Adding admins to your Valheim server gives trusted players access to commands for managing other players, issuing bans, forcing saves, and handling other basic server administration.
If you are self-hosting, adding an admin requires finding Valheim's server files and manually editing the correct permission file. With Valheim hosting through Pine Hosting, you can make the same change directly through the game panel.
This guide covers both methods, starting with how to add admins to a self-hosted Valheim server.
How To Find A Player's Valheim ID
Before you can make someone an admin, you need their Valheim player ID.
The easiest way to find it is to have the player join your server and press F2 while in-game. This opens the player list, where you can see the ID associated with each connected player.
Copy the player's complete ID exactly as Valheim displays it.
For a Steam player in Valheim 1.0, the ID will look similar to:
V_76561198012345678
The long number is connected to the player's Steam account, but the V_ at the beginning is also part of the ID. You should therefore copy the entire ID, rather than entering only the player's SteamID64.
This is particularly important after the Valheim 1.0 update. Older server configurations may contain a bare SteamID64 or an older ID format, while the current player list displays the ID that Valheim expects.
You can also find a player's ID through your dedicated server log when they connect.
How To Add Admins To A Self-Hosted Valheim Server
If you run your Valheim server from your own Windows or Linux machine, you need to manually find and edit the server's adminlist.txt file.
1. Stop Your Valheim Server
Stop the dedicated server before changing its files.
On a Windows self-hosted server, press:
CTRL+C
inside the Command Prompt window running the Valheim Dedicated Server.
This shuts the server down properly before you edit its configuration.
2. Find Your Valheim Save Folder
On Windows, Valheim normally stores its server worlds and permission files in:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\IronGate\Valheim
You can copy this path and paste it directly into the Windows File Explorer address bar.
On Linux, the default path is:
~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim
If you configured your dedicated server with the -savedir startup argument, the permission files will instead be stored in the custom directory you selected.
3. Open adminlist.txt
Inside the Valheim folder, find:
adminlist.txt
Open the file using a text editor such as Notepad.
This file controls which players have administrator permissions on your Valheim server.
4. Add The Player's Valheim ID
Paste the player's complete Valheim ID onto a new line inside adminlist.txt.
For example:
V_76561198012345678
If you want to add multiple admins, enter each player's ID on a separate line:
V_76561198012345678
V_76561198123456789
V_76561198234567890
Do not add commas between the IDs, and make sure each ID is copied exactly as it appears in Valheim.
5. Save And Restart The Server
Save your changes to adminlist.txt and close the file.
You can then start your Valheim Dedicated Server again.
Once the player reconnects, the server should recognize them as an administrator.
How To Add Admins With Pine Hosting
With Pine Hosting, you do not need to find Valheim's save directory on your own computer or manually manage the dedicated server installation.
You can add admins to your Valheim server directly through the game panel:
- Log into the Pine Hosting game panel and select your Valheim server.
- Stop the server and open File Manager.
- Go to
.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim. - Open
adminlist.txtand add the player's complete Valheim ID on a new line. - Click Save and start the server again.
That's it. The player will have admin permissions the next time they connect.
Important: Enable The F5 Console In Valheim
Adding yourself to adminlist.txt gives you admin permissions, but you also need to enable the Valheim console before you can open it with F5 and use admin commands.
To enable the console on PC:
- Launch Valheim.
- Open Settings.
- Select Gameplay.
- Turn on Enable Console.
- Join your Valheim server.
- Press F5 to open the console.
Once the console is enabled and your Valheim ID is included in adminlist.txt, you can use the server's admin commands.
If you are using Steam, the older method of adding -console to Valheim's Steam Launch Options can also enable console access, but the in-game Enable Console setting is the simpler method on current versions of Valheim.
Valheim Server Admin Commands
Once you have admin permissions and the F5 console enabled, you can use several commands to manage your dedicated server.
Some of the most useful Valheim server admin commands include:
kick [name/ip/userID]– Removes a player from the server.ban [name/ip/userID]– Bans a player from joining the server.unban [ip/userID]– Removes an existing ban.banned– Displays the players currently banned from the server.save– Forces the server to save its current progress.
You can enter these commands through the F5 console while connected to the server.
Normal server admin commands are different from Valheim's devcommands. You do not need to enable devcommands simply to kick, ban, unban, or manage players on a dedicated server.
How To Remove An Admin From Your Valheim Server
Removing an admin follows the same process as adding one.
On a self-hosted server:
- Stop your Valheim server.
- Find and open
adminlist.txt. - Delete the line containing the player's Valheim ID.
- Save the file.
- Start the server again.
With Pine Hosting, open adminlist.txt through File Manager, remove the player's ID, save the file, and restart the server.
The player will no longer have administrator permissions when they reconnect.
Why Valheim Hosting Makes Server Management Easier
With dedicated Valheim hosting, the server files and controls are already accessible through the hosting panel. With Pine Hosting, you can open File Manager, edit adminlist.txt, save the change, and restart your server from the same place.
This easier server management is one of the main advantages of Valheim hosting, especially if you want a persistent server without having to maintain the underlying dedicated server environment yourself.
When comparing the best Valheim hosting options for your server, access to files, backups, startup settings, console controls, and other management tools can make routine changes considerably easier than managing everything manually.
