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How to Set Up a Whitelist on a DayZ PC Server

By Freedom251 Team · · 11 min read

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DayZ’s built-in whitelist is enabled in the server configuration, not in a Steam setting. Find the configuration file the running instance actually loads, set enableWhitelist = 1;, then create whitelist.txt in the server root with one permitted player’s DayZ UID on each line. The community administration guidance used here describes that identifier as a 44-character DayZ UID, not a 17-digit SteamID64.

The most common failure is editing a file that the server never reads. The -config launch parameter selects the active configuration, so confirm that path before changing anything. After editing, apply the change using your host’s supported restart or reload procedure; the available documentation does not establish a universal live-reload method for whitelist changes.

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What the DayZ whitelist does

A whitelist changes the server from an open connection policy to an allow-list policy. With the switch enabled, the server admits only players whose approved DayZ UID appears in whitelist.txt. Anyone not listed is refused access by the server’s access-control check.

This is different from a password. A password is a shared secret that can be passed to anyone who knows it. A whitelist ties access to individual player identifiers, so you can remove one player without changing a credential for everyone else. It also differs from an administrator list: being an administrator does not automatically place a player on the whitelist.

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The built-in feature controls connection eligibility. It does not by itself grant moderator privileges, protect a player from a ban, configure BattlEye, or replace ordinary server security. Keep those functions separate when planning your server’s access policy.

Before you edit any files

Make sure you can stop and start the server or use the management controls supplied by your host. You also need access to the server’s configuration directory and its root directory. On a self-hosted machine this may be a local filesystem; on managed hosting it may be a web file manager, an FTP/SFTP account, or a provider-specific control panel.

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  • Record the current configuration before changing it. A copy lets you restore the previous state if a syntax error prevents startup.
  • Note the exact server instance you are editing if the machine runs more than one DayZ server. Each instance can have a different launch command and configuration file.
  • Use a plain-text editor. Do not save the files as rich text or add formatting characters.
  • Keep a separate list of approved players and the date each entry was added. This makes later removals and audits less error-prone.

Do not assume that a file named serverDZ.cfg is active merely because it is the usual example. The launch option determines which configuration the process reads.

Step 1: Identify the configuration file the server actually loads

Bohemia Interactive’s DayZ server configuration reference states that the -config launch parameter selects the server configuration file. Its example uses -config=serverDZ.cfg, but the filename can be different on your installation.

Find the startup command or launch configuration used by the running server and look for the -config argument. A command fragment might look like this:

-config=serverDZ.cfg

The value after the equals sign is the file you must edit. If it says -config=my-survival.cfg, changing an unrelated serverDZ.cfg will have no effect. On a managed host, the launch command may be hidden; use the panel’s server-settings or startup-parameters view, or ask the host which configuration is active.

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When several instances share one machine

Check the complete startup definition for each instance. Two servers can use different configuration filenames, profiles, ports, and roots even when they run from the same installation. Apply the whitelist setting and file to the instance that should be restricted, not automatically to every DayZ process on the machine.

Keep the path and filename exact

Case, spelling, and extension matter on systems with case-sensitive filesystems. If the startup parameter points to a relative path, interpret it from the server’s launch directory as configured by the host. Do not create a second file with a nearly identical name and expect the server to choose between them.

Step 2: Enable the whitelist switch

Open the active configuration file and locate the enableWhitelist entry. Set it to the integer value 1, retaining the semicolon used by the configuration syntax:

enableWhitelist = 1;

Bohemia Interactive documents this as a 0–1 switch: 0 disables the whitelist and 1 enables it. A community configuration reference explains the resulting behavior as allowing only UIDs listed in whitelist.txt.

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Check for duplicate settings

If the file contains more than one enableWhitelist line, remove the ambiguity by keeping one correctly formatted entry. A value of 0, a misspelled parameter, or a line placed in a section your server does not parse will not enable access control. Preserve the surrounding syntax and do not replace the numeric value with words such as true unless your exact server version documents that alternative.

Save a reversible copy

Before saving, copy the original file under a separate name outside the active configuration set. Keep the active filename unchanged so the -config argument continues to resolve to it. If the server fails to start after the edit, restore the copy, start the server, and inspect the host’s error log before trying again.

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Step 3: Create whitelist.txt in the server root

The StarDZ-Team DayZ Modding Wiki’s access-control guide places whitelist.txt in the server root. In practical terms, use the root directory associated with the running DayZ server instance—the directory your host identifies as that server’s main installation directory—not an arbitrary local documents folder or a client-side DayZ directory.

Create a plain-text file named exactly whitelist.txt. The name must not become whitelist.txt.txt, and the file should not be saved as a word-processing document. If the file already exists, edit that file rather than creating a second copy elsewhere.

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Finding the correct root on a managed host

Control panels differ. Some expose a “server files” root directly; others open in a profile, configuration, or instance subdirectory. Use the host’s documented file path or ask support where the DayZ server root is for your instance. The community placement guidance is clear about the root, but it does not define one universal folder path for every hosting layout.

Finding the correct root when self-hosting

Use the working directory and file paths in the startup definition. If the server is launched by a service, scheduled task, script, or container, inspect that launcher’s working-directory setting. The correct root is the one associated with the process that uses the configuration selected by -config.

Step 4: Add each player’s DayZ UID

Enter one permitted player identifier per line. The community whitelist guide describes the required value as a 44-character DayZ UID and explicitly distinguishes it from a 17-digit SteamID64.

DAYZ_UID_FOR_PLAYER_ONE
DAYZ_UID_FOR_PLAYER_TWO
DAYZ_UID_FOR_PLAYER_THREE

The lines above show the layout only; replace them with the actual UIDs. Do not include display names, commas, quotation marks, Steam profile URLs, or explanatory text on the same line. Keep the identifier intact, including every character and any leading zeroes.

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DayZ UID versus SteamID64

A SteamID64 is a different identifier format. Copying a 17-digit SteamID64 into the whitelist when the server expects the DayZ UID will not satisfy the access check. The official Bohemia Interactive configuration reference documents the switch and file role, but it does not specify the identifier format; the 44-character distinction comes from the community administration guide.

How to obtain a UID without guessing

The documentation consulted here does not establish one universal method for retrieving a player’s DayZ UID. Do not derive it from a Steam profile URL or assume that a conversion website produces the value your server expects. Ask the player to provide the identifier through the method supported by your host or server version, or use the UID information exposed by your server’s own logs or administration panel when available. If your host documents a particular command or log field, follow that current, host-specific procedure.

Formatting and line endings

Use one UID per physical line. Avoid blank characters before or after an identifier, accidental tabs, and comments appended to a UID. A final newline at the end of the file is normally harmless, but a line containing spaces or partial text is not a valid player entry. If a player cannot connect, retype or paste the UID into a plain-text editor and compare every character with the value supplied by the player or host.

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Step 5: Save and apply the change safely

Save both the configuration file and whitelist.txt in their active locations. The available references do not establish a universal hot-reload behavior for whitelist edits, so do not promise that a running server will notice the change immediately.

  1. Use the host’s documented stop, restart, or reload control. If the host distinguishes between a graceful stop and a forced termination, choose the graceful method.
  2. Wait for the process to finish shutting down and for the control panel or service manager to report that it is stopped.
  3. Start the server again using the same launch definition that contains the intended -config value.
  4. Watch the startup status and logs for configuration or file-access errors before inviting players to connect.

Bohemia Interactive’s configuration documentation highly recommends graceful shutdown to avoid negative side effects on player characters and server-storage saving. A forced kill can risk unsaved state regardless of whether the whitelist itself is configured correctly.

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Step 6: Verify that the whitelist is working

Test with two cases: one UID that is deliberately listed and one account that is not listed. The listed account should be able to proceed through the server’s normal connection process; the unlisted account should be refused once the server has loaded the enabled whitelist.

  • Confirm the server started with the expected configuration file, not a fallback or differently named file.
  • Reopen that file and verify the exact line is enableWhitelist = 1;.
  • Check that whitelist.txt is in the root belonging to the same server instance.
  • Compare the test player’s identifier with the 44-character DayZ UID supplied for the file, not a SteamID64.
  • Check the server log or host panel for startup errors, permission failures, or a path showing that the file could not be read.

If the listed player still cannot connect, avoid changing several variables at once. First prove which configuration file is active, then prove the file location, and finally recheck the identifier character by character.

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Troubleshooting common failures

The server behaves as if no whitelist exists

  • Wrong configuration file: the active process may use a filename other than the one you edited. Recheck the -config launch parameter.
  • Switch left at zero: set the active entry to enableWhitelist = 1;, including the semicolon.
  • Wrong server instance: a multi-instance host can have separate roots and startup definitions. Apply the file to the intended instance.
  • Change not applied: use the host-supported restart or reload process; live application is not established by the cited references.

An approved player is rejected

  • Verify that the entry is the player’s DayZ UID, not a SteamID64 or profile URL.
  • Count and compare the UID characters against the 44-character format described by the community guide.
  • Remove spaces, punctuation, labels, or comments from the line.
  • Check that the file is named exactly whitelist.txt and is in the server root.
  • Confirm the player is connecting to the same server instance whose files you edited.

The server fails to start after editing

Restore the backed-up configuration, start the server, and inspect the startup log. Typical checks include an accidental deletion of a semicolon, an invalid character introduced by a rich-text editor, or a file saved under the wrong encoding or extension. Once the server is stable, reapply one small change at a time and retain the working copy.

A player was removed but can still connect

Check for duplicate whitelist files, duplicate server instances, and an unapplied restart. Remove the UID from the file used by the active instance, save it, and follow the supported stop/start procedure. Do not assume a panel’s file preview is the file read by the running process until the launch path confirms it.

Operating a whitelist over time

Adding a player

Obtain the player’s DayZ UID through a trusted, host-supported method, append it as a new line in the active whitelist.txt, save a dated backup, and apply the documented reload or restart process. Record who approved the addition and when.

Removing a player

Delete only that player’s UID line, preserve the other entries, and save the file. After the server has applied the change, test that the removed account no longer passes the whitelist check. Keep an archived copy if you need an audit trail, but do not leave the archived file in a location that the server could mistake for the active whitelist.

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Reviewing access

Periodically compare the file with your current community roster. Remove stale entries, correct malformed lines, and limit write access to administrators who need it. A whitelist is effective only when the file remains accurate and the server continues to load it.

Self-hosted and managed-server differences

The configuration logic is the same in both environments: an active configuration file, the enableWhitelist switch, and a root-level whitelist.txt. The operational details differ.

Task Self-hosted server Managed server
Find active config Inspect the service, script, scheduled task, or command line for -config. Use the panel’s startup-parameter view or ask the provider which file is loaded.
Edit files Use local filesystem access, with appropriate permissions. Use the provider’s file manager or FTP/SFTP method.
Place whitelist Put whitelist.txt in the instance’s server root. Use the root identified for that specific instance, not a client download area.
Apply changes Use the service’s graceful stop and start procedure. Use the panel’s documented restart or reload control.
Diagnose errors Read the process and system logs. Read available console output and request the host’s log path if needed.

Managed hosts may abstract paths or restrict direct access. Their instructions control the practical file location and restart mechanism, while the DayZ configuration setting remains the same.

Security and recovery checklist

  • Keep a known-good copy of the active configuration and whitelist before every planned edit.
  • Restrict file-management credentials to trusted administrators.
  • Do not publish the full whitelist if it reveals private player identifiers.
  • Use a graceful shutdown method, following Bohemia Interactive’s recommendation, when the host supports it.
  • After every change, verify the active -config path and test an approved account.
  • If access behavior is unexpected, change one item at a time and preserve the logs from the affected restart.

Quick reference

Item Required value or location Authority
Configuration selector The file named by the server’s -config launch parameter, such as -config=serverDZ.cfg Bohemia Interactive Community Wiki, “Server Configuration – DayZ”
Whitelist switch enableWhitelist = 1; Bohemia Interactive configuration reference; behavior also described by StarDZ-Team
Whitelist file whitelist.txt in the server root StarDZ-Team DayZ Modding Wiki access-control guide
Entry format One 44-character DayZ UID per line StarDZ-Team community administration guidance
Do not substitute A 17-digit SteamID64, profile URL, or display name Distinction stated in the StarDZ-Team guide
Shutdown practice Prefer graceful shutdown to reduce risks to characters and saved storage Bohemia Interactive configuration documentation

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