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Configure Factorio mod settings in two separate places: the Mod Settings screen for options exposed by mods, and the server startup configuration for listing and connection behavior. A dedicated server loads those mod settings from its save, while each player’s local persistence is handled separately. Start with the correct mod set, create or select a save, set the mod options, launch with the right server-settings file, and then verify what a joining client receives.
The distinction matters because server-settings.json does not replace mod configuration. It controls server-level fields such as name, visibility, tags, description and player limits. Mod options are associated with the game or save according to their scope, and multiplayer synchronization can make the save’s values override a player’s local choices.
Understand which setting you are changing
Factorio exposes several kinds of configuration, and each is stored and applied at a different time. Identify the scope before editing a file or restarting the server.
| Setting or file | Scope | Where it is kept | When it applies | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Startup mod settings | Mod-defined, normally selected before a map loads | With the game/save data used by the server | During map load; changes commonly require the map to be reloaded | Changes how a mod is initialized |
| Runtime-global mod settings | Map-wide | With the loaded save | While the map is running, subject to the mod’s rules | One value shared by the multiplayer map |
| Runtime-per-user mod settings | Individual player | Player data and, where applicable, save-specific data | While that player is connected | Personal behavior such as interface or control preferences |
mod-settings.dat |
Local player persistence | Local user data | Between local sessions; multiplayer behavior depends on synchronization choice | Remembers a player’s mod-setting choices |
server-settings.json |
Server listing and server-level options | A JSON file supplied at startup | When the dedicated server starts | Name, description, visibility, tags, player limits and related server options |
map-gen-settings.json |
World generation | A JSON file supplied when creating a map | Only with --create |
Terrain, resource generation and other map-generator parameters |
map-settings.json |
Simulation | A JSON file supplied when creating a map | Only with --create |
Pollution, evolution, biter expansion and other simulation parameters |
Do not put mod options in a map-generation or map-simulation file. Those files shape a new world; they are not general-purpose mod-setting stores. Likewise, changing the server listing JSON will not change a mod’s startup or runtime values.
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Prepare the server and its mod collection
Install one compatible mod set
Before changing settings, install every required mod and the exact versions expected by the save in the directory the server will use. A client must be able to load the same compatible mod set to join multiplayer. A missing mod, a different version, or a mod present only on the client can prevent the save from loading or trigger a synchronization failure.
Use an isolated directory when necessary
Administrators who host several instances can select a separate collection with the command-line option --mod-directory PATH. This keeps one server’s mods independent from another instance and makes it easier to reproduce a known set. Use an absolute path when services start from an unexpected working directory, and make sure the account running Factorio can read the directory and its files.
factorio --mod-directory /srv/factorio/mods-instance-a --start-server /srv/factorio/saves/world.zipThe option selects where the server looks for mods; it does not download or update them for you. Update the directory deliberately, then check that clients have the same versions before restarting a production world.
Create or select the save that will hold the map
Use an existing save
A dedicated server requires a save file. The multiplayer documentation explicitly requires that the save be created before the server starts. Select the intended .zip save and confirm that it was last saved with the mod set you plan to run.
Create a new map from the command line
For a new world, use --create SAVE. You can supply map-generation and simulation JSON files at the same time:
factorio --create /srv/factorio/saves/new-world.zip --map-gen-settings /srv/factorio/config/map-gen-settings.json --map-settings /srv/factorio/config/map-settings.jsonmap-gen-settings.json controls generator inputs such as terrain and resource distribution. map-settings.json controls simulation behavior such as pollution, evolution and biter expansion. These files are read while the new map is created; editing them later does not retroactively regenerate an existing world.
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Back up before changing shared values
Copy the save before changing startup or runtime-global settings. A backup gives you a rollback point if a mod combination fails to load or if a new value makes the map unexpectedly difficult. Keep the backup tied to the corresponding mod versions so it can be restored reliably.
Set mod options in Factorio
Open the Mod Settings screen
In the Factorio interface, open Mod Settings from the main menu or the in-game menu, then select the category and mod you need. The screen exposes only settings registered by installed mods. Read each mod’s description because a setting can affect generation, runtime behavior or only one player’s interface.
Choose the correct category
- Startup: values read while the game initializes mods. They affect how a map is loaded and normally need a restart or reload before the new value is active.
- Runtime-global: map-wide values. In a multiplayer game, this is the category that should be used for rules every participant must share.
- Runtime-per-user: personal values. These can differ between players and should not be used for a shared production rule.
Apply the change, save the map when prompted, and note which category you changed. A setting that appears to have reverted may simply be a per-user option while you were checking a different player’s behavior.
Set values before the server starts when possible
For a predictable dedicated-server launch, configure startup and shared runtime values in a controlled copy of the save, then shut down cleanly so the values are written. If a mod provides an in-game command or runtime UI for its global settings, use that mechanism while the server is running and save afterward. Do not assume that editing an unrelated JSON file will alter a mod setting.
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Configure server-level options separately
Copy the example file
Factorio includes data/server-settings.example.json. Copy it to a location you control, such as /srv/factorio/config/server-settings.json, and edit the copy rather than the example shipped with the installation. The exact installation path differs by operating system and installation method.
Edit listing and connection fields
The server-settings file is for server-level behavior: the public name, description, tags, visibility and player limits are common examples. Preserve valid JSON syntax, remove comments if your editor added any, and keep the file readable by the account that launches Factorio. A malformed JSON file can stop startup before the save is loaded.
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Use HTML escaping when documenting JSON in a web page; the actual file must contain ordinary JSON keys and values. For example, a minimal shape is:
{"name":"Co-op Factory","description":"Private test world","visibility":"lan"}The available keys and accepted values are defined by the example file for your Factorio version. Do not copy a key from a different release without checking that your installation recognizes it.
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Start a named save
Pass the save and server-settings file explicitly:
factorio --start-server /srv/factorio/saves/world.zip --server-settings /srv/factorio/config/server-settings.jsonIf your service account starts in another directory, use full paths. On Windows, quote paths containing spaces and use the executable appropriate to your installation.
Load the newest save automatically
For an instance that always resumes its latest save, use:
factorio --start-server-load-latest --server-settings /srv/factorio/config/server-settings.jsonThis still requires that at least one save already exists. Keep the server’s save directory organized so an unintended test save cannot become the latest file.
Combine an isolated mod directory
When the instance has its own mod collection, include both options:
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factorio --mod-directory /srv/factorio/mods-instance-a --start-server /srv/factorio/saves/world.zip --server-settings /srv/factorio/config/server-settings.jsonCommand-line parameters are applied before the game launches, which is why they are useful for dedicated hosts and automated services. Put the final command in the service definition or startup script used by your operating system, then restart the service after changing startup arguments.
Verify what clients actually receive
Check the server first
- Stop any old Factorio process for the same save so two instances cannot write it simultaneously.
- Confirm the command points to the intended save, mod directory and server-settings file.
- Start the server and watch the log for mod-load errors, missing files or JSON parsing errors.
- Load the map and inspect the Mod Settings screen from an administrative client.
- Change a harmless runtime-global value, save, reconnect and verify that it persists.
Check from a joining client
Have a client with the same compatible mod set join. Open Mod Settings and compare the relevant startup and runtime-global values with the server’s values. Test a runtime-per-user option separately; a personal value is not evidence that the map-wide configuration changed.
If the client is prompted about mod settings, pay attention to the keep mod settings per save choice. Factorio uses that choice to determine whether local settings are synchronized to the loaded save or whether the save’s synchronized settings take precedence. The result can differ between saves, which is why a setting that looks correct in a single-player game may change when you join a particular server.
Why settings seem to reset
The server loaded another save
Starting with --start-server-load-latest can select a different file than expected if several saves are present. Use an explicit save path while diagnosing the problem and verify the save’s timestamp and name.
The client kept a different per-save profile
mod-settings.dat preserves local player settings between sessions. In multiplayer, the keep-per-save choice can cause Factorio to apply the local profile for that save or to accept the values synchronized by the server. Check the choice for the specific save instead of assuming one global preference explains every world.
The setting belongs to another scope
A runtime-per-user option can legitimately differ from another player’s value. Conversely, changing a runtime-global value on a client does not make it authoritative if the server save supplies the shared value. Confirm the category shown in Mod Settings before troubleshooting files.
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The mod set or version changed
Changing a mod version can add, remove or rename settings. Ensure the server and clients use the same versions, then restart and reload the save. If the old setting no longer exists, Factorio cannot restore it under its previous name.
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The value was changed but the map was not saved
Runtime-global changes are associated with the save. If the process is terminated before a normal save, the previous value can return on the next launch. Save deliberately after administrative changes and keep a backup before experimenting.
Troubleshoot by symptom
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Server refuses to start and mentions JSON | Invalid or unsupported server-settings.json |
Restore the example structure, validate commas and quotes, and confirm keys belong to your Factorio version. |
| Clients cannot join because mods differ | Missing mod or mismatched version in the selected directory | Compare the server’s mod directory with each client, install the same versions, then restart. |
| Shared value changes back after reconnecting | Save was not written, another save was loaded, or synchronization replaced a local value | Save the map, launch with an explicit save path, and check the keep-mod-settings-per-save behavior. |
| Only one player sees the change | Runtime-per-user scope | Use the mod’s runtime-global setting for a map-wide rule, if the mod provides one. |
| New map has unexpected terrain or resources | Wrong map-gen-settings.json or an old save was loaded |
Verify the --create command and file path; map-generation settings affect creation, not an existing map. |
| Server uses the wrong mods | Working directory or mod directory differs from the intended instance | Add an explicit --mod-directory PATH and use absolute paths in the service command. |
Make configuration repeatable
Separate files by purpose
Keep the save, mod directory, server-settings JSON and map-generation files in clearly named locations. A practical layout is one directory for saves, one for each instance’s mods and one configuration directory containing server-settings.json, map-gen-settings.json and map-settings.json. This mirrors Factorio’s scope boundaries and reduces accidental edits.
Record the mod versions with the save
Store a text record of the enabled mods and versions beside your startup command. The save depends on that collection, while the server-settings file describes the host. Keeping both records lets another administrator reproduce the launch instead of guessing which files were active.
Use deliberate change windows
Change startup settings during a maintenance stop, back up the save, launch the server, and test with one client before inviting everyone back. Runtime-global changes can be made in-game when the mod supports them, but save afterward and document the new value. Treat runtime-per-user preferences as individual rather than part of the server baseline.
What each command-line option does
--start-server SAVEstarts a dedicated server with the specified save file.--start-server-load-lateststarts using the newest save available to the instance.--server-settings PATHloads server listing and server-level options from the specified JSON file.--mod-directory PATHselects the directory containing the server’s mods.--create SAVEcreates a new save and can be combined with map-generation and map-simulation JSON files.--map-gen-settings FILEsupplies world-generation parameters during creation.--map-settings FILEsupplies simulation parameters during creation.
None of these options is a substitute for the Mod Settings screen. The command line chooses the save, mods and server configuration; the save and mod system determine the mod values loaded into the map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does server-settings.json contain Factorio mod options?
No. It contains server-level and listing settings such as name, description, visibility, tags and player limits. Configure a mod through Mod Settings and save the map; the dedicated server then loads those values with the save.
How can I run two servers with different mods?
Give each instance its own mod collection and launch it with a separate --mod-directory PATH. Use explicit save and server-settings paths as well, so one service cannot select the other instance’s files.
Why does my single-player mod configuration change when I join a server?
Factorio separates local persistence in mod-settings.dat from values synchronized with a multiplayer save. The save-specific keep mod settings per save choice determines whether your local values are retained or the save’s synchronized values are used.
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