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How to Enable a Whitelist on an Unturned Server

Add Whitelisted to the active server profile’s Commands.dat, list permitted SteamID64 values in Whitelist.dat, restart, and test both an allowed and an unlisted account.
Length10 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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To whitelist an Unturned server, stop the server, add Whitelisted to its ServerCommands.dat, put each permitted player’s SteamID64 on a separate line in ServerWhitelist.dat, save both files, and restart. The command enables the restriction; the whitelist file determines who can join.

Use the exact server profile that is actually running. Unturned can have several profiles under U3DSServers<ServerName>Server, so editing a similarly named folder will not change the live server. After restarting, test with one listed account and one unlisted account instead of assuming the edit loaded.

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What Unturned’s whitelist does

A whitelist changes the join rule from “any player who can reach the server” to “only players on the permitted list.” In Unturned’s command reference, the startup command is spelled Whitelisted. It is entered as a command by itself, with no value after it.

The access control is split between two files:

  • Commands.dat: contains startup commands, one command per line. Adding Whitelisted turns on restricted joining when the server starts.
  • Whitelist.dat: contains the permitted players’ SteamID64 values, one ID per line.

This division matters when troubleshooting. A correctly populated Whitelist.dat has no effect if the running profile’s Commands.dat does not contain Whitelisted. Conversely, the switch can be enabled while the list is empty or contains the wrong IDs, preventing intended players from joining.

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Files, locations and commands at a glance

Item What it controls Where or how it is used
Commands.dat Startup commands, including the whitelist switch U3DSServers<ServerName>ServerCommands.dat; add Whitelisted on its own line
Whitelist.dat Permitted player identities In the same Server directory; add one SteamID64 per line
Permit [SteamID]/[Tag] Adds a permitted player while the server is running Server Console, or administrator chat with an @ or / prefix
Permits Displays the permitted players Server Console or administrator chat
Owner, Admin, Adminlist.dat Administrator privileges needed for management Official administration routes; runtime commands require an administrator

Before changing anything

Stop the correct server cleanly

Shut the server down before editing either file. Most server settings are not intended to be changed while the server is open, and a running process may overwrite or ignore changes. Use the normal stop control in your host panel or Server Console, then wait until the process has fully exited.

If you operate more than one instance, record the profile name shown by your host or launch configuration. The files must belong to the instance that players are joining, not merely to a profile with a similar name.

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Locate the active profile

Starting at the U3DS installation directory, open:

U3DSServers<ServerName>Server

The directory should contain the server’s configuration files. Open Commands.dat there. After you save it, Whitelist.dat will be in that same Server directory; if it does not exist yet, create a plain text file with that exact name.

Collect the right identifiers

The whitelist uses SteamID64 values, not display names. Names can change and may not be unique, while the ID is the value used to identify the account for permitted joining. Obtain the SteamID64 for every intended player before editing the file, and check each value carefully.

Make a backup

Copy the existing Commands.dat and Whitelist.dat to a dated backup before making changes. A backup lets you undo a malformed line, recover an old group of players, or compare files when a host panel has several server profiles.

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Enable the whitelist in Commands.dat

  1. Confirm the server is stopped. Do not edit the live configuration while the server process is still running.
  2. Open the active profile’s command file. Navigate to U3DSServers<ServerName>ServerCommands.dat.
  3. Add the switch on its own line. Enter exactly:
    Whitelisted
  4. Keep other commands intact. Commands are conventionally entered one per line. Do not append the word to another command or put several commands on one line.
  5. Save as a plain text file. Preserve the filename Commands.dat rather than creating a second extension such as Commands.dat.txt.

The spelling and capitalization are important. The command is Whitelisted, not Whitelist, Whitelist=true, or a sentence describing the setting. This line is the configuration switch; it does not list any players.

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Add permitted players to Whitelist.dat

  1. Open or create the companion file. In the same Server directory, open Whitelist.dat.
  2. Enter one SteamID64 per line. Each permitted account gets its own line. Do not combine IDs with commas, spaces, or labels.
  3. Check every value. Compare the digits with the player’s SteamID64 before saving. A single wrong digit represents a different account.
  4. Save the file in plain text. Keep the exact filename and location. The list is read from the active server profile, not from a global folder or another instance’s directory.

A conceptual file looks like this, with one numeric account identifier on each line:

7656119XXXXXXXXXX
7656119YYYYYYYYYY
7656119ZZZZZZZZZZ

The values above illustrate the line format only; replace them with the actual SteamID64 values for your players. Do not paste display names, Steam profile URLs, brackets, or explanatory text into Whitelist.dat.

Adding or removing a player

To add someone through file editing, append that account’s SteamID64 on a new line, save, and restart the server. To remove a player, delete that account’s entire line, save, and restart. Keep a backup if you may need to restore the previous group.

Restart and verify the result

  1. Start the same server profile you edited. Check the profile name in the launcher or hosting panel.
  2. Wait for startup to finish. A file edit is not active until the server has loaded the configuration.
  3. Test with a listed account. That account should be able to join normally.
  4. Test with an unlisted account. That account should be refused because it is not permitted.
  5. If the result is wrong, stop the server again before inspecting files. Recheck the path, command spelling, line format, and SteamID64 values.

Testing both sides catches the most common false positive: an administrator may be able to join because of existing privileges, while the whitelist switch was never loaded for ordinary players. A listed-player test and an unlisted-player test demonstrate that access control, rather than an unrelated server or network problem, is working.

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Manage permits at runtime

If an administrator is available, the command reference provides a runtime alternative to editing the file manually. Use the commands in the Server Console, or enter them in in-game chat with an @ or / prefix.

Command Purpose When to use it
Permit [SteamID] Adds the specified SteamID to the permitted-join list Grant access while the server is running
Permit [Tag] Adds a player using the supported tag form Use when the command’s tag-based argument identifies the intended player
Permits Displays permitted players Confirm that a runtime addition is present

Replace the bracketed argument with the actual value; do not type the brackets themselves. For example, the command pattern is Permit 7656119..., followed by the player’s complete SteamID64. The reference documents Permit as the add operation and Permits as the display operation; it does not make runtime chat a substitute for administrator authorization.

Console versus chat

The Server Console is the direct administrative interface. In-game chat can also accept commands when an administrator enters the command with @ or / as the prefix. If a chat command appears to do nothing, first verify that the account has administrator privileges and that the prefix and command spelling are correct.

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Persistence considerations

Runtime management is useful for a quick invitation, but file-based management is easier to review and bulk-edit when you are maintaining a larger private group. After a runtime change, use Permits to confirm the server’s current list and keep your saved configuration or administrative notes aligned with the accounts you intend to allow. If you need a guaranteed configuration after a restart, stop the server and verify the on-disk Whitelist.dat in the active profile.

Make sure an administrator can run runtime commands

Runtime Permit and Permits commands require an administrator. The official setup instructions document three administration routes:

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  • Owner command: place a SteamID64 in the owner command configuration to grant the owner role.
  • Admin command: run the command during runtime to grant administration.
  • Adminlist.dat: use the administrator list file as the persistent administration route.

Choose the route that fits your access model, then test it with the account that will manage permits. Do not confuse an administrator list with the player whitelist: administrator files determine who can operate server controls, while Whitelist.dat determines who may join.

File-based and runtime management compared

Decision factor Editing the files Runtime commands
Persistence across restarts Stored in Commands.dat and Whitelist.dat; loaded at startup Applied while the server is running; verify the saved state before relying on it after a restart
Administrator access Requires access to the server files and a stopped server Requires an administrator account and console or authorized chat access
Bulk editing Efficient for reviewing or replacing several SteamID64 lines at once Convenient for individual additions, but slower for a large group
Risk of wrong profile High if several Servers<ServerName> directories exist; verify the active profile Lower for the currently running instance, because the command is sent directly to it
Restart required Yes; stop before editing and restart after saving Not for issuing the command itself, although a restart is useful to verify persistence

For a planned friends-only server, configure the files during a maintenance stop and keep a backup. For a one-player invitation during an active session, an administrator can use Permit, confirm the result with Permits, and later reconcile the saved list.

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Whitelist access is separate from Internet hosting

Enabling Whitelisted controls who may join; it does not publish the server to the Internet or make an otherwise unreachable server visible. Internet hosting has separate prerequisites. The official setup guidance identifies a Game Server Login Token (GSLT) and either Fake IP or port forwarding for an Internet server.

This separation explains two seemingly contradictory results:

  • The server is visible, but an unknown player is rejected: the whitelist may be working as intended.
  • A listed friend cannot find or reach the server: network visibility, GSLT, Fake IP, or port forwarding may be the issue rather than the whitelist file.

Troubleshoot access control and connectivity independently. First confirm that the server starts with Whitelisted and that the account is listed. Then investigate the network path if the permitted account cannot reach the server at all.

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Troubleshooting checklist

The whitelist appears not to be enabled

  • Stop the server and open the Commands.dat inside the active U3DSServers<ServerName>Server directory.
  • Confirm the line is exactly Whitelisted, with no extra punctuation or value.
  • Check that the command is on its own line and that the file was saved as Commands.dat, not a second-extension text file.
  • Restart the server after saving. Settings changed while the server is open may not be loaded.
  • Test with an account that is definitely absent from Whitelist.dat.

A permitted player is rejected

  • Open Whitelist.dat in the same Server directory as Commands.dat.
  • Confirm the player’s complete SteamID64 is present on its own line.
  • Remove accidental spaces, names, punctuation, or copied profile text from the entry.
  • Check for a one-digit transcription error by comparing the stored value with the player’s known SteamID64.
  • Stop and restart the server after correcting the file, then test again.

An unlisted player can still join

  • Verify that Whitelisted is in the command file for the profile that is actually running.
  • Look for duplicate server profiles and confirm the launch or host-panel selection.
  • Restart after the edit; do not judge the setting from a server that was already running.
  • Use an account that is not present in the list and test from a fresh connection.

Runtime commands fail in chat

  • Confirm the account has administrator privileges through the owner, runtime admin, or administrator-list route.
  • Prefix the command with @ or / when using in-game chat.
  • Use the Server Console if chat permissions or formatting remain uncertain.
  • Check the command spelling: Permit adds an entry and Permits displays entries.

The server is unreachable

  • Do not treat an unreachable server as proof that the whitelist is wrong.
  • Check the separate Internet-hosting requirements: GSLT, Fake IP, or port forwarding, as applicable to the hosting setup.
  • Once the server is reachable, test one listed and one unlisted account to isolate network issues from access-control issues.

Operating a private server safely

Use a change routine

For every planned change, stop the server, back up the two files, edit only the active profile, save, restart, and test. This routine prevents a host panel from reverting an in-memory state and gives you a known recovery point.

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Keep identities, not names

Maintain your membership list as SteamID64 values. You can keep a separate private note mapping an ID to a current display name for human reference, but do not put that note into Whitelist.dat. The game needs the identifier format, one value per line.

Review access periodically

Remove former players from the file during a maintenance stop and restart afterward. For temporary invitations made with Permit, use Permits to review who is currently allowed and update the persistent file when your access policy changes.

Limit administrative access

Only accounts that need to operate the server should receive administration. The ability to run runtime commands is separate from ordinary whitelist membership, so keep the owner, admin, and administrator-list settings under the same change-control practice as the whitelist itself.

Quick procedure

  1. Stop the Unturned server cleanly.
  2. Open U3DSServers<ServerName>ServerCommands.dat for the active profile.
  3. Add Whitelisted on its own line and save.
  4. Open or create Whitelist.dat in that same directory.
  5. Enter each permitted player’s SteamID64 on a separate line and save.
  6. Start the server again.
  7. Verify access with one listed account and one unlisted account.
  8. Use Permit and Permits only when an administrator needs to manage access during runtime.

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