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For a vanilla Terraria server, change the join message by editing the motd= line in the serverconfig.txt file used with the server’s -config option, then restart the server. For TShock, edit motd.txt in the server’s tshock folder. Terraria uses “MOTD” for the message players see when joining; a separate, officially verified vanilla server-name or server-list description setting has not been established.
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What “server description” and “MOTD” mean in Terraria
Terraria administrators commonly use two phrases for related but different pieces of server information:
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- MOTD (message of the day): the text shown to a player when they join. This is the field you can reliably change on a vanilla server.
- Server description or name: the identifying text players may see in a server browser or saved-server list. The available evidence does not verify a separate vanilla configuration key for this field.
If your goal is a welcome message, rules notice, Discord address, event announcement, or short introduction displayed during connection, change the MOTD. Do not assume that changing the MOTD will rename the entry shown in a third-party hosting panel or server list; those labels can be controlled elsewhere.
Change the MOTD on a vanilla Terraria server
The vanilla dedicated server reads the MOTD from the configuration file supplied at startup with the -config flag. The official Terraria Wiki’s Server page lists motd as the message-of-the-day configuration option. A typical configuration file contains several key-value lines, for example:
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maxplayers=8
difficulty=0
port=7777
password=
motd=Welcome to my Terraria server!The exact surrounding options can differ between installations. The important part is the line beginning with motd=.
1. Stop the server cleanly
Tell players that the server will restart, then stop it through the dedicated-server console, your operating system service manager, or the hosting panel’s stop button. Editing while the process is writing its configuration can leave you unsure which file will be read on the next launch.
2. Find the configuration file used by startup
Look at the command or script that launches the server. You may see an argument similar to:
TerrariaServer.exe -config serverconfig.txtOn Linux, the executable and path may use different capitalization or directories, but the relationship is the same: the value after -config identifies the file the server loads. If the command points to an absolute path, edit that file rather than a similarly named copy in another folder.
If you do not see -config, the server may be started by a panel or wrapper that creates its own configuration. Check the panel’s startup settings before making a manual edit.
3. Edit the motd= line
Open the file as plain text. Replace only the text after the equals sign. For example:
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An empty value, such as motd=, removes the custom message. If the file already contains an MOTD line, edit that line instead of creating several competing entries. Configuration parsers generally use one value for a key; duplicate lines make it unclear which value will win.
4. Save with the same filename and extension
Save the file as the exact name referenced by -config. Be careful with editors that silently append .txt; a file that becomes serverconfig.txt.txt will not be loaded when startup expects serverconfig.txt. Keep the file as ordinary text and avoid rich-text formats.
5. Start the server again
Launch the same startup command or use the panel’s start control. A hosting provider’s Terraria instructions also describe changing the motd= line and then restarting. The new message is normally read at startup, so a restart is the reliable way to apply the file change.
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6. Test as a player
Join from a client account after the server is online. Check the complete message, punctuation, capitalization, and line length. If you still see the old text, do not keep editing random files: first confirm the running process is using the file named after -config, then check whether a panel regenerated the file.
Change the MOTD on a TShock server
TShock stores the join message separately from the vanilla serverconfig.txt file. Edit motd.txt inside the server’s tshock folder.
1. Stop TShock before editing
Use the TShock console, service manager, or host panel to stop the server. This avoids testing against a process that has not reread the file and reduces the chance that a panel or shutdown routine writes over your change.
2. Open the TShock data directory
In the server installation, locate the folder named tshock. The file you need is motd.txt. If it does not exist, confirm that the server has completed at least one successful TShock startup and that you are viewing the active installation directory rather than an archived backup.
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3. Replace the message text
Open motd.txt in a plain-text editor and enter the welcome message. You can use several lines if your presentation requires it, but keep the content readable in the client’s join-message area. Save the file without changing its name or encoding unnecessarily.
4. Restart and join again
Start TShock and connect with a client. TShock should read motd.txt during startup. Editing serverconfig.txt on a TShock installation will not substitute for changing this file, because TShock’s MOTD is maintained separately.
TShock’s own configuration-settings documentation exists, but the exact current configuration key for a server nickname was not verified here. Secondary guides sometimes mention a ServerNickname value in config.json; treat that as unconfirmed until it matches the documentation for the TShock version you run.
When a hosting panel controls the MOTD
Many game-hosting panels expose an MOTD field directly in the server settings. The panel may write startup arguments or configuration files for you. In that situation:
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- Open the Terraria or server-properties page and look for a field labeled MOTD, message of the day, welcome message, or a similar label.
- Save the panel setting.
- Start the server and test the message from a client.
If you edit a file manually and the old message returns after a restart, the panel may be rebuilding its configuration. Use the panel field as the source of truth, or inspect its displayed startup command to identify which file it generates. The precise overwrite behavior varies by host, so do not assume that a manual file edit will persist.
Can you change the vanilla server name or description?
The verified vanilla setting is the MOTD. A separate, documented vanilla key for the server name or server-list description has not been established in the available Terraria server information. That means you should not promise players that a line such as servername= or another guessed key will rename the listing.
Different connection tools can display different labels. A hosting panel may have its own editable instance name, while a launcher or community server browser may obtain a label from its own metadata. Changing that external label is not the same operation as changing Terraria’s join message. If you need a recognizable identity inside the game, put it at the beginning of the MOTD, for example:
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motd=[Moonbase] Welcome! Read /rules before entering the arena.For TShock, a ServerNickname entry in config.json is mentioned by secondary guides, but it has not been confirmed against the current TShock documentation. Back up the file and verify the key for your installed release before relying on it.
What about the console motd command?
One community guide describes a console motd command that changes the message for the current session. Its persistence after a restart has not been verified against the official Terraria Wiki. Treat it as a temporary test rather than your permanent configuration method unless the documentation for your exact server build confirms that it writes the setting to disk.
For a durable vanilla change, the dependable documented workflow is still: edit the motd= value in the file passed with -config, save it, and restart. For TShock, edit tshock/motd.txt and restart.
Fixes for “TShock MOTD not showing”
The message never changes
- Confirm you edited
tshock/motd.txt, not a vanillaserverconfig.txt. - Verify that the file is in the active server’s
tshockdirectory, especially if several worlds or server copies exist. - Stop and start the server rather than merely reconnecting while the process is running.
- Check that the editor did not create
motd.txt.txtor save an unrelated rich-text document. - Read the startup console for errors indicating that the data directory could not be read.
The old message returns after every restart
- Check whether a hosting panel regenerates TShock files from a saved template.
- Make the change through the panel’s MOTD field if one is provided.
- Look for a second TShock installation or service using a different working directory.
- Keep a backup of the working file, then compare it after the next restart to identify what rewrote it.
The MOTD appears truncated or difficult to read
- Shorten the first line so the server identity and most important rule are visible immediately.
- Use plain text, normal spacing, and clear punctuation.
- Move long explanations to a rules page, Discord channel, or in-game command rather than placing every detail in the join message.
- Test from the same client version and connection method your community uses; different interfaces can wrap or display text differently.
Fixes for a vanilla MOTD that is not showing
Check the startup command first
The most common file-selection mistake is editing a configuration file that the running server never loads. Inspect the launcher, batch file, shell script, service definition, or panel startup field and locate -config. Follow its path exactly, including relative-directory assumptions.
Check the key syntax
The option must use the key name motd, an equals sign, and the message value:
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Check whether a panel overwrote the file
If the message works until the next panel restart, the panel is likely applying its own startup configuration. Edit the panel’s field or template instead of repeatedly changing the generated file. If the panel offers no MOTD control, ask its documentation or support which file and startup argument it uses; the behavior is host-specific.
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Writing a useful Terraria welcome message
A MOTD is most effective when it tells a joining player what to do next. Put the information that affects the first few minutes of play ahead of flavor text.
- Identify the community: include the server name you want players to recognize, even though it is not a verified vanilla server-name field.
- State the key rule: mention bans on griefing, building restrictions, PvP expectations, or an adventure objective if one applies.
- Give one action: direct players to a rules command, a spawn board, or an event area.
- Keep changing information easy to update: avoid hard-coding a date or event that will become misleading.
For example:
motd=[Moonbase] Welcome! No griefing. Visit spawn for rules and today’s event.On TShock, keep the same approach in motd.txt. A hosting guide reports %map% and %players% placeholders for TShock messages, but those placeholders were not verified against current TShock documentation. Do not rely on them in a production message unless your installed TShock version documents and demonstrates support for them.
Back up and roll back safely
Before changing a live server, copy the file you are about to edit:
- For vanilla, back up the exact
serverconfig.txtreferenced by-config. - For TShock, back up
tshock/motd.txtand, if you are testing an unconfirmed nickname setting,tshock/config.json.
Give the copy a dated filename outside the active configuration path. If startup fails or the message becomes malformed, stop the server, restore the backup, and start again. MOTD edits should not require changing world files, player files, ports, passwords, or permissions.
Quick reference
| Server type | File or control | Action | Persistence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanilla Terraria | motd= in the file passed with -config |
Edit the value, save, and restart | Persistent when the active configuration file is used |
| TShock | tshock/motd.txt |
Edit the text file, save, and restart | Persistent when the active TShock directory is used |
| Hosting panel | Panel MOTD or welcome-message field | Change the field, save, and restart | Depends on how that panel generates startup settings |
Console motd command |
Running server console | Use only as a session test unless your build documents persistence | Persistence not verified |
Important compatibility boundaries
The instructions above distinguish vanilla Terraria from TShock because they read different MOTD locations. The available information does not establish equivalent instructions for tModLoader servers, so do not apply the TShock file layout to a tModLoader installation without documentation for that server software and version. Likewise, a panel’s labels and generated files can differ by provider and edition.
If you can identify the running executable, startup command, and active data directory before editing, you can usually resolve the correct path without changing any gameplay settings. The essential rule is simple: vanilla reads the configured motd= value; TShock reads tshock/motd.txt; both require a restart to verify the saved change.
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