How to Change the Difficulty of Your Minecraft Server
Want to make your Minecraft server easier or tougher? Adjust the difficulty on your Minecraft server to control whether you play in a calm, enemy-free world or through a tough survival challenge. You can update the difficulty in three ways:
the server configuration file
Nexus “configs”
in-game commands if you’re a server operator (OP)
Minecraft offers four difficulty settings:
Peaceful: No hostile mobs spawn, health regenerates quickly, and hunger is not an issue. This is the best choice for creative building or relaxed gameplay.
Easy: Hostile mobs spawn, but damage is reduced, and hunger affects the player more slowly.
Normal: The default setting where mobs act and hit normally, and hunger decays as usual.
Hard: Mobs inflict more damage, and hunger depletes quickly. This setting provides a real survival challenge.
Log in to your Nexus Hosting Account.
Once on the dashboard, find and select your intended Minecraft server.
Select the** Files** option from the sidebar.
From your server’s directory, select the** server.properties** file. It controls many key server settings, including difficulty level.
Find the difficulty line and change it to your preferred setting (peaceful, easy, normal, or difficult). Then click Save Content.
### Step 6:
For the changes to take effect, you need to restart your server. Select the Terminal button from the sidebar and then click the yellow Restart button on the right side.
Nexus offers an alternative option if you prefer not to make “code-level” changes. Select the More button (three ellipses) from the sidebar and select Configs from the pop-up menu.
Make sure you are on the server.properties file by checking the drop-down box at the top of the page.
Find the difficulty setting from the list and type in your preferred setting. Then click Save.
Now restart the server, in the same way as shown in the server properties method.
**
Make sure you’re a server operator (OP). If you haven’t already made yourself an OP, see our guide on setting up operator privileges. It opens up a bunch of ways to control and manage your server.
Once you are an OP, you can change the difficulty without restarting the server. Log into your server and open the server console by pressing "**T**".
Use the /difficulty command followed by the desired difficulty level, then press Enter. For example:
/difficulty peaceful
The server will display a confirmation message indicating the new difficulty setting has been applied.
the server configuration file
Nexus “configs”
in-game commands if you’re a server operator (OP)
What are the Difficulty Levels?
Minecraft offers four difficulty settings:
Peaceful: No hostile mobs spawn, health regenerates quickly, and hunger is not an issue. This is the best choice for creative building or relaxed gameplay.
Easy: Hostile mobs spawn, but damage is reduced, and hunger affects the player more slowly.
Normal: The default setting where mobs act and hit normally, and hunger decays as usual.
Hard: Mobs inflict more damage, and hunger depletes quickly. This setting provides a real survival challenge.
Changing Difficulty in the Server Configuration File
Step 1:
Log in to your Nexus Hosting Account.
Step 2:
Once on the dashboard, find and select your intended Minecraft server.
Step 3:
Select the** Files** option from the sidebar.
Step 4:
From your server’s directory, select the** server.properties** file. It controls many key server settings, including difficulty level.
Step 5:
Find the difficulty line and change it to your preferred setting (peaceful, easy, normal, or difficult). Then click Save Content.
### Step 6:
For the changes to take effect, you need to restart your server. Select the Terminal button from the sidebar and then click the yellow Restart button on the right side.
Changing Difficulty with Nexus Configs
Step 1:
Nexus offers an alternative option if you prefer not to make “code-level” changes. Select the More button (three ellipses) from the sidebar and select Configs from the pop-up menu.
Make sure you are on the server.properties file by checking the drop-down box at the top of the page.
Step 2:
Find the difficulty setting from the list and type in your preferred setting. Then click Save.
Now restart the server, in the same way as shown in the server properties method.
**Changing Difficulty with In-Game Commands
Step 1:
Make sure you’re a server operator (OP). If you haven’t already made yourself an OP, see our guide on setting up operator privileges. It opens up a bunch of ways to control and manage your server.
Once you are an OP, you can change the difficulty without restarting the server. Log into your server and open the server console by pressing "**T**".
Step 2:
Use the /difficulty command followed by the desired difficulty level, then press Enter. For example:
/difficulty peaceful
The server will display a confirmation message indicating the new difficulty setting has been applied.
Updated on: 29/03/2025
Thank you!