How to Add Admins and Moderators to Your 7 Days to Die Server
Set up admins and moderators on your 7DTD server using serveradmin.xml and in-game console commands. Covers permission levels, Steam64 IDs, and live changes without restarts.
The Admin Config File
Admin permissions live in UserData/serveradmin.xml. The server creates this file automatically on first launch. You'll find it at:
7DaysToDieServer/UserData/serveradmin.xml
The file has four main sections: <admins>, <moderators>, <blacklist>, and <whitelist>.
Permission Levels
7DTD uses a numeric permission system where lower numbers = more power:
| Level | Role |
|---|---|
| 0 | Full console access (highest trust) |
| 1 | Can execute any command |
| 1000 | Standard admin |
| 2000 | Moderator |
Commands in the game also have permission level requirements. For example, kick and ban require level 2000 or lower, while setgamepref (changing live server settings) requires level 0 or 1.
Getting a Steam64 ID
You need the player's Steam64 ID — not their display name. Look it up at https://steamid.io by pasting their profile URL.
It looks like: 76561198012345678
Adding an Admin via serveradmin.xml
Open the file and add a line inside the <admins> section:
<admins>
<admin steamID="76561198012345678" name="PlayerName" permission_level="0" />
<admin steamID="76561198087654321" name="Moderator1" permission_level="2000" />
</admins>
The name attribute is just a comment for your reference — the server uses the Steam ID.
Adding an Admin via Console
You can also manage admins live from the server console or Telnet without editing the file:
admin add 76561198012345678 0
admin remove 76561198012345678
admin list
After editing serveradmin.xml directly, reload without restarting:
admin reload
What Each Level Can Do
Level 2000 (Moderator) can:
kickplayersbanplayerslistplayerssay(broadcast messages)
Level 1000 (Admin) can do all of the above plus:
giveself/giveitemsteleportplayerssettime(change in-game time)saveworld
Level 0 can do everything including setgamepref to change live server settings and shutdown to stop the server.