How to Change Enshrouded Settings on an Existing World

To change Enshrouded settings on an existing world, stop the server, open enshrouded_server.json next to the server executable, and either pick a preset in gameSettingsPreset (Default, Relaxed, Hard, Survival) or set it to Custom and edit the values in the gameSettings block. Start the server and the new rules apply to your current world, with every base and chest intact. The one thing that silently ignores you: any preset other than Custom discards the whole gameSettings block.

What you can change on an existing world

So there is no "needs a new world" list for settings. What a settings change cannot undo is what already happened: items already crafted with the old costs, enemies already killed, perk points already spent.

What goes where

The file only appears after the server has started once. Keen Games documents the layout in its dedicated server configuration article.

Step 1: Back up first

Copy the savegame folder and enshrouded_server.json. Keep the old JSON as it is, because it is your fastest way back if a change makes the world miserable.

Step 2: Stop the server

Settings only load at startup, and the server can write the file back when it shuts down. Edit with the server stopped, never while it runs.

Step 3: Pick a preset or go Custom

For a simple difficulty change, set one line:

"gameSettingsPreset": "Relaxed",

For your own mix, use Custom and change the values inside gameSettings:

"gameSettingsPreset": "Custom",
"gameSettings": {
  "enemyDamageFactor": 0.75,
  "enemyHealthFactor": 1,
  "resourceDropStackAmountFactor": 1.5,
  "plantGrowthSpeedFactor": 2,
  "enableDurability": false,
  "dayTimeDuration": 1800000000000,
  "nightTimeDuration": 360000000000,
  ...
}

• Multipliers default to 1. Lower is less, higher is more.
• Day and night lengths are in nanoseconds: seconds times 1,000,000,000. 30 minutes is 1800000000000.
• Change the values already in your file rather than deleting lines, and keep the JSON valid: no comma after the last item, straight quotes only.

Every key is listed in our Enshrouded server settings guide.

Step 4: Start and check the log

Start the server and open logs/enshrouded_server.log. It reports the preset it loaded, and when the preset is not Custom it says it threw your custom values away. Then join and test something you can feel, like enemy damage or the length of the night.

The gotcha: Custom, and who writes the preset

Two things decide whether your values are used, and most guides only mention the first:

1. The preset must be Custom. With Default, Relaxed, Hard or Survival, the server loads that bundle and ignores every value in gameSettings, without an error in the game.
2. Something else may write the preset. Host panels often manage gameSettingsPreset, the name, the slot count and the role passwords for you, and write them into the JSON on every start. Set Custom in the file while the panel says Default, and the panel quietly puts Default back. Change the preset where your host keeps it.

Common problems

• Custom values do nothing: the preset is not Custom, or a panel resets it on start. Check the log and your host's settings.
• The server will not start after editing: the JSON is broken. Look for a trailing comma, a missing comma or curly quotes from a word processor.
• A password stopped working: a host panel rewrote the Admin or Friend group password. Use the one in the panel.
• The world looks brand new: saveDirectory changed, or the save went into another folder. Point it back at your savegame folder.
• Days are a few seconds long: the duration was entered in seconds or minutes instead of nanoseconds.

Changing settings on GamezServers

On a GamezServers Enshrouded server, Game settings in Settings picks the preset, and the Friend and Admin passwords and server name are panel fields too. They are written into enshrouded_server.json on every start, so for your own values set Game settings to Custom (from enshrouded_server.json) first, then edit the gameSettings block in the Files tab with the server stopped. Press Backup before you start. For roles beyond Admin and Friend, see Enshrouded server password and permissions.

FAQ

Can I change Enshrouded difficulty on an existing world?

Yes. Change gameSettingsPreset or the Custom values in enshrouded_server.json with the server stopped. The world and all bases stay as they are.

Why are my Enshrouded custom settings not working?

gameSettingsPreset is not Custom, so the server ignores the gameSettings block. On a hosted server, the panel may be resetting the preset on start.

Do Enshrouded server settings affect my character?

They change how the game plays, like health factors and XP, but the character itself is saved on each player's own device, not on the server.

Do I need to restart for Enshrouded settings to apply?

Yes. The server reads enshrouded_server.json only when it starts.