Add a Garry’s Mod Workshop collection by passing its numeric ID to the dedicated server at startup with +host_workshop_collection COLLECTION_ID, then restart the server. The collection must be public or unlisted; a private collection cannot be read by srcds. Nested collections are downloaded as well.
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What the Workshop collection parameter does
A Garry’s Mod dedicated server does not select Workshop collections through an in-game menu. The srcds process reads the collection ID from its startup arguments, contacts Steam Workshop, downloads the items it can access, and mounts them for the server. The setting applies when the process starts, so changing the command requires a complete server restart.
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The essential argument is:
+host_workshop_collection COLLECTION_IDCOLLECTION_ID is the number assigned to the collection, not the collection name and not an individual addon ID.
Before you start
- A Garry’s Mod dedicated server that you can restart.
- A Steam Workshop collection containing the addons you want to load.
- The collection’s numeric ID.
- Permission to edit the server’s startup command, or access to the hosting panel’s equivalent setting.
Use a public or unlisted collection
The official Garry’s Mod dedicated-server guidance says the collection must be public or unlisted. A private collection is not accessible to srcds, even if you own it. If you need to keep the collection out of public search results while still allowing the server to fetch it, unlisted visibility is the applicable option.
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Check the collection’s game and contents
Make sure the items belong to Garry’s Mod. A third-party resolver tool claims the launch flag can silently skip items associated with another game; treat that as a vendor-specific warning rather than an official guarantee. If an item does not appear, check its Workshop game association and whether it is still available.
Method 1: load one collection with the startup command
This is the normal method and works by adding one launch argument to the command that starts the dedicated server.
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- Set visibility. Set the collection to Public or Unlisted. Do not leave it private.
- Copy the collection ID. Open the collection page and copy the number at the end of its URL. Steam’s Share dialog also exposes the collection’s ID. Copy only the number.
- Edit the startup command. Add
+host_workshop_collection, followed by a space and the numeric ID. Keep the plus sign, the word “host,” the underscore characters, and the spelling exactly as shown. - Save the command and restart. Stop the dedicated server cleanly, start it again with the updated command, and allow the initial Workshop download to finish before judging whether the addons loaded.
- Verify in the server console and game. Look for Workshop download or mount activity, then join the server and test an addon feature that should be present. A restart is required after changing the collection argument.
Complete command example
A Linux-style startup command with a 16-player limit, the Workshop collection, Sandbox mode, and a map looks like this:
./srcds_run -game garrysmod -maxplayers 16 +host_workshop_collection 910942406 +gamemode sandbox +map gm_flatgrassThe collection argument can appear alongside other launch options. The important part is that +host_workshop_collection and the ID are separate arguments in the same startup command.
What each part means
| Part | Purpose |
|---|---|
./srcds_run |
Starts the dedicated-server executable in the example command. |
-game garrysmod |
Selects the Garry’s Mod server game. |
-maxplayers 16 |
Sets the example server player limit. |
+host_workshop_collection 910942406 |
Tells srcds which Workshop collection to download and mount. |
+gamemode sandbox |
Selects the example game mode. |
+map gm_flatgrass |
Starts the example map. |
Your map, game mode, player limit, and executable path may differ. Do not replace the collection argument with an addon name or with the URL of the collection page.
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Nested collections
A collection can contain sub-collections. The dedicated server downloads nested collections as part of the parent collection, so you do not need a separate startup argument for every child collection. This is useful when a larger pack is organized into smaller groups, but it also means that adding a parent collection can bring in more items than are immediately visible in its top-level list.
Method 2: use cfg/srcds_workshop_ids.txt on newer builds
Recent Garry’s Mod dedicated-server documentation describes a manual file named cfg/srcds_workshop_ids.txt. The file holds Workshop IDs in a named block and can be used instead of, or alongside, a collection launch argument.
The documented version note says this file method is new in build 2026.09.22 or later. That requirement is version-sensitive: older builds will not read the file, and the live Garry’s Mod documentation should be checked against the build installed on your server before relying on it. Follow the current wiki’s exact block syntax; an incorrectly formatted file is not a substitute for the startup parameter.
When the file method is useful
- When you need to maintain a hand-selected list of Workshop IDs rather than follow one collection.
- When the server’s startup command is managed by software that makes long command lines difficult to edit.
- When you want to combine a collection with individually listed Workshop items, provided your build supports the file.
Collection versus ID file
| Consideration | Collection launch argument | srcds_workshop_ids.txt |
|---|---|---|
| Setup effort | Add one launch argument containing the collection ID. | Create and maintain a file containing Workshop IDs in the documented named-block format. |
| Update behavior | Follows changes made by the collection owner, including additions and removals. | Remains fixed until you edit the file. |
| Build requirement | Standard startup-parameter method. | Documented for build 2026.09.22 or newer; verify your installed build and current documentation. |
| Best fit | A curated pack that should track one collection. | A deliberately frozen or individually managed set of IDs. |
Using a hosting control panel
Some game-server panels expose the Workshop collection ID as a labeled server setting instead of showing the raw command line. Enter the numeric collection ID in that field, save the configuration, and restart the server. The panel should generate the equivalent +host_workshop_collection COLLECTION_ID argument.
If the panel also offers a free-form startup-command editor, use only one authoritative setting where possible. Duplicating or conflicting collection values can make it unclear which command the server actually receives. After saving, inspect the generated startup line or console output if the panel provides that information.
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Troubleshooting a collection that will not load
Console says host_workshop_collection is unset
This message means the running process did not receive the collection argument. Reopen the actual startup command or panel-generated command and check that it contains:
+host_workshop_collection COLLECTION_IDA reported cause is an underscore being replaced with a space. host workshop collection is not the same setting. Correct every character, save the command, and restart the server rather than merely changing the map.
The collection is private
Change the collection visibility to public or unlisted. Ownership of a private collection does not make it readable by the dedicated server process.
The ID is wrong
Copy the number at the end of the collection page URL or use Steam’s Share dialog. Do not copy an addon’s individual Workshop ID when the server is meant to load a collection.
You changed the collection but the server still has the old contents
Stop and restart the dedicated server after changing the launch argument or collection selection. A running process will not reliably re-read startup parameters. If the collection itself was edited, allow time for Steam Workshop downloads and then test again after the restart.
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Some addons are missing
- Confirm that the missing item is inside the selected collection or one of its nested collections.
- Check that the item is a Garry’s Mod Workshop item and has not been removed or made inaccessible.
- Check the server console for download or mount errors.
- Consider the third-party resolver warning that items belonging to another game may be skipped silently; verify the item’s game association.
- Make sure you restarted the same server instance whose command you edited. A panel may manage a different instance or generate a command from a separate configuration page.
The file method has no effect
Verify that the server is running build 2026.09.22 or newer, that the file is located at cfg/srcds_workshop_ids.txt, and that its syntax matches the current official documentation. On an older build, use the launch-argument method instead.
A guide tells you to add an authkey
Some community guides append -authkey followed by a Steam Web API key after the collection ID. The official wiki excerpt for the collection startup method does not establish that an authkey is required, and its necessity on current builds is unconfirmed. Do not expose a Steam Web API key in public logs or copy one into a command merely because an older guide includes it. Check current Garry’s Mod documentation and your server build before deciding whether an authkey is needed.
Keeping the server maintainable
Choose who controls updates
A collection follows its owner’s edits. Adding or removing an item from that collection changes what the server will attempt to download at the next startup. This is convenient for a curated pack but means an update can alter the server without editing its command line.
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Document the source of the ID
Record the collection page, its visibility choice, and the date it was approved in your server administration notes. Keep the numeric ID next to the server’s startup configuration so another administrator can distinguish it from individual addon IDs.
Restart after configuration changes
Workshop collection loading is a startup operation. Plan a restart whenever you change the collection argument, move to a different collection, or switch between the command-line and file-based methods. Test the server after the restart before opening it to players.
Quick Recap
Quick checklist
- The collection is public or unlisted.
- You copied the collection’s numeric ID, not an addon ID.
- The command contains
+host_workshop_collectionwith underscores and a leading plus sign. - The ID is in the same startup configuration used by the running server.
- You saved the setting and fully restarted the dedicated server.
- You allowed Workshop downloads to complete and checked the console.
- Nested collections and item game associations were considered.
- If using
cfg/srcds_workshop_ids.txt, the server build is 2026.09.22 or newer and the file follows the current documented syntax.
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