Online Mode & Offline Mode on Your Minecraft Server
What online-mode does, risks of disabling it, and when you might need offline mode.
The online-mode setting controls whether the server verifies player accounts with Mojang.
Setting
In server.properties:
online-mode=true| Value | Effect |
|---|---|
true | Default — only legitimate Minecraft accounts can join |
false | Anyone can join with any username (no account verification) |
Risks of Offline Mode
⚠️ Warning: Disabling online mode has serious security implications:
- Anyone can impersonate any player (including admins)
- Skin data doesn't load
- UUID-based permissions and data may break
- Violates Minecraft EULA
- Server won't appear in official server lists
When You Might Need Offline Mode
- Behind a BungeeCord/Velocity proxy — the proxy handles authentication, so backend servers use
online-mode=false - Testing/development only
📝 Note: If using a proxy, also install BungeeGuard or configure IP forwarding to prevent unauthorized direct connections.
Related Guides
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