Best 7 Days to Die Server Settings for V3 and SandboxCode
Since V3.0, most of the gameplay settings older guides tell you to edit are no longer in serverconfig.xml. This page covers what that file still controls on a current server, how to set everything else with a SandboxCode, and the few keys that decide whether a busy 7 Days to Die server stays smooth on blood moon night.
The V3.0 "Dead Hot Summer" update (June 2026) removed 30 gameplay properties from serverconfig.xml, among them GameDifficulty, ZombieMove, ZombieMoveNight, BloodMoonEnemyCount, XPMultiplier and LootAbundance. They were replaced by a single SandboxCode property that stores the in-game Sandbox Options. The current stable build is V3.2.0, released on 26 August 2026, so a config copied from a V2.6-era guide is out of date for the shipping game.
A V3 server therefore has two layers. serverconfig.xml still holds the server itself: slots, world, view distance, zombie and animal caps, land claims and disk limits. The SandboxCode holds gameplay: zombie speeds, blood moons, XP, loot and death rules. Setting up from scratch? Start with how to make a 7 Days to Die server.
What you'll need
A quick checklist before you begin — have these ready and the rest is easy.
- A dedicated server on V3.x; the default public Steam branch is V3.2.0.
- The config file your start command passes with
-configfile=. - The game client, to build a SandboxCode in Sandbox Options.
- Console access (telnet or your panel) for
setgameprefchanges on a running save.
Configure a V3 server: the file, then the SandboxCode
Find the config file the server actually loads
The dedicated server only reads the file named in -configfile=. The Linux startserver.sh refuses to start without one, and the Windows startdedicated.bat passes serverconfig.xml from the install folder. Some tools pass their own copy instead (LinuxGSM names it after the instance), so check your start command before you edit a file that is never read.
./startserver.sh -configfile=serverconfig.xml
Take the V2-era gameplay keys out of the file
These properties were "removed/converted" in V3.0 and do not appear in the shipped V3.2 serverconfig.xml. The developers' migration advice is to recreate those choices in the in-game Sandbox Options and paste the resulting code, rather than keep editing these lines.
GameDifficulty XPMultiplier DayNightLength DayLightLength ZombieMove ZombieMoveNight ZombieFeralMove ZombieBMMove BloodMoonFrequency BloodMoonRange BloodMoonWarning BloodMoonEnemyCount LootAbundance LootRespawnDays AirDropFrequency AirDropMarker DeathPenalty DropOnDeath DropOnQuit JarRefund BiomeProgression StormFreq BlockDamagePlayer BlockDamageAI BlockDamageAIBM EnemySpawnMode EnemyDifficulty ZombieFeralSense AISmellMode QuestProgressionDailyLimit
Build a SandboxCode in the game and paste it
In the game client, open the new game screen, click Sandbox Options, pick a preset or adjust individual options, then use the copy code button. Paste the result as the SandboxCode value. The shipped default AAAJABJACJADJARFBNC is the Adventurer difficulty, the old GameDifficulty 1. Built a code on V3.0? V3.1 split enemy and animal density and respawn into day and night values, and the developers warn that an invalid code may default some or all settings, so generate it again on your current version.
<property name="SandboxCode" value="AAAJABJACJADJARFBNC"/>
Size the zombie cap for your player count
MaxSpawnedZombies (default 64) covers the entire world, not each player, and V3 scales it by use case: x1.9 during blood moons and x2.1 for sleepers. The shipped comment warns that changing it "can have a huge impact on performance". Raising it fills the map for more players but adds zombie AI for the CPU. MaxSpawnedAnimals (default 50) is the cheaper dial, since animals "don't consume as much CPU as zombies". Raise it only if many spread-out players hit the limit.
<property name="MaxSpawnedZombies" value="64" /> <property name="MaxSpawnedAnimals" value="50" />
Cap view distance and chunk mesh memory
ServerMaxAllowedViewDistance is the furthest view a client may request, from 6 to 12 (default 12). The file flags it as a "high impact on memory usage and performance". Lowering it saves memory at the cost of shorter sight lines for every player. MaxQueuedMeshLayers trades memory for chunk generation time, and DynamicMeshMaxItemCache uses more RAM at higher values.
<property name="ServerMaxAllowedViewDistance" value="12" /> <property name="MaxQueuedMeshLayers" value="1000" /> <property name="DynamicMeshEnabled" value="true"/> <property name="DynamicMeshLandClaimOnly" value="true"/> <property name="DynamicMeshMaxItemCache" value="3"/>
Set land claims, world size and disk limits
These stayed in the file. LandClaimCount (default 5) and LandClaimSize (41 blocks) control base protection. LandClaimExpiryTime is the real-world days a player can be offline before claims lapse. LandClaimDecayMode sets how offline claims weaken: 0 = slow, 1 = fast, 2 = none. For random worlds, WorldGenSize is officially 6144 to 10240 in multiples of 2048. SaveDataLimit caps each save in MB (-1 = off); when a save hits the limit, saved chunks may be reset to their original state to free space.
<property name="LandClaimCount" value="5"/> <property name="LandClaimSize" value="41"/> <property name="LandClaimExpiryTime" value="7"/> <property name="LandClaimDecayMode" value="0"/> <property name="WorldGenSize" value="6144"/> <property name="SaveDataLimit" value="-1"/>
Where the old knobs went
Blood Moon Count is a sandbox option now
The old BloodMoonEnemyCount is the "Blood Moon Count" option: the most zombies alive per player during a horde. Nearby players share a group cap of up to 30, and the world cap is about 1.9x MaxSpawnedZombies. The game's own text warns that raising it can greatly impact performance.
Zombie speed moved too
ZombieMove and ZombieMoveNight are now the Zombie Day Speed and Zombie Night Speed sandbox options. On V2.6 the numbers ran 0 walk, 1 jog, 2 run, 3 sprint, 4 nightmare, so the old night default of 3 was sprint, not run.
Difficulty is a preset
GameDifficulty became the sandbox presets, Scavenger to Insane. V3.0 also shipped official presets such as Undead Matinee, Legacy Survival and the perma-death Bite Club, and you can start from any of them before copying the code.
Crossplay needs default slots
The V3.2 file says crossplay servers are only listed and joinable with sanctions enforced and a default or lower slot count. ServerMaxPlayerCount ships at 8.
Common problems & fixes
Hit a snag? These are the issues people run into most — and how to solve them.
Difficulty, XP or loot changes do nothing
Those keys were removed from serverconfig.xml in V3.0. Set them in the Sandbox Options, copy the code and paste it as the SandboxCode value.
Settings reset to defaults after an update
A SandboxCode built on V3.0 may be invalid after V3.1 split density and respawn into day and night values. Build the code again on the current version.
Blood moons tank performance
Horde size comes from the Blood Moon Count sandbox option, capped at about 1.9x MaxSpawnedZombies across the world. Lower either one.
The server will not start and mentions the config
The server aborts on an error in the config file and tells you to update it for the current version. Compare your file with the serverconfig.xml shipped in the V3 install.
Crossplay players cannot find the server
Crossplay servers need sanctions enforced and a default or lower slot count. Keep ServerMaxPlayerCount at 8 and IgnoreEOSSanctions at false.
Skip the setup — host it with ESAGAMES
Rather not juggle serverconfig.xml and SandboxCode by hand? Our 7 Days to Die hosting gives you a panel with a file manager, console and one-click restart, on high-clock CPUs and NVMe behind a multi-Tbps Frankfurt network.
Frequently asked questions
Why are GameDifficulty and BloodMoonEnemyCount missing from my serverconfig.xml?
They were removed in V3.0 (June 2026) along with 28 other gameplay properties. Those settings now live in the SandboxCode property, which you generate from the Sandbox Options menu in the game and paste into serverconfig.xml.
What is SandboxCode in 7 Days to Die?
A serverconfig.xml property, added in V3.0, that stores all of your Sandbox Options in one short code. The shipped default AAAJABJACJADJARFBNC equals the Adventurer difficulty. Build your own code in the game's Sandbox Options and paste it as the value.
Is MaxSpawnedZombies per player?
No. It covers the whole world. In V3 it is scaled by use case, x1.9 during blood moons and x2.1 for sleepers, and the shipped file warns that changing it can have a huge impact on performance.
Which setting uses the most memory?
The shipped file flags ServerMaxAllowedViewDistance (6 to 12, default 12) as a high impact on memory usage and performance. MaxQueuedMeshLayers and DynamicMeshMaxItemCache also trade RAM against chunk generation.
My V3.0 SandboxCode stopped working after an update. Why?
V3.1 split enemy and animal density and respawn into separate day and night options. The developers warned that invalid codes may default some or all settings, so recreate the code on the version your server runs.
Can I change settings on an existing save?
Some game settings can't be changed once a game has started. The shipped serverconfig.xml says you can change at least some of them in-game with console commands, for example setgamepref BedrollDeadZoneSize 30.
Why does my server ignore my serverconfig.xml changes?
Either the start command loads a different file (check the -configfile= argument), or you edited a gameplay key that V3.0 moved into SandboxCode.
Keep reading
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