Change the public listing by editing the server instance’s .ini file. Set PublicName to the name players should see, set PublicDescription to the tagline beneath it, and set Public=true if the server should appear in Project Zomboid’s in-game browser. Do not use ServerName for the browser name.
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Which settings control the server listing?
Project Zomboid separates the server’s instance configuration from the text displayed in the public browser. The three settings relevant to this task are:
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches| What you want to control | INI key | Example value | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name shown in the in-game server browser | PublicName |
PublicName=Riverside Community |
The browser uses PublicName, not ServerName. |
| Text shown beneath the name | PublicDescription |
PublicDescription=Casual co-op with weekly resets |
This is the listing tagline. |
| Whether the server is listed publicly | Public |
Public=true |
Use true for browser visibility; use false for direct-IP or invite-only play. |
Capitalization matters when you edit the keys. Use the spelling shown above and keep the normal key=value format used by the generated file.
Find the correct INI file
The default server configuration is usually servertest.ini in the Project Zomboid Server folder. A default installation uses “servertest” as its server instance name, which is why that filename is common.
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The filename follows the server instance name. If the instance was created with a custom name, look for an INI file using that name rather than automatically editing servertest.ini. Editing a different instance’s file will not change the server your players join.
Hosted-server naming can differ
Hosted environments may present files with names such as Pterodactyl.ini and Pterodactyl_SandboxVars.lua, based on the default instance name reported by one hosting-related search summary. That naming example was not verified against a specific hosting panel, so confirm the active instance name in your provider’s file manager or startup configuration before changing anything.
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Change the name and description step by step
- Identify the active server instance. Note the instance name used by the server you actually start. For a default setup, begin with
servertest.ini; for a renamed instance, use the matching filename. - Stop the server before editing. The available guides do not establish a universal live-reload rule for these settings. Stopping it first avoids editing a file while the process may still be writing configuration data.
- Make a backup copy. Duplicate the INI file and keep the copy outside the active configuration folder or give it a clearly different extension. If a later edit causes a problem, you can restore the previous values.
- Open the INI as plain text. Use a text editor that does not convert the file into a formatted document. You are editing configuration lines, not a rich-text description.
- Set the browser name. Find the line beginning with
PublicName=and replace only the value after the equals sign. For example:PublicName=Riverside Community - Set the browser description. Find
PublicDescription=and enter the short text you want displayed under the name. For example:PublicDescription=Casual co-op with weekly resets - Choose public visibility. Set
Public=truewhen players should discover the server through the in-game browser. SetPublic=falsewhen you intend to use a direct IP address or an invite-only arrangement. - Save the file without changing the key names. Keep each setting on its own line and retain the equals sign. Do not rename
PublicNametoServerName; that will not set the browser label. - Start the server again. No source in the available material confirms whether a restart is strictly required after an INI edit. Restarting is therefore the safe operational choice, not a documented guarantee of a particular reload behavior.
- Check the listing. Open the Project Zomboid server browser and search for the exact value you entered for
PublicName. Confirm that the description appears below it and that the server is visible only whenPublic=true.
Example configuration
A minimal public configuration might look like this:
Public=true
PublicName=Riverside Community
PublicDescription=Casual co-op with weekly resetsThe example values are illustrative. Replace them with your own server name and tagline; the important part is the key names and their placement in the active instance’s INI file.
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For a server that should not appear in the browser, use the same name and description keys if you still want those values stored, but change the visibility setting:
Public=false
PublicName=Private Group
PublicDescription=Friends-only sessionWith Public=false, players should not expect the server to be discoverable through the public browser. They would need the connection method you provide instead.
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Why the name still shows as “servertest”
You changed ServerName instead of PublicName
This is the most common configuration mistake described by the guides. The public browser label comes from PublicName. Return to the active INI file and edit that key directly.
You edited the wrong instance file
Check the filename against the server instance you launch. A custom instance does not necessarily use servertest.ini. If several INI files are present, compare each filename with the instance name used by the server startup process and edit only the matching file.
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The server is not public
Confirm that the active file contains Public=true. A correctly entered PublicName cannot make a server appear in the browser when public listing is disabled.
The process is still using the old configuration
Stop the server, save the edit, and start it again. The available sources do not document a guaranteed hot-reload process, so a restart is the prudent way to make the server read the saved file.
You are checking an older build or a different branch
Project Zomboid server behavior and startup procedures can change between builds. Verify that Steam is running the branch you intend to operate, then confirm that you edited the configuration generated for that installation.
Why the description is not visible
- Check the key spelling: it must be
PublicDescription, with no space between the words. - Check the active file: the description must be in the INI belonging to the running server instance, not an unused default file.
- Check visibility: the server must be publicly listed with
Public=truefor browser visitors to see the listing and its tagline. - Restart after saving: because the sources do not establish a confirmed live-reload requirement, restarting removes that uncertainty.
Keep the description concise enough to function as a browser tagline. The documented setting identifies what text is used, but the available material does not define a character limit or a formatting standard, so do not assume a specific maximum without checking the current build or hosting documentation.
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Direct-IP and invite-only servers
A public browser listing is optional. If players connect through a direct IP address or another private invitation method, set Public=false. In that case, changing PublicName and PublicDescription does not make the server public; those values are relevant to the listing, while Public determines whether listing is enabled.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The older -servername launch-parameter method
An older Steam guide written for Build 41 describes adding a -servername argument to the end of the StartServer64.bat launch line. That method is tied to an approximately four-year-old guide and an older build, so it should not be treated as the current primary procedure without checking it against the build you run.
For current installations, begin with the generated INI and the PublicName key. If you are maintaining an older Build 41 setup that already relies on -servername, document the existing startup line before changing it and verify which instance file the argument selects. Do not assume that a parameter documented for Build 41 has identical behavior on Build 42.
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Build 42 and version checks
A Build 42 wiki guide advised updating server files when Steam updates the Build 42 default branch and listed version 42.20.3 on 17 August 2026. The current date is 14 October 2026, so that version reference may already be obsolete.
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- Open Steam and check the branch selected for the server installation.
- Confirm the current Build 42 version shown by Steam rather than relying on the older 42.20.3 reference.
- Use the configuration files generated for that branch and instance.
- Recheck the public listing after updating, because an update can change which installation or generated file you are operating.
The key names in this guide are the documented settings for the browser name, description, and public visibility, but launch commands and version-specific procedures deserve a current-build check.
Conflicting defaults and what to trust
Different guides report different default values for MaxPlayers: one lists 32 and another lists 64. The available summaries do not identify which source corresponds to which generated configuration. That conflict does not change how you rename the server, but it is a warning against copying unrelated defaults from a guide.
When another setting matters, inspect the INI generated by your own server rather than replacing the whole file with a pasted example. Change only the keys required for the task, preserve the rest of the working configuration, and keep the backup you made before editing.
Safe editing checklist
- Use the INI belonging to the active server instance.
- Back up the file before making changes.
- Use
PublicNamefor the browser name. - Use
PublicDescriptionfor the text below the name. - Set
Public=truewhen browser listing is intended. - Set
Public=falsefor direct-IP or invite-only operation. - Preserve the exact key spelling and
key=valuesyntax. - Restart after saving as a safe, unverified operational practice.
- Check the current Steam branch before using Build 41 launch instructions or an older Build 42 version reference.
Quick decision table
| Goal | PublicName | PublicDescription | Public |
|---|---|---|---|
| Findable in the public browser | Set the desired listing name | Set the desired tagline | true |
| Private direct-IP server | Optional internal label | Optional internal description | false |
| Name changed but browser still shows the old label | Verify this key in the active instance file | Not applicable to the name problem | Confirm listing is enabled |
| Description missing | Not applicable | Verify this key in the active instance file | Confirm true for browser visibility |
Final verification
After the server starts, search for the exact PublicName value. If it is absent, work through the checks in this order: confirm the instance filename, confirm that the edited line is PublicName rather than ServerName, confirm Public=true, and restart after saving. If the server uses a custom host panel or an older launch script, verify which instance that panel or script starts before editing another file.
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