# How to Change Max Players on Your Space Engineers Server (/docs/space-engineers/player-slots)



import { Step, Steps } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/steps';

The default Space Engineers player limit is **4**. Most servers run 8–16 players.

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Stop your server [#stop-your-server]

    Go to **Console** in the [XGamingServer Panel](https://panel.xgamingserver.com) and stop the server.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Open the config [#open-the-config]

    Click **Files** in the sidebar and open `SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg`.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Change MaxPlayers [#change-maxplayers]

    Find and change:

    ```xml
    <MaxPlayers>16</MaxPlayers>
    ```

    > `MaxPlayers` also exists in `Sandbox_config.sbc` (the per-world config). For an existing world, you may need to update it there as well — the world-level setting takes priority.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Save and start [#save-and-start]

    Click **Save Content** and start from **Console**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Performance Impact [#performance-impact]

Each additional player adds load from:

* Physics simulation for their grids
* Network sync traffic (controlled by `SyncDistance`)
* Entity tracking and AI

If lag increases at higher player counts, lower `SyncDistance`, reduce `TotalPCU`, or lower `MaxFloatingObjects`. See the [server configuration guide](/docs/space-engineers/server-config) for all performance settings.

Related Guides [#related-guides]

* [Server Configuration](/docs/space-engineers/server-config)