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How to Make an Offline Minecraft Server

Want players without an official Minecraft account to join your server? You need to change one setting and protect the server with a login plugin.

What you need before you start

  • An active Minecraft server on Redfox Cloud.
  • Access to the Redfox Cloud control panel.
  • A server that supports plugins (e.g. Paper or Spigot) if you want to protect it with a login plugin.
Your server will be less secure

With online mode off, the server no longer verifies player accounts with Mojang. Anyone can join with any username, including an admin’s, so make sure to complete step 5.

Disabling online mode

  1. Open the server settings

    In the Redfox Cloud control panel, open your server’s settings page.

    The settings page in the Redfox Cloud control panel.

  2. Find the online-mode line

    In the settings list, find this line:

    online-mode=true
    Online mode is enabled by default.

  3. Change the value to false

    Change the line to:

    online-mode=false

    Save your changes by clicking Save.

    After the change, click “Save”.

  4. Restart the server

    The change only takes effect after a restart. You can restart the server in the control panel.

  5. Protect the server with a login plugin

    Install a plugin that asks every player to register with a password, e.g. LoginSecurity, LibreLogin or LockLogin. This way nobody can join under another player’s name.

    With online mode off, player skins stop working. You can restore them with the SkinsRestorer plugin. See How to upload a plugin to the server for the steps.

    Tip

    Install the login plugin at the same time as you disable online mode. Until it’s installed, anyone can join using your name.

Video tutorial

Prefer video? This video shows how to let non-premium players join and how to install the TLauncher client.

Did it work?

Join the server with an unofficial Minecraft client. If you get in, the setting works. If you see an error, check the FAQ below.

FAQ

Players lost their inventory and progress after the change

The same player gets a different identifier (UUID) in online and offline mode, and inventory and progress are stored by that identifier. The server therefore treats the player as new. It’s best to change the setting before players start playing.

Non-premium players still can’t join

Check that the value is actually online-mode=false, that you saved the change and restarted the server. Also make sure the player’s client version matches the server version.

Why did player skins disappear?

Skins come from Mojang accounts, which the server doesn’t check in offline mode. You can restore them by installing the SkinsRestorer plugin.

Is a whitelist enough protection?

No. In offline mode the whitelist identifies players only by username, so anyone can use it. Only a login plugin with a password protects the server.

What’s next

If you run into trouble, contact us via live chat or email.

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