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To make yourself an administrator, edit SquadGame/ServerConfig/Admins.cfg, create a permission group, add your numeric SteamID64 to that group, save the file, and restart the server. A minimal working configuration is:
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Group=Mod:chat,kick,ban,cameraman
Admin=12345678901234567:ModReplace the example number with your own SteamID64. The group name after the colon must match the name in the Group= line exactly.
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What Admins.cfg does
Squad grants local in-game administration through a text file named Admins.cfg. The file lives in the server configuration directory:
SquadGame/ServerConfig/Admins.cfgA Group= entry defines which commands a role can use. An Admin= entry assigns a Steam account to that role. The server reads the relationship between those two lines when it starts, so both the group and the account entry are required.
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Your Steam display name is not an administrator identifier. Use the account’s numeric SteamID64, normally a 17-digit number. If the number, group spelling, punctuation, or file location is wrong, the server will not grant the expected commands.
Before you edit the server
Get file access
You need either the host’s file manager, an FTP/SFTP connection, or another method that lets you edit the server’s configuration files. Stop the server first when possible. Editing while the process is writing configuration files can overwrite your changes, and a stopped server makes it easier to verify that the saved file is the one being loaded.
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Have the correct SteamID64 ready
Copy the numeric SteamID64 for the account that will administer the server. You can obtain it from the account’s Steam profile details or from a host/player tool that displays the full identifier. Do not paste a profile nickname, a shortened Steam ID format, or a character name into Admins.cfg.
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Make a backup
Download or copy the original Admins.cfg before changing it. Keep the backup outside the server’s configuration folder. A backup lets you recover from a typo, an accidental deletion of comments, or a host panel that restores an earlier version of the file.
How to add yourself as an admin
- Stop the server or open its file manager. Use your provider’s stop control, then browse to
SquadGame/ServerConfig/. - Open
Admins.cfg. If the panel presents several configuration folders, use the path under the active Squad server instance, not a backup or staging directory. - Review the commented permission list. Near the top, the file usually documents available access levels. Select only the permissions needed for your role.
- Add a group definition. Use the format
Group=<GroupName>:<permission1>,<permission2>. For example:
Group=Mod:chat,kick,ban,cameraman- Add your Steam account to that group. Use the format
Admin=<SteamID64>:<GroupName>:
Admin=12345678901234567:Mod- Save the file. Check that the editor did not append an extra extension such as
.txt, and verify that the edited path is stillSquadGame/ServerConfig/Admins.cfg. - Restart the server. A full restart is the reliable way to make the server reread the file. Some hosts also allow a map change to apply configuration, but restart if there is any doubt.
- Join and test. Enter the server with the account whose SteamID64 you added. On an English keyboard, the administration reference says the in-game console opens by double-tapping the tilde key. Run a low-impact command allowed by your group before attempting disruptive actions.
Admins.cfg syntax that must match
Each setting is a single line. Keep the equals sign, colon, and comma placement exactly as shown. Group names are labels you choose; they are not built-in ranks.
| Line | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
Group= |
Creates a role and lists its comma-separated permissions. | Group=Mod:chat,kick,ban |
Admin= |
Maps one SteamID64 to an existing group. | Admin=12345678901234567:Mod |
The group name is case-sensitive in practice: if the definition says Mod, the account line should end in :Mod, not :mod or :Moderator. A group can contain multiple administrators by using one Admin= line per SteamID64.
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Group=Mod:chat,kick,ban,cameraman
Admin=12345678901234567:Mod
Admin=76543210987654321:ModChoosing permissions without over-granting access
Squad’s permissions are granular. Build the smallest group that covers the job instead of assigning every available access level to every moderator.
| Permission | Use | Assign carefully because |
|---|---|---|
chat |
Use administration functions related to server chat. | It is usually suitable for a basic moderator group. |
kick |
Remove a player from the current server session. | A mistaken kick immediately disrupts a player’s match. |
ban |
Ban a player according to the server’s administration commands. | It has a larger impact than a temporary warning or kick. |
cameraman |
Use the spectator camera for administration and observation. | Give it to staff who actually need camera oversight. |
reserve |
Control reserved-slot access. | It affects who can join when the server is full. |
changemap |
Change the active map. | It can end or interrupt the current round for everyone. |
balance |
Use team-balancing administration functions. | Apply it only to staff trusted to alter team composition. |
pause |
Pause the server session where supported. | A pause can stop a live match for all players. |
config |
Change server configuration settings. | It is a high-impact setting and should not be in an ordinary moderator role. |
manageserver |
Manage or kill the server. | It can stop service for everyone and belongs only to trusted operators. |
immune |
Prevent the account from being kicked or banned by applicable administration actions. | It can make mistakes or abuse harder to correct. |
private |
Use private-server administration functions. | It can change who is able to access the server. |
cheat |
Access cheat-related administration commands. | Keep it out of normal staff groups and use it only when specifically required. |
debug, featuretest, forceteamchange, teamchange, demos |
Specialized debugging, testing, team, or demo controls. | These are operational or testing powers rather than routine moderation tools. |
A practical two-tier setup
For a small community, separate routine moderation from server ownership. For example:
Group=Moderator:chat,kick,ban,cameraman
Group=Owner:chat,kick,ban,cameraman,reserve,config,manageserver,immune,changemap
Admin=12345678901234567:Owner
Admin=76543210987654321:ModeratorThis arrangement keeps high-impact controls with the account that maintains the server while still giving trusted staff the tools they need to handle player conduct. Remove a permission from the group definition when a role no longer needs it, then restart the server so the narrower policy takes effect.
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Testing your new rights in game
- Start or restart the server after saving
Admins.cfg. - Join with the exact Steam account represented by the SteamID64 line.
- Open the in-game administration console by double-tapping the tilde key on an English keyboard.
- Run a non-destructive command associated with the group, such as an administrative chat action, before testing kick, ban, map, or server-management commands.
- If the command is rejected, leave the server and check the file rather than repeatedly changing unrelated settings.
Test with the same account you added. Giving a role to one SteamID64 does not automatically grant it to other accounts that share a display name, clan tag, or server nickname.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting when admin commands do not work
The server treats you as a normal player
- Confirm the account line begins with
Admin=and follows the exact formAdmin=SteamID64:GroupName. - Compare the group name character by character with the corresponding
Group=line. - Make sure the numeric identifier is the correct SteamID64, not a display name or another Steam ID format.
- Verify that the file is in
SquadGame/ServerConfig/Admins.cfgfor the live server instance. - Save, fully restart the server, reconnect, and test again.
The file appears to revert
Stop the server before editing, save a local backup, and check the panel’s file timestamp after uploading. Some hosts expose more than one configuration location; editing a template, cache, or inactive instance will not change the running server. If a host offers an apply-configuration or map-change control, use it only after confirming the file was saved to the active instance.
Only some commands work
That normally indicates the account is assigned correctly but the group lacks the permission for the command. Add only the missing access level to the group’s comma-separated list, save, and restart. Do not replace the group with an unrestricted set simply because one command is unavailable.
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You assigned too much access
Remove unnecessary permissions from the Group= line, especially cheat, config, manageserver, and immune. Restart before treating the reduced role as effective. Keep the original backup until you have verified that legitimate moderation still works.
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RCON is a separate administration path. Local in-game rights come from Admins.cfg; remote-console access is configured in Rcon.cfg, which is located beside it. RCON can let an external client or control panel issue commands without the operator joining the game, but it does not replace a correct local group assignment.
| Consideration | Admins.cfg and in-game console | RCON |
|---|---|---|
| Where commands are issued | From the Squad client while connected to the server. | From a remote RCON client, panel, or integration. |
| Identity and credentials | Numeric SteamID64 mapped to a named group. | RCON connection settings, including a password. |
| Must you join the server? | Yes, for the in-game console. | No; the remote client connects to the server. |
| Network exposure | Uses the normal game connection and local admin file. | Requires an RCON port reachable by the authorized client, so protect the password and limit exposure. |
| Automation | Best for hands-on moderation while playing. | Better suited to panels, scheduled actions, bots, and Discord integrations. |
Rcon.cfg essentials
The RCON configuration includes an IP address, port, password, maximum connections, and timeout settings. Leaving the password empty keeps RCON disabled. Installation documentation commonly shows port 21114 as a default, but use the value actually present in your server’s Rcon.cfg and host panel rather than assuming every installation uses it.
To connect successfully, the remote tool must use the same password and port as Rcon.cfg, and the port must be reachable through the host’s firewall or network rules. Third-party panels can read the RCON values and, where supported, read roles from Admins.cfg. Discord-oriented tools may implement their own permission mapping, so verify those roles separately instead of assuming they mirror the in-game group automatically.
RCON troubleshooting
- Set a non-empty RCON password if you intend to use RCON.
- Confirm the panel’s port and password exactly match
Rcon.cfg. - Check that the configured port is open to the authorized client but not unnecessarily exposed to the public internet.
- Verify the server is running and that the RCON maximum-connection and timeout values permit the client to stay connected.
- Keep local
Admins.cfgaccess for emergency administration if the remote panel fails.
Operational checklist
- Back up
Admins.cfgbefore every structural change. - Use SteamID64 values, never names, in
Admin=lines. - Give each role only the permissions it needs.
- Keep ownership powers such as
manageserver,config,immune, andcheatrestricted. - Restart after editing and reconnect with the account that was added.
- Document who owns each SteamID64 and remove former staff promptly.
- If using RCON, keep its password non-empty, private, and synchronized with the remote client.
Quick reference
# A basic moderator role
Group=Mod:chat,kick,ban,cameraman
# Your account's SteamID64 mapped to that role
Admin=12345678901234567:ModSave the file under SquadGame/ServerConfig/Admins.cfg, restart the server, join with the matching Steam account, and test a permitted console command. If it fails, check the SteamID64, group spelling, active file path, and restart state in that order.
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