How to Reduce Lag on Your Minecraft Server (Aternos and More)

If your Minecraft server is lagging, it can ruin the gameplay experience. This guide will help you fix lag on Aternos and other servers by optimizing settings, reducing unnecessary resource usage, and preventing lag machines.
Common Causes of Minecraft Server Lag
- Server Lag (TPS Drop) – Caused by too many entities, unoptimized plugins, or bad hosting.
- Client Lag (FPS Drop) – Caused by high graphics settings, shaders, or too many mods.
- Network Lag (High Ping) – Caused by slow internet or distant server locations.
Best Aternos & Minecraft Server Settings to Reduce Lag
For Aternos users, apply these settings:
- View Distance: Set to 6.
- Simulation Distance: Set to 4.
- Max Tick Time: Set to 60000.
- Use Paper or Purpur for better performance.
For other hosts, tweak these files:
- spigot.yml – Reduce
entity-activation-range
to lower CPU usage. - bukkit.yml – Increase
ticks-per-animal-spawns
to 400. - server.properties – Lower
view-distance
for improved performance.
Remove Laggy Plugins & Mods
Some plugins cause more lag than they fix. Avoid these:
- ClearLag – Can remove important items and entities.
- Heavy anti-cheat plugins – Overload the server with checks.
- Too many automated plugins – Increase processing load.
Instead, use performance-friendly plugins like:
- FarmLimiter – Limits mobs per chunk.
- Paper or Purpur – Optimized for high-performance servers.
- LagAssist – Automatically reduces lag.
Prevent Lag Machines & Redstone Overload
Some players create lag machines using redstone or mobs. Stop them by:
- Installing CoreProtect or WorldGuard to monitor redstone usage.
- Disabling minecart stacking to prevent excessive entities.
- Using AntiRedstoneClock to block redstone spam.
Upgrade Hosting for More Power
If your server still lags, consider upgrading:
- Increase RAM (2GB+ for small servers, 4GB+ for large servers).
- Switch to a better host like Shockbyte, PebbleHost, or ScalaCube.
- Choose a server location closer to players to reduce ping.
Reduce Mob, Hopper, and Entity Lag
Entities like mobs, hoppers, and redstone circuits can cause major lag. Fix them by:
- Using FarmLimiter to limit mobs per chunk.
- Reducing hopper checks in
spigot.yml
. - Preventing unlimited redstone clocks with anti-lag settings.
Pre-Generate the World to Reduce Lag
Pre-generating chunks reduces lag from world generation:
- Use WorldBorder and run
/wb fill
. - Use Chunky to pre-load chunks before players explore.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Minecraft server lagging?
Minecraft server lag can be caused by high entity counts, excessive redstone, bad hosting, or too many players. Optimizing settings, using performance plugins, and upgrading your server can help.
How can I make my Aternos server faster?
Lowering the view distance, using Paper or Purpur, reducing mob spawns, and avoiding lag-causing plugins will improve Aternos server performance.
What plugins reduce lag on a Minecraft server?
Recommended plugins include FarmLimiter, LagAssist, and ClearLag (with proper settings). Avoid overloading your server with unnecessary plugins.
How do I stop lag machines on my server?
Install CoreProtect or WorldGuard, disable minecart stacking, limit redstone updates, and use an anti-redstone clock plugin to prevent lag machines.
Does upgrading my hosting fix lag?
Yes, upgrading to better hardware with more RAM and a closer server location can significantly reduce lag, especially for large servers.
Final Thoughts
By following these steps, you can significantly reduce lag on your Minecraft server, whether it’s on Aternos, a paid host, or a home server. If you found this guide useful, share it with your friends and improve your server performance today!