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Factorio Admin Commands for Server Owners

Learn the official Factorio admin commands, how to become an administrator, when to kick or ban, how to configure headless servers and how to verify version-dependent commands.
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Factorio server administration is built around a small set of console commands. Use /promote and /demote to manage administrator status, /kick for a one-time removal, and /ban plus /unban to control who may reconnect. The /admin command opens the player-management interface. Most of these commands require admin privileges; /admins and /bans can be used without them.

Enter commands in the game’s chat/console with the leading slash. Because command lists differ between Factorio versions and between official and third-party documentation, run /help on the server you actually operate before relying on anything outside the core set below.

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Core Factorio admin commands

The official console documentation identifies the following commands as the dependable administration set. Angle-bracket values are arguments you replace with a player’s in-game name or a reason.

Command What it does Permission Important details
/promote <player> Grants a player administrator status. Admin-only The name must identify the player you intend to promote. Example: /promote AzureDiamond.
/demote <player> Removes administrator status. Admin-only The wiki records this command as added in Factorio 0.13.1.
/kick <player> <reason> Removes a player from the current game session. Admin-only A kick is not a ban; the player can reconnect unless another restriction applies.
/ban <player> <reason> Blocks a player from joining. Admin-only The reason is optional in practice. A player can be banned even when not currently on the map.
/unban <player> Removes a player from the ban list. Admin-only Use the exact account name that was banned.
/bans Displays banned players. Not admin-only Useful for checking whether a name is already blocked.
/admins Prints the current administrator list. Not admin-only Use it to verify that a promotion or demotion took effect.
/admin Opens the player-management GUI. Admin-only Use the graphical controls when you prefer selecting a player over typing a command.

How to become an admin on a Factorio server

Ask an existing administrator to promote you

The normal in-game route requires an administrator who is already online. That administrator enters:

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/promote YourExactName

Replace YourExactName with the player’s actual Factorio username. Run /admins afterward to confirm that the name appears in the administrator list. If the command is rejected, check spelling, capitalization and whether the person issuing it is an administrator.

Set administrators on a headless server

For a dedicated (headless) server, the Factorio wiki says administrators can be configured by editing server-settings.json. Stop the server before editing its settings, make a backup, and use the administrator-list structure supplied with the same Factorio version rather than copying a structure from an unrelated release. A third-party hosting guide specifically warns that names must match the in-game username exactly and may be case sensitive.

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  1. Stop the dedicated server cleanly so it does not overwrite your edit.
  2. Open the server’s server-settings.json in a text editor.
  3. Add the intended account names to the administrator list using the file’s existing format and valid JSON syntax.
  4. Save the file, start the server, join with one of the configured accounts and run /admins.
  5. If the account is missing, stop the server and recheck the username character by character, including capitalization and spaces permitted by the game.

The exact JSON key layout is version-dependent in practice, so an invalid hand-written key can fail silently or be ignored. The installed server’s sample settings file and /help output are safer references than a copied snippet.

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Kick versus ban: choose the right action

Situation Use Result How the player returns
Temporary disruption, accidental behavior or a warning /kick Player reason Player is removed from the current session only. They may reconnect normally.
Confirmed griefing, cheating or a deliberate rule violation /ban Player reason Player is blocked from joining, including when they are offline at the time of the command. An administrator must run /unban Player.

The distinction matters operationally: a kick changes the current session, while a ban changes the server’s permission to join. If you only intend to cool down a dispute, kick first. If you ban, record the exact name and reason so another administrator can identify the decision later.

Ban a player

  1. Confirm that you are an administrator.
  2. Enter /ban PlayerName reason. The official example is /ban xTROLLx Throwing grenades in base.
  3. Run /bans to inspect the resulting list.

The reason is optional according to practical usage, but supplying one gives other staff context. Do not assume a ban command will fail merely because the target has already disconnected; the documented behavior allows banning players who are not currently on the map.

Undo a ban

  1. Run /bans and identify the exact account name.
  2. Enter /unban PlayerName.
  3. Ask the player to reconnect, or verify the change with the ban list if your version prints confirmation.

Using the administrator GUI

Typing is fastest for a known account, but /admin opens Factorio’s player-management GUI. It is admin-only and is useful when several players have similar names or when you want to perform player management from a list. The command itself is the reliable way to open the interface; the controls displayed inside can vary with the game version. If a button or action is not present, use the corresponding console command and check /help.

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Checking permissions and diagnosing failures

“Unknown command” or no effect

  • Run /help on the live server. Version updates and localization differences can change the available command set.
  • Check the leading slash and command spelling. Factorio command names are not interchangeable with commands from a hosting panel.
  • Confirm that the command is available in your installed edition and version; the official English console page is the authority for the core list.

“You are not an admin”

/promote, /demote, /kick, /ban, /unban and /admin are admin-only. Ask an existing administrator to promote you, or configure the administrator list in server-settings.json on a headless server. /admins and /bans are the exceptions in the documented core set.

The wrong player was affected

Recheck the exact in-game name before executing a destructive command. Similar display names, capitalization and copied whitespace can lead to a different target or a failed match. Use /admins and /bans to inspect current state rather than relying on memory.

A player reconnects after being removed

That is expected after /kick. Use /ban when the player must be prevented from rejoining, then use /unban when the restriction should end.

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Commands reported by third-party guides: verify before use

Hosting articles and alternate wiki pages list additional commands, but they do not have the same authority as the official English console documentation. Treat the following as version- or source-dependent and test them with /help before using them on a production server.

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Whitelist commands

Some guides report /whitelist add Player, /whitelist remove Player, /whitelist get and /whitelist clear. One report says an empty whitelist is disabled and that adding a name enables it. That behavior is not established by the core official list, so confirm both syntax and semantics on your server before locking players out.

Mute and chat commands

Third-party lists include /mute, /unmute, /mutes and /purge. Reports disagree about which of these are available, particularly /unmute and related chat commands. Do not promise players that a mute command exists until your server’s /help output confirms it.

Configuration and save commands

Some hosting documentation describes /config get, /config set and /server-save. Their availability and accepted arguments depend on the installed version and server environment. For scheduled or automated saves, use the documented controls for your deployment rather than assuming these chat commands are present.

The /banlist alternative

A Chinese-language console page is reported to show /banlist with add, remove, get and clear subcommands. The official English console page does not show it. Prefer the documented /ban, /unban and /bans commands unless /help on your server explicitly exposes /banlist.

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Lua and achievements

Some sources describe /c as a way to run raw Lua. Sources conflict on whether using it disables achievements and on whether moderation commands have that effect. Because the consequences are disputed, do not run raw Lua on a survival save when achievements matter unless you have confirmed the exact behavior for your Factorio version and save.

RCON administration

One hosting guide reports that admin commands can be sent over RCON on dedicated servers. RCON access is a separate remote-control setting and must be secured independently. Confirm the command transport, authentication and permissions in your server software before exposing it beyond a trusted management network.

Practical operating checklist

  • Keep at least two trusted administrators so a single person cannot lock everyone out.
  • Use /admins after changing privileges and /bans after changing bans.
  • Prefer /kick for reversible, short-term intervention and /ban for a deliberate access restriction.
  • Include a concise reason with moderation actions, even where the reason argument is optional.
  • Back up server-settings.json before editing it and validate the file before restarting a headless server.
  • Check /help after Factorio updates; do not import an unverified command list from another version or language page.

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