Offline mode (often called cracked mode) lets the server accept players without Mojang/Microsoft account authentication. It also changes how player identities are verified.
01
Stop the server
Open the server in the Pterodactyl panel and select Stop. Wait until the process has fully stopped.
02
Edit server.properties
Open Files, select server.properties, and find the online-mode setting. Change it to online-mode=false, then save.
03
Restart and verify
Start the server and check the console for startup errors. If the setting changes back, stop the server again and edit it after the latest startup.
04
Protect the server
For a public offline-mode server, use a reputable authentication plugin that supports your server software and version. Keep the server allowlisted while setting it up, use strong unique passwords in the authentication plugin, and never grant operator access until you can verify the account securely.
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