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The account that generated the cluster token remains the default administrator when an online server has no admin list or the list is empty. Additional administrators must be entered in the active cluster’s list.
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This procedure changes a text permission file. You need access to the dedicated server’s files or to a hosting control panel that exposes them, plus the exact Klei User ID of the person you want to promote.
- Server file access: You must be able to locate the cluster currently loaded by the server and create or edit a text file there.
- The active cluster: A server can use a custom storage root, configuration directory, or cluster name, so the default folders are only starting points.
- The target player’s Klei User ID: Confirm the identifier with the player or through the identity information available in your setup before editing the file. A wrong ID grants no access to the intended person.
- A way to apply and test the change: Depending on how the server is hosted, you may have a restart or reload control. The available documentation does not establish one universal restart requirement.
Klei’s command-line documentation explains how the server chooses its storage and configuration paths: Dedicated Server Command Line Options Guide.
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Understand the terms before you edit
A cluster is the top-level configuration for one online world. It can contain one shard or several shards, such as Master and Caves. The cluster token is the token used when that online cluster was created; the account associated with that token is the default administrator under the conditions described by the dedicated-server guide. A Klei User ID identifies the account being granted access. It is not the same thing as a Steam display name, a character name, or a nickname shown in chat.
These distinctions matter because the permission file is read at cluster level. Editing a similarly named file in a single-player save, an old backup, or a shard directory does not change the permissions of the running cluster.
Find the cluster the server is actually using
The important path is the cluster selected by the running server, not necessarily the folder you would use for a single-player world. Klei describes the cluster location as:
<persistent_storage_root>/<conf_dir>/<cluster>/cluster.ini
The cluster name defaults to Cluster_1 unless the launch configuration overrides it. The server’s -persistent_storage_root, -conf_dir, and -cluster options determine the real location.
Default configuration roots by operating system
| Operating system | Default storage location | What can change it |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | The user’s DocumentsKlei folder |
-persistent_storage_root or -conf_dir launch options |
| macOS | The user’s Documents/Klei folder |
-persistent_storage_root or -conf_dir launch options |
| Linux | ~/.klei |
-persistent_storage_root or -conf_dir launch options |
The default configuration directory is DoNotStarveTogether. A host panel or startup script can change that directory, so inspect the actual launch arguments whenever the expected folder is missing.
Use the launch command or host panel as the source of truth
- Open the script, service definition, command line, or hosting-panel settings used to start the dedicated server.
- Record the values supplied to
-persistent_storage_root,-conf_dir, and-cluster. If an option is absent, use the documented default for that option. - Combine those values into the cluster path shown above.
- Open the folder containing that cluster’s
cluster.ini. If you cannot findcluster.ini, you are probably looking at the wrong storage root, configuration directory, or cluster name.
Do not infer the active location merely from a folder named Cluster_1. Multiple test worlds, backups, or old installations can have the same default name. The loaded launch options and the presence of the matching cluster.ini are the useful checks.
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Path examples without assuming a particular installation
On Windows, begin under the account’s Documents Klei location, then follow the configured DoNotStarveTogether directory, configuration directory, and cluster name. On macOS, use the corresponding Documents/Klei location. On Linux, begin under ~/.klei. In all three cases, a custom -persistent_storage_root can move the entire tree, while -conf_dir can select another configuration directory and -cluster can select another cluster within it.
These are path rules rather than commands to copy verbatim. A managed host may mount the same logical folders somewhere else, so the panel’s startup configuration remains authoritative.
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Locate the correct level in a multi-shard server
A cluster can contain multiple shards, commonly represented by Master and Caves directories. Shard-specific settings are stored in each shard’s server.ini, while the cluster-level administration list sits alongside the cluster configuration and shard folders.
A typical layout is conceptually similar to:
<persistent_storage_root><conf_dir><cluster>
├── cluster.ini
├── adminlist.txt
├── Master
│ └── server.ini
└── Caves
└── server.iniThe exact separators depend on the operating system, and a particular server may have additional files. The key distinction is that adminlist.txt belongs in the cluster directory, not inside Master, Caves, or a client’s local save directory.
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For the command-line path and shard arrangement, see Klei’s official server options documentation. A community walkthrough also describes the dedicated-server file structure in Don’t Starve Together Dedicated Servers.
Create or edit adminlist.txt
- Open the active cluster directory—the folder that contains
cluster.ini. - Look for a file named
adminlist.txt. - If it does not exist, create a plain text file with exactly that name. Ensure your operating system or editor has not added a second extension such as
.txt.txt. - Enter the intended player’s Klei User ID on its own line.
- For several administrators, place one Klei User ID on each separate line.
- Save the file in the cluster directory, alongside
cluster.iniand the shard folders.
The dedicated-server guide describes this as a list of Klei User IDs, one per line. Do not substitute a Steam display name, character name, server nickname, or an identifier copied from an unrelated local save.
Example format
first-player-klei-id
second-player-klei-idThe example shows the structure only; replace those entries with the verified IDs for your own players. Keep each identifier on a separate line so the server can evaluate the list as individual accounts. Do not combine names and IDs on one line or place several IDs on a single line.
Editing safely
Before replacing an existing list, make a backup copy or preserve the current contents in your hosting panel’s file history if that feature exists. This is especially useful when several people already administer the cluster. Add the new line without deleting existing, verified administrators. Save as plain text and check the filename after saving; some editors hide extensions or create a second extension.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe file is a permission list, not a place for comments, server rules, passwords, or cluster settings. Keep cluster settings in their existing files and leave each shard’s server.ini where it is.
Understand who is an administrator by default
When the online server has no adminlist.txt, or the file exists but contains no entries, the account associated with the cluster token is the default administrator. This is the account that generated the cluster token used by the server. Adding another person requires that person’s Klei User ID in the cluster’s admin list; merely knowing the token owner’s identity does not promote anyone else.
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This behavior is described in the community dedicated-server guide and echoed in a Klei forum response about adding administrators. The forum discussion is available at “add an admin to dedicated server”.
Adding entries does not transfer the cluster token or change which account created it. It simply identifies additional Klei accounts that should receive administrator permission on that cluster. If the list is later emptied, the stated default behavior applies again: the token-associated account remains the default administrator.
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After saving adminlist.txt, use the controls provided by your server setup to apply configuration changes. Some installations expose a reload function; others provide only stop-and-start controls. The available Klei forum response explicitly did not settle whether a restart is required in every setup, so treat application as host-specific rather than an unconditional rule.
- Save the file and confirm it is in the active cluster directory.
- If your host panel documents a configuration reload, use that control.
- If the panel provides no reload option, follow its normal procedure for applying changed server files; do not alter launch arguments just to refresh the list.
- Have the promoted player connect or reconnect when your setup is ready for a test.
- Verify that the player receives the expected administrator status before relying on the permission in an active session.
If the status does not appear, return to the path and identity checks below before making further changes. Avoid repeatedly creating files in different folders: that can leave several plausible-looking lists while the process continues reading only one cluster.
Troubleshoot an admin who still has no permissions
The file is in the wrong folder
This is the most common path error on servers with custom layouts. Recheck the startup command or host-panel fields for -persistent_storage_root, -conf_dir, and -cluster. Then locate the cluster directory that contains the matching cluster.ini. Creating an adminlist.txt under a different Cluster_1, a local client directory, or a shard folder will not modify the cluster that is running.
The server uses a non-default cluster name
Cluster_1 is only the default. If the launch command specifies another value for -cluster, use that directory instead. A correctly formatted file in the default directory is ineffective when the server is loading a differently named cluster.
The storage or configuration root is customized
Windows, macOS, and Linux have different defaults, and a launch option can override all of them. If the expected DoNotStarveTogether directory does not contain the running cluster, inspect the full command and the host panel rather than creating parallel folders until one appears to work.
The identifier is not the player’s Klei User ID
The list accepts Klei User IDs. A screen name or another platform identifier can look plausible while matching no account. Ask the player to confirm the exact Klei identifier associated with their account, then replace the incorrect line with that value.
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The list was edited at shard level
Shard directories hold shard settings such as server.ini. Administration is configured at the cluster level. Move the file to the directory containing cluster.ini, leaving the shard files in their own folders.
The file is empty when you expected named administrators
An empty list has a defined consequence: the cluster-token account remains the default administrator. If you intended to grant access to additional people, ensure their Klei User IDs are actually present in the cluster-level file and saved successfully.
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The change has not been applied by the running process
Check your host’s documented reload or restart workflow and then reconnect the test player. Because the reviewed guidance does not specify one restart requirement for every hosting arrangement, use the behavior of your particular control panel or service rather than treating a restart as guaranteed or unnecessary.
Several clusters look similar
Compare the path used by the active launch command with the directory you edited. A backup, staging world, or second installation can contain its own cluster.ini and adminlist.txt. Only the cluster selected by the process that is currently serving players matters.
What an administrator change does not do
The admin list controls which Klei accounts receive administrator permission on the selected dedicated-server cluster. It does not rename the cluster, alter world settings, modify shard configuration, or transfer ownership of the cluster token. Those are separate configuration or account-management concerns.
Because the file is cluster-level, the same administrator decision applies across the shards belonging to that cluster. If your server has a Master and Caves shard, you do not create a separate administrator list in each shard directory.
A repeatable checklist for future administrators
- Identify the command or panel that starts the server.
- Read the configured
-persistent_storage_root,-conf_dir, and-clustervalues. - Open the resulting cluster directory and confirm that
cluster.iniis present. - Create or edit
adminlist.txtin that same directory. - Enter one verified Klei User ID per line.
- Preserve existing valid entries and save the file as plain text.
- Save the file without changing the cluster or shard settings.
- Apply the change using the host’s supported reload or restart procedure, if one is required there.
- Have the intended player connect or reconnect and verify administrator status.
- If it fails, check the path, filename, identifier, and application workflow in that order.
When a managed host changes the workflow
A managed server may hide the filesystem behind a web panel, mount the cluster under a provider-specific path, or offer a file editor instead of direct shell access. The underlying operation is unchanged: identify the active cluster, edit its adminlist.txt, and apply the host’s supported configuration workflow. If the panel does not expose the cluster path or permit editing the list, ask the host whether its service supports cluster-level administrator management before creating files in guessed locations.
No provider is required for this change; it is a text-file permission update. The relevant requirement is access to the active cluster configuration. A host that cannot expose or manage that configuration may need to perform the edit for you, but the file and one-ID-per-line format remain the same.
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Authoritative and community references
- Klei Entertainment: Dedicated Server Command Line Options Guide — storage roots, configuration directories, launch options, and shard paths; updated July 15, 2026.
- Don’t Starve Together Dedicated Servers — admin-list behavior and dedicated-server layout.
- Simple Dedicated Server Setup — a community setup reference.
- Klei forum discussion: add an admin to dedicated server — forum guidance on adding additional administrators and the token-owner default, posted March 3, 2023.
- Don’t Starve Together dedicated server guide for all platforms — an additional community setup reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly does adminlist.txt go?
Put it in the active cluster directory, alongside cluster.ini and the Master or Caves shard folders. Do not place it inside a shard folder or a local client save.
What should each line contain?
One verified Klei User ID per line. Do not use a Steam display name, character name, nickname, or another platform identifier.
Is Cluster_1 always the right folder?
No. Cluster_1 is the default name only. Check the server’s -cluster setting and use the directory selected by the running launch configuration.
Who is admin if adminlist.txt is missing?
For an online server with no admin list, or an empty list, the account associated with the cluster token is the default administrator.
Do I have to restart the server?
There is no universal rule established for every hosting setup. Use the reload or restart procedure documented by your host, then have the player reconnect and test.
Why does my added admin still lack permissions?
Verify the active storage root, configuration directory, cluster name, exact filename, cluster-level location, Klei User ID, and your host’s process for applying file changes.
Do Master and Caves need separate admin lists?
No. Administration is configured at cluster level, so one list applies to the shards belonging to that cluster.
Can adding an admin transfer the cluster token?
No. It grants permission to the listed Klei account but does not transfer ownership of the cluster token or change world and shard settings.
The Bottom Line
Find the cluster selected by the server’s actual launch settings, place one verified Klei User ID per line in that cluster’s adminlist.txt, and apply the change using your host’s documented workflow. If it fails, check the path and identifier before changing anything else.
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