To add an administrator to a Team Fortress 2 dedicated server, install MetaMod:Source and SourceMod, then add the person’s SteamID and permission flags to tf/addons/sourcemod/configs/admins_simple.ini. Save the file, reload SourceMod’s admin data using the method supported by your installed build, and reconnect or retest the player. A typical full-access entry is "STEAM_0:1:16" "z"; replace the example SteamID, and give the z flag only to a trusted owner.
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For a small server, the simple file is usually easiest. If you have several staff levels, shared groups, passwords, or immunity rules, use the structured admins.cfg format instead. The important decisions are how the player authenticates, which flags they actually need, and how higher- and lower-immunity staff may target one another.
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What you need before adding an admin
SourceMod is the administration layer that reads admin identities and permissions. MetaMod:Source is normally installed alongside it on a Source dedicated server. If either component is missing or not loading, editing an admin file will not grant anyone access.
Verify that MetaMod:Source and SourceMod are installed
- Open the server’s Team Fortress 2 game directory, commonly represented by the
tffolder. - Check for the
tf/addonsdirectory and the SourceMod installation beneath it. - Confirm that
tf/addons/sourcemod/configsexists. The admin files belong there, not in the main Steam client’s TF2 installation unless that is also the location of your dedicated server. - Start the server and verify that SourceMod is loading. Use the normal server or console diagnostics for your installed versions; an absent
sourcemoddirectory, missing plugins, or load errors must be fixed before you troubleshoot admin syntax.
Hosting layouts can place the game directory inside a provider-specific server root. The reliable part of the path is the final sequence: tf/addons/sourcemod/configs.
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Choose between admins_simple.ini and admins.cfg
SourceMod provides two practical ways to describe administrators. They authenticate the same people, but they are suited to different levels of organization.
| Configuration | Best for | What you maintain | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
admins_simple.ini |
One owner or a small staff | An identity, a permission string or group reference, and an optional password | Fast to edit, but less convenient when many roles and exceptions must be documented |
admins.cfg |
Several staff tiers or a larger server operation | Explicit authentication method, identity, password, groups, flags, and immunity | More structured, but more fields mean more syntax to keep consistent |
The simple file is located at tf/addons/sourcemod/configs/admins_simple.ini. The structured file is in the same configuration directory. Start with the simple format if you only need a few distinct entries; move to admins.cfg when repeating flags or managing a hierarchy becomes error-prone.
Find the player’s SteamID
Steam authentication is preferable to a display name or an address because it follows the player’s Steam account rather than a name they can change. SourceMod supports SteamID2 notation such as STEAM_X:X:XXXXXXXX and SteamID3 notation such as [U:X:XXXXXX].
Use the server’s status command
- Have the player join the server.
- Run
statusin the server console or through the console interface available to your host. - Find the player’s row and copy the SteamID exactly as displayed.
- Record the name separately so you can identify the entry later, but use the SteamID as the identity in the admin file.
Copying the ID matters. A missing character, an extra space inside the quotes, or a different account’s ID can cause a valid-looking entry to authenticate the wrong person or no one at all. Keep the STEAM_ prefix and punctuation exactly as shown by the server.
Add a basic administrator in admins_simple.ini
Open tf/addons/sourcemod/configs/admins_simple.ini with a plain-text editor. The official template describes each entry with an identity, permissions, and an optional password. A minimal SteamID entry looks like this:
"STEAM_0:1:16" "z"STEAM_0:1:16 is only an example. Replace it with the real SteamID from status. The second quoted value is the permission string.
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Use the root flag only for owners
The z flag is the root or all-permissions flag in the template. It gives broad control, so reserve it for people who should have complete administrative authority. Do not use it merely because it is convenient for a moderator who only needs to remove disruptive players.
Grant a limited role with flags
For least privilege, list only the flags required for the job. The template includes bce as an example combination for generic, kick, and unban-related access. Treat that combination as an example of scoped access, not as a universal moderator profile; decide which commands your role genuinely needs and verify the resulting behavior in-game.
"STEAM_0:1:123456" "bce"SourceMod interprets the letters as permission flags. Keep the string inside the same pair of quotes and avoid adding spaces between letters unless your installed template explicitly uses a different format.
Use a group reference instead of repeating flags
An entry can refer to a named group with an @Group Name reference. This is useful when several people share exactly the same role: define the role once in the structured configuration and point each identity at it rather than copying a long flag string into every entry.
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"STEAM_0:1:123456" "@Moderators"Use the group name exactly as it is defined. Spaces and capitalization become difficult to diagnose when the identity line and group definition do not match, so keep a consistent naming convention.
Add a password only when your chosen authentication setup requires it
The simple-file template allows an optional password field. Do not assume that placing a password in the file automatically protects an otherwise incorrect identity: the identity still has to match, and the player must authenticate through the method configured for that entry. If you use passwords, document who knows them and change them when staff access changes.
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Configure groups and immunity for multiple staff levels
A single list of flags works for a small team, but larger communities need a hierarchy. The structured admins.cfg format supports explicit authentication method, identity, password, groups, flags, and immunity. It is the better fit when you need roles such as owner, administrator, moderator, and helper to remain distinct.
Understand immunity values
An immunity value can be written before the flags, for example 83:abcdefgh. The number and the flags form one permission specification in the template’s syntax. Immunity controls who may target whom: an administrator cannot target an administrator with a higher access value under the normal rule. The sm_immunity_mode setting can alter that behavior.
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When groups are worth the extra structure
- Use groups when several administrators share the same flags.
- Use immunity when staff need a predictable hierarchy.
- Use
admins.cfgwhen each record needs an explicit authentication method or password. - Keep the simple file for a short list where a direct identity-to-permissions mapping is easier to audit.
Do not mix ad hoc copies of the same role across both formats without a reason. A duplicated identity can make it unclear which permissions or immunity value is being applied.
Save, reload, and test the change
- Save the file as plain text in the same
tf/addons/sourcemod/configsdirectory. Preserve the file name, quotation marks, capitalization, and line structure. - Make sure the editor did not append an extra extension such as
.txt. The server must be reading the file named by SourceMod. - Use the admin-data reload workflow supported by your installed SourceMod build. The template establishes the file formats but does not prescribe one universal reload command for every build.
- If you cannot reload safely, restart the server and reconnect the test account. A player session may need to refresh before you can judge the result.
- Run a command that the assigned flags should permit.
- Then attempt a command that the role should not permit. A least-privilege setup is working only when the allowed action succeeds and the deliberately unallowed action is rejected.
Test while the target player is connected if possible. This lets you compare the SteamID shown by status, the account that receives access, and the command response in one session.
Authentication choices: SteamID, name, and IP
| Identity type | How it is written | Strength | Risk or maintenance issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| SteamID2 | STEAM_X:X:XXXXXXXX |
Account-based and supported by SourceMod | Must be copied accurately |
| SteamID3 | [U:X:XXXXXX] |
Account-based and supported by SourceMod | Use the exact format returned or accepted by your setup |
| Name | A quoted player name | Convenient for a temporary or local test | Names can change or collide, so they are weaker as a permanent identity |
| IP address | An IP identity prefixed with ! |
Can identify a connection when that is specifically required | Addresses can change and may be shared, so it is less reliable for normal staff access |
For permanent staff, use a SteamID unless your security policy requires another method. Reserve name or IP identities for cases where you understand the maintenance burden and have a plan for changes.
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Common mistakes and how to correct them
The file is in the wrong directory
Symptom: the line looks correct, but the player has no access. Confirm that the file is under the server’s tf/addons/sourcemod/configs path, not a client-only TF2 folder or a neighboring game directory.
SourceMod is not loaded
Symptom: no admin commands work for anyone, and changing the file has no visible effect. Check MetaMod:Source and SourceMod installation and load diagnostics before changing identities or flags.
The SteamID was copied incorrectly
Symptom: other entries work, but one person remains a normal player. Run status with that player connected, compare every character, and replace the line with the exact ID. Check that the quotes surround the identity and permissions separately.
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The player has too many permissions
Symptom: a moderator can perform owner-only actions. Look for an accidental z flag, a group reference that includes root access, or duplicate entries that grant broader permissions. Replace root access with the smallest tested flag set.
The player has too few permissions
Symptom: the account authenticates but a needed command is denied. Verify that the command belongs to one of the assigned flags, that the intended group is spelled correctly, and that the identity is not being matched by a different, more restrictive record.
Changes do not appear until a reload or reconnect
Symptom: the edited line is correct, but the old result persists. Save the file, run the reload workflow available in your SourceMod build, and have the player reconnect if necessary. Test again rather than assuming the edit was ignored.
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Staff cannot target one another
Symptom: a lower-level administrator can moderate regular players but cannot act on another administrator. Compare immunity values and review the sm_immunity_mode setting. The normal rule prevents an admin from targeting an admin with a higher access value.
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A safer role-design workflow
- List the actions each staff tier must perform, separating moderation from server ownership.
- Create the narrowest flag set that covers each tier. Keep
zlimited to trusted owners. - Choose SteamID2 or SteamID3 identities gathered with
status. - Define shared groups in the structured configuration when several people have the same role.
- Assign immunity values in an explicit order and decide how
sm_immunity_modeshould affect targeting. - Give each role a test account or coordinate a live test with a staff member.
- Check one permitted command and one denied command after every permission change.
- Keep a backup of the last known-good admin file before making large edits.
This process separates authentication from authorization: the SteamID answers “who is this account?”, while flags, groups, and immunity answer “what may this account do, and whom may it target?”
Simple-file example versus structured setup
Small server
For one owner and a couple of moderators, a short admins_simple.ini file is easy to inspect:
"STEAM_0:1:16" "z"
"STEAM_0:1:123456" "bce"
"STEAM_0:0:654321" "@Moderators"The first line is full access, the second illustrates a limited flag set, and the third delegates permissions to a group. These IDs and the group name are examples; replace them with values defined for your server.
Growing staff team
When each role needs documented authentication, passwords, group membership, flags, and immunity, move those records into admins.cfg. The extra structure makes it easier to review why someone has access and to change a role once instead of editing every individual entry.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDo not choose the structured format because it grants more power by itself. The format organizes permissions; the flags and group definitions still determine what an administrator can do.
Quick Recap
Operational checklist
- MetaMod:Source and SourceMod are installed and loading.
- The edit is in
tf/addons/sourcemod/configs. - The identity is a verified SteamID whenever permanent access is intended.
- The permission string is quoted and contains only the required flags, or a correctly spelled group reference.
- The
zflag is limited to trusted owners. - Passwords, if used, follow the authentication method configured for the entry.
- Immunity values reflect the staff hierarchy.
- The admin data was reloaded or the server and player session were refreshed.
- At least one allowed and one disallowed command were tested.
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