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Abiotic Factor servers have two documented ways to grant administrator access: add a player’s 17-digit SteamID64 under [Moderators] in Admin.ini, or launch the server with an -AdminPassword and use that password in game. The SteamID method is persistent and account-specific; the password method is quicker but gives access to anyone who learns the password. Stop the server before editing files and perform a complete restart afterward.
What actually makes you an admin
Abiotic Factor does not use a single universal “make me admin” button. Server administration is tied to one of two mechanisms:
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- -AdminPassword: the server starts with an administrator password. Anyone who knows that password can authenticate as an administrator while the parameter is active.
These mechanisms are independent. Adding a SteamID to Admin.ini does not require an admin password, and setting an admin password does not add a player to the moderator list.
As of October 14, 2026, third-party setup guides agree on those two routes but disagree about the exact folder containing Admin.ini. The installed game-server build, host panel, and any custom launch arguments therefore matter. Verify the path on your own server instead of copying a path from an older guide.
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Choose the right method
| Question | Admin.ini | -AdminPassword |
|---|---|---|
| Who receives access? | Only the SteamID64 entries you add. | Anyone who knows the password. |
| Does access persist? | Yes, until the entry is removed or changed. | Only while the launch parameter is used. |
| What must you prepare? | A 17-digit SteamID64 and access to the server files. | A private password and access to the server’s launch options. |
| When is it most useful? | Permanent owners, moderators, or a small trusted team. | Temporary administration or a setup where editing files is inconvenient. |
| Main risk | Editing the wrong file or using the wrong identifier format. | Password leakage gives full admin access to the person who learns it. |
For a persistent community server, use Admin.ini. Use -AdminPassword when you need a temporary administrator or cannot safely edit the server files, and remove or change the password when the task is finished.
Method 1: Add your SteamID64 to Admin.ini
1. Obtain the correct SteamID64
Admin.ini expects a numeric SteamID64, not a Steam display name, profile URL, SteamID3 value, or a shorter legacy identifier. Host Havoc’s guide describes the required value as exactly 17 digits. A Steam-ID conversion service such as steamid.io can convert a public Steam profile or account identifier to the SteamID64 value.
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- Copy the complete numeric value, including every leading digit.
- Check that it contains only numbers and has 17 digits.
- Do not substitute the player’s in-game name; names can change and are not the identifier used by this setting.
2. Stop the server before editing
Use the server application or hosting panel to stop the server and wait until it reports that the process is offline. Editing while the server is running can be overwritten when the process saves its configuration. Do not merely disconnect your game client; the server itself must be stopped.
3. Locate Admin.ini
Published guides identify more than one location:
| Path reported by guides | Qualification |
|---|---|
AbioticFactor/Saved/SaveGames/Server/Admin.ini |
Reported by Supercraft and several other guides. |
AbioticFactor/Saved/Config/WindowsServer |
Reported by Nodecraft; the guide does not establish that this is universal for every build. |
A custom location supplied with -AdminIniPath= |
Some server setups deliberately override the default location with this launch argument. |
The path conflict is not resolved by an official developer document. Check the installed build’s server save and configuration directories, inspect the launch arguments for -AdminIniPath=, and use your host’s file manager or configuration-files page if the server is managed. If the file is not in the first location you check, do not create a second copy at random; find which path the active server process is using.
4. Back up the file
Download or copy the existing Admin.ini before changing it. A backup lets you restore the previous moderator list if a syntax mistake prevents the server from reading the file. Keep the backup outside the live configuration directory so the server does not load it as an additional configuration.
5. Add the Moderators section and entries
Open the active file as plain text. Under a section named [Moderators], add one line for each administrator:
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[Moderators]
Moderator=76561198012345678
Moderator=76561198123456789Replace the example numbers with the actual 17-digit SteamID64 values. Keep each administrator on its own line. If a [Moderators] section already exists, add the new Moderator= line beneath it rather than creating a duplicate section.
Do not use the older format sometimes shown in forum posts:
SteamID=76561198012345678Supercraft specifically warns that bare SteamID= lines are not recognised by the current format described in its guide. The key must be Moderator, followed by an equals sign and the numeric SteamID64.
6. Save without changing unrelated settings
Save the file in its existing location and preserve the surrounding sections. Avoid adding quotation marks, commas, bullets, or extra characters to the moderator lines. If your host panel has a dedicated configuration editor, use its save function and confirm that the server remains stopped until the edit is complete.
7. Start the server and perform a full restart
Start the server normally after saving. A complete stop-and-start cycle is required; a player reconnect, map reload, or in-game session refresh is not enough. Supercraft states that the Admin tab appears only after a full restart for the newly listed players.
8. Confirm access in game
Join with the Steam account whose ID you added. Open the pause menu with Esc, then look for Player Management and its Admin tab. Some guides label the route simply Esc → Admin. The exact label can vary by build, but a successful setup exposes the administrative interface to the listed account.
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Method 2: Use the -AdminPassword launch parameter
1. Create a dedicated administrator password
Choose a password that is different from the ordinary server join password. Do not reuse a personal password or post the administrator password in a public chat, server description, stream, or community announcement. Anyone who knows it can obtain administrator access.
2. Add the parameter to the server launch configuration
In a command line, startup script, or hosting panel’s launch-argument field, add the -AdminPassword parameter with your chosen value. A typical parameter form is:
-AdminPassword=replace-with-a-private-passwordUse the exact argument syntax accepted by your host panel. Some panels provide a separate field that generates the argument automatically; in that case, enter the password in that field rather than adding a second copy manually. Ensure the parameter is applied to the actual Abiotic Factor server process, not to the game client.
3. Restart the server with the parameter active
Stop the server, save the launch setting, and start it again. The password method depends on the parameter being present each time the server process starts. If you remove the parameter on a later restart, the password-based administrator route will no longer be available.
4. Authenticate through the in-game admin interface
Join the server, open the pause menu, and select the administrative entry. Depending on the build or guide terminology, it may appear as Esc → Admin or under Esc → Player Management → Admin. Enter the administrator password when prompted. If the interface does not appear, confirm that the server was restarted after the launch argument was saved and that you are using the current password rather than the ordinary join password.
5. Remove or rotate the password when finished
Because the password method grants access to whoever knows the secret, remove the launch argument for a temporary session or replace the password after a moderator leaves. A password change requires another server restart before the new setting is active.
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What the built-in admin interface can do
The documented vanilla workflow is graphical. Supercraft describes administration through the in-game player-management screen, while RespawnHost reports kick and ban controls in the admin menu. Use those controls rather than expecting a separate text command window.
Kick and ban controls
When the Admin tab is available, select the relevant player and use the displayed moderation action. A kick removes the player from the current session; a ban is a stronger, persistent moderation action whose exact behavior can depend on the server build. Confirm the selected player before applying either action, especially when several players have similar display names.
Commands that are not confirmed as vanilla features
Supercraft states that god mode, noclip, spawning, and teleportation are not built into the vanilla game. A real command console is described as coming from a community UE4SS modification, which is separate from the two administrator methods above.
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Why Admin.ini may not work
The Admin tab is missing after you added an ID
- Confirm that the server, not only your client, was stopped and fully restarted.
- Check that the number is a 17-digit SteamID64 with no spaces or punctuation.
- Verify the spelling and capitalization of
[Moderators]andModerator=. - Make sure you edited the file loaded by the active server process, not an old save, backup, or local single-player directory.
- Look for
-AdminIniPath=in the launch settings, since it can redirect the file. - Reconnect with the same Steam account whose ID is listed; a different account will not inherit the permission.
The file cannot be found
Check both commonly reported directory families: Saved/SaveGames/Server and Saved/Config/WindowsServer. On a managed host, use the panel’s file manager or configuration-files area while the server is stopped. If neither location contains the active file, inspect the startup arguments for a custom Admin.ini path and ask the host which directory its server build uses. The conflicting third-party paths are a version and hosting detail, not proof that the file is missing.
The server overwrote your edit
This usually means the file was changed while the process was still running or the wrong copy was edited. Stop the server, restore the backup if necessary, edit the active file, save it, and then start the server. Check the file again after startup to confirm that the moderator lines remain.
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Why -AdminPassword may not work
The password is rejected
- Verify that the launch parameter is attached to the server process and not the client shortcut.
- Check the spelling of
-AdminPasswordand the password value in the host panel. - Restart the server after changing the parameter.
- Use the administrator password, not the password players use to join.
- Remove accidental leading or trailing spaces introduced by a panel field.
The admin option is not visible
Look in both documented menu paths: Esc → Admin and Esc → Player Management → Admin. If neither appears after a restart, confirm that the launch parameter was saved to the correct server instance and that the installed build still supports the password route.
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Someone else knows the password
Treat the password as compromised. Stop the server, replace or remove the -AdminPassword value, start the server again, and notify trusted moderators of the new secret through a private channel. Do not rely on changing the ordinary join password; the administrator password is a separate credential.
Operational and security practices
Prefer named access for permanent moderators
Admin.ini limits access to known Steam accounts and remains stable across restarts. Review the list periodically and remove entries for former moderators. Keep a dated backup before each change so you can identify which account was added or removed.
Limit password access
The password method is convenient, but it is not account-specific. Give it only to people who need temporary administrative access, never embed it in a public script or announcement, and rotate it after the work is complete.
Document the active path and launch settings
Record which Admin.ini path the server actually loads and whether -AdminIniPath= is present. Also record whether the server uses an admin password. This prevents a future administrator from editing an unused file or assuming that a removed launch argument is still active.
Recheck after updates
The Admin.ini path and available admin features are described as version-sensitive. After a major game or server update, verify that the moderator list is still read, that the Admin tab appears, and that the menu labels and available actions match your expectations. Do not assume that a command listed for a modded or older setup is available in the current vanilla build.
Does Abiotic Factor use a Server.ini file for administrators?
The available setup guides do not document a dedicated Server.ini file for administrator permissions. They describe launch parameters for items such as the server name, password, ports, and player slots; a per-world SandboxSettings.ini for gameplay rules; and Admin.ini for the moderator list. If you are searching for an administrator setting in Server.ini, use the two documented routes instead and verify the active file path for your build.
Quick verification checklist
- The server process was stopped before a configuration edit.
- Your SteamID64 is numeric and exactly 17 digits.
- The entry is under
[Moderators]and usesModerator=. - You edited the active Admin.ini path, including any custom
-AdminIniPath=location. - The server completed a full restart after the change.
- You checked both possible in-game menu labels for the Admin tab.
- An admin password, if used, is different from the join password and has not been shared publicly.
- You are not assuming that mod-only commands such as teleport or summon exist in the vanilla game.
If those checks pass, the SteamID method should grant access to the listed account, while the password method should grant access to anyone who successfully authenticates with the active administrator password.
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