the relevant log file.
  6. Test reversibility: restore the backup if warnings disappear along with the spam, or if operators lose information they need.
  7. Document the reason: record the exact message, setting, date, and server build so a future administrator knows why the filter exists.

Server defaults such as Paper’s timeout-time: 60 seconds and sample-count: 12 are unrelated configuration values; changing them is not an evidence-based way to reduce console spam.

Decision checklist

  • Use settings.debug: false when debug logging was deliberately enabled and you are no longer diagnosing a problem.
  • Use commands.log: false only when losing player-command audit lines is acceptable.
  • Use commands.silent-commandblock-console: true only after confirming command-block feedback is not needed for monitoring.
  • Use a specific enabled spam exclusion for one understood command or chat prefix.
  • Use Console Spam Fix for Multicraft’s recurring “There are” /list output on a Bukkit-based server.
  • Use Log4j2 when you need logger-level control and can manage JVM flags and version-specific files; test it outside production first.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Wire

  1. World desk4 min
    How to Spot an AI Voice Scam Before Sending MoneyDon’t rely on how a caller sounds. Pause, call back through a known number, and verify the emergency with another trusted person before sending money.
  2. Mountain View desk4 min
    Google’s SynthID Detector: How to Check AI-Generated Images, Video and AudioGoogle’s SynthID Detector looks for an embedded watermark in supported images, video and audio. Here is what its results do—and do not—show.
  3. Redmond desk20 min
    How to create a link to File or Folder in Windows 11Windows 11 gives you several ways to point to a file or folder without moving or duplicating it. You can create a desktop shortcut,…
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.