Want to keep your 7 Days to Die server private so only your friends can join? Setting a server password is the quickest way to lock the door. Anyone who tries to connect will be asked for the password before they can enter, whether they find your server in the browser or connect directly by IP.
The whole process takes about two minutes and only requires changing one line in your server's configuration file. Let's get it done!
Step 1: Open Your serverconfig.xml File
Every core setting for your 7 Days to Die server lives in a single file called serverconfig.xml, and the password is no exception.
- Log into your MintServers panel and click the Stop button to safely shut down your server.
- Navigate to the Files tab on the left-hand sidebar.
- In the file manager, locate
serverconfig.xmlin your server's main directory:
📁 server (your main server directory)
- Click on
serverconfig.xmlto open it in the text editor.
Step 2: Set Your Password
Near the top of the file, in the general server settings section, look for the ServerPassword property. By default, the value is empty, which means anyone can join.
- Find the line that looks like this:
<property name="ServerPassword" value=""/> - Type your chosen password between the quotation marks of the
valuefield. It should look like this:
", <, >) inside the password, as these are special characters in XML and can break the file.
- Click the Save Content button at the top right of the file editor.
- Head back to the Console tab and click Start.
SandboxCode system, don't worry. ServerPassword was not affected and is still its own line in serverconfig.xml, exactly as shown above.
Step 3: Joining a Password-Protected Server
Once the server is back online, the password takes effect immediately. Here is what your players will experience:
- When connecting from the in-game server browser or via Join Game > Connect To IP, a prompt will appear asking for the server password.
- After typing the password correctly once, the game remembers it for future sessions on most setups, so they won't need to re-enter it every time.
- Anyone who enters the wrong password is simply refused entry, and your world stays safe.
Removing the Password
If you later decide to open your server back up to the public, just reverse the change.
- Stop your server, open
serverconfig.xmlin the Files tab, and delete the password so the line readsvalue=""again. - Save the file and start your server. It will now accept anyone without a prompt.
🛠️ Troubleshooting Password Issues
No password prompt appears:The server is likely still running the old config. Make sure you fully stopped the server before editing, saved the file, and then restarted it.Correct password is rejected:Passwords are case-sensitive, and a stray space before or after the password inside the quotes counts as part of it. Re-open the file and check the value character by character.Server won't start after the edit:A special character like a quotation mark inside the password can break the XML formatting. Change the password to plain letters and numbers and try again.You want extra privacy:You can also hide your server from the public list entirely by settingServerVisibilityto0in the same file. Players will then only be able to join via your direct IP and password.
That's all there is to it! Your server is now locked down and only players with the password can get in. If the prompt still isn't showing up or the file just won't cooperate, no worries! Just open a support ticket and our team will be happy to help.