No—not when the server is empty. Aternos automatically stops free servers after the last player leaves, so there is no supported hidden setting, command, redstone machine, or plugin that provides continuous 24/7 uptime. The documented way to get longer or adjustable uptime is Aternos’ paid hosting platform, exaroton.
How Aternos’ stop countdown works
A free Aternos server remains online while at least one player is connected. When the last player leaves, the stop countdown returns and begins running again. This automatic shutdown is part of Aternos’ resource-limited free hosting model.
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You can see the countdown on the server page, on the left side of the green status bar. When fewer than 60 seconds remain, a +1 button appears. Clicking it adds one minute to the timer so a player has more time to join. It does not disable the shutdown system or create permanent uptime.
What you can do instead
Keep a player connected during a session
If someone remains connected, the server can stay online. This is suitable for an active multiplayer session, but it is not the same as an unattended 24/7 server and should not be treated as a way to bypass Aternos’ shutdown system.
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- Play and share with friends on console, mobile and Windows 10
- discover community creations in the new in-game store
- access new mini games and game modes through servers
Use exaroton for adjustable uptime
Aternos identifies exaroton as its solution for longer or adjustable hosting. Choose this route if players need to connect at any time without someone already being online.
Starting an Aternos server correctly
- Open the server’s server page.
- Click Start.
- If Aternos places you in a queue, remain on the queue screen. It shows your position and an estimated waiting time.
- Near the front, click the green confirmation button when it appears. If you do not confirm, Aternos removes you from the queue and you must start again.
You can leave the queue with the red Stop button, but doing so discards your position. After confirmation, Aternos says the server starts within a few minutes. See the official queue instructions.
Settings that help with unattended starts—but do not create 24/7 uptime
Automatic updates
Automatic updates can reduce the need for manual approval when starting a server, but they do not stop Aternos from shutting down an empty server. Open server page → Version section → Automatic updates and choose:
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →- Ask: the default; Aternos notifies you about an available update and requests confirmation before starting.
- Always: installs an available update automatically when the server starts.
- Never: disables automatic updates; you update manually.
The current supported software list for this feature is Vanilla, Bedrock, PaperMC, Spigot, Purpur, and PocketMine. It is not available for every server software option. Because updates can change server files, Aternos recommends keeping backups. Details are in the automatic-updates documentation.
Problems that can stop a server unexpectedly
Oversized log files
Aternos stops a server when its log exceeds the platform’s size limit. The log includes:
[Aternos System/ERROR]: Server was stopped because the log file is too large.Aternos lists broken plugins, broken mods, and command blocks that continuously produce output as common causes. If command blocks are generating unnecessary messages, run this in the Aternos Console:
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- Play and share with friends on console, mobile and Windows 10
- discover community creations in the new in-game store
- access new mini games and game modes through servers
/gamerule commandBlockOutput falseThis suppresses command-block output; it does not bypass the empty-server stop countdown. Persistent errors from plugins or mods still need to be fixed or removed. Read Aternos’ guidance on oversized logs.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsPending status
Pending means the host machine running the server is unreachable. Aternos advises waiting for automatic recovery and says its team is informed automatically, so contacting support is unnecessary while the status is resolving.
After 10 minutes, a Cancel button appears. Do not use it unless you accept the consequences: Cancel skips recovery, causes data loss, and cannot be undone. Lost data often includes progress since the server was last started, although the loss can be greater depending on the failure. See the Pending-status documentation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Preventing long-term inactivity deletion
The empty-server countdown is separate from Aternos’ inactivity deletion policy. Aternos typically deletes servers that have not been started for around three months and sends a warning to the linked email address several days beforehand.
To prevent this separate deletion, open the server page and press Start at least once before the deadline. You do not need to join the server. This does not keep the server online continuously; it only resets the long-term inactivity risk.
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Recovering a deleted server
Automatically deleted servers may appear under Previous Servers on the servers page. Select the server and choose Restore Backup if a backup is available. The feature was introduced in April 2025, so servers deleted before then—or servers deleted manually—may not appear.
A restored backup contains server files, but it does not restore shared access or custom domains. If another user has claimed the old server address, that address cannot be recovered. If no backup exists, the deleted data is permanently unrecoverable, including by Aternos support. See Previous Servers and recovery.
Quick Recap
Why common 24/7 workarounds do not work
- Hidden 24/7 setting: Aternos’ current documentation describes automatic stopping for empty free servers, not a setting that disables it.
- Commands, command blocks, or redstone: These do not prevent the host-level shutdown when nobody is connected.
- Plugins, mods, or an AFK account: Aternos restricts FTP and unrestricted custom plugin/mod uploads partly because such files could be used to bypass automatic shutdown. An AFK connection also does not turn free hosting into supported 24/7 service.
- +1: The button adds one minute only; it is intended to give a player time to join.
- Starting once: Starting the server once helps prevent inactivity deletion, not the normal shutdown after the last player leaves.
Best option by use case
| What you need | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Play with friends during scheduled sessions | Start the free Aternos server when needed and keep at least one player connected. |
| Let players join an empty server at any time | Use exaroton or another host that explicitly supports the required uptime. |
| Prevent an old server from being deleted | Start it at least once before Aternos’ inactivity deadline and keep backups. |
| Keep a server from stopping because of errors | Inspect the log, fix broken plugins/mods, and suppress excessive command-block output where appropriate. |
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