Unturned

How to Add an Admin on an Unturned Server

Unturned has three ways to give admin: the Owner line, the admin command and the admin list file. Here is when to use each one and what admins can do once they have it.

TheGameHosting Team 5 min read
Add an Admin on Unturned
Background: Unturned © Smartly Dressed Games

To add an admin on an Unturned server, type admin <SteamID64 or player name> in the server console, or set yourself as the owner with the line Owner <SteamID64> in Commands.dat and restart. The owner always has admin rights. Admins then use commands in the game chat with a / or @ in front, such as /kick or /ban. To remove someone, type unadmin <SteamID64>; admins lists everyone with rights.

Below are the three methods, how to find a SteamID64, the commands that matter and how Cheats changes what admins can do.

Three ways to give admin in Unturned

Smartly Dressed Games' server hosting guide and the Unturned Wiki command list describe these:

MethodWhereBest for
Owner <SteamID64>Commands.datYou, the server owner. Applied at every start
admin <SteamID or player>Server console, or chat as an adminAdding staff while the server runs
Admin list fileAdminlist.dat in the server folderWhere the server keeps its admins

The admin list is kept by the server itself, so you normally use the admin and unadmin commands instead of editing the file by hand.

Step 1: find the SteamID64

Every method works best with a SteamID64, the 17-digit number that starts with 7656119. Names can change or be duplicated; the number cannot.

  1. In Steam, open the player's profile.
  2. If the profile URL looks like steamcommunity.com/profiles/7656119..., that number is the SteamID64.
  3. If the profile has a custom URL, open Account details in Steam: your Steam ID is shown at the top. Players can send you theirs from there.

How to add an admin on an Unturned server

  1. Make a backup in Backups before changing any server file.
  2. Stop the server from Console.
  3. Open Files and go to Servers/<your server>/Server/Commands.dat.
  4. Add a line Owner 76561198000000000 with your own SteamID64, or edit the existing Owner line.
  5. Save the file and start the server.
  6. To add more admins, type admin 76561198000000001 in Console for each one, with their own SteamID64.
  7. Type admins in Console to check the list.
  8. Join the game and test a command such as /players in the chat.

The IDs above are examples. Put in real ones, or you will hand your server to a stranger.

Unturned admin commands that matter

In the chat, commands start with / or @, and when a command takes several values, they are separated by /. The ones staff use every day:

CommandWhat it does
/playersLists connected players
/kick <player>/<reason>Kicks a player
/ban <player>/<reason>/<duration>Bans a player for a time
/unban <SteamID64>Lifts a ban
/admin <player> / /unadmin <player>Gives or removes admin
/saveSaves the world
/time <number> / /day / /nightChanges the time of day
/weather <none/storm/blizzard>Changes the weather
/teleport <player>/<target>Moves a player to another player or a location

From the server console you type the same commands without the /.

Cheats: what admins can spawn

Some admin commands only work if the server has cheats on. The Unturned Wiki marks these as cheat commands: animal, experience, flag, give, quest, reputation, unlocknpcachievement and vehicle. To turn them on, add a line with only Cheats to Commands.dat and restart. To hide who is admin from the player list, add Hide_Admins.

Commands.dat
Owner 76561198000000000
Cheats
Hide_Admins

Leave Cheats off on a survival server if you do not want staff spawning gear. You can change your mind at any time with a restart. The rest of the file (name, map, slots, PvE and more) is in our Unturned server config guide.

Admins with plugins

If you run RocketMod or OpenMod, those frameworks add their own permission groups for plugin commands, such as kits or teleports. Vanilla admin from this guide still works next to them. Set the plugin groups in each framework's own permission file after you install it, as described in our Unturned server setup guide.

Common problems

ProblemFix
Commands are refusedCheck the SteamID64, then admins in Console
Owner line does nothingThe file was edited while the server ran, or the ID has a typo
/give does not workAdd Cheats to Commands.dat and restart
A command with spaces failsSeparate values with /, not spaces

Host your Unturned server on TheGameHosting

On a home PC, your admins can only play while your computer is on. An Unturned server from TheGameHosting stays online 24/7: edit Commands.dat in Files, send admin commands from Console and keep backups of your world and bases. Unturned runs from the 2 GB plan at $1.90 USD a month, on AMD 9950X and 7950X3D CPUs with DDR5 and NVMe, in Dallas or Amsterdam, with DDoS protection on every plan. Compare the plans and prices and use FULL2026 for 15% off for life.

FAQ

How do I make myself admin on my Unturned server?

Add Owner <your SteamID64> to Commands.dat and restart, or type admin <your SteamID64> in the server console.

How do I remove an admin in Unturned?

Type unadmin <SteamID64> in the console, or /unadmin <player> in the chat as an admin. Check with admins.

Why can't I use /give as an admin in Unturned?

give is a cheat command. Add a line Cheats to Commands.dat and restart the server.

Where is the Unturned admin list?

The server keeps it in Adminlist.dat in the server's folder. Use the admin and unadmin commands to change it.

Hosting for this game

Written by TheGameHosting Team, the people who run our servers in Dallas and Amsterdam and answer your tickets.

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