How to Check Terraria Server Logs

Why Terraria Logs Matter

A dedicated Terraria server is usually simple to run, right up until a crash, startup problem, or suspicious player action needs investigating. The live console may show useful details, but that text can scroll away before anyone has time to read it. Log files solve that problem by saving console output so it can be reviewed later.

Vanilla Terraria does not create useful server log files by default. To view logs properly, the server needs to run on TShock, which adds hosting features such as plugins, improved management tools, and saved logs.

Enable Logs with TShock

TShock is the Terraria server version needed for reliable log access. After switching the server version and restarting, the log files should be created automatically.

1. Open your server panel and stop the Terraria server.
2. Find the version selector in your panel.
3. Open the version dropdown.

1. Select Terraria (TShock), then confirm the version change.
2. Choose whether to keep the current world or generate a new one, if prompted.
3. Restart the server.

Once the server finishes starting, the new log files will be available through your panel's file manager. Not glamorous, but very useful when Terraria decides to be mysterious.

Check ServerLog.txt

The `ServerLog.txt` file is the first place to look when the server has startup issues. It usually contains TShock startup details, including connection information, plugin loading messages, versions, and early errors.

1. Open the file manager or FTP from your server panel.
2. Log in with your panel credentials.
3. Look near the bottom of the main file list for `ServerLog.txt`.

1. Use the Edit option to open and read the file.

This file is best for diagnosing problems that happen while the server is booting, especially missing files, plugin errors, or configuration problems.

View Full Terraria Server Logs

For a more complete history of what happened while the server was online, use the full TShock log files. These include console activity such as joins, leaves, commands, warnings, and other runtime messages.

1. Open the file manager or FTP and log in.
2. Enter the `tshock` folder.
3. Open the `logs` folder.

1. Check the timestamps in the filenames to find the log you need.

1. Select Edit beside the chosen log file to view it.

The timestamped files are especially helpful when tracking something that happened around a known restart or crash time.

Troubleshooting

The log files or folders are missing: TShock likely has not run on the server yet. Confirm the server version is set to Terraria (TShock), then fully restart the server. After TShock starts successfully, `ServerLog.txt` and the `tshock` folder should appear in your file manager.

The exact log is hard to find: TShock log filenames use dates in `yyyy-mm-dd` format. There may also be more than one log for the same day because a new log can be created after each restart. Match the filename and restart time to the incident you are checking.

Related Guides

• How to install TShock for Terraria
• How to join a Terraria server