Changing your Windrose server name is simple once you know where the setting is stored. This guide focuses first on self-hosting, where you need to manually find and edit the correct server file. After that, it explains why dedicated Windrose hosting makes the same process easier by keeping important settings, startup options, and server files in one place.
Whether you are running a Windrose server from your own PC or comparing it with Windrose server hosting, the goal is the same: change the server name safely, save the file correctly, and restart the server so the new name appears.
What Your Windrose Server Name Does
Your Windrose server name is the name players see when joining or searching for your server. If you are hosting for friends, it helps them recognize the correct world. If you are building a public community, a clear name makes your Windrose server easier to find and remember.
For example, you might use:
Captain Jack's Windrose Server
NA Windrose Adventure Server
A good name should be short, clear, and easy to recognize whether you are self-hosting or using dedicated Windrose server hosting.
Step 1: Stop Your Windrose Server
Before editing anything, stop your Windrose server completely.
If you started the server using:
StartServerForeground.bat
close the server console window.
If the server is running in the background, open Task Manager, look for the Windrose server process, and end it.
Do not edit the server name while the server is running. Your changes may not save correctly, or the server may overwrite them when it shuts down.
Step 2: Open Steam And Find The Dedicated Server Tool
If you installed the Windrose Dedicated Server through Steam, open Steam first.
Go to your Library, then make sure Tools are visible. Steam often hides tools by default, so if you only see games, use the library filter and enable Tools.
Now search for:
Windrose Dedicated Server
This is not the normal Windrose game. It is the separate server tool used for running a self-hosted Windrose server.
Step 3: Open The Local Server Files
Right-click:
Windrose Dedicated Server
Hover over Manage, then click Browse local files.
This opens the folder where Steam installed your self-hosted Windrose server.
The default Windows location is usually:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Windrose Dedicated Server
If your Steam library is on another drive, it may look more like:
D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Windrose Dedicated Server
Inside this folder, you should see files and folders such as:
StartServerForeground.bat
WindroseServer.exe
R5
These are the main folders/files you will use for changing your Windrose server settings.
Step 4: Start The Server Once If Config Files Are Missing
If this is your first time running the server, the config files may not exist yet. Windrose creates some server files after the server has started at least once.
To generate them, double-click:
StartServerForeground.bat
A server console window should open. Let it load fully, then close the console window to stop the server again.
After this, go back to the Windrose Dedicated Server folder. The configuration files should now be available.
Step 5: Find ServerDescription.json
The file you need is called:
ServerDescription.json
For most Windows self-hosted setups, look here:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Windrose Dedicated Server\R5\ServerDescription.json
In shorter form:
Windrose Dedicated Server\R5\ServerDescription.json
Open the R5 folder and look for ServerDescription.json.
If you do not see it there, check the main Windrose Dedicated Server folder too. Depending on your setup or server version, generated files may appear slightly differently.
Step 6: Open The File In A Text Editor
Right-click:
ServerDescription.json
Choose Open with, then select Notepad, Notepad++, or Visual Studio Code.
For a beginner, Notepad is fine. The important thing is that you are editing the file as plain text.
Do not open it in a program that changes the formatting automatically.
Step 7: Change The ServerName Setting
Inside the file, look for a line like this:
"ServerName": "My Windrose Server"
This is the setting that controls the visible name of your Windrose server.
Only change the text inside the quotation marks after ServerName.
For example, change:
"ServerName": "My Windrose Server"
to:
"ServerName": "Captain Jack's Windrose Server"
Do not remove the quotation marks. Do not delete commas. JSON files are strict, and one missing symbol can stop the server from reading the file correctly.
A finished example could look like:
"ServerName": "Pine Crew Windrose Server"
Step 8: Save The File Correctly
After changing the name, press Ctrl + S to save.
Make sure the file is still called:
ServerDescription.json
It should not become:
ServerDescription.json.txt
If Windows hides file extensions, this can be easy to miss. If the server does not read your changes, check that the file extension is still .json.
Step 9: Restart Your Windrose Server
Now restart the server by double-clicking:
StartServerForeground.bat
Your Windrose server should now start with the new name.
For a normal Windows self-hosted setup, no special rename command is needed. The main command or file you use is simply:
StartServerForeground.bat
Step 10: Check If The Name Updated
After the server restarts, check the server name in-game or wherever you normally connect to the server.
If the old name still appears, go back through these checks:
The server was fully stopped before editing.
The correct ServerDescription.json file was edited.
The file was saved as .json, not .txt.
The ServerName line still has quotation marks.
The server was restarted after saving.
Most issues come from editing the wrong file, saving the file incorrectly, or forgetting to restart the server.
Why Dedicated Windrose Hosting Makes This Easier
Self-hosting gives you control, but it also means you are responsible for finding folders, editing files, checking paths, restarting the server manually, and making sure the formatting is correct.
Dedicated Windrose hosting makes this much easier. Instead of searching through Steam folders, local drives, generated files, and different directories, dedicated Windrose server hosting keeps your server files and settings easier to access.
With dedicated Windrose hosting, important settings like your server name, password, invite code, startup options, and connection details are usually available in a clear server panel. That means your Windrose server hosting setup is much easier to manage before you even need to look through files.
Even when file access is needed, the files are collected in one place. You do not have to search around your PC for finding the Windrose Dedicated Server or guess whether the right file is in the main folder, the R5 folder, or another generated location.
Make Your Windrose Server Hosting Experience Easier With Pine Hosting
If you want to spend less time searching through folders and more time playing, Pine Hosting makes managing your Windrose server much simpler. With dedicated Windrose server hosting, your files, startup settings, connection details, and important server options are easier to access from one control panel.
Changing your Windrose server name is only one part of a smoother hosting experience. Instead of manually managing everything on your own PC, dedicated Windrose hosting gives you a cleaner setup for running, editing, and maintaining your server.
Whether you are hosting for a small group of friends or building a larger community, Pine Hosting helps make Windrose server hosting easier, faster, and more beginner-friendly.
