How to change simulation distance on a Minecraft server

Set simulation-distance=6 in server.properties and restart the server. Mobs, crops and redstone only run within 6 chunks of players, which cuts lag.

simulation-distance

Sets how many chunks around each player are actively ticked, for mobs, crops and redstone.

simulation-distance=<value>

Examples

simulation-distance=6

Lighter load, farms only run close to players.

Arguments

valueRequired: The value to write after the equals sign.

What it does

Beyond this distance the world is visible but frozen. Lowering it is one of the most effective ways to reduce server lag, while view-distance can stay higher so players still see far.

Good to know

Changes take effect after a server restart.

Run it on your server

On a SLASHPLAY server, type it in the Console tab without the leading slash; in game, operators type it in chat with the slash. New to this? Start a Minecraft server first.

Your own
Minecraft server.

Start a Minecraft server All commands

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