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How to Set the Name and Description of an ETS2 or ATS Server

Change the displayed name and description of an ETS2 or ATS dedicated server by editing server_config.sii, then saving and restarting the correct server instance.
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Edit the dedicated server’s server_config.sii file, change lobby_name and description, save it, and restart the server. Both values must be 63 characters or fewer. On a managed host, make the same changes through the provider’s configuration editor after stopping the server.

Which file controls the displayed server name?

Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS2) and American Truck Simulator (ATS) dedicated servers use the same configuration structure. The displayed convoy or session name is controlled by the lobby_name entry in server_config.sii. The text shown as the session description is controlled by description in that same file.

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SCS Software’s dedicated-server documentation states that the first launch creates the server home folder and a default server_config.sii. The file also stores other server settings, including connection ports, the logon token and moderators, so edit only the fields you intend to change.

What you want to change Configuration key Documented limit
Name players see in the server list lobby_name 63 characters maximum
Session description players see with the listing description 63 characters maximum

The limit applies to each value separately. Keep the quotation marks required by SII syntax, and do not put either setting outside the server_config block.

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Example configuration

A minimal section can look like this:

SiiNunit
{
  server_config : Server {
    lobby_name: "Pacific Northwest Convoy"
    description: "Casual trucking, voice chat welcome"
    welcome_message: "Drive safe!"
  }
}

The spaces around the colon are conventional; the important parts are the exact key names, a colon, a quoted value and valid SII braces. You can replace the example text without changing the surrounding structure.

Before you edit the file

Stop the server process

Do not edit a configuration file while the dedicated server is running. Stop the process first so it cannot overwrite your change when it exits or reloads settings.

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Identify the correct server home

By default, the server home is the game user path created on the first launch. If the installation was started with the -homedir option, use the alternate directory specified there. A common cause of an apparently ignored edit is changing a copy of server_config.sii in the installation directory while the running process is reading another copy from its server home.

Back up the original

Copy the existing file before editing it. A backup gives you a quick recovery path if a typo makes the file invalid or if you later need to restore other settings such as ports or moderators.

Use a plain-text editor

Use an editor that saves ordinary text. Avoid word processors that may add formatting or convert quotation marks. Keep the file’s existing encoding and line structure whenever possible.

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How to change an ETS2 or ATS server name on a self-hosted installation

  1. Stop the dedicated server. Close the running process or stop its service cleanly.
  2. Open the server home directory. Look for the server_config.sii created on the first launch. If you changed the home location with -homedir, open that location instead.
  3. Open server_config.sii in a plain-text editor. Make a backup before saving any edits.
  4. Find lobby_name. It will be inside the server_config block. Replace only the quoted text after the colon.
  5. Find description. Replace its quoted text with the description you want players to read.
  6. Check the limits. Count each value separately and keep both at 63 characters or fewer. The quotation marks do not replace the required quotes around the value; retain them exactly as syntax.
  7. Save the file. Confirm that the editor did not append an extra extension such as .txt.
  8. Start the server again. The new name and description are read when the dedicated server starts.

If you use the default configuration file, start the server normally. If the settings are in a different file, select it explicitly with the -server_cfg launch option:

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-server_cfg "your_config.sii"

The filename may be relative to the server’s working location or supplied as an appropriate path for your operating system. The key requirement is that the option points to the file you edited.

How to change the settings through a managed host’s panel

Managed hosts generally expose the same SII values through a browser interface. The labels vary by provider, but the safe sequence is consistent: stop, edit, save, start.

  1. Sign in to the game control panel.
  2. Stop the ATS or ETS2 server. Wait until the panel reports that it is offline.
  3. Open Configuration Files. Some panels put this under a file manager or server settings menu.
  4. Choose Config Editor. Select the editor for server_config.sii, not an unrelated game or mod configuration.
  5. Edit the server name and description. These normally appear as fields corresponding to lobby_name and description.
  6. Save the configuration. Keep each field within 63 characters.
  7. Start the server. The listing should use the saved values after the process comes online.

A Host Havoc technical guide updated June 10, 2026, documents this workflow for an American Truck Simulator server and notes that the same structure applies to ETS2. If your provider uses different menu names, look for the raw server_config.sii file or an equivalent configuration editor rather than changing unrelated startup fields.

Why the new name or description may not appear

You edited the wrong copy

Multiple installations, alternate home directories and custom launch scripts can leave several files with the same name. Check the process command line for -homedir and -server_cfg, then edit the file those options select. A change in an unused copy has no effect.

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The server was not restarted

Saving the file is not enough. Stop and start the dedicated server so it reads the new values. On a control panel, use the panel’s stop and start actions rather than merely closing the editor.

The value exceeds 63 characters

Shorten the name or description and restart again. Remove unnecessary punctuation, repeated spaces and long slogans. The documented maximum is 63 characters for both keys.

Quotation marks or braces were damaged

Each value must remain a quoted string, for example lobby_name: "My Convoy". Do not remove the closing quote, the colon or the braces surrounding the configuration block. If the server fails to start after an edit, restore the backup and reapply only the two text changes.

You changed a generated or temporary file

Some hosts present a generated view rather than the active configuration. Save through the provider’s Config Editor, or verify that the editor is writing the server’s actual server_config.sii. If a panel regenerates the file at startup, make the change in the panel’s persistent configuration page.

Another instance is serving the listing

When several dedicated servers run on one machine, each process must use its intended configuration. Confirm that the instance you restarted is the one players are joining and that its startup command points to the edited file.

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Running more than one ETS2 or ATS server

A single default configuration is simplest. Multiple instances require separate configuration details so the processes do not collide. The SCS forum’s multi-instance example starts the executable with -nosingle -server_cfg "server_config.sii"; each instance should be associated with its own configuration file and appropriate connection settings.

Give each instance its own file

Create a distinct configuration file for each server, such as one for a public convoy and another for a private group. Edit the lobby_name and description in each file so you can identify the instances at a glance.

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Avoid conflicting ports and credentials

The configuration file also contains connection ports and the logon token. Separate instances need non-conflicting port assignments and the correct token and operational settings for each process. Changing a name does not isolate an instance from another one; the launch command and the rest of the configuration must match the intended server.

Point each process to the intended file

Use -server_cfg in each startup command. If the option is omitted, the process may fall back to the default configuration and display the wrong name even though your alternate file is correct.

ETS2 and ATS: what is the same and what differs?

The keys and character limits are the same in both games: use lobby_name for the session name and description for its description, with a maximum of 63 characters for each. The self-hosted and managed-panel workflows are also equivalent.

The dedicated-server tools have separate Steam application IDs:

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Game Dedicated-server Steam App ID Name and description keys
Euro Truck Simulator 2 1948160 lobby_name and description
American Truck Simulator 2239530 lobby_name and description

The app ID identifies the dedicated-server tool you install or update; it does not change the syntax used for the two display fields.

Choosing useful name and description text

The name is the quickest way for players to recognize the session, while the description supplies a short expectation about the convoy. Since each field is limited to 63 characters, put the identifying information first.

  • Name: include a recognizable group, region or activity, such as Pacific Northwest Convoy.
  • Description: state the play style or basic expectation, such as Casual trucking, voice chat welcome.
  • Private sessions: identify the intended group without placing sensitive information in a public description.
  • Frequent events: use a stable server name and change the description for the current session when needed.

Do not rely on line breaks, rich formatting or special editor features. These settings are plain quoted strings in the SII file.

Quick verification checklist

  • The dedicated server is stopped before editing.
  • You opened the active file selected by the server’s -homedir and -server_cfg options.
  • lobby_name contains the intended name in quotation marks.
  • description contains the intended description in quotation marks.
  • Neither value exceeds 63 characters.
  • The surrounding SiiNunit and server_config structure remains intact.
  • The file was saved as plain text without an extra extension.
  • The server was restarted after saving.
  • For multiple instances, the restarted process uses the configuration file you edited and has its own non-conflicting connection settings.

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