BeamMP Server Basics
This article covers how to change core settings on your BeamMP server, including the server name, map, player limits, and description. Read this first, because most BeamMP settings have to be changed in the Startup tab. If you change them anywhere else, they will revert.
Why settings revert if you edit the config file
The BeamMP server stores its configuration in a file called ServerConfig.toml. On our panel, several of the most important lines in that file are managed for you. Every time your server starts, the panel rewrites those lines using the values from the Startup tab.
That means if you open ServerConfig.toml in the Files tab and change a managed setting (for example the server name), your edit is overwritten the next time the server starts, and the file shows the old value again. This is expected behavior, not a bug.
The rule is simple:
- If a setting appears as a field in the Startup tab, change it there.
- If a setting does not appear in the Startup tab, change it in
ServerConfig.tomlwith the server stopped.
Settings managed in the Startup tab
These are the settings exposed as fields in the Startup tab. Anything shown there is panel-managed and must be changed there:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Server Name | The name shown in the server list and to players. |
| Map | The level the server loads. See the custom maps article for details. |
| Max Players | The maximum number of players allowed at once. |
| Max Cars | The maximum number of vehicles each player can spawn. |
| Description | The text shown under your server in the list. |
| Private | true hides the server from the public list. false shows it. |
| Auth Key | Your BeamMP Keymaster key. Required for the server to appear in the list. |
Your Port is assigned by us through the server's network allocation. Do not change the port in the config file, it will not work. Check the Network tab for your assigned port.
The exact fields you see may vary slightly depending on your plan. If a field is shown in your Startup tab, it is managed there regardless of whether it is listed above.
How to change a managed setting
- Open the Startup tab.
- Edit the field you want to change.
- Restart the server from the Console tab so the change takes effect.
That is all. You do not need to touch ServerConfig.toml for any of these.
Settings not in the Startup tab
Some settings are not exposed as Startup fields, for example Tags, LogChat, and AllowGuests. These live only in ServerConfig.toml and are safe to edit directly, as long as you do it with the server fully stopped.
How to change an unmanaged setting
- Stop the server from the Console tab. Fully stop it, do not just restart. The server can overwrite the config file on shutdown if it is still running when you save.
- Go to the Files tab and open
ServerConfig.toml. - Edit the value and save.
- Start the server.
Server name color and formatting codes
BeamMP supports color and style codes in the server name and description using the ^ character. For example:
^4My Server ^fName^4 sets one color, ^f resets to white. You can combine these for multi-color names. Put the full string into the Server Name field in the Startup tab.
Troubleshooting
My setting keeps reverting after a restart.
It is a managed setting. Change it in the Startup tab, not in ServerConfig.toml.
The server will not start after I edited the config file.
You most likely introduced a TOML syntax error, usually a missing or extra quote. Open ServerConfig.toml, check the line you edited, and make sure string values are wrapped in quotes (for example Tags = "Freeroam,Racing").
My server is not showing in the public list.
Most of the time, this is due to not changing the server name in the Startup tab. Please check there. If the name is set, ensue Private is set to false in the Startup tab, confirm your Auth Key is valid, and wait a minute or two after startup. Check the Console for authentication errors.
If you are still stuck, open a ticket and include a copy of your Console log from the failed start.
