7 Days to Die Server Config: serverconfig.xml Explained (V3)

The 7 Days to Die server config lives in one XML file, serverconfig.xml, in the main folder of the dedicated server. It sets the server name, password, port, player slots, world, land claims and admin tools. Since V3.0, difficulty, blood moons, loot, XP and zombie speed are no longer separate lines in that file: they live in a single SandboxCode value. This guide covers the current V3 build, the default of every key setting, and how to change them without breaking your world.

We checked the defaults below against the serverconfig.xml that ships with the dedicated server (Steam app 294420) on the public branch, V3.4, in October 2026, and against The Fun Pimps' V3.0 release notes.

7 Days to Die server config file location

The file sits next to the start scripts of the dedicated server. The server reads it when it starts, because the launcher passes it as -configfile=serverconfig.xml.

The saves and generated worlds go to the user data folder, not to the server folder. You can move them with UserDataFolder: the line is commented out by default, so remove the <!-- and --> around it and write an absolute path. Older guides mention a SaveGameFolder property; the current file only has UserDataFolder.

On TheGameHosting you open the file in Files, right in the browser. If you cannot find it in the main folder, our support team will point you to it.

How to edit the server config safely

Every setting is one line with a name and a value. Change only the text between the quotes after value=:

<property name="ServerName" value="Horde Night Crew"/>
<property name="ServerPassword" value="SecretBase42"/>
<property name="ServerMaxPlayerCount" value="8"/>

1. Create a backup. On TheGameHosting, open Backups and make one before you touch anything.
2. Stop the server from the Console and wait until it is fully off.
3. Open Files and click serverconfig.xml to edit it in the browser.
4. Change the values you need. Keep the quotes and the closing /> on every line.
5. Save the file and start the server.
6. Watch the console as it loads. If a value did not apply, check the spelling and the quotes.

The file is XML, so one missing quote or a broken comment can stop the server from reading it. That is why the backup comes first: if the server will not start, you restore the old file and try again.

V3 change: SandboxCode replaces difficulty settings

V3.0 "Dead Hot Summer" (stable since June 2026) added more than 150 Sandbox Options. The release notes say some legacy settings were moved out of serverconfig.xml into a new property, SandboxCode:

<property name="SandboxCode" value="AAAJABJACJADJARFBNC"/>

That default code equals the classic Adventurer difficulty. To build your own:

1. In the game, start a new game and open Sandbox Options.
2. Pick a preset or adjust each option: blood moons, loot, zombie speed, XP and the rest.
3. Use the copy code button.
4. Paste the code as the SandboxCode value, save and restart the server.
5. Run getsandboxoptions (short: gso) in the console to list the values the server is using.

If gso still shows the old values after a restart, check that you pasted the whole code inside the quotes, then ask our support team.

The official notes list the properties that were removed or converted. If you paste them into a V3 file, do not expect them to do anything:

The full list also includes BlockDamageAIBM, BiomeProgression, StormFreq, DeathPenalty, DropOnQuit, JarRefund, EnemySpawnMode, ZombieFeralSense, AISmellMode, AirDropMarker and QuestProgressionDailyLimit. If your server still runs V2.6 or older, those lines are still in your file and work as before.

7 Days to Die server difficulty settings

On V3, the difficulty of your server is the SandboxCode. The Sandbox screen includes the classic difficulty presets and new official presets such as Undead Matinee (slow zombies, scarce ammo) or 7 Days Later (fast hordes). Pick one, change what you want on top of it and copy the code.

To keep a V2.6 world, The Fun Pimps' advice is to rebuild your old settings in the Sandbox menu, copy the code and paste it into the updated V3 file. Back up the save before the first start on V3.

7 Days to Die server settings that stay in the file

These are the defaults of the current file. Change only what you need.

Server identity and network

World and game

Performance

Land claims

World settings that need a new game

GameWorld, WorldGenSeed, WorldGenSize and GameName decide which world and which save load. Changing them does not reshape your current map: the server generates or loads a different world and save, and your base stays in the old one. The file also warns that some settings cannot be changed after a game exists, and that console commands such as setgamepref can adjust some of them in game. Back up before you try.

Admins: serveradmin.xml, telnet and the web dashboard

AdminFileName names the admin list, serveradmin.xml. It stores admins with a permission level (0 is the highest, 1000 is a normal player), plus the whitelist and the ban list. The easiest way to fill it is the admin add command with the player and level 0.

TelnetEnabled is true on port 8081. With no TelnetPassword, the file says the server only listens on the local machine. WebDashboardEnabled is false, on port 8080, and it takes the place of the ControlPanel settings you see in old guides. On a hosted server both need their own reachable port, so ask support before you turn the dashboard on.

Settings in the panel's Startup tab

Some panels also show settings such as the server name, port or player count as variables in Startup. If a setting appears there, the Startup value is the one that counts, and the line in the XML may be overwritten on the next start. Not sure which one your server uses? Ask our support team and they will confirm it for your server.

When your server config does not apply

1. The server was running. It reads the file at startup. Stop it, save again, start it.
2. A V2 property on a V3 server. BloodMoonFrequency or GameDifficulty are ignored; use SandboxCode.
3. Broken XML. A missing quote or /> stops the file from loading. Restore your backup.
4. You changed the world settings. A new seed or GameName loads a different save. Change the values back to return to the old one.

For other games that keep their rules in one file, see our guides to Project Zomboid servertest.ini, PalWorldSettings.ini and ARK server settings.

Run your 7 Days to Die server 24/7 with TheGameHosting

Blood moons only work as a group event if the world stays online. On someone's PC, the server stops when that PC turns off, nobody can repair walls before the next horde, and you have to open router ports. On TheGameHosting your server runs around the clock in Dallas or Amsterdam, behind DDoS protection.

Horde nights are where hardware matters: dozens of zombies path to your base at once, and MaxSpawnedZombies rises on blood moons. Every plan runs on AMD 9950X or 7950X3D CPUs up to 5.7 GHz, with DDR5 RAM and NVMe storage, and 7 Days to Die starts at 8 GB ($6.96 USD per month). Everything in this guide happens in the panel: Files to edit serverconfig.xml, Backups before every change, Console to stop, start and run gso, and sFTP for mods. We do not charge per player slot.

See all RAM sizes on our game server plans or read the 7 Days to Die server hosting page. Your server is ready about 60 seconds after payment: choose a plan on Pricing, paste your SandboxCode and get ready for day 7.

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