---
canonical: https://darkpawns.org/docs/host/admin-configuration/
title: "Configuration settings"
description: "Change operator settings, back up or restore their bundle, and understand which changes need a restart on a managed or checkout server."
type: explainer
audience: operators
verified: v0.1.8
---

Configuration is under **Staff tools** and requires implementor access
(level 40). It changes settings for the running server. For the portable
release transaction, see [Update your server](/docs/host/update-server/).

## Choose where to change a setting

On a managed instance, use the **Network** card to enable or disable telnet,
TLS telnet, or WHOD (the separate player-list listener), set their ports, and
choose whether each listener is local or public. The HTTP address and port are
read-only here. Change them while the world is stopped.

On a checkout deployment, the Network card is read-only and points to the
server command-line flags. Exported environment settings continue to take
precedence over the settings file.

This capture shows the editable **Sessions & limits** card in the local
checkout preview. The Network card is read-only in that mode; this isn't a
managed-instance view.

![The Sessions & limits configuration card in the local checkout preview, with editable login and connection limits.](/media/docs/admin-configuration.png)

Other groups cover proxy trust, browser origins, the Grapevine relay, staff-log
notifications, and contact-form delivery.

## Apply changes

Each setting says whether it takes effect live or needs a restart. Settings
marked for restart show which fields will change and how many players are
online. Choose **Apply and restart** to save them. The launcher saves players,
restarts the world, and checks that the requested listeners answer. If a
listener can't start, it restores the previous settings and restarts with
them.

The Network card refuses port collisions. Before making a listener public,
review the exposure change it shows.

:::caution
Plaintext telnet sends passwords without encryption. Configure a TLS listener and give players its port and a compatible client when you need encrypted telnet.
:::

## Back up or restore settings

Choose **Download bundle** to export settings, the revision, and server version.
Secrets are excluded. To restore, choose **Upload bundle**, review the
field-by-field comparison, then confirm the apply step. Unknown keys are shown
but ignored; saved secrets remain unchanged.

## How it works

Saves use revision checks. If another operator saves first, reload before
applying your changes. On a checkout server, the first run imports its current
environment into the settings file; later environment exports still override
their matching fields.

Secret fields are write-only and encrypted beside the settings file. A save
keeps the prior file as `settings.json.previous`; a damaged settings file makes
the server use defaults and refuse further saves until it's repaired. The
server records each change in its audit log, which the History card displays.