---
title: "How to Change the Maximum Number of Players on a PocketMine-MP Server"
description: "Learn how to easily change the maximum number of simultaneous players on your PocketMine-MP server using the server.properties file to optimize your hosting performance."
category: jeux
subcategory: minecraft-bedrock
docGroup: pocketmine
docGroupIcon: tabler:brand-minecraft
icon: tabler:file-text
date: 2026-07-23
author: Winheberg
slug: "change-max-players-pocketmine"
order: 52
image: /statics/images/docs/en/gaming/minecraft-bedrock/change-max-players-pocketmine.webp
tags: [pocketmine, minecraft, bedrock, configuration, vps]
keywords: [pocketmine-mp, max-players, minecraft bedrock server, winheberg, server.properties configuration, change minecraft players, vps performance]
link_fr: "/docs/minecraft-bedrock/modifier-joueurs-max-pocketmine"
---

## Context

Within a PocketMine-MP environment, regulating simultaneous connections constitutes a fundamental pillar of network administration and infrastructure performance management. The maximum number of users capable of connecting concurrently is determined by a simple yet highly critical configuration directive.

Adjusting this parameter allows you to efficiently correlate network load and hardware resource allocation (CPU/RAM) with your Winheberg game hosting plan or VPS instance.

## Locating the Configuration File

All global directives governing your PocketMine-MP instance are centralized within a single text configuration document:

```properties
server.properties
```

This file is located at the root of your storage directory (`/`). To access it and modify its configuration variables, two methods are available:

- **The File Manager**: Accessible directly from the web interface of your [panel.winheberg.com](https://panel.winheberg.com/).
- **A Third-Party SFTP Connection**: By utilizing a specialized client such as [FileZilla](https://filezilla-project.org/) or [WinSCP](https://winscp.net/).

## Modifying the Maximum Player Count: Step-by-Step Guide

Riggorously apply the following steps to resize your connection slots while preventing any risk of data inconsistency or loss.

### 1. Terminate the Server Process

> [!IMPORTANT]
> Before editing any system or configuration file, you must imperatively stop your game instance from running. If the process remains active in the background, the PocketMine-MP engine will automatically overwrite your changes during its next write cycle or when the server shuts down.

### 2. Edit the server.properties File

Open the document using the text editor integrated into your panel or via a local development environment (such as VS Code or Notepad++). Locate the `max-players` directive. By default, the instruction appears as follows:

```ini
max-players=20
```

### 3. Adjust the Numerical Value

Replace the default integer value with the restrictive threshold you wish to enforce on your application infrastructure:

- **Private or Restricted Configuration (Staff / Testing):**
  ```ini
  max-players=10
  ```
- **Standard Community Configuration:**
  ```ini
  max-players=50
  ```
- **Optimized High-Load Infrastructure:**
  ```ini
  max-players=100
  ```

### 4. Save Changes

If you are using the web editor on the Winheberg panel, validate your changes by clicking the **Save Content** button or use the standard keyboard shortcut <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>S</kbd> (<kbd>Cmd</kbd> + <kbd>S</kbd> on macOS). If transferring via SFTP, ensure you upload and overwrite the file in your remote space.

### 5. Initialize the Server

Return to the **Console** tab of your management panel and click the start button. Your modifications are instantly applied by the core engine and become visible from the server index menu on the Minecraft Bedrock client interface.

## Resource Allocation and Performance

> [!WARNING]
> Artificially increasing the `max-players` variable does not guarantee that your hardware resources can absorb the influx of users without performance degradation (*TPS drop* or *lag*).

Each connected profile continuously generates entity calculations, network refresh requests, and world segment allocations (*chunks*). The actual performance of your instance depends on the following critical factors:

| Component / Impact Factor | Role and Influence on System Load |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Processor (CPU)** | Critical element affected by in-game physics calculations, entities (mobs/projectiles), and synchronous plugin logic. |
| **Random Access Memory (RAM)** | Required to maintain chunks loaded in memory and process temporary database information (player sessions). |
| **Extensions (Plugins)** | Heavy, obsolete, or poorly optimized scripts drastically reduce the machine's raw capacity. |
| **World Optimization** | The rendering distance (*view-distance*) exponentially multiplies CPU/RAM usage per connected player. |

## Troubleshooting

### ❌ The Max Player Slot Count Reverts to Default Upon Startup
- **Process Termination Failure**: The server was not completely stopped when editing the file. Use the **Stop** button on the console, wait for the background process to end, and then re-edit the `server.properties` file.
- **Syntax Error**: Ensure that no spaces are present around the `=` sign and that no alphabetic characters have been inserted (e.g., enter `max-players=50` and not `max-players = 50 slots`).

### ❌ The Server Experiences Severe Lag When the Limit is Reached
- **Hardware Saturation**: Your hosting plan or current plugin configuration cannot sustain such a load. Reduce the `max-players` setting or optimize your general engine configuration files (`pocketmine.yml`).

## Administrative Best Practices

- **Incremental Scaling**: We recommend increasing the number of slots gradually (in increments of 5 to 10 slots) to analyze the performance impact on the Winheberg panel's CPU and RAM utilization graphs.
- **Correlation with View Distance**: If you significantly increase the maximum player count, proportionally lower the `view-distance` variable in your configuration files to limit the volume of chunks loaded simultaneously.
- **System Restore Points**: Form the habit of generating a manual backup via the **Backups** tab before altering configuration files to quickly restore your environment in case of a mishap.

## Need Help?

Regulating the `max-players` parameter remains the most direct mechanism to safeguard your PocketMine-MP architecture against system overloads. Finding the optimal balance will ensure a smooth gaming experience for your community.

If your modifications are not being registered or if you encounter capacity planning challenges, our technician teams are at your disposal. You can submit a support ticket to our **Technical** department from your client area at [billing.winheberg.com](https://billing.winheberg.com) by attaching your PocketMine-MP subscription for personalized expert assistance.

Happy administration and have a great game on your Winheberg infrastructure! 🎮