# Squad Server Messages & MOTD (/docs/squad/server-messages-and-motd)



Squad has two ways to communicate rules and info to players: **periodic broadcasts** (scrolling system messages) and the **MOTD** (Message of the Day shown on join).

Periodic Broadcasts — ServerMessages.cfg [#periodic-broadcasts--servermessagescfg]

Each line in `SquadGame/ServerConfig/ServerMessages.cfg` is one message the server broadcasts on a timer:

```ini
Welcome to [Your Community]! Rules: play the objective, no main camping.
Join our Discord: discord.gg/yourinvite
Type !seed rewards — ask an admin about seeding perks.
```

Control the timing in `Server.cfg`:

```ini
ServerMessageInterval=300
```

* `ServerMessageInterval` is the number of **seconds** between messages (default `300` = 5 minutes).
* The server cycles through the lines in order.

> Keep messages short and useful — rules, Discord link, seeding info. Long walls of text get ignored.

Message of the Day — MOTD.cfg [#message-of-the-day--motdcfg]

`MOTD.cfg` is shown to players when they join. It supports basic HTML links:

```html
Welcome to [Your Community]!

Rules: Play the objective. No main camping. Claim vehicles by name.

Join our Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/yourinvite">discord.gg/yourinvite</a>
```

Use `<a href="...">text</a>` for clickable links. Keep it to the essentials players need before spawning in.

Applying Changes [#applying-changes]

Stop the server, edit the files under **Files → SquadGame/ServerConfig**, then start again. (Broadcast timing from `Server.cfg` also applies on restart.)

Related Guides [#related-guides]

* [Server.cfg Reference](/docs/squad/server-cfg-reference)
* [Server Tags & Rules](/docs/squad/server-tags)
* [Change Server Name](/docs/squad/change-server-name)