Admin Commands for your Server

As an Arma 3 server admin, console commands are your superpowers. They are your primary tool for managing the battlefield, handling players, and ensuring every operation runs smoothly, all in real-time from within the game itself. Mastering these commands is the key to running a successful operation without ever needing to alt-tab.

This guide will break down the most useful in-game commands into simple, easy-to-understand categories. We'll cover what they do, how to use them, and provide practical examples. Before you begin, make sure you are logged in as an admin on your server. 

For a guide on logging in as an admin, you can go to this link: How to become an admin on your server

How to Use Commands

Using a server command is a simple, two-step process:

1. While in-game, open the chat window (default key: /).
2. Type the hash symbol (#) followed by the command and any parameters, then press Enter.

Essential Admin & Server Control

These are the absolute must-know commands for day-to-day server management.

1. #login [password]

• What it does: Logs you in as a server admin using the password set in your server configuration.
• Example: #login MySecretAdminPass

2. #logout

• What it does: Logs you out from your admin status.
• Example: #logout

3. #lock / #unlock

• What it does: #lock prevents new players from joining. #unlock allows them to join again. Perfect for private events or when a match is about to end.
• Example: #lock

4. #restart

• What it does: Restarts the current mission immediately. Useful if a script bugs out or you want a fresh start without restarting the whole server.
• Example: #restart

5. #restartserver

• What it does: Shuts down and restarts the entire server application. This is a hard reset.
• Example: #restartserver

6. #shutdown

• What it does: Shuts down the server completely. Use with caution!
• Example: #shutdown

Player Management

Your most-used tools for keeping the peace and dealing with problematic players.

1. #users

• What it does: Displays a numbered list of all players currently on the server.

Pro Tip: Always use this command first to get a player's exact name or their Player# before you kick or ban them.

2. #kick [Player Name or #PlayerID]

• What it does: Immediately removes a player from the server.
• Example 1 (by name): #kick RogueSniper
• Example 2 (by ID): #kick #3

3. #exec ban [Player Name or #PlayerID or SteamID]

• What it does: Kicks and permanently bans a player by adding their ID to your server's ban.txt file.

Important: In Arma 3, this command often requires quotes. See the special note below.

• Example: #exec ban "CheaterMcCheat"

4. #exec unban [SteamID] and #exec clearbans

• What it does: #exec unban removes a specific player's SteamID from the ban.txt file. #exec clearbans completely wipes your ban list.
• Example: #exec unban "76561198000000001"

Special Note: The #exec Command in Arma 3 When kicking or banning players, especially if their name has spaces or you are using their number ID, you must use the #exec command and put the player identifier in quotes.

• Correct: #exec kick "3" or #exec ban "Player With Spaces"
• Incorrect: #exec kick 3

Mission & Voting Control

Manage your mission rotation and let players have a say.

1. #missions

• What it does: Shows you a list of all available missions on the server.
• Example: #missions

2. #mission [mission name]

• What it does: Loads a specific mission from the available list.
• Example: #mission My_COOP_Mission.Altis

3. #vote [admin/kick/mission]

• What it does: Initiates a server-wide vote. Players can vote to elect a temporary admin, kick a player, or change the mission.
• Example: #vote kick #4

Conclusion

You now have a powerful toolkit to effectively manage your server right from the command line. Using these commands wisely will help you build a fair, fun, and stable environment for your community. From handling troublemakers to changing the battlefield on a whim, you're in full control.

If you ever have questions or need help with these commands, our support team is always ready to assist.

Happy gaming!