The reliable way to become a Factorio server admin is to add your Factorio account username to server-adminlist.json, saved in the same directory as factorio-current.log, then restart the server. If you already have console access, run /promote <name> instead; Factorio grants admin rights and updates the admin list.
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What you need before changing the server
You need access to the server’s files or its management console. On a self-hosted instance, that usually means shell or local file access. On a rented server, use the provider’s file manager, FTP/SFTP connection, or web console. The exact panel labels differ, but the Factorio files and commands are the same.
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- Your Factorio account username: use the name tied to the account that authenticates with Factorio’s multiplayer service. Do not substitute a Steam display name, a character name, or a nickname shown in the player list unless it is also your authenticated Factorio username.
- Permission to stop and start the server: stopping the process before editing prevents the running instance from overwriting or ignoring your change.
- A text editor that saves plain text: a panel editor, Notepad, nano, or another plain-text editor is suitable. Do not use a word processor that adds formatting.
- A backup or recovery path: keep a copy of the original file, or be ready to remove a malformed file and recreate it.
Factorio versions and hosting panels can differ in how they reload administrative data. The file method below follows the official multiplayer guidance; the console method is normally the fastest when the server is already running with console access.
Choose the method that fits your access
| Method | When to use it | What it changes | Restart needed |
|---|---|---|---|
Edit server-adminlist.json |
You have file access but no usable in-game console, or you are setting up the first administrator. | A persistent JSON list of approved Factorio account usernames. | Normally yes; the server reads the file during startup. |
/promote <name> |
You can enter commands through the server console or an administrator command interface. | Adds the specified player to the admin list while granting admin status. | Normally no for the command itself. |
If nobody has administrator rights yet, editing the file is the usual bootstrap procedure. Once one administrator can issue commands, promotion and demotion can be handled from the console.
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Method 1: Add yourself to server-adminlist.json
1. Find the correct server directory
Locate the folder containing factorio-current.log. The administrator list belongs beside that log file, not in an arbitrary configuration folder. In a hosting panel, open the file manager and search for the log filename. With FTP or SFTP, browse the server’s active data directory until the log is visible.
There may be several Factorio directories, especially after an upgrade, migration, or backup restore. Use the directory containing the log generated by the instance you actually start. Placing the JSON in a dormant installation will not affect the live server.
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2. Stop the server before editing
Use the panel’s Stop control or stop the Factorio process from the operating system. Wait until the panel reports that the process has exited. Editing while the server is writing files creates a race: your change can be missed, overwritten, or left in a partially written state.
3. Create or open the administrator file
The filename must be exactly server-adminlist.json. If it does not exist, create a new plain-text file with that name. If it already exists, preserve the existing usernames and add yours to the same JSON array rather than replacing other administrators.
A one-user file looks like this:
[ "YourFactorioUsername" ]Multiple users are separated by commas:
[ "FirstAdmin", "SecondAdmin", "YourFactorioUsername" ]Use straight double quotation marks. Keep the opening and closing square brackets, and do not add a comma after the final username. Usernames are case-sensitive in practice, so copy the spelling used by the account that logs into multiplayer.
4. Validate the JSON before saving
The file must contain a JSON array of quoted strings and nothing else. These common mistakes prevent the list from being read:
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- Using single quotes, as in
['name'], instead of JSON double quotes. - Leaving a trailing comma, as in
[ "name", ]. - Adding comments, labels, or explanatory text outside the array.
- Saving the file as
server-adminlist.json.txtbecause the editor hides known extensions. - Putting the file in the server’s general installation directory while
factorio-current.logis elsewhere. - Accidentally replacing the file with an empty object, such as
{}, rather than an array.
If your editor or hosting panel provides a JSON validator, run it before closing the file. A simple one-name list is the safest way to test a new setup.
5. Save, start the server, and join with the matching account
Save the file without changing its name or extension. Start the same Factorio server instance you stopped. Join using the account whose authenticated username appears in the array. The list is intended for account usernames, not merely the display text another player sees in the game.
After joining, use the server’s administrator-list command to confirm the account is recognized:
/adminsThe command should show the current administrators when entered through a console that accepts Factorio commands. If you cannot use the command in your environment, test an administrator-only action cautiously or have an existing operator check the list from the console.
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When this method works
You need an available server console or command interface. Depending on the host, that may be a panel console, a terminal attached to the Factorio process, or an in-game command entry available to an existing administrator. A normal player without command permission cannot use promotion commands to bootstrap their own access.
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Run the promotion command
Enter the command with the leading slash and replace the placeholder with the exact authenticated username:
/promote YourFactorioUsernameDo not include angle brackets in the actual command. Avoid extra spaces inside the name, and check capitalization and punctuation. A successful promotion grants admin access and writes the account to server-adminlist.json, making the permission persistent across restarts.
Verify or reverse the change
List administrators with:
/adminsTo remove an account’s administrator status, use:
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Using a hosted-server panel
File-manager workflow
- Open the server panel and select the Factorio instance you intend to modify.
- Choose Stop and wait for a confirmed shutdown.
- Open the panel’s file manager, or connect through FTP/SFTP.
- Find the directory containing
factorio-current.log. - Create or edit
server-adminlist.jsonin that directory. - Enter a valid JSON array, retaining existing administrators.
- Save the file and verify that the panel did not append another extension.
- Start the server, wait for it to finish loading, and connect with the matching account.
- Use
/adminsfrom an available command interface to confirm the result.
Console workflow
- Open the panel’s live console for the running Factorio instance.
- Confirm that you are operating the correct server, especially if the panel manages several worlds.
- Enter
/promote YourFactorioUsernamewith the exact account username. - Run
/adminsand confirm the name appears. - Keep a record of which staff account performed the change, following your server’s moderation policy.
Some panels expose a separate chat box and a server console. A command typed into ordinary player chat may be treated as chat text or rejected, while the panel console generally sends it directly to the server. If the command appears to do nothing, confirm you are using the console channel and that the process is fully running.
Why the admin list sometimes appears not to work
The file is in the wrong directory
The most frequent placement error is putting the JSON beside a different installation’s files. Search for factorio-current.log generated by the live instance and place the administrator list in that exact directory. If the host uses separate folders for each server, world, or container, inspect the active instance rather than a template folder.
The JSON is invalid
One missing quote or bracket is enough to make the list unusable. Reduce the file to the smallest valid example, restart, and then add additional names one at a time. Remove comments and trailing commas. If the panel editor reports syntax errors, correct those before restarting.
The account name does not match
Check that you used the Factorio account username used for multiplayer authentication. A visible in-game nickname, server alias, or locally configured player label may not be the identity expected by the admin list. Have the player sign in with the same account whose username is stored in the file.
The server was never restarted
File-based changes are read when the server loads. If you edited the file while the process remained online, stop and start the instance cleanly before judging the result. A restart also ensures the process is reading the version of the file you just saved rather than a cached state.
An existing player did not receive access immediately
An older forum report described behavior in which a list entry was applied when a player was first created on joining. That report is not a reliable statement of current behavior for every Factorio version. If an existing player remains without rights, restart the server and reconnect; when console access is available, use /promote for an immediate, explicit grant.
You edited the wrong kind of server file
Do not put administrator usernames in any of these files:
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server-settings.json, which stores server configuration.server-banlist.json, which controls banned accounts.server-whitelist.json, which controls who may join when a whitelist is enabled.
Each file has a different purpose and format. Keep server-adminlist.json as its own file beside the active log.
The panel restored an older backup
Some hosts automatically restore configuration files when a server is reinstalled, transferred, or rolled back. After a migration, check the active directory again and inspect the file’s contents. If your entry disappeared, recreate it after the restore and make a backup of the corrected file according to the host’s retention options.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Account usernames, display names, and Steam identifiers
The safest documented input is the Factorio account username used to authenticate with the multiplayer service. One hosting guide claims that a SteamID64 or player name can be used, but that behavior is not confirmed by the official guidance summarized here and may vary by implementation or version. Treat such identifiers as unsupported unless the current server documentation for your exact build explicitly confirms them.
If promotion fails, do not cycle through guessed identifiers. First verify the authenticated Factorio username, then test the file with a single quoted entry or run /promote from a privileged console.
Operating an admin list safely
Keep the list minimal
Every name in the file has elevated control over the multiplayer session. Add only trusted operators, remove former staff with /demote or by editing the list while the server is stopped, and review the file after staff changes.
Back up before bulk edits
Copy the working JSON before making several changes. A backup lets you restore the last known-good list if an editor corrupts the file or a panel performs an unexpected synchronization.
Protect the file and console
Do not post the administrator list publicly, grant FTP access unnecessarily, or leave an unattended panel console logged in. The usernames themselves are not passwords, but unauthorized edits can give control to an unintended account.
Document the server’s recovery path
Record where the active log and administrator file live, which panel starts the instance, and who can access the console. This prevents a lockout when the only administrator leaves or the server is moved to a new host.
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- No admin exists and you have files: stop the server, create
server-adminlist.jsonbesidefactorio-current.log, add a valid username array, and restart. - An admin exists and the console works: use
/promote ExactUsername, then verify with/admins. - The name appears but access is missing: confirm the account spelling, restart, reconnect, and use console promotion if available.
- The server reports a parsing or loading problem: restore a valid JSON array without comments or trailing commas.
- You are unsure which identity to enter: use the authenticated Factorio account username; SteamID-based alternatives are not established here.
What successful setup looks like
A correct setup has all of these conditions: the live server directory contains factorio-current.log and server-adminlist.json; the latter is a valid JSON array of quoted Factorio account usernames; the server has loaded after the file was saved; and /admins shows the intended account. If any one of those checks fails, fix that layer before changing the others.
Version and hosting caveats
The file location and JSON format come from the Factorio multiplayer guidance, while command behavior and panel workflows can vary with the server version and host. Hosting interfaces may rename buttons, place logs inside containers, or separate console access from file access. When a current version behaves differently from the steps above, use the active instance’s log location and the command help exposed by that server rather than copying paths from another host.
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