Valheim dedicated-server administration is controlled by three text files: adminlist.txt for administrators, bannedlist.txt for bans, and permittedlist.txt for the allowlist. Put one player ID on each line in the file used by your server, then restart the server because list changes are read at startup. An administrator can open the in-game console with F5, but cheat commands such as devcommands, spawn and fly do not work on a dedicated server.
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The details that cause most failures are the exact ID format, the save directory, and the allowlist’s lockout behavior. The format can vary by server build, so copy the identifier from your server log rather than guessing from a display name.
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The three permission files
Valheim’s dedicated-server permissions are plain text. Each file contains one player identifier per line. Do not add comments or place several IDs on one line.
| File | What it controls | Important behavior |
|---|---|---|
adminlist.txt |
Players allowed to use Valheim’s administrative console commands | The listed player can open the console with F5. |
bannedlist.txt |
Players denied access to the server | Removing an ID from this file is the file-based unban method. |
permittedlist.txt |
Players allowed to connect | A non-empty file enables whitelist mode; everyone not listed is refused. |
Changes are loaded when the server starts. Restart after every edit. If you change a file while the process is running and do not restart, the running server continues using its previous permissions.
Why the permitted list can lock out the owner
The permitted list is not an extra priority list. Once it contains any ID, only those IDs may connect. Adding one friend therefore excludes every other player, including the server owner, unless the owner’s own ID is also present. Treat the first allowlist edit as a complete access-policy change, not as a single-player invitation.
Find the files in the server’s actual save directory
Guides disagree about a universal location because the directory depends on how the dedicated server was installed and configured. Use the save directory specified by your server configuration or hosting panel. A file with the right name in the wrong directory has no effect.
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One commonly cited Windows client location is %UserProfile%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheim. That path is not proof that a separately installed dedicated server reads from the same place. Another guide warns that an adminlist.txt placed at the server’s installation root can be silently ignored. Check the directory where the server stores its world and configuration data instead.
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Before editing
- Stop the server or use its panel’s file editor so the running process cannot overwrite your change.
- Make a backup copy of each list before changing it.
- Confirm that the filename is exactly
adminlist.txt,bannedlist.txtorpermittedlist.txt, rather than a similarly named file with an extra extension. - After saving, restart the server and wait until it has completed startup before testing.
Identify a player correctly
Do not rely on a character name. The official guide, as summarized in its published documentation, describes an identifier in the form [Platform]_[User ID], says it is case-sensitive, and says a player name is ignored. Other current hosting guides instruct administrators to enter a 17-digit SteamID64 instead. Those instructions conflict, and the correct format depends on the server build and platform configuration.
The safest procedure is to obtain the exact identifier your own server reports:
- Have the player connect, or inspect a previous connection in the dedicated-server log.
- Copy the complete ID exactly as displayed in the log. If your build exposes the player’s details through the in-game
F2panel, use that value as a cross-check. - Preserve capitalization, punctuation and the platform prefix. Do not substitute the player’s display name.
- Put the ID on its own line in the relevant text file.
- Restart the server, then test access or console permissions.
A host has reported that an Iron Gate 1.0.12 build accepts older Steam_-style IDs, but that claim was not confirmed against official patch notes. Do not convert IDs based on that report; use the format emitted by your installed build.
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Make someone an administrator
- Locate the server’s configured save directory.
- Open
adminlist.txt. Create it only if your server installation does not already provide it. - Add the player’s exact server-reported ID on a new line. Leave existing administrators in place.
- Save the file without comments or explanatory text.
- Restart the dedicated server.
- Have the player reconnect. They should be able to press
F5and see the administrative console.
If F5 does not open the console after the restart, first verify that the ID is in the correct file and directory and that its capitalization matches the server log. A character name, a guessed SteamID format or an edit that was never followed by a restart will not grant permissions.
Ban, unban and allow players
Ban a player by editing the list
- Copy the player’s exact ID from the server log or the in-game player information panel.
- Add that ID to
bannedlist.txt, one ID per line. - Save the file and restart the server.
For an immediate administrative action, the console also commonly lists a ban command. Its target-argument syntax can vary with the game build and host interface, so confirm how your server accepts the player identifier before issuing it.
Unban a player
- Open
bannedlist.txtin the server’s actual save directory. - Remove only the matching ID.
- Save and restart the server.
The console commonly lists unban as well. If the player still cannot connect after removal, check for a second copy of the ID, a spelling or capitalization mismatch, and a non-empty permitted list that does not include the player.
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Allow only selected players
- Collect the exact server-reported ID for every person who must retain access, including the owner and administrators.
- Place one ID per line in
permittedlist.txt. - Save the file and restart the server.
- Test with both an included and an excluded account before relying on the restriction.
Leaving the file empty disables this allowlist behavior. A single accidental entry is enough to turn on whitelist mode.
Valheim’s dedicated-server admin console
An authorized player opens the console with F5. The following commands are commonly listed by current server guides, but Iron Gate’s complete command list for 2026 was not available in the documentation reviewed. Availability and argument handling can change with patches.
| Command | Typical purpose | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
kick |
Remove a connected player from the server | Target syntax is build-dependent; use the identifier or selector format your server accepts. |
ban |
Ban a player | For a durable, auditable ban, verify the resulting ID in bannedlist.txt. |
unban |
Remove a ban | Confirm that the ID is no longer present in the ban list. |
banned |
Display or check ban information | A suggested admin test is to run it and see whether the console returns a response; this is not presented as a guaranteed official diagnostic. |
save |
Save the current world | Use it when you need to ensure recent changes are written before maintenance. |
setworldmodifier |
Change a world modifier | Reported modifiers include combat, deathpenalty, resources, raids and portals. |
setworldpreset |
Apply a named world preset | Reported presets are normal, casual, easy, hard, hardcore, immersive and hammer. |
resetworldkeys |
Reset world keys | Use only when you understand the effect on your world’s progression and access. |
World modifier examples
The commonly documented pattern is setworldmodifier <modifier> <setting>. For example, a guide gives setworldmodifier portals casual. Replace portals with another supported modifier such as combat or raids, and use a setting accepted by your build. Because command details can change, treat the server’s response as authoritative and record the previous setting before making a live-world change.
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Why cheat commands do not work
Being listed in adminlist.txt grants administrative server commands; it does not turn a dedicated server into a local development session. Commands such as devcommands, spawn, fly and similar cheat or developer commands do not work on a dedicated server, regardless of which player is an administrator. A successful F5 login therefore does not indicate that every single-player command is available.
Troubleshoot the common failures
“adminlist.txt is not working”
- Wrong directory: move the file into the save directory used by the server configuration, not merely the installation root.
- Wrong identifier: copy the exact ID from the server log; names are ignored and case can matter.
- Wrong file format: keep one ID per line and remove comments or extra text.
- No restart: restart the server after the edit; permissions are read at startup.
- Wrong build assumption: if one guide says SteamID64 and another shows a platform-prefixed ID, follow the format your own build reports.
Friends suddenly cannot join
- Open
permittedlist.txt. If it contains even one ID, whitelist mode is active. - Add every required player, including the owner, using exact server-reported IDs.
- Restart after correcting the list.
- Check that the denied player is not also present in
bannedlist.txt.
A banned player still connects
- Confirm the ban was written to the server’s active save directory.
- Check for an ID-format or capitalization mismatch.
- Restart the server after editing.
- Check whether a hosting panel maintains a separate copy or applies changes only after a panel restart.
The command is unknown or has no effect
- Confirm the player is listed in
adminlist.txtand reconnected after the restart. - Use the commonly listed administrative commands only; developer cheats are unsupported on dedicated servers.
- Check the command spelling and the argument format required by your server build.
- Record the game version before changing world settings, because command lists and ID guidance may change with patches.
A safe administration routine
- Identify the player from the server log rather than their name.
- Back up the three list files.
- Edit only the file that matches the intended action.
- Keep one exact ID per line and no comments.
- Restart the server and wait for full startup.
- Test with the affected account before making additional changes.
- For world commands, note the old setting and use
savewhen appropriate.
This routine avoids the three most damaging mistakes: editing a file the server never reads, enabling a whitelist without listing the owner, and assuming administrator status enables single-player cheat commands.
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