# How to Use the Server Console

> Start, stop and restart your server, run commands, and watch what it's doing from the panel's Console.

Source: https://www.beaconhosting.org/knowledgebase/how-to-use-the-server-console-on-a-minecraft-server
Category: Getting Started
Last updated: 2026-11-05

**Console** is the first page you see when you open a server. It shows the server's live output and lets you control it.

## Power buttons

| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Start** | Starts the server |
| **Restart** | Stops it cleanly, then starts it again |
| **Stop** | Saves the world and stops the server |
| **Kill** | Stops it at once, without saving. Only use it if **Stop** hangs |

> [!WARNING]
> **Kill** doesn't save. Anything since the last save is lost. Use **Stop** and give it a minute first.

## Running commands

Type a command in the box at the bottom and press Enter. Leave out the `/`: type `op Steve`, not `/op Steve`.

## Reading the output

The console shows what the server prints as it runs. The newest lines are at the bottom. When something goes wrong, the useful line is often a little above the end: look for `ERROR`, `Exception` or `Caused by`.

The full log is saved in `logs/latest.log` in **Files**.

## Usage graphs

The graphs show CPU, memory, disk and network use. Memory near your plan's limit, or CPU pinned at the top, is a sign the server needs more resources or fewer plugins and mods.

> [!TIP]
> Open the console in a new window with the button above it, and keep it beside your game while you test changes.