Sometimes, lag can turn your adventure into a frustrating experience. If you've ever asked yourself, "Why is my Minecraft server so laggy?" you're not alone.

Most Minecraft players have dealt with lag, but luckily, we have solutions for that! The cause of your lag can vary, so we've listed the most common reasons in this blog, along with how to fix each one.

What Is Minecraft Lag?

Minecraft server lag is when there’s a delay between what you do and what happens on the screen. For example, when you try to break a block in Minecraft, it might take a few seconds for it to actually disappear, or your character might move slowly. It can make building, fighting mobs, or even just walking around hard to do.

Minecraft server lag can happen for several reasons. We will explain some of the most common reasons why Minecraft lags. Keep reading to learn all of them, discover how to fix each one, and improve your gameplay experience!

Common Reasons for Minecraft Lag

Minecraft lag can be caused by a variety of factors. Understanding the root cause is the first step in fixing the issue. Here are some common reasons why your Minecraft server might be laggy:

Insufficient RAM

Minecraft servers rely heavily on RAM to store world data, player information, and processes. If your server has insufficient RAM, it will struggle to keep up with multiple tasks, leading to lag. Large worlds, complex builds, and multiple players require more RAM. Without enough memory, the server may freeze, crash, or display rubberbanding effects.

Too Many Mods or Plugins

Mods and plugins enhance gameplay, but too many can overload the server. Poorly optimized or outdated mods can cause memory leaks and excessive CPU usage. Servers running large modpacks or plugins without optimization will likely experience lag spikes. Always monitor your plugin list, remove unnecessary ones, and keep everything updated to prevent server-side lag.

High Entity Count

When there are too many mobs, animals, or dropped items in a world, the server has to process and track every entity, leading to lag. Farms, mob grinders, and large item storage areas can create performance issues. Plugins like ClearLagg can help remove excess entities and improve server performance.

Poor Internet Connection

Lag caused by poor internet is known as latency lag. If the server is far from your location, data transmission can take longer, resulting in high ping. Additionally, unstable or slow internet connections can lead to packet loss, rubberbanding, or connection timeouts. Using a wired Ethernet connection and choosing a server closer to your region can help reduce latency lag.

View Distance

The view distance setting determines how many chunks are rendered around players. A high view distance setting increases the number of chunks the server needs to load and update, consuming more RAM and CPU. Reducing the view distance can significantly reduce lag without impacting gameplay too much.

Limited Server Resources

Free or budget Minecraft server hosting plans often provide limited resources. If you’re experiencing constant lag, it may be because your server doesn’t have enough CPU power, RAM, or storage. Upgrading to a paid Minecraft server hosting plan with better specifications can ensure a more stable and lag-free experience.

Server TPS Drops

TPS (Ticks Per Second) measures server performance and stability. Minecraft servers are designed to run at 20 TPS, meaning the server updates 20 times per second. If TPS drops below 20, the server may lag, causing block delays, mob stuttering, and slow interactions. Monitoring TPS using /tps or plugins like Essentials can help diagnose server lag issues.

Client-Side Issues

Sometimes, lag isn’t caused by the server but rather by your computer. Low FPS (Frames Per Second) is a common issue for players using older or underpowered devices. High video settings, background applications, or outdated drivers can reduce FPS. Installing the Optifine mod, lowering video settings, and updating graphics drivers can help improve client-side performance.

Now that you understand the causes, let’s explore how to reduce lag on your Minecraft server.

How to Reduce Minecraft Lag

Nobody likes dealing with Minecraft lag. It can slow down your gameplay and make it frustrating to enjoy the game. Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to reduce lag on Minecraft server. Let’s dive into some easy ways.

Allocate More RAM

  • Open your Minecraft launcher.
  • Go to Installations and select your version.
  • Click on More Options and adjust the -Xmx value to allocate more RAM.
  • Example: -Xmx4G allocates 4GB of RAM to Minecraft.

For servers, increasing allocated RAM in the server startup script using java -Xmx4G -Xms4G -jar server.jar can also help.

Reduce View Distance

  • Lower the view distance in your server settings. A setting of 6-8 chunks is usually sufficient.
  • Access your server.properties file and adjust view-distance=8. This reduces the number of chunks loaded by players, improving performance.

Remove Unnecessary Plugins and Mods

  • Evaluate your server’s plugins and mods.
  • Remove or disable any that aren’t essential.
  • Ensure all plugins are updated to the latest versions for optimal performance.

Optimize Entity Management

  • Use plugins like ClearLagg to automatically remove excess mobs and items.
  • Limit the number of mobs that can spawn using server configuration settings.
  • Regularly remove unused entities using commands like /lagg clear.

Upgrade Your Hosting Plan

  • Free Minecraft server hosting is great for small groups but often lacks sufficient resources.
  • Consider upgrading to a paid Minecraft server hosting plan for better performance. Paid plans usually offer more RAM, CPU, and SSD storage.

Schedule Regular Restarts

  • Set up automated server restarts to clear memory leaks and optimize performance.
  • Many hosting providers offer built-in restart scheduling features.

Ensure a Strong Internet Connection

  • Use a wired Ethernet connection for more stable gameplay.
  • Reduce network congestion by limiting other internet activity during play.
  • Choose a server hosting provider with low latency for your region.

Optimize Client-Side Settings

  • Install the Optifine mod to optimize graphics and increase FPS.
  • Lower your video settings, including render distance, graphics, and particles.
  • Disable unnecessary features like smooth lighting and shadows for improved performance.

Experience the Best Minecraft Server Hosting with Pine Hosting

If you love playing Minecraft without lag, then you need a server that works perfectly. Pine Hosting is the best place to host your Minecraft server.

With Pine Hosting, you can enjoy lag-free gameplay, which means no annoying delays while you're building, exploring, or battling mobs. The server runs smoothly, so you can have fun without any interruptions.

But if something does go wrong, don’t worry! Pine Hosting has a super helpful customer support team that is available 24/7. No matter what time it is, we are always here to help you fix any issues or answer any questions. Whether you need help setting up your server or solving a problem, Pine Hosting makes sure you are never alone.

With Pine Hosting, you get a great experience, and if anything goes wrong, our friendly team is just a message away!