How to fix Minecraft server lag
First work out which lag you have: low TPS (server), high ping (network) or low FPS (your PC). Then measure with spark and fix the real cause instead of hiding it.
- Difficulty:
- Beginner
- Time:
- 10 minutes
On this page
"Lag" can mean three different problems, and each has a different fix. Find out which one you have first. Then measure the server with spark, fix the cause, and only upgrade or move location if the server is truly out of resources or too far from your players.
Which kind of lag do you have?
Type | What you notice | Who is affected |
|---|---|---|
Server lag (low TPS) | Mobs freeze, broken blocks come back, crops and furnaces slow down, console shows | Everyone at the same time |
Network lag (high ping) | Rubber-banding, delayed hits and chat, high ms number in the server list | Usually one player or players from one region |
Client lag (low FPS) | Choppy picture, low FPS in the F3 screen, the game stutters even in single player | Only the player with the slow device |
A healthy server runs at 20 TPS (ticks per second). That means each tick must finish in 50 ms or less (this time is called MSPT). Run spark tps in the Console to see both numbers. On Paper you can also use tps and mspt.
Fixing server lag (low TPS)
Measure, don't guess. Run a spark profile while the lag is happening. It shows exactly which plugin, mod, entity or chunk task uses the tick time. Follow Find lag with the spark profiler.
Stop generating new chunks during play. Players exploring new land (especially with elytra) is one of the biggest causes of lag. Pregenerate your world with Chunky and set a world border.
Lower view and simulation distance. These decide how many chunks are loaded and ticked around each player. A small reduction makes a big difference. See Optimise Paper and Purpur settings.
Find entity build-up. Huge mob farms, villager trading halls, thousands of items on the ground or many minecarts in one place will slow any server. Limit farm sizes and clean up the area where spark shows heavy entity ticking.
Update or remove heavy plugins and mods. If spark points at one plugin, update it, change its settings or replace it.
Use Paper or Purpur for plugin servers. They are much faster than Vanilla or Spigot. You can switch in the Versions tab (back up first). Paper already includes spark, so you can measure straight away.
Don't start with a "lag clearing" plugin like ClearLagg. They delete dropped items and mobs on a timer. TPS looks better for a minute, but the game simply spawns new mobs to refill its limits, players lose items, and the real cause (a farm, a plugin, chunk generation) is still there. The scans themselves can cause small lag spikes. Find the cause with spark and fix it with proper settings instead.
Fixing network lag (high ping)
Distance matters most. Ping depends on how far players are from the server. For players in India, our India location gives the lowest ping. See Choosing the best server location.
If most of your players are far from your server's location, we can move it: open a ticket to move locations (this may cost; staff will tell you). You can also order a server in the new location and move your files yourself.
If only one player has high ping, the problem is on their side: weak Wi-Fi, a busy network, a VPN, or a mobile connection. Ask them to try a wired connection or another network.
Fixing client lag (low FPS)
This is not a server problem. The player should lower their render distance and graphics settings, close background apps, and on Java Edition try a performance mod such as Sodium. A lower server view distance can also help weak devices a little.
When to upgrade
Upgrade only after you have checked the points above. Signs that you really need more resources:
The CPU in the panel header stays at your plan's limit while spark shows no single bad plugin or farm.
Memory is always full and you see
OutOfMemoryError(see this guide).You added many players, a big modpack or more worlds.
Upgrades are self-service in the billing panel: open your service and click Upgrade Plan. You only pay the difference and your files stay. Downgrades are not offered, so pick the next size up rather than the biggest. See How to upgrade your plan and How much RAM do I need?
Frequently asked questions
Will more RAM fix my lag?
Only if you are running out of memory. Most TPS lag comes from CPU work in a single main thread: entities, chunk generation and plugins. Extra RAM does not help with that. Check with spark before you upgrade.
Is a mob stacking plugin a good idea?
It can reduce entity counts, but it changes gameplay and can break farms. Treat it like ClearLagg: try view distance, simulation distance and Paper's entity settings first.
The lag only happens at certain times
Look for a pattern: auto-saves, scheduled backups, a farm turning on, or someone exploring. Run spark profiler start --only-ticks-over 100 to catch only the slow ticks.
Still stuck? Open a ticket and include your spark profile link.
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