The dependable way to auto-restart a Minecraft server is to perform a clean stop, wait for the server process to exit, and then launch it again on a schedule. A hosting control panel can usually do this without code. A self-managed Linux server needs a restart script called by cron. Java and Bedrock use different launch commands, but both should warn players, save the world with the normal stop command, and only start again after the old process has ended.
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For a daily restart at 4:00 a.m., create a schedule with minute 0, hour 4, and wildcards in the remaining cron fields, or add 0 4 * * * to the Linux user’s crontab. Test the restart manually before relying on the schedule.
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Your server’s management model determines the simplest solution. A panel schedule is the least technical option; a script and cron provide more control on a virtual machine or dedicated Linux host.
| Method | Setup | Control | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting-panel schedule | Choose a time in the Schedules or Tasks area and select a power action | Usually limited to the panel’s actions and delay options | Servers managed entirely through a control panel |
| Linux script plus cron | Write a script, make it executable, then add a crontab entry | Can announce, wait for a clean shutdown, log output, and select Java or Bedrock launch arguments | Self-managed servers with SSH or console access |
Do not run both methods against the same instance. Two schedulers can issue overlapping stops or launch two server processes in the same world directory.
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Prepare the server before scheduling a restart
- Identify the exact server directory, launch command, Java memory settings, and screen or service name.
- Confirm that the account running the scheduler owns the server files and can write to the world and log directories.
- Keep the server’s normal console available so you can observe a manual stop and start.
- Tell players when the restart occurs. A clean restart still disconnects everyone, so choose a quiet period and provide warning time.
- Make one manual restart from the same account that will run the schedule. A command that works in an interactive shell can fail under cron because cron has a smaller environment and a different working directory.
Schedule a restart in a hosting panel
Panel names differ, but the workflow is usually under Schedules, Tasks, or a similarly named automation tab. The safest arrangement is a warning task followed by a separate restart action.
Create the warning
- Open the server’s Schedules or Tasks page and choose Create schedule or its equivalent.
- Set the schedule to the desired time. For 4:00 a.m. every day, use minute
0, hour4, day of month*, month*, and day of week*when the panel exposes cron-style fields. - Add a console command or command task that sends a message such as
say Server restarting in 60 seconds. Please log out safely.Do not include the leading slash when the panel’s console field expects a server command; use the panel’s documented format. - Set the warning task to run before the power action. A 60-second warning is a practical starting point; use a longer delay if players need time to finish activities.
Add the restart action
- Add a second task at the same daily time, or append an action to the existing schedule if the panel supports ordered tasks.
- Choose the power action labeled Restart the server. Do not choose a hard kill or forced stop unless the server is already unresponsive; a normal restart should let the server save and close cleanly.
- If the panel supports task delays, place the restart after the warning and set the delay to match the warning period.
- Save the schedule and check its next-run time. Verify the panel’s timezone rather than assuming it uses your local clock.
Test the panel schedule
Use a manual Run now option if available, or temporarily schedule a test a few minutes ahead. Watch the console for the warning, the stop sequence, and a new startup. Confirm that the world loads and that only one server process is running. Remove any temporary test schedule afterward.
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The example below follows the common screen-based layout: the Minecraft process runs in a detached screen session named mc, so it continues after an SSH connection closes. Change every path, session name, memory value, and jar name to match your installation.
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Java Edition script
#!/bin/bash
set -euo pipefail
SESSION='mc'
DIR='/home/mc/server'
JAVA_BIN='/usr/bin/java'
JAR='server.jar'
if ! screen -list | grep -q "[.]${SESSION}[[:space:]]"; then
echo "Minecraft screen session '${SESSION}' is not running" >&2
exit 1
fi
screen -S "$SESSION" -X stuff "say Restarting in 60 seconds$(printf 'r')"
sleep 60
screen -S "$SESSION" -X stuff "stop$(printf 'r')"
for _ in $(seq 1 120); do
if ! screen -list | grep -q "[.]${SESSION}[[:space:]]"; then
break
fi
sleep 1
done
if screen -list | grep -q "[.]${SESSION}[[:space:]]"; then
echo 'Minecraft did not exit within 120 seconds' >&2
exit 1
fi
cd "$DIR"
screen -dmS "$SESSION" "$JAVA_BIN" -Xmx4G -Xms4G -jar "$JAR" noguiThe stop command is sent through the server console, not typed as a Linux shell command. The loop waits for the screen session to disappear instead of assuming that a fixed 20-second delay is enough. Shutdown time varies with world size, disk speed, plugins, and mods; if the process remains after the timeout, the script exits rather than starting a second copy against the same world.
Install and test the script
- Save it as
/home/mc/restart_mc.sh, or another path outside the world directory. - Set ownership and executable permission for the account that owns the server:
chmod +x /home/mc/restart_mc.sh. - Run it interactively:
/home/mc/restart_mc.sh. Remain connected long enough to see the warning, stop, and new startup. - Attach to the console when needed with
screen -r mc. Detach without stopping the server usingCtrl-A, thenD. - Check the Minecraft log after the restart and confirm that the world, plugins, and players can reconnect.
If the script reports that the screen session is missing, start the server using its normal command first or change SESSION to the actual session name. If your installation uses systemd rather than screen, use the service’s stop and start operations in a dedicated unit or timer instead of mixing service control with a screen script.
Add the daily cron entry
Edit the crontab for the same Linux account that owns the server:
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crontab -eAdd this line for a daily 4:00 a.m. run:
0 4 * * * /home/mc/restart_mc.sh >> /home/mc/restart_mc.log 2>&1The five fields mean minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. Use full paths because cron may not load your interactive shell’s PATH. The displayed time follows the host or user’s configured timezone; check it before selecting a maintenance window. The log redirection preserves script errors and makes the first scheduled run easier to diagnose.
Java Edition and Bedrock Edition differences
Java Edition
Java servers are commonly launched with a command such as java -Xmx4G -Xms4G -jar server.jar nogui. Replace the memory values and jar filename with the values used by your server. The standard /stop server command saves changes, shuts the server down, and disconnects players. The Minecraft Wiki lists that command as requiring permission level 4 when issued in-game or through a permission system; a console command normally bypasses in-game chat permissions.
Bedrock Dedicated Server
Bedrock has a different executable. A commonly documented Linux launch form is:
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cd /home/mc/bedrock
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ./bedrock_serverTo keep it running after SSH disconnects, launch that command inside the same detached screen session used by the restart script. The exact executable location and startup wrapper vary, so treat the command above as an example rather than a universal installer command. Some Ubuntu setups use a start.sh wrapper or a systemctl service; in those cases, call the existing wrapper or service consistently for both manual and scheduled starts.
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Microsoft’s Bedrock command reference describes /stop as a dedicated-server command that requires the Owner permission level and enabled cheats. A third-party Bedrock administration guide also says allow-cheats=true must be present in server.properties, followed by a server restart, before server commands work. Enabling cheats changes the server’s command permissions, so make that setting deliberately and restrict console access.
For Bedrock, adapt the Java script’s final launch section to the executable, for example:
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cd '/home/mc/bedrock'
screen -dmS "$SESSION" bash -lc 'cd /home/mc/bedrock && export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. && exec ./bedrock_server'Keep the same sequence: announce, send stop, wait until the old process exits, then launch the executable. Do not start Bedrock while an earlier process still has the world files open.
How often should a Minecraft server restart?
There is no official restart interval or published statistic showing that one schedule improves every server. Hosting-provider guidance commonly suggests restarts every 6 to 12 hours for busy or heavily modded servers, while a small vanilla server may run longer between maintenance windows. Treat those intervals as operational advice, not a measured standard.
| Server situation | Starting schedule to evaluate | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Busy or heavily modded | Every 6–12 hours | Memory growth, plugin behavior, tick lag, and whether players can use the chosen maintenance windows |
| Small vanilla server | Longer than 12 hours, or once daily | Shutdown duration, log errors, and whether a restart solves an observed problem |
| Low-traffic private server | One quiet daily restart or an on-demand restart | Whether automation adds disruption without a practical benefit |
Schedule maintenance when the fewest players are online. A restart is not a substitute for investigating crashes, disk errors, runaway plugins, or an undersized host; it only creates a controlled stop-and-start cycle.
Troubleshoot failed automatic restarts
The schedule never runs
- Confirm the task is enabled and has a future next-run time.
- Check the panel or host timezone, including daylight-saving changes.
- For cron, verify the entry with
crontab -l, use the absolute script path, and inspect the redirected log. - Make sure the cron account has execute permission on the script and traverse permission on every parent directory.
The server stops but does not start
- Run the script manually and read its error output.
- Use absolute paths for Java, the Bedrock executable, and the server directory.
- Confirm that the jar or executable filename matches the installed version.
- Check whether the shutdown timeout was reached. A timeout should stop the script, not launch a second process; investigate the server log before trying again.
The stop command does nothing
- Verify that the script targets the correct screen session and that the Minecraft process is actually attached to it.
- Check the command syntax expected by the edition and panel. Java’s normal console command is
stop; Bedrock may require owner permission and enabled cheats for command execution. - Do not send a Linux
killas the first response. A forced termination can interrupt world saving.
Players receive no warning
Ensure the announcement task runs before the power action and that the message is sent to the Minecraft console, not the host shell. In a script, confirm that the screen session name is correct and that the carriage return in $(printf 'r') is retained; without an Enter keystroke, the text remains in the console input.
Two servers start or the wrong world loads
Look for duplicate panel schedules, duplicate cron entries, and manually launched copies. Check the script’s DIR value and use a distinct screen session for each independent server. A single world directory should have one active server process.
Quick Recap
Safe operating checklist
- Announce the restart before issuing
stop. - Use the normal stop command so the world can save and players are disconnected cleanly.
- Wait for the old process to exit; do not rely on a short fixed delay when shutdown time is unknown.
- Launch with the same working directory, executable, memory settings, and edition-specific arguments used during a successful manual start.
- Use full paths and capture cron output.
- Test the complete sequence manually, then perform one scheduled test before making the schedule permanent.
- Review logs after the first automatic run and after any Minecraft, plugin, mod, Java, or Bedrock executable update.
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