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Where Project Zomboid stores dedicated-server settings
A dedicated server uses a profile name. The default is commonly servertest, so a typical set is servertest.ini, servertest_SandboxVars.lua, servertest_spawnregions.lua and servertest_spawnpoints.lua. A hosting panel or startup configuration can use another name. The server reads the files whose base name matches that active profile; editing a different profile creates the classic “my change had no effect” problem.
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All four configuration files are in Zomboid/Server/. The persistent map is separate, under Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/<server>. Keep the save and the matching profile files together when making backups. NolimitHost’s documentation, updated September 18, 2026, summarizes the arrangement as four server-settings files inside the Zomboid/Server/ folder.
How the profile name is selected
The name comes from the server start command or the hosting panel’s server-name field. If you rename a profile, the game can generate a new default set under the new name. Before changing anything, note the exact name shown by the panel or launch configuration, including capitalization and punctuation, and use that name in every file.
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File-by-file map
| File or folder | What it controls | What to check when editing |
|---|---|---|
<servername>.ini |
Server identity, listing visibility, password, access mode, player slots, PvP, ports, anti-cheat, voice, save behavior and mod fields | Use one Key=Value entry per line. The file must match the active profile name. |
<servername>_SandboxVars.lua |
World simulation and difficulty: zombie population and distribution, loot, time, weather, survival systems and vehicles | Preserve valid Lua syntax. These settings are not substitutes for port, password or slot options. |
<servername>_spawnregions.lua |
The named regions that players can select when spawning | Confirm that the region you edited is actually offered by the active profile. |
<servername>_spawnpoints.lua |
Exact coordinates associated with occupations or other spawn definitions | Check that the selected occupation or spawn definition references the entry you changed. |
Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/<server> |
Persistent multiplayer world data | Back up this directory with the matching configuration files; either alone is an incomplete recovery set. |
What belongs in the main INI file
The INI is the server’s operational control panel in text form. It describes how the server is presented, who may join and which network and administration features are enabled.
Identity and access
Public=truemakes the server eligible for the in-game public browser.PublicName=andPublicDescription=supply the listing text.Password=sets the password players enter to join. It is separate from any RCON or administrator credential.Open=truepermits open joining. WithOpen=false, approved-account or whitelist handling is required.PVPcontrols the player-versus-player rule exposed by the server configuration. Make the value explicit rather than assuming the game’s current default.
Slots and networking
MaxPlayers= sets the configured player-slot ceiling. A cited example servertest.ini uses MaxPlayers=32 and warns that higher counts can hurt map streaming and synchronization. Treat 32 as an example from that file, not a universal limit for every build or machine.
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Administration, anti-cheat and voice
The INI also contains whitelist behavior, anti-cheat and checksum options, voice-chat settings and save intervals. Change these as a group when adjusting administration policy, and document the old values so a failed test can be reversed without guessing. A setting that affects access can require a fresh client connection before its effect is visible.
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Mod fields
WorkshopItems= is a semicolon-separated list of numeric Steam Workshop IDs. Mods= is a semicolon-separated list of text mod IDs read from each mod’s metadata. They are different identifiers and both fields matter. A Workshop ID can download files without activating the mod if its text ID is absent; a text ID without a downloadable Workshop item can leave clients unable to obtain the required files.
SandboxVars: the world and its rules
<servername>_SandboxVars.lua governs the simulation rather than the server’s public identity. Population multipliers, zombie distribution, day length, start date, loot abundance, weather, survival mechanics, vehicles and related world-generation controls belong here. If the question is “How many zombies or how much loot should this world have?”, look in SandboxVars, not the INI.
Keep the Lua structure intact. A missing comma, unmatched brace or altered quotation mark can prevent the file from loading correctly. Make one logical group of changes at a time, restart, and verify the result in-game. Lua sandbox edits require a restart; the provider guidance that allows live option commands for some INI values does not make SandboxVars hot-reloadable.
Spawn regions and spawn points
_spawnregions.lua
This file defines the named regions offered on the character-spawn screen. Changing a region name or list does not move a player by itself; it changes which choices are available to the client.
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_spawnpoints.lua
This file stores coordinate definitions tied to occupations or other spawn entries. If a coordinate edit appears ignored, verify both the profile name and the occupation or region selected by the character. An unused entry can be perfectly valid yet never affect a spawn.
Safe editing workflow
- Stop the server cleanly. Do not edit a profile while the process is writing it.
- Make a dated backup. Copy the complete
Zomboidfolder when practical. At minimum, copy every active profile file and the matching directory inZomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/to separate dated storage. - Confirm the active profile. Read the startup command or hosting panel and write down the exact server name. Open only the files with that base name.
- Edit one logical group. Use a plain-text editor. Preserve
Key=Valuesyntax in the INI and valid Lua syntax in SandboxVars and spawn files. - Save and start the server. Wait for a clean startup, then connect with a client and test one changed value.
- Record the result. Note the date, changed keys and observed behavior. If the test fails, restore the backup or revert only that group before trying another change.
Some INI options can be changed through the server console commands /reloadoptions and /changeoption, according to the provider guidance. Those commands do not replace a restart for Lua sandbox or spawn-file edits, and a restart remains the clearest way to ensure the complete profile is read from disk.
Adding Workshop mods correctly
Mod setup is a four-way compatibility check: the server and clients must use the same game branch/build, the Workshop download list must be present, the text mod list must be present, and map dependencies must be loaded in a workable order.
- Confirm the build. Put the server and every client on the same branch and build before diagnosing a mod failure.
- Collect both identifiers. Copy each item’s numeric Workshop ID into
WorkshopItems=. Copy the text ID shown in that mod’s metadata intoMods=. - Use semicolons. Separate multiple values with semicolons, not commas or spaces that become part of an ID.
- Handle maps separately. A map may depend on a framework or another map. Include every dependency required by the map instead of assuming the primary Workshop item is sufficient.
- Change small batches. Add one mod or a small related group, restart, connect and inspect the server log before adding more. Smaller batches identify the incompatible item faster.
- Have clients match. Players need the same mod set and compatible versions. A server that downloads an item but does not activate its text ID can look installed while still presenting missing-content errors.
Why a servertest.ini change did nothing
Use this order of checks; it catches the most common causes without randomly changing several files.
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1. The file belongs to another profile
Compare the startup profile name with the filename. If the server starts as myserver, editing servertest.ini is irrelevant even if both files are in the same folder. A renamed profile may also have caused the game to generate a fresh default set.
2. The process was still running
Configuration is read at boot, and a running process can overwrite edits. Stop it, save the file, then start again. Test from a newly connected client rather than relying on an already-open session.
3. The wrong file type was edited
Ports, passwords, visibility and slots are INI concerns. Zombie population, loot, time and weather are SandboxVars concerns. Spawn choices and coordinates belong in their respective spawn files. Moving a setting to another file cannot make it work.
4. Syntax or separators are invalid
Check for a missing equals sign, accidental smart quotes, a broken Lua delimiter or commas used where semicolons are required. Compare the changed line with an untouched line in the same file.
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5. The selected game path does not reference the edited entry
For a spawn change, choose the region and occupation that point to the edited definition. For a mod, verify both IDs and every dependency. For a public listing change, allow time for the client browser to refresh after the restart.
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After a game update or panel migration, reopen the active file and check the generated values. Ports, player limits and option names can be version-sensitive. Treat the current file from the running build as authoritative, not an old example copied from another release.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Recorded ports and player limits: how to interpret them
| Value | Where it appears | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
DefaultPort=16261 |
Example servertest.ini |
Recorded in a configuration example; verify the running build and hosting environment. |
SteamPort1=8766 |
Example servertest.ini |
Recorded example value; forwarding requirements vary by host and network. |
SteamPort2=8767 |
Example servertest.ini |
Recorded example value; recheck after updates. |
MaxPlayers=32 |
Example servertest.ini |
The file warns that counts above 32 may hurt streaming and synchronization; it is not a universal performance guarantee. |
Choosing a way to run the server
| Choice | Strength | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Listen host | Fast setup and convenient for a session with friends | The world depends on the host client remaining available. |
| Dedicated process | Persistent uptime independent of a player’s game client | Requires maintaining files, updates, networking and backups. |
| Self-hosted | Direct ownership and control of configuration and save files | You handle SteamCMD or equivalent installation, firewall rules, storage and recovery. |
| Managed hosting | A control panel and provider-maintained machine can reduce setup work | You trade some filesystem control for recurring cost and provider-specific limits; inspect backup, restore, mod and support features before subscribing. |
| Open or public | Easy discovery and joining | Requires stronger access, moderation and anti-cheat decisions. |
| Whitelist or private | Predictable membership and lower exposure | Every approved account must be managed deliberately. |
| INI edit | Changes access, identity, networking and server behavior | Does not change zombie, loot or weather rules. |
| Sandbox edit | Changes world simulation and difficulty | Requires valid Lua and a restart. |
Backups that can actually restore a world
A useful backup is a matched set: the active profile files from Zomboid/Server/ plus the corresponding multiplayer save directory. Copy it to dated storage before an update, mod change or major rules change. An external USB hard drive or SSD is a practical generic destination; keep at least one copy disconnected from the server so a bad update or accidental overwrite cannot destroy every copy.
Use a naming scheme that records the profile and date, such as myserver-2026-10-14, and retain a known-good copy from before each mod batch. To recover, stop the process, restore the matching profile and save set together, then start and verify the world before allowing players back in. Restoring only an INI can leave the map in a different state; restoring only the save can reintroduce incompatible settings or missing mod references.
Quick Recap
Quick preflight checklist
- Profile name in the startup configuration matches every edited filename.
- Server is stopped before files are changed and restarted afterward.
- Backup contains both profile files and the matching multiplayer save.
- INI keys use one exact
Key=Valueline each. - Sandbox and spawn files remain valid Lua.
WorkshopItemscontains numeric IDs separated by semicolons.Modscontains the corresponding text IDs, also separated by semicolons.- Map dependencies, server build and client build are compatible.
- Ports and slot counts were rechecked after the last game or panel update.
- A client test confirms the intended change before more edits are made.
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