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Put server.cfg in your dedicated server’s tf/cfg directory. Add only convars supported by the running Team Fortress 2 build, save the file as plain text, then restart the server or change map and verify the values in the console. The file stores settings that should be applied whenever a new map loads; lines beginning with // are comments and are ignored.
What server.cfg does
server.cfg is a plain-text command file for persistent Team Fortress 2 server settings. A dedicated server reads it as part of map startup, so identity, access, rules, logging and other convars can be applied consistently instead of being typed after every restart. Nodecraft’s documentation, updated September 5, 2024, describes the file as the place to store custom settings for a TF2 server.
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This article assumes a standalone dedicated server. A listen server is created from the player client and normally exists only while that client is playing; a dedicated server runs as separate server software and is the appropriate target for an always-on configuration file. The Official TF2 Wiki distinguishes these two arrangements, and their file locations and startup behavior should not be confused.
The file is executed as commands, one command per line. Use // to annotate why a setting exists, for example // Keep the public name recognizable. Comments are useful when you return to the file months later or hand it to another administrator.
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Install or update the dedicated server
Before editing configuration, make sure you are changing the files for the server instance that actually runs. SteamCMD is the usual way to install or update the dedicated software. A Steam Community guide from 2017 uses application ID 232250 and gives this Windows example:
steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir C:tf2_server +app_update 232250 validate +quitReplace the installation directory with the location you intend to run. The validate option checks the installed files; it can take time and may download replacements. After an update, re-check your configuration because a new build can add, remove or change convars.
Managed game-server panels may perform SteamCMD updates for you, but they still expose a server-specific tf/cfg directory or an editor that writes to it. Confirm which instance and game installation the panel controls before troubleshooting a file that appears to have no effect.
Find or create the correct file
- Open the root directory of the dedicated TF2 installation.
- Open
tf, thencfg. The resulting path istf/cfgrelative to the server root. - Create a new file named exactly
server.cfgif one does not exist. It must be plain text, not a rich-text document. - On Windows, enable file-name extensions in Explorer and check that the file is not accidentally named
server.cfg.txt. - Save the file using a text editor that does not insert formatting or smart quotes.
Keep a backup outside the live installation before major edits. If you operate several servers, verify the working directory in each launch script or service definition; copying a configuration into one installation does not change another instance.
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Build a safe baseline configuration
The following settings are a starting point, not a universal preset. Choose values for your intended game mode, audience and network. The command names should be checked against the live server’s own convar list before use.
| Purpose | Command | What it controls | Configuration guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | hostname "Your TF2 Server" |
The name displayed to browsers and connecting players. | Use a clear name that identifies the community, mode or location without impersonating another server. |
| Private access | sv_password "choose-a-player-password" |
The password required for players to join. | Leave it unset for a public server. Change it if it has been shared beyond the intended group. |
| Administration | rcon_password "use-a-separate-long-secret" |
The secret used for remote console administration. | Never reuse a player password. Treat anyone who knows it as an administrator and rotate it after exposure. |
| Network mode | sv_lan 0 or sv_lan 1 |
Internet visibility versus LAN-only operation. | Use the value appropriate to your network. A LAN setting will prevent normal public-internet access. |
| Region reporting | sv_region |
The broad geographic region reported by the server. | Select the value supported by your build and hosting location; it is not a substitute for measuring player latency. |
| Content policy | sv_pure 0, 1 or 2 |
Which client game files are accepted. | Choose deliberately; the three modes have different security and customization consequences described below. |
| Console logging | log on |
Enables server logging. | Useful for administration and incident review, but monitor disk usage. |
| Log file output | sv_logfile 1 |
Writes server activity to log files. | Confirm that the account running the server can write to the log directory. |
| Log rotation style | sv_log_onefile 0 |
Whether activity is kept in one file or split according to the server’s logging behavior. | Pick the format that fits your retention and parsing tools. |
| Ban records | sv_logbans 1 |
Records ban-related events in logs. | Enable it when you need an auditable moderation trail. |
| Visible capacity | sv_visiblemaxplayers |
The maximum player count advertised to browsers. | Set it to the capacity you really intend to support; do not copy a value from a different game mode. |
| Round limit | mp_maxrounds |
How many rounds a map may run before a change. | Choose a limit that matches the mode and expected session length. |
Quoted values are safest for names and passwords that contain spaces. Do not place explanatory text on a command line unless it follows //; otherwise the game may parse the words as additional arguments.
Choose an sv_pure policy
sv_pure is the most visible trade-off in a baseline file:
sv_pure 0: unrestricted client file locations. This gives players the most freedom for custom skins, models, sprays and other replacements, but provides the weakest control over modified content.sv_pure 1: whitelist-based control. Files permitted by the server’s whitelist can be used; everything else is restricted. This is a compromise between custom content and consistency.sv_pure 2: Steam-official content only. It offers the strictest content consistency and reduces opportunities for file-based abuse, while disabling most custom replacements.
These descriptions come from the Steam guide used for the configuration example. Test the policy with the actual maps, sounds and server-side content you plan to run; a setting that works for a stock server can reject a custom asset pack.
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Use the live server as the command authority
Web guides and old snippets often contain client-only, removed or renamed commands. The reliable inventory is the running server’s own output. In the server console, run:
cvarlist log cvarlist.txtThis writes the available convars to cvarlist.txt. Search that file for a command before adding it to server.cfg. If the console reports an unknown command, remove it rather than assuming the warning is harmless. A command can exist in one TF2 build and be absent in another, particularly after updates.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesAfter editing, query important values in the console by entering the command without a value, such as hostname or sv_pure. The server prints the current value, allowing you to distinguish a syntax problem from a setting that was later overridden.
Apply changes and verify them
- Stop the server cleanly before editing when possible, so another process is not rewriting the file.
- Save
server.cfgin the live instance’stf/cfgdirectory. - Start the server and watch the console for unknown-command, permission or parsing errors.
- Alternatively, change map after saving. Configuration is loaded before a new map, so a map change is a practical reload test.
- Query the values that matter to players and administrators, then connect from a client to test the password, visibility and content policy.
- Record the working version of the file and the date of the change in your backup or change log.
A current public configuration example dated April 26, 2026, from GameServerManagers includes identity, access and logging commands. Treat such examples as illustrations, not as proof that every line is appropriate for your server or current build.
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Why settings appear to reset on a map change
Map changes normally trigger configuration loading; a reset usually means a different file or command runs afterward. Check these causes in order:
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →- Wrong file or extension: Confirm the path is the active server’s
tf/cfg/server.cfgand that the operating system is not hiding a trailing.txt. - Editing a different instance: Compare the server’s launch directory, console startup messages and file timestamps with the directory you edited.
- Map-specific or plugin commands: A map configuration or server plugin can execute after the general file and deliberately set another value. Temporarily disable suspected additions, then test a stock map.
- Startup scripts and panels: A launch option, scheduled task or hosting control panel may regenerate configuration on restart. Check its startup command and generated-file settings.
- Unsupported or restricted convar: The command may be unknown, client-only or restricted to a particular game state. Confirm it with
cvarlistand read the console response. - Permissions: If the server account cannot read the file or the panel cannot write it, changes may never reach the process. Correct ownership and permissions, then restart.
- Syntax errors: An unmatched quote or accidental extra text can prevent later lines from being interpreted. Reduce the file to a few known-good commands and add lines back one at a time.
When troubleshooting, change one variable per test and query the value immediately after the map loads. That identifies the process that overwrote it instead of masking several problems with a wholesale replacement.
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Protect remote administration
Use a long, unique rcon_password, restrict who receives it and replace it immediately if it appears in a screenshot, log upload or shared chat. A player password protects entry; it does not protect administrative commands.
Understand VAC launch behavior
The historical Steam guide states that Valve Anti-Cheat is enabled by default and that adding -insecure to launch options expressly disables it. Treat that as launch-configuration guidance, not as a promise that behavior cannot change: after updates, inspect the server’s startup status and test the trust settings you require. Do not add -insecure merely to make a custom configuration work.
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Plan for logs and storage
Logging convars help investigate bans and connection problems, but files accumulate. Set a retention and rotation routine outside server.cfg, monitor available disk space and protect logs because they can contain player names, addresses or administrative activity.
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Keep changes reversible
Copy the known-good file before changing map rules or content policy. Use dated filenames in your backup location, but keep only the active file named server.cfg in tf/cfg so the server does not load an unintended alternative.
Self-hosted, managed and local options
| Approach | Who maintains SteamCMD and files? | Control over server.cfg |
Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted dedicated server | You maintain updates, operating-system permissions, backups and uptime. | Full filesystem and launch-option control. | Maximum flexibility requires the most administration and monitoring. |
| Managed game-server hosting | The provider generally handles the service and exposes a panel or file manager. | Usually supports server.cfg, but some launch options and files may be abstracted. |
Less maintenance, with provider limits and recurring service cost. |
| Listen/local server | The player’s game client starts and stops the server. | Suitable for short private sessions rather than persistent hosting. | Availability, performance and configuration lifetime depend on the host player. |
Whichever approach you choose, the diagnostic method remains the same: identify the active instance, edit its tf/cfg/server.cfg, validate commands with cvarlist, reload by restart or map change and query the resulting values.
Quick Recap
A practical first-pass checklist
- Dedicated software is installed or updated with SteamCMD application ID
232250. - The file is plain text at
tf/cfg/server.cfgin the active installation. - Hostname, access passwords, LAN mode and region match the intended audience.
sv_pureis chosen deliberately for security versus custom-content needs.- Logging is enabled only where storage and privacy are managed.
- Round and visible-player limits reflect the actual mode.
- Every command appears in the running server’s
cvarlistoutput. - The console is clean after restart or map change, and queried values remain correct.
- A backup exists before further edits.
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