How to configure Hytale server settings

Hytale server settings live in the root config.json. berrybyte's Game Settings page exposes startup variables, not a Hytale-specific config editor. Stop the server, edit config.json in Files, save, then start. Password, MOTD, max players, view distance, game mode, and PvP are covered here.

Hytale server settings live in the root config.json. berrybyte's Game Settings page exposes startup variables such as Patchline, but it does not have a Hytale-specific editor for in-game options. For those options, stop the server, open Files, edit config.json, save, then start. Password, MOTD, max players, view distance, default game mode, and PvP are all edited this way rather than on one-knob pages.

Per-world rules sit in a different file: universe/worlds/<name>/config.json. Changing the wrong config.json does nothing to the setting you meant.

Key names and the live-edit warning below follow the Hytale Server Manual. Defaults.HardcoreMode is documented in the official Update 6 notes.

Stop the server before you edit config.json or a world's config.json. The official manual says these files are read on startup and written when in-game actions occur. Manual changes while the server is running are likely to be overwritten.

Edit config.json on berrybyte

Stop the server

Use Stop in the sidebar or Overview. Wait until the server is offline. See Start, stop & restart if the stop hangs.

Open Files and root config.json

In the dashboard, open Files. The server config.json is in the root of that tree, next to mods/ and universe/, not inside a world folder.

Edit, save, then start

Change only the keys you need, keep valid JSON (quotes, commas, no trailing comma), and save. Start the server so it reads the new file.

If config.json is missing, start the server once so Hytale writes defaults, then stop it and edit. Authenticate the server before you invite players; auth is separate from these keys.

Common server keys

These live in the root config.json. Values in the notes column are official recommendations or typical generated values, not a promise that every build ships the same default.

Key	What it does	Notes
`ServerName`	Display name for the server	Descriptive only
`MOTD`	Optional message of the day	`""` shows no MOTD
`Password`	Join password	`""` means no password. Players are prompted when it is set
`MaxPlayers`	Concurrent player cap	Set this to the population you actually expect. It is not a RAM formula
`MaxViewRadius`	Maximum view radius in chunks	Official recommendation: 12 chunks / 384 blocks. Hytale's documented default view is 384 blocks and is the main RAM driver
`Defaults.World`	World folder to load	Must match a folder name under `universe/worlds/` (often `default` on first boot)
`Defaults.GameMode`	Default mode for new joins	Common values: `Adventure`, `Creative`
`Update.Enabled`	Hytale's built-in update checker	Official default `true`
`Update.Patchline`	Override the update patchline	Official default `null` (the build's patchline, usually `release`)
`Update.AutoApplyMode`	How staged updates apply	Official default `Disabled`
`Update.BackupConfigBeforeUpdate`	Backup `config.json` and related lists before apply	Official default `true`

config.json (excerpt)

{
  "ServerName": "My Hytale Server",
  "MOTD": "",
  "Password": "",
  "MaxPlayers": 8,
  "MaxViewRadius": 12,
  "Defaults": {
    "World": "default",
    "GameMode": "Adventure"
  }
}

The MaxPlayers value above is an example, not an official default. Keep MaxViewRadius at 12 unless you intentionally want a shorter view. Raising it above the official cap increases loaded world area. Size RAM with the Hytale server requirements calculator instead of a per-player rule of thumb.

berrybyte also has an Auto Update startup toggle that refreshes the server jar and assets on boot. That host toggle is separate from the Update object inside config.json.

Password, MOTD, players, and view distance

These all live in the same root file. There are no separate berrybyte pages for each knob.

Password. Set Password to a string players must enter to join, or "" for an open server. A password is not a whitelist and is not authentication. You still need Hytale Link before anyone can connect.
MOTD. Put the message in MOTD, or leave "". This does not list the server in Server Discovery.
Max players. MaxPlayers is a concurrent cap. Pair it with a plan that can hold the loaded area you configured, using the calculator above.
View distance. Hypixel recommends a maximum of 12 chunks (384 blocks) for performance and gameplay. That 384-block default is the documented RAM driver. Set MaxViewRadius to 12. Do not invent gigabytes per player.

Game mode, PvP, and per-world config

Defaults.GameMode in the root file sets the default mode for new joins (Adventure or Creative on current documented builds).

PvP is not a root-server key. The official world file includes IsPvpEnabled (example value false):

universe/worlds/<name>/config.json (excerpt)

{
  "IsPvpEnabled": false
}

That world file is also where fall damage, NPC spawning, and game-time pauses live in the official example. Edit the folder that matches Defaults.World unless you intend to change a different world.

Official Update 6 notes add Defaults.HardcoreMode (None, PerPlayer, or Global) on the server config. Confirm the key exists in your file before you rely on it, and treat hardcore as a world-creation choice when the notes say it cannot be flipped later.

Common issues

The setting vanished after I clicked Stop

The file was edited while the server was still running. Stop first, re-apply the change, save, then start.

Nothing changed in-game

You likely edited universe/worlds/<name>/config.json for a server-wide key, or the root file for a world key such as IsPvpEnabled. Check the path, then confirm the JSON still parses.

The server will not start after an edit

A missing comma or an extra trailing comma is the usual cause. Restore from a backup if the file will not parse, then re-apply one change at a time.

Players cannot join after I set a password

They must enter the exact Password value. Authentication and joining by address are still required on top of that.

If a key will not stick, open a support ticket with the server linked and say whether you edited the root file or a world file.

See every Hytale guide for authentication, join, mods, and setup.

Frequently asked questions

Where are Hytale server settings stored?

Server-wide options live in config.json at the server root. Each world also has its own config.json under universe/worlds/<world name>/, which is where PvP and other world rules live. berrybyte's Game Settings page exposes startup variables but has no Hytale-specific config editor, so stop the server and edit these files in Files.

Why did my Hytale settings reset after a restart?

The official Hytale Server Manual says configuration files are read on startup and written when in-game actions occur. Edits made while the server is running are likely to be overwritten on the next write or shutdown. Stop the server, edit, save, then start.

How do I set a Hytale server password, MOTD, or max players?

Stop the server, open root config.json in Files, and edit Password, MOTD, or MaxPlayers. An empty Password string means no join password. Save the file, then start the server. Those knobs are not separate berrybyte pages.

What view distance should I use on a Hytale server?

Hypixel recommends capping maximum view distance at 12 chunks, which is 384 blocks. That default 384-block view is the main official RAM driver. Set MaxViewRadius to 12 unless you have a reason to go lower. Do not invent a RAM-per-player number; use the Hytale server requirements calculator for a labeled estimate.

Where do I change PvP or game mode?

Default game mode for new joins is Defaults.GameMode in the root config.json, commonly Adventure or Creative. PvP is a per-world setting, IsPvpEnabled, in universe/worlds/<world name>/config.json. Stop the server before editing either file.