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How to Add an Admin to an Arma 3 Server

Configure Arma 3 admin access by setting passwordAdmin in server.cfg, restarting, and using #login in chat. This guide also covers admins[], BattlEye RCON, ports, security, and troubleshooting.
Length8 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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To add an administrator to an Arma 3 dedicated server, set an administrator password in server.cfg, restart the server, then log in from the in-game chat with #login. The hash character is mandatory. You can optionally authorize player IDs through admins[], and you can configure BattlEye RCON when administration must happen from a remote tool rather than from inside the game.

What you need before changing anything

You need access to the dedicated server’s files or its hosting control panel, permission to stop and start the server, and the ability to edit its configuration as plain text. The exact folder containing the files depends on how the server was installed, but the relevant files are normally the server configuration file named server.cfg and, for RCON, battleye/beserver_x64.cfg.

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  • Back up the existing configuration before editing it.
  • Use a text editor that does not add rich-text formatting.
  • Keep the administrator password out of public mission files, screenshots, chat, and source-control repositories.
  • Plan a restart window: changes to server.cfg do not become active until the server is restarted.

Arma 3’s normal in-game administrator login is a shared-password mechanism. Every person who knows the configured password can attempt to use it, so treat the password as a server credential rather than as a player nickname or Steam display name.

Method 1: Set the in-game administrator password

1. Open the correct server.cfg

Stop the server if your host requires it before file edits, then open the configuration file used by that instance. If several Arma 3 instances exist on the machine, confirm that you are editing the profile and configuration directory belonging to the instance your players actually join.

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2. Add or change passwordAdmin

In server.cfg, add the passwordAdmin setting if it is missing, or replace its existing value. A typical line is:

passwordAdmin = "replace-with-your-own-secret";

Preserve the file’s existing configuration syntax, including the semicolon. Choose a long, unique password that is not used for the server machine, hosting account, RCON, or any personal account. Do not leave the sample text in place.

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3. Save and restart the server

Save the file, close the editor, and restart the Arma 3 server. A running process normally reads server.cfg only when it starts; merely saving the file while the server is online is not a reliable way to apply a new administrator password.

4. Log in from the game

  1. Join the server with the player account that should receive administrative access.
  2. Press / to open the in-game chat input.
  3. Type #login ADMINPASSWORD, replacing ADMINPASSWORD with the exact value configured in passwordAdmin.
  4. Press Enter.

The command must begin with #. Bohemia Interactive’s dedicated-server documentation specifically warns not to forget the hash in front of server commands. Do not type brackets around the password, and do not add quotation marks unless your server’s command interface specifically requires them.

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Once the login is accepted, that player can use the server’s administrator commands from the same chat command interface. Keep the password private even after logging in: another player who obtains it can attempt the same login.

Understanding the two password contexts

Purpose Where it is configured How it is used When to choose it
In-game administrator login passwordAdmin in server.cfg Type #login ADMINPASSWORD in in-game chat Administrating while connected to the Arma 3 server
BattlEye RCON RConPassword and RConPort in battleye/beserver_x64.cfg Connect an RCON-capable remote administration tool Managing the server without joining the game, or supporting more than one remote administrator

These are separate systems. Setting passwordAdmin does not create an RCON account, and setting an RCON password does not make #login work. Use different secrets for the two systems.

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Adding administrators by player ID with admins[]

Arma 3 also provides an admins[] configuration option intended to identify authorized player IDs, allowing those players to be recognized without relying on one shared administrator password. The exact syntax and the required server mode are configuration details that have changed in community guidance and should be checked against the current Bohemia Interactive server-configuration documentation for your installed version.

Do not guess the array format or paste an example meant for a different server mode. First identify the player IDs you intend to authorize, then verify the current admins[] syntax and any Advanced-mode requirement in the official documentation. After making a valid change, save the file and restart the server just as you would after changing passwordAdmin. If the server fails to start or the IDs are ignored, remove the new line from your backup and return to the tested passwordAdmin method.

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For a small community, the shared-password method is usually the simplest configuration because it has one setting and one login command. An ID list is more appropriate when you need individual authorization, but it requires accurate player identifiers and stricter version-specific configuration.

Using administrator commands after login

Server commands are entered through the same chat command field and use the hash prefix. The prefix is not optional: #login, #logout, and other server commands must begin with #.

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Commands commonly documented by the community

A community-maintained Bohemia forum discussion lists commands including the following. That discussion dates from 2013, so treat this as a historical reference and verify command availability and spelling against current official documentation before using a command on a live server.

Command Purpose described in the historical reference Important qualification
#logout End the current administrator login Verify behavior on the server version in use
#lock Lock the server against new joins Confirm whether it affects only joining or also current players
#unlock Remove a server lock Verify current command support
#missions Display mission-related information or controls Use only after checking current documentation
#reassign Reassign the mission or lobby state Mission and server-version behavior can differ
#restart Restart the server session Warn players first; confirm the command’s current effect
#shutdown Shut down the server Use a controlled maintenance procedure when possible
#Init Run the initialization command listed by the reference Capitalization and support must be checked before use
#plock [password] Apply a password lock according to the reference The bracketed value is an argument, not text to type literally; verify syntax first

Because the command list comes from an old community discussion rather than a current version reference, do not assume that every entry is still available, behaves identically, or is safe to run during an active mission. Test administrative procedures on a private instance before using disruptive commands on a public server.

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Method 2: Configure BattlEye RCON for remote administration

RCON is independent of the in-game #login flow. It is useful when an administrator needs to manage the server without joining it, or when several trusted administrators need remote access through RCON software.

1. Enable BattlEye

In the server configuration, ensure BattlEye is enabled:

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BattlEye = 1;

RCON will not work if BattlEye is disabled. Restart the server after changing this setting.

2. Edit the BattlEye configuration file

Open battleye/beserver_x64.cfg for the server instance. Add or update these keys:

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RConPassword replace-with-a-different-secret
RConPort 2306

The exact file location can vary with the server profile, but the filename and the two relevant keys are RConPassword and RConPort. Keep the RCON password different from passwordAdmin, and restrict access to the RCON port to the administrators and networks that need it.

3. Select the correct RCON port

Port guidance is not completely consistent across references. The Bohemia Interactive wiki lists UDP port 2306 among the BattlEye ports to open. A hosting guide describes the RCON port as the game port plus four; with the common game port 2302, that also produces 2306. The general rule can differ when you use a non-default game port, so check the port shown in your own server configuration and hosting environment rather than blindly opening 2306.

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4. Restart and connect with an RCON tool

Save beserver_x64.cfg, restart the server, and configure your RCON client with the server address, the chosen RCON port, and RConPassword. RCON clients and their command interfaces vary, so follow the client documentation for the connection fields and command format. A successful RCON connection does not require you to type #login in the game, because it uses BattlEye’s separate authentication channel.

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Which method should you use?

Need Recommended setup Reason
One or two people administer while playing passwordAdmin and #login Few moving parts and no extra remote service
Several people need identifiable authorization Investigate a correctly configured admins[] list Player-ID authorization can avoid distributing one shared password, but syntax must match the current server mode
Administration while offline or outside the game BattlEye plus RCON Remote access through an RCON client
Both in-game and remote control are required Configure passwordAdmin and RCON separately The systems do not substitute for each other

Two hosting guides claim that, without RCON, only one administrator can be logged in at a time. That is a hosting-guide claim rather than a rule confirmed by the cited Bohemia Interactive wiki material, so treat it as an operational limitation to test on your particular server. If concurrent administration is important, RCON is the clearer option to evaluate.

Troubleshooting failed administrator login

The server rejects #login

  • Confirm that the command starts with the literal #; login without the hash is not the server command.
  • Check the spelling, capitalization, and punctuation of the configured password.
  • Make sure you edited the server.cfg used by the instance you joined, not a template or a different profile.
  • Verify that the server was restarted after the edit.
  • Remove accidental quotation marks or spaces copied into the password value, while preserving the configuration file’s required syntax.

The server will not start after editing server.cfg

  • Restore the backup and start the server to confirm that the problem is in the new edit.
  • Check for a missing semicolon, unmatched quotation mark, or duplicated setting.
  • Reintroduce only the passwordAdmin line first; test the server before adding optional settings.
  • Do not add an unverified admins[] format to a production server.

RCON cannot connect

  • Confirm BattlEye = 1; is enabled and the server was restarted.
  • Check that RConPassword and RConPort are in battleye/beserver_x64.cfg for the correct instance.
  • Verify the RCON client is using the RCON port, not the ordinary game port.
  • Check firewall and host rules for the selected UDP port.
  • If the game port is not 2302, do not assume the RCON port is 2306; calculate or confirm the value for that setup.
  • Ensure the client is using the RCON password, not the passwordAdmin value.

Security and maintenance practices

Use separate credentials

Keep three credentials conceptually separate: the server’s player password, the in-game administrator password, and the BattlEye RCON password. A leak in one channel should not automatically expose the others.

Limit who receives access

Give the in-game password only to people who need it, and remove access by changing passwordAdmin and restarting the server when the trusted administrator list changes. For RCON, restrict the network path to the management sources you control and avoid exposing the port broadly.

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Test destructive commands

Commands such as restart, shutdown, mission reassignment, and locking can interrupt players. Test them on a private server, announce maintenance, and keep a recovery plan before using them publicly. The old community command list is not a substitute for current command documentation.

Quick checklist

  1. Back up the active configuration.
  2. Set passwordAdmin in the correct server.cfg.
  3. Save the file with valid syntax.
  4. Restart the Arma 3 server.
  5. Join with the intended administrator account.
  6. Open chat with /.
  7. Enter #login ADMINPASSWORD, including the leading hash.
  8. For remote administration, enable BattlEye and configure battleye/beserver_x64.cfg with RConPassword and RConPort.
  9. Verify ports and firewall rules for the actual server layout.
  10. Keep all credentials private and document who is authorized.

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