server.itemdespawn (Rust server ConVar)
How long dropped items last on a Rust server: server.itemdespawn (300 s default), the quick despawn and container multipliers, and how to change them.
Last updated Verified on Rust build 25582902, 2026-09-28
- Kind
- Variable
- Value on build 25582902
300- Server help text
- (Generated) Seconds before items dropped on the ground despawn; default is 300 seconds (5 minutes)
- Applies
- Immediately (runtime)
- Persists in
- server.cfg
- Vanilla Rust
- Yes, native
- Example
server.itemdespawn 600
Gotchas
- In seconds. Short lived drops such as casings use server.itemdespawn_quick (30) instead.
- Items in loot containers get server.itemdespawn_container_scale on top, capped by server.itemdespawn_container_max_multiplier (24).
- Player corpses use server.corpsedespawn, not this ConVar.
- Not written to serverauto.cfg by server.writecfg, so a value set only over RCON is lost on restart. Keep it in server.cfg.
server.itemdespawn is how many seconds an item dropped on the ground stays in the world before the server removes it. The server's help text (marked "Generated" by Facepunch):
Seconds before items dropped on the ground despawn; default is 300 seconds (5 minutes)
On build 25582902 the value was 300.
The whole despawn family
Dropped items are governed by four ConVars, not one. The values below were read on our test server; the descriptions are the server's own help texts, shortened:
| ConVar | Value | What it does |
|---|---|---|
server.itemdespawn | 300 | Base lifetime of a dropped item, in seconds |
server.itemdespawn_quick | 30 | Fast despawn for short lived drops "such as empty casings or small debris" |
server.itemdespawn_container_scale | 2 | Multiplier on the base time "for items sitting inside loot containers" |
server.itemdespawn_container_max_multiplier | 24 | Cap on that multiplier; "at default 24 the maximum lifetime is 24 x 5 min = 2 hours" |
So raising server.itemdespawn also raises what the container cap allows: the help text computes the 2 hour ceiling from the 5 minute base. Player corpses (server.corpsedespawn) and environmental debris (server.debrisdespawn, 30) are separate settings.
Why people change it
- Longer, for example 600 or 900: fewer lost drops after a death or a full inventory, which suits PvE and low population servers.
- Shorter: fewer loose items lying around on busy PvP servers.
A longer time means more dropped items exist at the same time, which shows up in the entity count. Change it in steps and watch the server rather than jumping straight to hours.
Setting it
server.itemdespawn 600
It can be set over RCON while the server runs, and unlike some ConVars its help text does not ask for a restart. We have not tested whether items that are already on the ground pick up a new value or keep the timer they got when they were dropped, so test with a fresh drop.
server.writecfg does not save it to serverauto.cfg. A value set only over RCON is lost on restart; keep it in server.cfg.
In Panelra
Add it under Settings, Custom ConVars. Panelra writes the line to server.cfg and runs server.readcfg, so it applies without a restart and survives the next one.
Set it in Panelra
Change server.itemdespawn from the dashboard instead of editing files over SSH.
Frequently asked questions
How long do dropped items last in Rust?
Does server.itemdespawn change how long a player corpse lasts?
Related ConVars
- server.itemdespawn_quick(Generated) Fast-despawn time in seconds used for short-lived dropped items such as empty casings or small debris; default 30 seconds
- server.itemdespawn_container_scale(Generated) Multiplier applied to the base item despawn time for items sitting inside loot containers; default 2x extends their lifetime
- server.itemdespawn_container_max_multiplier(Generated) Upper cap on the loot container despawn multiplier; at default 24 the maximum lifetime is 24 x 5 min = 2 hours
- server.corpsedespawn(Generated) Seconds before a player corpse is removed from the world; default is 300 seconds (5 minutes)
- server.debrisdespawn(Generated) Seconds before environmental debris entities (e.g. broken barrel remnants) are removed from the world; default 30 seconds
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