Terraria Server Commands for Admins and Hosts

For a vanilla Terraria dedicated server, enter commands directly in the server console without a leading slash. Use save to write the current world to disk and exit to save and shut down normally; use kick for an immediate removal and ban for persistent moderation. The default listening port is 7777, and launch options or a configuration file make the same settings repeatable.

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Where Terraria server commands work

This command reference applies to the vanilla PC dedicated server run by TerrariaServer. The console accepts commands as plain text, so type save, not /save. The slash convention belongs to in-game chat: players can type /playing there to see connected players, while an administrator uses playing in the server console. The official command list is maintained in the Terraria dedicated-server reference.

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A dedicated server is separate from the normal game client. It can continue running while no administrator is playing, which makes its console the place to perform moderation, maintenance, status checks and shutdowns. Host & Play uses the game’s in-session hosting flow instead; its controls and lifetime are tied to the player who is hosting.

Complete vanilla console command reference

The table shows the documented commands and what each one changes or reports. Commands that accept an argument use the syntax shown; replace the text inside angle brackets with your value.

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Kick versus ban: choosing the right moderation command

Use kick for a temporary removal

kick <player name> ends the player’s current connection. It does not add the name to the ban list, so the player can reconnect if the server password and other access conditions allow it. Use it for a one-off disruption, an accidental connection, or a player who needs to leave immediately.

Use ban for persistent denial of access

ban <player name> adds the player to the server’s ban list. This is the appropriate command when removing the connection is not enough and future connections must be refused. Confirm the spelling of the player name before submitting it; a name error can leave the intended account connected while affecting another entry.

How to unban someone

The documented unban process is manual. Stop or otherwise safely manage the server before editing its administrative files, make a backup of banlist.txt, then remove the banned player’s name and IP address from that file. Preserve the file’s formatting and restart or reload the server as required by your installation. Keeping the backup gives you a way to restore the previous ban list if the edit is wrong.

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Saving a world and shutting down safely

Routine maintenance sequence

1. Tell players what is happening with say <message>, for example a short maintenance notice.
2. Run save and wait for the console to finish processing the command.
3. Perform the maintenance that does not require the process to stop, or continue to the shutdown step.
4. Run exit when the server should close. This command saves the world as part of the normal shutdown path.

Use exit-nosave only when you deliberately want to discard changes made during the current session. Closing the console window with its window controls is not the recommended shutdown method because it bypasses the explicit save-and-exit path. If you need a backup, run save first and then copy the resulting world data after the server has stopped.

Password, MOTD and announcements

Changing access credentials

password with no argument prints the current password in the console. password <pass> replaces it for the running server. Treat the displayed value as sensitive: anyone who can read the console can see it, so avoid leaving console output exposed when administering a public instance.

Choosing between say and motd

say <message> is an immediate broadcast and appears as a yellow server message. It is suited to a restart warning or a live rule reminder. motd <message> changes the message of the day, while plain motd prints the current text so you can check it before making an edit. Use the MOTD for information that should remain part of the server’s welcome message rather than a one-time alert.

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Time, status and capacity controls

Run time to inspect the in-game clock, then use dawn, noon, dusk or midnight to set a specific phase. These are live world controls; they are different from launch-time options in a configuration file.

For a quick operational check, run playing, port, maxplayers and version. Together they show who is connected, where the process is listening, the configured player limit and the server version. The death-stat commands are available where that feature is supported; if a particular build does not provide a statistic, do not treat the absence as a server failure.

Launch arguments and repeatable configuration

Commands control a running process. Launch arguments choose how that process starts. TerrariaServer documents these options, among others:

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A config file is useful when the server must be restarted consistently. A typical file can contain lines such as:

port=7777
password=example-password
motd=Welcome to the server
worldpath=Worlds/example.wld
banlist=banlist.txt
secure=1

Keep the file in a protected location because it can contain the password. The exact world path must match the file location on your machine. Starting with -config <file path> makes the selected settings repeatable instead of requiring manual entry after every restart.

Ports and internet access

The default and the active port

The documented default Terraria server port is 7777. Use port in the running console to see the active listening port. Use -port <number> on the command line, or port=7777 in a config file, to select it at startup.

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When port forwarding is involved

An internet-accessible self-hosted server may require port forwarding on the network router. The forwarded external port must match the port selected by the server, and the host machine’s local firewall must allow the server process. If players on the same local network can connect but internet players cannot, check the router rule, the host firewall and the address shared with remote players before changing in-game commands.

If the console reports a different value from 7777, use that reported value for the current session. Changing a router rule alone does not change the port on which TerrariaServer listens; change the startup option or config value and restart the process.

Host & Play or dedicated server?

Choose Host & Play when convenience and a short, player-led session matter most. Choose a dedicated server when the world should have an independently managed process, scheduled maintenance, persistent availability or a clearly separated administrator console.

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Practical administrator workflows

Starting a planned maintenance window

1. Check the current audience with playing.
2. Send a warning with say <message>.
3. Run save before stopping services or copying world data.
4. Use exit to close the server cleanly.
5. After restarting, run version, port, maxplayers and playing to verify the expected process is running.

Handling a disruptive player

1. Use playing to confirm the exact connected name.
2. Run kick <player name> for a temporary removal.
3. If the behavior warrants a lasting restriction, use ban <player name> and record the action in your administrative notes.
4. For a later reversal, back up and edit banlist.txt, removing the player’s name and IP address.

Changing the world’s schedule for an event

1. Run time if you need to know the current phase.
2. Choose one of dawn, noon, dusk or midnight.
3. Use say <message> to tell players why the clock changed.
4. Run save when the event’s world changes should be retained.

Common mistakes and recovery steps

• Typing a slash in the console: Dedicated-server commands do not require a leading slash. Use the slash form only for the documented chat command /playing.
• Closing the window to stop the server: Use exit so the world is saved through the normal shutdown path.
• Using exit-nosave accidentally: Treat it as a deliberate discard operation, not a faster version of exit.
• Confusing a kick with a ban: A kick ends the current connection; a ban adds a persistent ban-list entry.
• Editing the ban list without a backup: Copy banlist.txt first, then remove both the player name and IP address for an unban.
• Forwarding the wrong port: Compare the router rule with the value printed by port and the startup value supplied by -port or port=.
• Changing a runtime value when the problem is at startup: Password, MOTD, world, player limit and port can be selected with launch arguments or a config file; restart after changing those startup settings.
• Assuming every statistic command exists in every build: death, pvpdeath, alldeath and allpvpdeath are documented where supported, so check help on the running server.

Quick command checklist

• Discover available commands: help
• See connected players: playing
• Broadcast an alert: say <message>
• Save without stopping: save
• Stop and save: exit
• Stop and intentionally discard current changes: exit-nosave
• Remove one player: kick <player name>
• Ban one player: ban <player name>
• Inspect network and capacity: port and maxplayers
• Inspect or set the clock: time, dawn, noon, dusk, midnight

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