Best Project Zomboid Server Settings (Build 42, 2026)

The Project Zomboid server settings worth changing first are PVP, PauseEmpty, the safehouse lines and SaveWorldEveryMinutes in servertest.ini, then zombie population, loot multipliers, loot respawn and the water and power shutoff in servertest_SandboxVars.lua. For a co-op group we would turn PVP off, enable player safehouses, keep zombie population near default, turn on slow loot respawn and push the utilities shutoff back a few weeks. Here is every key with its default and our pick.

Where are the Project Zomboid server settings?

Both files sit in the Zomboid/Server folder and are named after the server name you start with (servertest by default):

File	What it holds
`servertest.ini`	Server rules: password, player limit, PVP, safehouses, mods, saving
`servertest_SandboxVars.lua`	Gameplay: zombies, loot, XP, day length, utilities shutoff
`servertest_spawnregions.lua`	Where new players spawn

On Windows that is C:\Users\<you>\Zomboid\Server, on Linux ~/Zomboid/Server. Hosts often use another name. On GamezServers the files are in .cache/Server and named after the Save name setting, GamezServers.ini and GamezServers_SandboxVars.lua on a new server.

Stop the server before editing either file. It writes its own copy on shutdown, so edits made while it runs are lost.

servertest.ini: the settings worth changing

Key	Default	What it does	Our pick for a co-op group
`PVP`	true	Players can hurt each other	false
`SafetySystem`	true	Lets players toggle PVP safety on themselves when PVP is on	true if PVP is on
`PauseEmpty`	true	Freezes time when nobody is online	true for friends, false for a living public world
`SaveWorldEveryMinutes`	0	Autosave interval, 0 relies on the default saving	15
`PlayerSafehouse`	false	Players can claim a safehouse	true
`AdminSafehouse`	false	Only admins can claim	false
`SafehouseAllowTrepass`	true	Non members can walk in	false
`SafehouseAllowFire`	true	Fire can damage safehouses	false
`SafehouseAllowLoot`	true	Non members can take items	false
`SafehouseAllowRespawn`	false	Respawn in your safehouse after death	true for casual groups
`SafehouseDaySurvivedToClaim`	0	Days survived before claiming	0 for friends, 3 to 7 on public servers
`SafeHouseRemovalTime`	144	Hours of owner inactivity before a claim is removed	144, raise it if friends take breaks
`Faction`	true	Players can make factions	true
`NoFire`	false	Disables all fire except campfires	false, unless griefers are a problem
`SleepAllowed` / `SleepNeeded`	false / false	Sleeping in multiplayer	false. Sleep in MP is awkward with players on different schedules.
`PlayerRespawnWithSelf`	false	Respawn at your death location	false
`MaxPlayers`	32	Player cap	Your group plus a couple

The access settings (Open, Public, Password) decide who can get in. They have their own guide: how to make a Project Zomboid server private with a whitelist.

Why PauseEmpty matters more than people think

With PauseEmpty=true, time stops when the last player logs off. Food does not rot, the power shutoff clock does not tick, and nobody comes back to a horde at the door. For a friend group that plays in the evenings, that is what you want. For a public server where people log in at all hours, set it to false so the world keeps moving.

SandboxVars.lua: zombies, loot and the world

Sandbox values sit inside a SandboxVars = { ... } table. Numbers that look like Zombies = 4 are menu choices, where each number is a position in the in game dropdown.

Zombie population and behavior

Key	Values	Our pick
`Zombies`	1 Insane, 2 Very High, 3 High, 4 Normal, 5 Low, 6 None	4 for most groups, 3 for veterans
`Distribution`	1 Urban focused, 2 Uniform	1
`ZombieConfig.PopulationMultiplier`	Fine control, 1.0 is the baseline multiplier	Leave it, use `Zombies` instead
`ZombieConfig.PopulationPeakDay`	Day the population peaks	Default, or later for a slower start
`ZombieConfig.RespawnHours`	Hours before zombies respawn, 0 is off	0 for a world you can clear, 72 to 144 if it should refill
`ZombieLore.Speed`	1 Sprinters, 2 Fast Shamblers, 3 Shamblers, 4 Random	2 for the classic feel
`ZombieLore.Transmission`	1 Blood and Saliva, 2 Saliva Only, 3 Everyone's Infected, 4 None	1. Bites are the game.

More zombies cost server CPU. If you want a hard server, try Zombies = 3 before reaching for Insane, which can cause rubber banding on a busy server.

Loot multipliers (Build 42)

Build 42 replaced the old 1 to 5 rarity dropdowns with multipliers that end in New, from 0.0 to 4.0. Old Build 41 keys like FoodLoot and WeaponLoot no longer do anything.

Key	Our pick
`FoodLootNew`, `CannedFoodLootNew`	Default, or 1.5x the default for casual groups
`WeaponLootNew`, `RangedWeaponLootNew`, `AmmoLootNew`	Default. More guns makes the early game trivial.
`MedicalLootNew`	1.5x the default if your group dies a lot
`ToolLootNew`, `MechanicsLootNew`, `MaterialLootNew`	1.5x the default for builders

Check your file for the exact defaults on your patch before you change them, because they differ per preset.

Loot respawn

Key	What it does	Our pick
`HoursForLootRespawn`	Hours before containers can refill, 0 is off	0 for a short campaign, 336 (two weeks of game time) for long servers
`MaxItemsForLootRespawn`	A container with more items than this does not refill	3 to 5
`ConstructionPreventsLootRespawn`	Built on areas do not respawn loot	true, so bases are not refilled
`SeenHoursPreventLootRespawn`	Recently seen containers do not refill	0 or default

On Build 42 these are sandbox options in SandboxVars.lua. Some older configs also carry them in the server ini. If yours does, keep both files in agreement so you are not guessing which one won.

Without respawn, a long running server slowly gets picked clean, and new players find nothing. Slow respawn fixes that without turning Knox County into a vending machine.

Water, power and time

Key	What it does	Our pick
`WaterShutModifier`	Days until water shuts off	30 to 60 for relaxed groups
`ElecShutModifier`	Days until power shuts off	30 to 60
`DayLength`	Real time length of a game day (menu choice)	1 hour or 1h 30m
`StartMonth`	Starting month	7 (July) is the default and the easiest
`MultiplierConfig.Global`	XP multiplier for all skills when `GlobalToggle = true`	2 to 3 on Build 42, where leveling is slower

Do sandbox changes apply to an existing world?

Partly. XP, day length and similar rules apply after a restart. Zombie population and loot amounts are decided when an area first loads, so already visited towns keep what they had. That is why it is worth settling the sandbox before your group starts. The cleanest way is to set it up in the game's Host screen sandbox editor, copy the resulting values into the server file, and only then start the world.

Changing settings on a GamezServers server

The join password, player slots, public listing, whitelist, Workshop mods and map are settings in the panel, written into the ini on every start, so change those in Settings rather than in the file. For everything else:

Press Save world, then Backup.
Press Stop.
In the Files tab, open the .ini or _SandboxVars.lua file in .cache/Server (named after your save name) and edit.
Press Start.

The Reload settings button runs reloadoptions, which reloads the ini without a restart. Sandbox changes still need a restart. The Project Zomboid quick start covers the rest, and plans are on Project Zomboid server hosting.

FAQ

What is the difference between servertest.ini and SandboxVars.lua?

The ini holds server rules like passwords, PVP, safehouses and mods. SandboxVars holds gameplay like zombies, loot, XP and when the utilities shut off.

Why did my Project Zomboid settings reset?

The server was running when you edited, and it wrote its own copy over yours on shutdown. Stop the server, edit, then start it.

What are good settings for a casual Project Zomboid server?

PVP off, player safehouses on with trespass and looting off, Normal zombie population, slow loot respawn and utilities shutoff pushed back to 30 days or more.

Does a higher zombie population cause lag?

Yes. More zombies means more work for the server, especially in Build 42. Raise it one step at a time. See Project Zomboid server lag and rubberbanding fix.

Can I change sandbox settings without wiping?

Yes, but some only show in areas nobody has visited yet. Restart after editing.