The GSH file manager edits text files in the browser; SFTP is better suited for larger archives and folders. Stop the server before making changes that running processes could overwrite, and back up the file. After saving, check the syntax, the correct path, and the setting that is actually loaded.

Where to Find the File Manager

Open your server in the customer area and select the Files & Data section. The first tab is called Files, next to it you will find Backups, Databases, and Import & Migration. At the top are the buttons New File, New Folder, Upload, and Refresh, and below them the folders and files of your server with size and modification date.

Use the Filter files... field to narrow the list down to matching names. Clicking a folder opens it, and clicking a text file opens it in the editor.

Edit files and SFTP in the customer panel

Editing a File

In the video, we open server.properties, the main settings file of a Minecraft server, and change the value difficulty. For other games the files are named differently, but the process is the same:

  1. Find the file in the list and click its name.
  2. Change the desired value in the editor.
  3. Click Save. The panel confirms with File saved.

Most games only read their settings at startup. A changed configuration therefore only takes effect after the next restart.

When saving, the panel checks YAML files, as used by many plugins. If a line is invalid, for example because of incorrect indentation, it tells you the line number. You can still save the file, but you have to explicitly confirm this, because the server may no longer start as a result. Files without which the server cannot start at all are not saved by the panel if the YAML is invalid.

Under Versions in the editor you will find up to three earlier versions of a file that your browser remembered when saving. They exist only in this browser. A backup offers a reliable way back; how that works is explained in Create and Restore a Server Backup.

The editor opens text files up to 10 MB. Programs, archives, or world data are not text files; you download them or edit them via SFTP.

Uploading, Folders, and Multiple Selection

  • New File and New Folder create an empty file or a folder in the current directory.
  • Upload takes one or more files from your computer. Alternatively, simply drag the files onto the list.
  • If you select multiple entries, Download, Compress, and Delete are available for the entire selection.
  • Archives such as .zip are extracted directly on the server.

Uploading through the browser has a size limit per file. If a file is too large, the panel states the limit and points to SFTP. If you are moving an existing server, the Import & Migration tab is more convenient: there you upload an archive with the world, plugins, and configuration, and the panel sorts the contents into place itself.

Two protection rules apply automatically: files the server needs to start cannot be deleted or renamed. And you can only delete or rename world data while the server is stopped, so that no damaged world is left behind.

Connecting via SFTP

For large uploads, entire worlds, or many files at once, SFTP is faster than the browser. The login details are on the server page in the connection details under SFTP Credentials; the section is collapsed at first.

  1. Expand SFTP Credentials. There you will find the address in the format sftp://… including the port and your SFTP username. Use Copy to copy the address.
  2. Set your own password via Set/Change Password: at least 8 characters, including at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number.
  3. In your SFTP program, such as FileZilla or WinSCP, enter the address, port, username, and password, and connect.

Important: SFTP only works while the server is running. If the server is stopped or sleeping, the login is rejected, and several failed attempts block your IP for one hour. So start the server first. As long as you are actively working via SFTP, a server with sleep mode stays awake; it only goes back to sleep once there has been no SFTP activity for around 30 minutes.

More about SFTP programs, the folder structure, and typical error messages can be found in Set Up SFTP Access for Game Servers.

If It Doesn't Work

  • The file cannot be opened: It is larger than 10 MB or not a text file. Download it or use SFTP.
  • The change has no effect: Restart the server; most settings are only read at startup. What happens at startup is shown in the Server Console.
  • SFTP rejects the login: Check whether the server is running, and reset the password if necessary. After several failed attempts, the block only ends after an hour.
  • You are a co-manager and do not see actions: The owner determines which file permissions you have; more about this in Invite Co-Managers and Assign Permissions.

Performing a File Change Without Overwriting in Parallel

Before making the change, open the current version and note the target path and the last known working value. Do not edit the same file via the panel and SFTP at the same time. For larger uploads, check the folder structure and that all files are complete once finished, before the server starts. An archive with an additional packaging layer easily ends up in the wrong place. Then check the first startup message for the affected file and query the active value if the game supports it. The file versions stored in the browser are not a shared or external backup; keep important ways back separate from the browser.