Terraria Server Commands for Admins and Hosts

For a vanilla Terraria dedicated server, enter administration commands in the server console without a leading slash. Use save for an explicit world save and exit for a normal shutdown that saves automatically. Moderation uses kick <player name> for a one-session removal and ban <player name> for a persistent ban. The documented default network port is 7777, and startup settings can be supplied with command-line arguments or a configuration file.

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Where Terraria commands are entered

These commands apply to the vanilla PC dedicated server launched through TerrariaServer. Type them at the dedicated server’s console prompt. A leading slash is not required there; enter save, not /save. Players using in-game chat can type /playing to see who is connected, but the other administrative commands in this reference are console commands.

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The official command reference is maintained by the Official Terraria Wiki’s dedicated-server documentation. Modded server software can add, remove or alter commands, so verify behavior against the software you actually run.

Complete vanilla dedicated-server command reference

The four death-statistics commands are marked “where supported” because their output depends on the server version and implementation. If a command is not recognized, run help and check version rather than assuming the console is malfunctioning.

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Kick, ban and unban players

Kick someone for the current session

Run kick <player name> with the player’s server-visible name. The command removes that player immediately, but it does not create a persistent ban. A kicked player can reconnect if they still have the password and the server otherwise accepts them.

Ban someone persistently

Run ban <player name>. The server adds the player to its ban data, making the action persist beyond the current connection. Use a ban when removing the player is not enough and future access must be blocked.

Remove a ban manually

The documented unban process is file-based rather than a console command. Stop the server safely, make a backup of banlist.txt, then edit that file and remove the affected player’s name and IP address. Save the edited file before restarting. Keeping a backup lets you restore the previous list if the wrong entry is removed or the file is damaged.

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Save and shut down without risking the world

For routine administration, use save followed by exit when you need both a checkpoint and a shutdown, or use exit alone for a normal close. Do not close the console window with its window controls as your regular shutdown method; the setup guidance recommends the save and exit commands so the server can complete its save sequence cleanly.

Passwords, announcements and the message of the day

Change access while the server is running

password prints the active password. To replace it, enter password <pass>. Treat the password as an access credential: distribute the new value only to people who should join, and remember that changing it does not remove players already connected.

Send a live announcement

say <message> broadcasts a yellow message to every connected player. It is suited to immediate notices such as “Server saving in five minutes” or “Restart at 22:00 UTC.”

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Set persistent welcome text

Enter motd to display the current message of the day. Enter motd <message> to replace it. Use the MOTD for information that should remain in effect between sessions, while say is better for a one-time announcement.

Inspect and control time, capacity and water

time reports the in-game clock. The commands dawn, noon, dusk and midnight set the clock to those named points. These alter the world time rather than the computer’s system clock.

port reports the port currently used by the running server, and maxplayers reports its player limit. They are useful verification commands after a restart or configuration change. settle settles all water, which can help bring water simulation to a stable state after construction, excavation or flooding.

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Terraria server port and startup configuration

The default and the active port

The documented default Terraria server port is 7777. Use port at runtime to see the active listening port. Choose a different port at launch with -port <number>, or in a configuration file with a line such as port=7777. The number in the config example is the documented default, not a requirement that every server use it.

If people outside your home network must connect, the setup guidance says port forwarding may be required. The forwarded router port, local firewall rule and value used by the server must agree. A successful port response proves which port the process is listening on; it does not by itself prove that an internet connection can reach the machine.

Useful launch arguments

TerrariaServer accepts several startup options. The documented set includes:

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• -config <file path> to load repeatable settings from a configuration file.
• -port <number> to select the listening port.
• -players or -maxplayers to set the player limit.
• -pass or -password to set the access password.
• -motd to set the message of the day at startup.
• -world to choose the world file.
• -autocreate to control automatic world creation options.
• -banlist to select the ban-list file.
• -secure to enable the server’s secure mode.
• -noupnp to disable UPnP behavior.
• -steam and -lobby for the corresponding Steam/lobby hosting options.
• -ip to bind the server to a specified IP address.

Exact syntax and available switches can vary with the Terraria server build. Run the executable’s help output or consult the official dedicated-server reference before copying a command into an automated startup script.

Use a configuration file for repeatable starts

A config file avoids retyping the same settings after every restart. A minimal example using documented keys looks like this:

port=7777
password=your-server-password
motd=Welcome to the world
worldpath=path/to/your/world.wld
banlist=banlist.txt
secure=1

Save the file, then start the server with -config <file path>. Replace the password, message and world path with your own values; the sample path is illustrative, not a universal folder location. Protect the file because it contains the server password. The secure=1 setting enables secure mode in the documented configuration format.

Host & Play versus a dedicated server

Choose Host & Play when the priority is getting a few people into a world quickly and the host will be present. Choose a dedicated server when the world should be available independently, needs repeatable startup settings, or requires ongoing console administration.

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Practical administration workflows

Start a controlled maintenance window

1. Use playing to see who is connected.
2. Warn players with say <message>, including the expected downtime.
3. Run save if you want a visible checkpoint before stopping.
4. Run exit and wait for the console to finish shutting down.
5. Perform the backup, configuration edit or ban-list change only after the process has stopped.

Deal with disruptive behavior

1. Confirm the exact connected name with playing.
2. Use kick <player name> for a temporary removal.
3. Use ban <player name> when the player must be blocked from returning.
4. If an incorrect ban is made, stop the server and edit banlist.txt after making a backup, removing the matching name and IP address.

Verify a new network configuration

1. Set the intended port with -port <number> or the config key port=<number>.
2. Start the server and run port to confirm the process is listening on that value.
3. Check that the configured player limit is correct with maxplayers.
4. For remote players, verify the router forwarding and local firewall rules for the same port.

Common mistakes and recovery

• Typing slash commands in the console: remove the leading slash. Use playing in the console; /playing is the chat form for players.
• Using exit-nosave as a normal close: switch to exit unless discarding the current session is intentional.
• Closing the window instead of issuing a command: reopen the server and use save or exit for planned maintenance.
• Assuming a ban has a console unban command: use the documented manual edit of banlist.txt, with a backup first.
• Changing -port but not the network path: align the server setting, firewall and router forwarding.
• Expecting port to test internet reachability: it reports the local listening value only; an external connection still depends on network routing.
• Using a command from another server implementation: run help and version to establish what the current vanilla build supports.

Admin checklist

• Keep the server password and config file private.
• Use save before backups or risky maintenance.
• Use exit for routine shutdowns and reserve exit-nosave for deliberate rollback.
• Back up banlist.txt before manual unbans.
• Record the selected port, player limit, world path and ban-list path in your operating notes.
• After restarting, verify with version, port and maxplayers.

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