> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.freakhosting.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Unturned Server Settings Explained (Commands.dat and Config.txt) > Unturned server settings explained: every Game settings field, the presets, the defaults per mode and how changes are saved to Commands.dat and Config.txt. The **Game settings** page in the FREAKHOSTING Game Panel changes your Unturned server's settings in plain words: name, password, mode, map, player slots, zombies, loot, vehicles, death penalties and more. You change a field, click **Review and save**, check the exact lines that change in `Commands.dat` or `Config.txt`, and save. The old file is kept as a `.bak` copy. Changes apply after a restart. | Difficulty | Time | Works on | Panel page | | - | - | - | - | | Beginner | 5 minutes | Every FREAKHOSTING Unturned server | **Game settings** | ## How to change a setting **1. Open Game settings** Open your server and click **Game settings** under **GAME SETTINGS**. **2. Find the setting** Type in **Search settings**, or switch from **All** to **Changed** to see only what you changed. Tick **Show advanced settings (5)** to show the advanced fields. **3. Review and save** Change the field and click **Review and save**. The **Review your changes** dialog shows each line that changes. Click **Save changes**. **4. Restart the server** If the server is running, click **Restart now** in the banner, or [restart the server](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/game-panel/how-to-start-stop-and-restart-your-game-server.md) later. ![Unturned Game settings page showing Checks, Search settings, Presets and the Server section with Server name, Mode, Map and Player slots](https://mintcdn.com/freakhostingltd/DHEkFogaRHlgkEmZ/images/games/unturned/unturned-game-settings.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=DHEkFogaRHlgkEmZ\&q=85\&s=53e333be4de7360fab33f5760f77fd98) The Game settings page with Checks and the Server section ![Review your changes dialog for Unturned showing a Welcome line added to Commands.dat and the note that Commands.dat.bak is kept](https://mintcdn.com/freakhostingltd/DHEkFogaRHlgkEmZ/images/games/unturned/unturned-review-changes.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=DHEkFogaRHlgkEmZ\&q=85\&s=1caf26bcfa8fbaba214a81165d804697) Review your changes shows the exact line written to Commands.dat **Checks** at the top lists problems the page finds in your files. "Nothing to fix." means it found none. To edit a file by hand, use **Config.txt: open the raw file** or **Commands.dat: open the raw file** at the bottom of the page. A rule you leave unset uses the default of the server's **Mode** (Easy, Normal or Hard). The tables below show those defaults. ## What do the presets do? **Presets** fill in several settings at once. Nothing is saved until you review and save. | Preset | What it does | | - | - | | **Relaxed survival** | Normal mode with slow zombies and no instant headshot kills | | **Hardcore** | Hard mode with sprinters and no crosshair | ## Server | Field | What it does | Default | | - | - | - | | **Server name** | The name in the server list (also on **Startup**) | Hosted by FREAKHOSTING.COM | | **Server password** | Players need it to join; empty means open (also on **Startup**) | Not set | | **Mode** | Which difficulty rules the server uses: Easy, Normal or Hard | Normal | | **Map** | The map the server runs, for example PEI, Russia, Washington, Germany or Yukon | PEI | | **Player slots** | How many players can be online at once. Set by your plan: the panel rewrites it at every start | Your plan | | **Camera** | First person only, Third person only, Both, or Third person in vehicles | Both | | **Welcome message** | Shown to players when they join | Empty | **Map** is marked **CAREFUL**: a map that is not installed stops the server from starting. Workshop maps such as Hawaii must be downloaded first. See [Workshop maps](https://help.freakhosting.com/games/unturned/how-to-add-workshop-maps-to-unturned.md). ## Server list | Field | What it does | Default | | - | - | - | | **Steam game server login token** | Your GSLT; required on our servers (also **GSLT** on **Startup**) | Set by you | | **Short description** | One line in the server list | Empty | | **List description** | A longer description in the server list | Empty | | **Full description** | The full description on the server page | Empty | | **Icon address** | Web address of a 64 by 64 icon (http or https) | Empty | | **Thumbnail address** | Web address of a larger picture (http or https) | Empty | | **Monetization** | What the server list shows: Not specified, None, Only cosmetic or non-gameplay items, or Monetized | Not specified | See [how to set a GSLT](https://help.freakhosting.com/games/unturned/how-to-set-a-gslt-on-your-unturned-server.md). ## Limits and safety | Field | What it does | Default | | - | - | - | | **Valve Anti-Cheat** | Players are checked by VAC | On | | **BattlEye** | Players must run BattlEye | On | | **Highest ping** | Players above this ping are kicked | 750 ms | | **Queue timeout** | Seconds a player can wait in the queue without answering | 15 | | **Game timeout** | Seconds a player can be silent before being dropped | 30 | | **Shut down every day** | Shuts the server down at a set time each day | Off | | **Shut down for updates** | Shuts the server down when a game update is released | Off | With **Valve Anti-Cheat** or **BattlEye** off, cheaters can join. A server that shuts itself down stays off; add a [schedule](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/game-panel/how-to-configure-schedules-and-tasks.md) to start it again. ## Zombies | Field | What it does | Easy | Normal | Hard | | - | - | - | - | - | | **Zombie spawn chance** | How likely a zombie spawn point holds a zombie (0 to 1) | 0.2 | 0.25 | 0.3 | | **Zombie damage** | How hard zombies hit | 0.75 | 1 | 1.5 | | **Zombie armor** | How much damage zombies resist; higher is tougher | 1.25 | 1 | 0.75 | | **Crawler chance** | Share of zombies that are crawlers | 0 | 0.15 | 0.125 | | **Sprinter chance** | Share of zombies that are sprinters | 0 | 0.15 | 0.175 | | **Slow zombies** | Zombies move slowly | On | Off | Off | | **Zombie respawn (day)** | Seconds before a killed zombie respawns by day | | 360 | | | **Zombie respawn (night)** | Seconds before a killed zombie respawns at night | | 30 | | ## Items and vehicles | Field | What it does | Easy | Normal | Hard | | - | - | - | - | - | | **Item spawn chance** | How likely an item spawn point holds an item (0 to 1) | 0.35 | 0.35 | 0.15 | | **Item respawn** | Seconds before looted items respawn | 50 | 100 | 150 | | **Items wear out** | Weapons and tools lose durability | Off | On | On | | **Dropped items vanish after** | Seconds before a dropped item disappears | | 600 | | | **Vehicle decay time** | Seconds before an unused vehicle starts to decay | | 604800 (7 days) | | | **Vehicle respawn** | Seconds before a destroyed vehicle respawns | | 300 | | More on loot: [loot spawn rate and respawn](https://help.freakhosting.com/games/unturned/configuring-loot-tables.md). ## Players | Field | What it does | Easy | Normal | Hard | | - | - | - | - | - | | **Experience** | How fast players gain experience; 1 is normal | 1.5 | 1 | 1.5 | | **Skills lost on death (PvP)** | Share of skill experience lost when killed by a player (0 to 1) | | 1 | | | **Skills lost on death (PvE)** | Share lost when killed by zombies or the world | | 1 | | | **Items lost on death (PvP)** | Share of items dropped when killed by a player (0 to 1) | | 1 | | | **Items lost on death (PvE)** | Share dropped when killed by zombies or the world | | 1 | | | **Broken legs** | Falling can break a player's legs | | On | | | **Bleeding** | Injuries can make a player bleed | | On | | | **Instant headshot kills** | A headshot always kills | Off | Off | On | To let players keep their items when they die, set both **Items lost on death** fields to `0`. ## Gameplay rules | Field | What it does | Default | | - | - | - | | **Friendly fire** | Group members can hurt each other | Off | | **Hit markers** | Show a marker when you hit something | On | | **Crosshair** | Show the crosshair | On | | **Suicide command** | Players can use the suicide button | On | | **Leave countdown** | Seconds a player waits to leave the server | 10 | | **Respawn countdown** | Seconds a player waits to respawn | 10 | | **Teleport home countdown** | Seconds a player waits to teleport to their bed | 30 | | **Group size** | Most players in one group; 0 means no limit | 0 | ## Weather and airdrops | Field | What it does | Default | | - | - | - | | **Airdrops** | Supply drops fall from the sky | On | | **Weather frequency** | How often rain and snow come; 1 is normal | 1 | ## Where are the files? | File | What is in it | | - | - | | `Servers/PterodactylUnturned/Server/Commands.dat` | Startup commands, one per line, such as `Welcome`, `Owner` and `Cheats` | | `Servers/PterodactylUnturned/Config.txt` | Gameplay rules, server list descriptions and server limits | | `Servers/PterodactylUnturned/WorkshopDownloadConfig.json` | Steam Workshop mods and maps | `Config.txt` explains each option in comments that start with `>`, with the Easy, Normal and Hard defaults. For commands you can add by hand, see [server commands](https://help.freakhosting.com/games/unturned/unturned-server-commands.md). ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need to restart after changing a setting? Yes. Unturned reads `Commands.dat` and `Config.txt` when it starts, so restart after you save. ### Why did my change not apply? The server was still running with the old settings, or the map wasn't installed. Restart, then check the [console](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/game-panel/how-to-use-the-server-console.md). If a file edit broke something, the `.bak` copy has the previous version. ### Where do I turn on cheats or set the owner? There is no field for them. Add `Cheats` or `Owner ` to `Commands.dat` with **Commands.dat: open the raw file**. See [how to become admin](https://help.freakhosting.com/games/unturned/how-to-become-admin-on-your-unturned-server.md). ### Can I turn off PvP? Add the line `PvE` to `Commands.dat` while the server is stopped. **Friendly fire** only controls damage inside a group. ## Related guides > [card] [Unturned server guide](https://help.freakhosting.com/games/unturned/unturned-server-hosting-guide.md) > > Every Unturned page in one place. > [card] [Getting started](https://help.freakhosting.com/games/unturned/getting-started-with-your-unturned-server.md) > > Set up and join your server. > [card] [Loot spawn rate](https://help.freakhosting.com/games/unturned/configuring-loot-tables.md) > > Item spawn chance and respawn. > [card] [Server commands](https://help.freakhosting.com/games/unturned/unturned-server-commands.md) > > Commands.dat and console commands. > [card] [File Manager](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/game-panel/how-to-use-the-file-manager.md) > > Edit files by hand. *** > [!NOTE] > > **Tested by the FREAKHOSTING team** on our Game Panel on 2 November 2026 (Unturned 3.26.3.13 with RocketMod 4.9.3.18). Steps may differ slightly if the game changes. > [!NOTE] > > ### Need Extra Help? > > If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist: > > * **Live Chat:** Quick assistance via our website. > * **Support Ticket:** [Open a Ticket](https://freakhosting.com/clientarea/submitticket.php) > * **Discord:** [Join our Community](https://discord.gg/freakhosting) > * **Email:** [support@freakhosting.com](mailto:support@freakhosting.com) > [!TIP] > > ### Save on Your Hosting > > Ready to upgrade your hosting? Use code **KB20** at checkout for **20% off** your first order! *** **Last Updated:** November 2026 This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.