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Set an administrator password in the server’s server.cfg, restart the server, then open in-game chat and enter #login your-password. The password must exactly match the value assigned to passwordAdmin. If you operate the server yourself, you can instead use the admins[] setting for password-free login by listed player identifiers.

The two ways to become an Arma 3 server administrator

Arma 3’s normal in-game administrator login is controlled by the passwordAdmin parameter in server.cfg. After the server has loaded that setting, an operator authenticates in chat with #login followed by the password. Bohemia Interactive documents the configuration file and dedicated-server settings in its Arma 3: Dedicated Server and Arma 3: Server Config File references.

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There is also an admins[] list. It is intended to let specified player identifiers log in without typing the administrator password each session. The official documentation describes the entries as UIDs, while some hosting instructions describe quoted SteamID64 values. Because those descriptions do not agree, treat the exact identifier format as version- and implementation-sensitive and verify it against the current Bohemia configuration reference before relying on it.

Method What you configure How you authenticate Main trade-off
Password login passwordAdmin in server.cfg #login password in game chat Simple and works for any operator who knows the secret, but the password is entered in chat.
Identifier list admins[] in server.cfg #login without a password, when the player’s identifier matches an entry No shared secret per session, but the identifier syntax must be correct.
BattlEye RCon A separate BattlEye remote-console configuration A remote administration client, not the in-game #login command Useful for remote control; unnecessary for ordinary in-game administrator login.

Without BattlEye RCon, Arma 3 supports only one server administrator at a time. That administrator can result from a vote or from an authenticated login. RCon adds a separate remote administration channel; it does not replace the in-game password procedure.

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What you need before changing the configuration

  • File access to the instance that actually starts the Arma 3 server, either through the host’s file manager, SFTP, or the machine’s filesystem.
  • Permission to stop and start the server. A configuration edit does not become active until the process reads the file again.
  • The correct server.cfg for the instance you play on. Multiple profiles, maps, test instances, or container deployments can each have a different configuration.
  • A password you can distribute only to trusted operators. Anyone who knows it can attempt an administrator login.

Bohemia’s dedicated-server documentation is the authority for where your launch profile and configuration are placed. Hosting panels may expose the same file under a “Configuration Files,” “Server Config,” or “File Manager” menu instead of showing a normal desktop path.

Set up administrator access with passwordAdmin

1. Stop the server before editing

Stop the Arma 3 server cleanly from its panel or service manager. Editing while the process is running can leave you unsure whether the daemon will overwrite the file or continue using values already loaded in memory. Make a backup copy of server.cfg before changing it.

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2. Open the active server.cfg

Find the configuration used by the running profile, not merely a sample file supplied with the server files. The file uses Arma’s configuration syntax: parameter names, an equals sign, a value, and a semicolon. A minimal administrator entry looks like this:

passwordAdmin = "replace-this-with-a-long-unique-secret";

Keep the quotation marks and the terminating semicolon. Replace the example value with your own secret. Do not copy the example literally, and do not reuse a password from another service.

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3. Save, then start or restart the server

Save the file and start the server again. If it was already running, perform a full restart rather than merely reconnecting your game client. Watch the startup log or panel status until the server reports that it is listening and has completed initialization.

4. Join the server and issue the login command

Connect with the Arma 3 client, open the in-game chat interface, and enter:

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#login replace-this-with-a-long-unique-secret

Use the exact value from passwordAdmin, without the quotation marks used in the configuration file. The official multiplayer command reference states the #login [Password] form; the password supplied after #login must match the server parameter. See Multiplayer Server Commands.

A successful login changes your server permissions for the current session. You can then run administrator commands through chat. If the command is rejected, remain connected while you work through the troubleshooting section below; repeatedly changing files without restarting usually cannot fix a value the running process has not reloaded.

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Use admins[] for password-free administrator login

The admins[] parameter can list player identifiers that are allowed to authenticate without supplying the administrator password. The feature dates back to Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead and is documented in the official configuration reference. A configuration has the general shape:

admins[] = {"identifier-one","identifier-two"};

The important limitation is the identifier format. The official wiki describes UIDs; several hosting guides describe quoted SteamID64 values instead. Those terms are not interchangeable in every tool or server build. Do not guess an identifier from a profile name, display name, or copied URL. Confirm what your current server version exposes as the player’s UID or platform identifier, enter it exactly as the documentation requires, restart the server, and test with a non-owner account.

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Third-party setup pages such as XGamingServer’s administrator guide, Host Havoc’s admin-login guide, and Nodecraft’s access guide illustrate how hosting panels present the list, but their terminology can differ from the official wiki. Use them for panel navigation only and use the current Bohemia syntax as the final authority.

After the list is accepted, the listed player normally uses #login without appending the shared password. If the server still asks for a password or reports an authorization failure, treat that as an identifier or syntax problem first: check braces, quotation marks, commas, the semicolon, the active configuration file, and whether the server was restarted.

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Administrator commands after login

Command availability can depend on the server version, mission, and the permission level granted. The official multiplayer command page is the best place to check the current syntax. The following commands are commonly documented for server administration:

Command Purpose Evidence and qualification
#login [Password] Authenticate with the configured administrator password. Documented by the official multiplayer command reference.
#logout End your administrator session. Listed in command tables; use it when handing the session to another operator.
#mission Change or select a mission, where supported by the current server state. Listed by server-command guides; confirm arguments in the official reference.
#missions Display available missions. Listed by server-command guides; mission availability still depends on installed content.
#restart Restart the current server session or mission, depending on command context. Appears in official and host command lists; check the current page before using it during a live event.
#reassign Reassign slots or roles in contexts where the command is supported. Listed in host command tables; syntax and effect can vary by version.
#kick Remove a player from the server. Named by hosting guides; verify the current argument format in the official reference.
#shutdown Stop the server. Named by hosting guides; use only when you intend to take the instance offline.

For a complete and current list, consult Bohemia’s Multiplayer Server Commands page rather than relying on an old command cheat sheet. A command may be accepted by the chat parser yet have no useful effect in a particular mission.

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BattlEye is not the same as BattlEye RCon

The BattlEye setting in server.cfg enables the anti-cheat client used by the game server. BattlEye RCon is a separate remote-administration channel with its own configuration and credentials. Enabling anti-cheat does not automatically give you RCon access, and configuring RCon is not required to become an administrator through in-game #login.

Use in-game login when you are connected as a player and need ordinary server commands. Use RCon when you need to administer the server remotely or when no suitable in-game operator is present. Keep the RCon password and port separate from passwordAdmin; exposing one should not expose the other. The distinction and related setup considerations are described in this BattlEye and administrator setup guide and in the Arma 3 server configuration guide.

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Troubleshoot a failed administrator login

“Invalid password” or no administrator privileges

  • Open the active configuration and compare the value character by character. Check capitalization, spaces, punctuation, and accidental quotation marks copied into the chat command.
  • Confirm that the setting is named exactly passwordAdmin, not a similarly named game or BattlEye option.
  • Stop and restart the server after saving. A client reconnect alone does not reload server.cfg.
  • Check the startup log for the profile and configuration path actually used by the launch command. Panels often maintain separate files for each instance.
  • If a password contains spaces or unusual characters, test a temporary password made from letters, numbers, and safe punctuation. Quoting rules for spaces are described inconsistently by third-party guides, so do not assume that adding quotes in chat is supported.

The command is not recognized

  • Enter the command in the game’s chat input, beginning with the hash character: #login password.
  • Do not place a slash before the hash and do not include the configuration file’s quotation marks.
  • Make sure you are connected to the server rather than typing into a launcher, console window, or unrelated team-chat field.
  • Check the current official command page because command syntax can change with game updates.

admins[] does not grant access

  • Verify the identifier type expected by your server build. The official documentation and hosting guides use different descriptions, so a Steam display name or an arbitrary account number is not a safe substitute.
  • Check the array punctuation: braces around the entries, quoted values, commas between entries, and a semicolon at the end.
  • Ensure the edited file belongs to the profile you joined, then restart the server.
  • Test with one known identifier before adding a long list. A single malformed entry can make troubleshooting harder.

Another administrator is already active

On a server without BattlEye RCon, only one administrator can exist at a time. Log out with #logout when you finish, or coordinate a handoff rather than having several operators repeatedly attempt #login. If you need concurrent or remote administration, plan a separate RCon configuration instead of trying to solve it with additional passwordAdmin entries.

You lose admin status after reconnecting

Persistence across reconnects is not consistently documented in the available references. The safe operating assumption is to log in again after reconnecting and to avoid promising operators that a session will survive a disconnect. If password-free access is required, test the admins[] method on your exact server version instead of relying on an unverified persistence claim.

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Security practices for server operators

  • Use a long, unique administrator secret and share it only through a private operator channel. Chat commands can be visible to other players or recorded in logs.
  • Do not paste the password into public chat, screenshots, issue trackers, or support tickets. Type it only in the server’s command input.
  • Keep a dated backup of server.cfg before changing administrator settings, but protect the backup as carefully as the live file.
  • When an operator leaves the team, change passwordAdmin, restart the server, and distribute the replacement only to current operators.
  • Limit admins[] to people who need administrator rights. Remove stale identifiers and test the resulting access after every edit.
  • Use separate credentials for in-game administration and BattlEye RCon. Restrict remote-console exposure according to your host or firewall controls.
  • Announce disruptive commands such as mission changes, restarts, kicks, and shutdowns to players before executing them, except when an immediate security or stability response is required.

Changing the password or removing an administrator

Rotate a shared password

  1. Stop the server and back up the current configuration.
  2. Replace the passwordAdmin value with a new secret.
  3. Save the file, restart the server, and verify that the old password no longer authenticates.
  4. Send the new value privately to the remaining operators.

Remove identifier-based access

  1. Stop the server and open the active server.cfg.
  2. Delete the departing operator’s entry from admins[], preserving valid commas and braces.
  3. Save and restart the server.
  4. Ask the removed account to test only after the restart, while a current operator remains available to recover access if the array syntax is damaged.

When to use each method

Situation Recommended approach Reason
One or two trusted operators who play regularly passwordAdmin plus #login Fastest setup and easiest to understand.
Several recurring operators with individually controlled access Carefully maintained admins[] list A departing operator can be removed without distributing a new shared password, provided the identifier syntax is confirmed.
Remote maintenance while nobody is in game BattlEye RCon It is designed as a separate remote channel and does not depend on an in-game chat session.
Emergency access after a configuration mistake Use the host console or file access to restore a known-good server.cfg, restart, then test #login Changing client settings cannot repair a server-side configuration error.

Quick verification checklist

  • The server is stopped while server.cfg is edited.
  • passwordAdmin has one quoted value and a terminating semicolon.
  • The file belongs to the profile and instance that players actually join.
  • The server has been restarted after the edit.
  • You entered #login followed by the exact password, without configuration quotes.
  • If using admins[], the identifier type matches the current official documentation for your build.
  • You understand that BattlEye RCon is separate from in-game administrator login.
  • You have tested the access with a trusted operator before announcing the server as ready.

Authoritative references

Use Bohemia Interactive’s dedicated-server, server-configuration, and multiplayer-command pages for the syntax applicable to your current Arma 3 build. Hosting guides can help locate controls in a particular panel, but panel labels, identifier terminology, and command summaries may lag behind the official documentation.

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