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To make yourself an admin, add your player’s IdentityId or SteamId to the game.admins array in server_config.json, save valid JSON, and restart the server. After it starts, a listed player can enter #login in chat without an admin password.

How Arma Reforger server administration works

Arma Reforger reads administrator identities from the admins array inside the game object of server_config.json. The file is evaluated when the dedicated server starts, so editing it while the process is running does not immediately change permissions.

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The array accepts two identity formats: Bohemia IdentityIds and SteamIds. A listed identity is treated as a server admin even before that player uses the in-game login command. The wiki’s scripting reference describes BackendApi.IsListedServerAdmin, introduced in version 0.9.9.31, as checking whether a player is listed regardless of whether the player is currently logged in.

Version 1.0.0 added password-free #login for listed administrators. A separate password-based route still exists through the server’s passwordAdmin setting, but a player who is already in the admins array does not need that password.

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Before editing the configuration

Stop or safely pause the server process

Use your host’s normal stop or restart control, or stop the dedicated-server process yourself. Keep a backup copy of the existing server_config.json before making changes. If the file becomes invalid, restoring the backup is usually faster than reconstructing unrelated settings.

Confirm which configuration file is active

Many installations contain more than one configuration file for different instances. Edit the file passed to the server at launch, not an unused template or an old backup. If your host exposes a configuration editor, verify that it corresponds to the running instance and map.

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Obtain the correct player identity

Decide whether you will use an IdentityId, a SteamId, or both. Copy an IdentityId exactly, including letter case. The official documentation accepts both formats, and its example shows a 17-digit SteamId in the array.

Choose between an IdentityId and a SteamId

Attribute IdentityId SteamId
Accepted by game.admins Yes Yes
Priority join queue Yes No; SteamIds do not currently receive the IdentityId priority-queue treatment
Copying requirements Case-sensitive; copy exactly Use the complete numeric SteamId, such as the 17-digit format shown in the example configuration
Typical reason to choose it Needed when priority queue treatment matters Often simpler to recognize and record

There is no need to add the same person in both formats unless you have a specific operational reason. The list is capped at 20 unique IDs, so duplicate entries waste one of the available slots.

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How to find a player’s IdentityId

Read the server log

A Bohemia forum report describes the IdentityId appearing in an “Updating player” entry in the server log. Search the log for the player’s name or connection event, then copy the complete identity value. Check the capitalization before saving it; IdentityIds are case-sensitive.

Use the server scripting API

On the server, BackendApi.GetPlayerIdentityId(playerId) can return the IdentityId for a player object. On a client, BackendApi.GetLocalIdentityId() returns the local player’s IdentityId. These methods require a script environment capable of calling the relevant backend API; they are not chat commands.

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Do not rely on an unverified RCON syntax

One third-party guide says an RCON players command lists connected players’ UIDs, but the exact syntax was not confirmed. Treat that as a lead rather than a guaranteed procedure. If you use RCON, consult the documentation for the exact server build and test the command on a non-production instance first.

Edit the game.admins array

  1. Open the active server_config.json in a text editor that does not silently change punctuation or encoding.
  2. Locate the top-level game object. Inside it, find the admins property. If the property is absent, create it within the game object.
  3. Enter each identity as a JSON string surrounded by double quotation marks.
  4. Separate entries with commas. Do not place a comma after the final entry.
  5. Save the file, then validate the JSON before starting the server.

A minimal example looks like this:

{
  "game": {
    "admins": [
      "76561198012345678",
      "IdentityIdValue"
    ]
  }
}

The numeric value above is only an example SteamId. Replace it with the complete ID belonging to the intended administrator. Replace IdentityIdValue with the exact IdentityId when using that format. Keep any other settings already present in your file; the example is not a complete production configuration.

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Why quotation marks matter

A Bohemia forum thread reports an admin entry causing errors until the ID was wrapped in quotation marks. JSON arrays contain strings in this case, so an unquoted numeric SteamId or IdentityId is not equivalent to the quoted form. Use ordinary double quotes, not typographic “smart” quotes.

Common JSON mistakes

  • Leaving a trailing comma after the last admin.
  • Using single quotes instead of double quotes.
  • Putting admins outside the game object.
  • Removing a closing bracket or brace while editing.
  • Adding comments, which standard JSON does not support.
  • Copying hidden spaces or line breaks into an IdentityId.

Validate and restart the server

  1. Run the file through a JSON validator or your editor’s JSON checker. The validator should report a valid document with no trailing-comma or quotation errors.
  2. Save the corrected file using the same filename and location the server uses.
  3. Start or restart the dedicated server. Third-party hosting documentation consistently describes admin-list changes as startup settings; a restart is therefore required before testing.
  4. Wait until the server has completed startup and is visible to players.
  5. Join with the account whose ID you added.

If the server fails to start after the edit, restore the backup, confirm that the previous configuration starts normally, and reapply only the admins change with valid JSON syntax.

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Log in as the listed administrator

  1. Join the server with the account represented by one of the IDs in game.admins.
  2. Open the in-game chat input.
  3. Type #login and send it.
  4. Confirm that the command is accepted before attempting administrative actions.

For listed admins, the command does not require a password under the behavior documented for version 1.0.0 and later. The separate passwordAdmin setting remains the password path for an administrator who is not using the listed-admin method. Do not publish that password in chat, logs shared with players, or screenshots.

What a successful test proves

  • The edited file was the one loaded by the running server.
  • The identity was copied in an accepted format.
  • The server restarted after the edit.
  • The JSON parser accepted the array.

A successful #login test does not by itself prove that every intended administrator was entered correctly; test each account separately.

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Managing several administrators

Add one string per person and keep the list below the 20-unique-ID cap documented by the Bohemia Interactive Community wiki. A readable multi-admin section might look like this:

"admins": [
  "76561198012345678",
  "76561198023456789",
  "IdentityIdValue"
]

Use a simple inventory outside the server file to record who owns each ID, when access was granted, and when it should be removed. The JSON file needs the IDs, not explanatory comments, so maintain any notes in a separate document.

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Removing access

  1. Stop or safely pause the server.
  2. Delete the person’s complete string from the admins array.
  3. Repair commas so the remaining entries form valid JSON.
  4. Validate the file.
  5. Restart the server.
  6. Ask the former administrator to leave and rejoin, then verify that #login no longer receives listed-admin treatment.

Removing an entry prevents future listed-admin checks after the new configuration is loaded. It does not retroactively erase actions taken while the account was authorized.

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Troubleshooting an admin who cannot log in

The server will not start

Assume a syntax error first. Check every quote, comma, bracket, and brace around the game object. A trailing comma or an unquoted ID is a frequent cause. Restore the last known-good file if necessary, validate it, then make one small change at a time.

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#login asks for a password or fails

  • Confirm that the player joined with the same account represented by the configured ID.
  • Check that the server was restarted after the edit.
  • Verify that the ID is inside game.admins, not another section.
  • Check IdentityId capitalization and remove accidental spaces.
  • Confirm that the host did not overwrite the file from a template during restart.
  • If you are intentionally using password authentication, verify the server’s passwordAdmin setting rather than expecting listed-admin behavior.

One administrator works but another does not

Compare the two entries character by character. Make sure each entry is quoted and separated by a comma, and count the list against the 20-unique-ID limit. A valid first entry does not make a malformed second entry valid.

The admin has access but lacks priority queue treatment

Check whether the list contains a SteamId rather than an IdentityId. The official documentation states that IdentityIds receive priority join queue treatment; SteamIds currently do not. Change the entry only after obtaining the correct IdentityId and confirming its case.

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The change disappears after an update or restart

Some hosts regenerate configuration files. Compare the active file after each restart with the file you edited, and look for a host-level setting that replaces custom JSON. Keep a known-good copy so you can detect and recover from an overwrite.

Security and operational practices

Grant the minimum necessary access

Every ID in the array can be recognized as a listed server admin. Add only trusted accounts, remove inactive staff promptly, and review the list whenever your moderation team changes. With a maximum of 20 unique IDs, periodic cleanup also prevents accidental lockout of a needed slot.

Protect configuration backups

Although an IdentityId or SteamId is not an admin password, it is still an access-control record. Store backups where ordinary players cannot download them. Treat any file containing passwordAdmin as sensitive and never paste it into public support channels.

Use a change record

Record the date, person, identity format, and reason for each addition or removal. This makes it easier to distinguish a typo from a permission change when reviewing logs and avoids re-adding an obsolete ID.

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Test changes during a maintenance window

Restart behavior can temporarily disconnect players. Apply configuration changes between matches, announce the restart, and test with the affected account before declaring the change complete.

Identity and login facts at a glance

Question Answer
Where is admin access configured? game.admins in server_config.json
Which IDs are accepted? IdentityIds and SteamIds
How many unique IDs can be listed? 20
Do IdentityIds and SteamIds have identical queue behavior? No. IdentityIds receive priority queue treatment; SteamIds currently do not.
What command does a listed admin use? #login in chat, without a password under the version 1.0.0 behavior
What happens after editing the file? The server must be restarted so it reads the new list
Are IdentityIds case-sensitive? Yes; copy them exactly

Quick verification checklist

  • You edited the configuration file used by the running instance.
  • The ID belongs to the account that will test access.
  • The ID is enclosed in double quotes.
  • Entries are comma-separated with no trailing comma.
  • The array is inside the game object.
  • The file passes a JSON validator.
  • The server was restarted after saving.
  • The test account joined and sent #login.
  • The list contains no more than 20 unique IDs.
  • Any IdentityId was copied with exact capitalization.

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