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Commands.dat is Unturned’s plain-text startup file. Put it in your server’s Servers/<ServerName>/Server/ folder, add one setting or command per line without a leading slash, save it, and restart the server. Unturned reads the file during boot, so its entries persist across restarts. On newer servers, however, most configuration belongs in Config.txt, not Commands.dat.

What Commands.dat does

Commands.dat is read when an Unturned dedicated server starts. Each non-comment line is interpreted as one server setting or command. Because the file is processed at boot, it is the right place for values that should be applied automatically every time the server launches, such as the map, password, player limit, perspective rules, owner SteamID64, or cheat availability.

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Editing the file does not change a running server immediately. Save the file and restart the dedicated server before testing. A restart also makes it clear whether the syntax is valid: a setting that is accepted at boot should take effect consistently on the next launch.

Commands.dat is not a universal replacement for every Unturned configuration file. The official Unturned 3.x documentation places most newer server options in Config.txt. Commands.dat still handles basic startup options, but the exact division depends on the server version and when the server was created.

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Where to find Commands.dat

Self-hosted or dedicated-server installation

Community setup guides commonly use this path:

Servers/<ServerName>/Server/Commands.dat

<ServerName> is the name of the server folder, not necessarily the public name shown in the server browser. On a home PC, the Servers directory is normally inside the Unturned dedicated-server installation or its server-data directory. If several servers exist, open the folder for the specific instance you intend to edit and then open its Server subfolder.

Game-server control panels

Hosted panels usually do not expose the server’s operating-system folders directly. Look for a Config Files, File Manager, or similarly named area, then open the server’s Commands.dat. The label and navigation differ by host, but the file content and syntax are the same: one entry per line, saved before a restart.

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If the file does not exist

Some server setups create Commands.dat on the first launch; others provide a blank file in the server folder. Start the server once, stop it cleanly, and check the instance’s Server directory again. If you create the file yourself, use the exact filename Commands.dat. Avoid a hidden second extension such as Commands.dat.txt, which can happen when a text editor hides known extensions.

How to edit the file safely

  1. Stop the server. Do not edit while the process is writing configuration or saving world state.
  2. Make a backup. Copy Commands.dat to a separate location before changing it. A backup lets you restore a known-good version if the server refuses an entry or starts with an unexpected setting.
  3. Open it as plain text. Notepad or another plain-text editor is sufficient. Do not use a word processor that inserts formatting or curly quotation marks.
  4. Add one entry per line. Keep the command or setting name and its value on the same line, using the spelling and capitalization expected by your server version.
  5. Save as plain text. Preserve the filename and extension exactly as Commands.dat.
  6. Restart the server. Commands.dat is read at boot; merely saving the file does not reload it.
  7. Check the console and server log. An error, ignored line, or unchanged setting usually points to a path, spelling, syntax, or file-format problem.

Commands.dat syntax rules

One setting or command per line

Write each entry on its own line. For example, these are separate entries:

Name My Unturned Server
Map PEI
MaxPlayers 24

Do not join several settings with commas or semicolons. A line can contain a value with spaces, such as a server name; the setting name remains at the beginning of the line.

Do not copy the chat slash

In-game chat commands are commonly written with a leading slash, such as /admin. Commands.dat entries do not use that slash. Write Owner 76561197960287930, not /Owner 76561197960287930. The slash is a chat-interface convention, not part of the Commands.dat format.

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Use comments for notes

Lines beginning with // are comments and are ignored during launch. The official example uses comments to leave optional entries, such as Owner or Password, disabled until an administrator removes the comment markers.

// Owner 76561197960287930
// Password change-this-value

Commenting out an entry is safer than deleting it when you are testing. To activate it, remove the two leading slashes, save, and restart.

Match the expected spelling and case

Community guides warn that command names may be case-sensitive. Copy the documented form exactly, including capitalization and spacing. If an entry is ignored, compare it character by character with the syntax documented for your Unturned build.

A practical starter Commands.dat

The following combines settings shown in the official Unturned 3.x example. Replace the name and SteamID64 with your own values:

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// Basic server settings
Name My Unturned Server
Map PEI
MaxPlayers 24
Perspective Both
Cheats Enabled
Owner 76561197960287930

The example’s Owner value is a 17-digit SteamID64. Do not copy the sample number into a production server unless it belongs to the account you intend to administer. If you do not want to set an owner in the file yet, comment out that line:

// Owner 76561197960287930

The example is a starting point, not a guarantee that every option belongs in Commands.dat on every release. In particular, newer server configurations place many options in Config.txt.

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Assigning an owner and enabling administration

Owner entry at startup

An Owner line assigns administrator privileges to the specified SteamID64. The owner can use administrative and cheat commands in game, subject to the server’s cheat setting. Add the line, save the file, and restart so the privilege is applied during boot.

Owner 76561197960287930

Other ways to grant admin rights

Unturned also supports the in-game /admin command and an Adminlist.dat file. These are alternatives to placing an owner in Commands.dat. Use one deliberate administration method and keep track of who has access; an accidental SteamID64 or an exposed configuration backup can grant more control than intended.

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Persisting an owner from the console

The server console’s /owner command can grant permanent owner rights. According to the documented behavior, the permanent assignment is saved back to Commands.dat. After using it, inspect the file to confirm the expected SteamID64 was written and retain a backup before further edits.

Cheats: syntax and security

Cheats enables cheat commands for administrators, including commands used to spawn items or vehicles. A runtime command such as Give requires the appropriate cheat access, so an owner without cheats enabled may not be able to use it.

There is a syntax discrepancy in community documentation. One documented form is:

Cheats Enabled

Another guide shows Cheats as a bare line. Because the exact accepted form can vary by build or documentation version, start with the syntax documented for your current Unturned 3.x release. If the line has no effect, remove it, test the alternate documented form, and inspect the startup log or current wiki for the build-specific result. Do not assume that a line accepted by an older guide is valid unchanged today.

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Enable cheats only when you want administrators to have those abilities. On a public server, unrestricted item or vehicle spawning can affect progression and player trust. Keep the owner SteamID64 and any cheat-enabled configuration private, and remove test entries before opening the server to players.

Settings that belong in Commands.dat

Entry Purpose Important qualification
Name Sets the server name. Use the syntax documented for your release; the value may contain spaces.
Map Selects the map loaded at startup. Community documentation describes it as boot-only, so restart after changing it.
MaxPlayers Sets the player limit shown in the example. The example uses 24; choose a value appropriate for your server resources and policy.
Perspective Controls allowed camera perspective. The official example uses Both.
Password Sets a password-protected server. It is commonly treated as a startup setting; restart after changing it. Keep the value private.
Owner Assigns owner-level administration to a SteamID64. Use the intended account’s 17-digit SteamID64 and protect backups.
Cheats Enables administrator cheat commands. Documentation differs between Cheats Enabled and a bare Cheats line; verify against your build.

These entries illustrate the basic Commands.dat role. They do not imply that every available server option belongs in this file. When an option is documented for Config.txt, place it there instead of duplicating or forcing it into Commands.dat.

Commands.dat versus Config.txt and live commands

Method When it runs Persistence Best use
Commands.dat Server boot Persists across restarts Basic startup settings and boot-time administration values.
Config.txt Server configuration loading Persists as configuration Most options on newer servers, especially those created after version 3.25.8.0.
In-game admin command Immediately, while the server is running Usually live-session behavior unless explicitly saved One-off operational actions and testing.

Why newer servers need Config.txt

The official documentation says that most server options now live in Config.txt. Servers created before version 3.25.8.0 may require legacy conversion steps. If you maintain an older instance, follow the conversion procedure for that version before moving settings or assuming that a missing Commands.dat entry is an error.

Boot-only versus live changes

Community documentation identifies Map and Password as boot-only values, while a live command can affect a running session. Treat Commands.dat as a declaration of the state you want after every restart. For a temporary test, use a live administrative command where appropriate; for a permanent result, put the supported setting in the correct configuration file and restart.

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Step-by-step: make a startup change

  1. Identify the instance. Confirm the server name or panel instance so you do not edit a different server’s file.
  2. Stop it cleanly. Wait until the console indicates that shutdown has completed.
  3. Open the correct file. Navigate to Servers/<ServerName>/Server/Commands.dat, or use the host panel’s Config Files view.
  4. Confirm the current contents. Check whether the setting already exists. Edit that line rather than creating duplicate entries.
  5. Enter the supported syntax. Use one line, no leading slash, exact capitalization, and // only for comments.
  6. Save and verify the filename. Ensure the editor did not add .txt or change the encoding in a way your server cannot read.
  7. Start the server. Watch the startup output for errors or warnings.
  8. Verify in game or the console. Check the name, map, player limit, perspective, password behavior, or administrative permission that you changed.
  9. Record the working version. Keep a copy of the known-good file and note which Unturned build accepted the syntax.
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Troubleshooting entries that do not work

The change has no effect

  • Confirm that the file is in the active instance’s Server folder, not a neighboring server folder.
  • Check that the server was restarted after saving; Commands.dat is not hot-reloaded.
  • Make sure the line is not still commented with //.
  • Remove a leading slash copied from an in-game command.
  • Compare capitalization, spacing, and spelling with the syntax for your exact build.
  • Check whether the option belongs in Config.txt instead.

The server starts but ignores one line

Inspect the startup log and isolate the setting. Comment out unrelated experimental lines, restart, and test one change at a time. Duplicate entries can make troubleshooting confusing, so retain only one active version of a setting while testing.

The server fails after editing

Stop the server, restore the backup, and start again. If the backup works, reintroduce changes individually. This identifies whether the issue is a typo, an unsupported command, an invalid value, or the disputed cheats syntax.

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Owner or cheats access is missing

Verify the SteamID64 character by character and ensure it is the intended 17-digit identifier. Confirm that the Owner line is active and that the server was restarted. For cheat commands, test the syntax documented for the current build rather than assuming that Cheats Enabled and a bare Cheats line are interchangeable.

An old server behaves differently from a new one

Check whether the server predates version 3.25.8.0. Older servers may need the documented legacy conversion before their settings map cleanly to the newer Config.txt arrangement.

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Common mistakes to avoid

  • Using chat syntax in the file: /admin is an in-game command; Commands.dat entries omit the slash.
  • Editing the wrong instance: multiple server folders can have similarly named files.
  • Expecting instant reload: save-only changes are not applied until restart.
  • Putting every option in Commands.dat: most newer options belong in Config.txt.
  • Leaving test administration enabled: remove temporary Owner or cheats entries before handing the server to a wider audience.
  • Trusting an outdated snippet blindly: a community guide from around 2016 or 2022 may show syntax that differs from the current build.
  • Creating a second extension: verify that the file is really named Commands.dat.

A maintenance routine for reliable restarts

  1. Keep Commands.dat short and limited to settings that the current server version supports there.
  2. Store a dated backup before changing ownership, cheats, map, or password values.
  3. Document which settings were moved to Config.txt during a version upgrade.
  4. After every edit, restart once and verify the result before making another change.
  5. Review owner and admin access periodically, especially after staff changes.
  6. When syntax is disputed, test in a private instance first and use the startup log to confirm which form the build accepted.

This workflow keeps persistent startup state separate from temporary in-game actions and makes rollback straightforward when an update changes configuration behavior.

Frequently needed command examples

Set a name, map, and player limit

Name My Unturned Server
Map PEI
MaxPlayers 24

Restart to load all three values. The map setting is specifically documented as boot-only by community guides.

Allow either camera perspective

Perspective Both

This is the value used in the official example.

Assign an owner

Owner 76561197960287930

Replace the sample with the intended account’s SteamID64, then restart.

Leave an optional setting disabled

// Password temporary-value

The comment marker prevents the line from being applied. Remove // only when you are ready to activate it.

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Final checklist

  • Correct path: Servers/<ServerName>/Server/Commands.dat or the panel’s corresponding configuration file.
  • Plain-text filename: Commands.dat, not Commands.dat.txt.
  • One setting or command per line.
  • No leading slash.
  • // used for comments.
  • Exact spelling and capitalization for the current build.
  • Backup made before editing.
  • Server restarted after saving.
  • Startup log checked.
  • Options intended for newer servers placed in Config.txt.
  • Cheats syntax verified against the current release if the first form fails.

Once those checks pass, Commands.dat will provide repeatable startup behavior without requiring an administrator to re-enter the same commands after every restart.

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