How do you make yourself admin on a Rust server?
Type ownerid <SteamID64> "name" in the server console, save it with server.writecfg and reconnect to the server. The rights apply from your next connection.
- Find your SteamID64 – the 17-digit number starting with
7656…. In the Steam client it's under Account details; it's also in your Steam profile URL if you haven't set a custom one. - Open the server console. On Spot.gg that's the Console tab in the panel – type commands without a leading slash.
- Type
ownerid 76561198000000000 "YourName"(use your own number). - Type
server.writecfg– it saves the permissions tocfg/users.cfg, so they survive a restart. - Leave the server and connect again.
To take rights away, use removeowner <SteamID64> and removemoderator <SteamID64> (again followed by server.writecfg).
Owner or moderator?
| Level | Command | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | ownerid |
Full rights, including granting rights to others |
| Moderator | moderatorid |
Admin commands without managing admin permissions |
Owner and moderator rights unlock Rust's own commands. Oxide and Carbon plugins have a separate permission system – more on that below.
Where do you type Rust admin commands?
You can type commands in the server console (on Spot.gg: the Console tab), over RCON, or in game in the F1 console – the last one only works once you're an admin. The differences:
| Where | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Server console (panel) | Setting the first admin, server commands, when you're not in the game |
| RCON (e.g. RustAdmin) | Running the server from your PC without joining, player list, chat |
| F1 console in game | Commands that act on your character: teleport, noclip, god mode, giving items |
The Spot.gg panel console talks to the server over WebRCON, so you see the server's replies and can run commands even when you're not playing. On the Task scheduler tab you can also schedule a command – for example a recurring say announcing your wipe day.
The most useful Rust admin commands
The commands you'll use most are status, kick, ban, banid, unban, say, server.save and server.writecfg. Put arguments with spaces in quotes.
Players: kick, ban, lists
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
status |
Connected players with SteamID and ping |
players |
A shorter player list |
kick "name" "reason" |
Kicks a player from the server |
ban "name" "reason" |
Bans a connected player |
banid <SteamID64> "name" "reason" |
Bans by SteamID – also a player who isn't online |
unban <SteamID64> |
Removes a ban |
banlist |
List of banned SteamIDs |
say "message" |
A chat message from the server |
Bans are stored in cfg/bans.cfg. After changing permissions or bans, run server.writecfg to make sure everything is written to the files.
Server: saving and settings
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
server.save |
Saves the world right away |
server.writecfg |
Writes settings, permissions and bans to the cfg files |
env.time 12 |
Sets the time of day (0–24) |
quit |
Saves the world and shuts the server down |
On Spot.gg you stop and start the server with the panel buttons – the panel saves the world before shutting down. Server name, description, player limit, map size and seed are set on the Configuration tab, not with commands.
In game (F1 console): teleport, noclip, items
These commands act on your character, so you type them in game in the F1 console while you're an admin:
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
noclip |
Toggles flying through walls |
god true / god false |
God mode |
debugcamera |
Free camera (toggle, run it again to go back) |
teleport "name" |
Teleports you to a player |
teleport2me "name" |
Teleports a player to you |
inventory.give <item> <amount> |
Gives you an item, e.g. inventory.give wood 1000 |
inventory.giveto "name" <item> <amount> |
Gives an item to another player |
spawn <prefab> |
Spawns an entity or vehicle next to you, e.g. spawn minicopter.entity |
Items are given by their shortname, such as wood, stones, metal.fragments or rifle.ak. Community Rust wikis have full lists of item shortnames and prefabs.
How do you connect to a Rust server over RCON?
You need the server address, the RCON port and the RCON password – on Spot.gg the port is on the Network tab and the password on the Configuration tab. Spot.gg servers run with WebRCON enabled (rcon.web 1), so pick a WebRCON connection in your tool.
- On the Network tab, note the server address and the RCON port.
- On the Configuration tab, check or change the RCON password (8–64 characters: letters, digits,
_and-). A new password applies after a server restart. - In your RCON tool, such as RustAdmin, add the server: address, RCON port, password and WebRCON mode.
RCON gives full access to the server console, so keep the password private and change it when someone stops being an admin. On your own server you enable RCON with the +rcon.port, +rcon.password and +rcon.web 1 launch parameters.
A Rust server on Spot.gg (8 GB RAM, 20 GB disk) costs from $12.23 / month, and the first 24 hours are free, no card needed.
Oxide and Carbon plugin permissions
Plugins have their own permission system that you manage with oxide.grant (Oxide) or c.grant (Carbon) – many plugins check only these permissions, not the admin status from ownerid. A plugin's description lists its permission names, usually in the form pluginname.permission.
| Command (Oxide) | What it does |
|---|---|
oxide.grant user "name" kits.admin |
Grants a permission to a player |
oxide.revoke user "name" kits.admin |
Revokes a permission |
oxide.grant group default kits.use |
Grants a permission to every player (the default group) |
oxide.group add vip |
Creates a group |
oxide.usergroup add "name" vip |
Adds a player to a group |
oxide.show user "name" |
Shows a player's permissions |
On Carbon the equivalents start with c. (e.g. c.grant, c.group). Admin plugins such as Player Administration or Admin Radar install in one click on the Addons tab on Spot.gg – see how to install Rust plugins.
Common problems with admin commands
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| F1 commands do nothing | You didn't reconnect after ownerid |
Leave the server and join again |
| Admin rights gone after a restart | No server.writecfg after ownerid |
Run ownerid again, then server.writecfg |
| "Unknown command" in the panel console | The command only works in game (e.g. noclip) or there's a typo |
Type it in the F1 console in game |
| RustAdmin won't connect | Wrong port (game port instead of RCON), old password or a mode other than WebRCON | Check the RCON port on the Network tab and the password on the Configuration tab |
| A plugin command says no permission | The plugin permission is missing | Grant it with oxide.grant / c.grant |
FAQ
How do I make myself admin on my own Rust server?
Type ownerid <your SteamID64> "name" in the server console, then server.writecfg, and reconnect. On Spot.gg you do it on the Console tab in the panel.
Where do I find my SteamID64?
In the Steam client under Account details. It's a 17-digit number starting with 7656.
Do admin commands work on a Vanilla server?
Yes. Rust's own commands (ownerid, kick, ban, teleport, noclip and so on) are built into the game. Plugins and oxide.* or c.* commands need the Oxide or Carbon engine.
Can I make a friend admin?
Yes – the same way with their SteamID64: ownerid for full rights or moderatorid for a moderator, then server.writecfg.
How do I ban a player who isn't on the server?
With banid <SteamID64> "name" "reason". You'll find a player's SteamID with the status command while they're online, or on their Steam profile.