Killing Floor 2 Server Admin Commands: How to Log In, Kick, Ban, and Manage a Server

To administer a Killing Floor 2 dedicated server, set an administrator password, join the server, open the in-game console with ~, authenticate with AdminLogin <password>, and then run the command you need. You can change maps, restart a map, broadcast messages, kick players, and apply bans from the authenticated client. Because Tripwire disabled WebAdmin’s kick and ban controls in a December 10, 2020 Steam announcement, an older tutorial that tells you to moderate players from the WebAdmin panel may no longer work. This guide shows the current client-console workflow, how to enter a full server as a spectator, where persistent settings and ports live, and how to diagnose common failures.

What do I need before using Killing Floor 2 admin commands?

You need control of the dedicated server and an administrator password configured before you connect. The password is normally set in your hosting control panel or in the server’s access-control configuration. Start or restart the server after saving it so the running process loads the new credential.

• A running dedicated server: You must be connected to the server before the game console can authenticate you.
• An administrator password: Set it in the host panel or access-control configuration, and treat it like any other privileged credential.
• Console access: In the game, press the tilde key (~) to open the developer console. Keyboard layouts can place this key in a different physical position, so use the key that produces the console on your layout.
• A unique target: For moderation commands, use a player name or identifier that distinguishes the intended player from everyone else in the session.

Do not confuse the administrator password with a Steam account password. It is a server-side credential accepted by the game’s admin system.

How do I admin login on a Killing Floor 2 server?

Join the server first, open the console, and enter AdminLogin <password>. A successful login grants the admin privileges used by the commands in this article.

1. Set or confirm the administrator password in the server control panel or access-control configuration.
2. Start the server, or restart it if you changed the password while it was already running.
3. Join the server normally. If every player slot is occupied, use the spectator connection method described below.
4. Press ~ to open the in-game developer console.
5. Type AdminLogin <password>, replacing the bracketed text with the configured password, and press Enter.
6. Run a harmless administrative command, such as a map query or a server announcement, to confirm that the session accepted your privileges before attempting moderation.

References use more than one presentation of the login command, including AdminLogin and admin login. The server parser generally accepts command names without regard to capitalization when that build supports the command, but syntax can vary by build or host configuration. Start with the exact form shown above; if it is rejected, try the spelling documented by your host or displayed by the running build.

Which Killing Floor 2 admin commands are available?

The following forms cover the core commands cited by the command reference and the current moderation syntax cross-check. Enter each one in the authenticated game console.

Purpose	Command form	What it does and what to check
Authenticate	AdminLogin <password>	Logs the client into the server’s admin system after you have joined.
Change map	admin changemap <map>	Loads the named map. Use the map name recognized by the running installation.
Kick a player	admin kick <player>	Removes the selected player from the current session without necessarily creating a ban.
Kick and ban	admin KickBan <player>	A current third-party syntax cross-check lists this combined moderation command. Verify that your build accepts it before relying on it.
Ban a player	admin ban <player>	Applies the ban form listed by the command reference. Target a unique name or identifier.
Restart the map	admin restartmap	Restarts the active map rather than changing to a different map.
Broadcast a message	admin say <message>	Sends an announcement to players on the server.
Connect to a full server as a spectator	Open <IP of the Server>?SpectatorOnly=1	Opens a spectator-only connection, allowing an administrator to reach the server when normal player slots are full.

Command references disagree on spacing and capitalization, especially between AdminLogin and admin login, and between a separate ban command and KickBan. Treat the command names as case-insensitive only where your server accepts them, and do not assume that a command accepted by one build exists in another. If a command returns an unknown-command error, compare its spelling with the host’s current build rather than repeatedly sending variants at random.

How do I kick a player from the client console?

After authenticating, run admin kick <player> with a unique player name or identifier. The kick is an immediate, live action; it does not by itself establish a persistent ban.

Use an unambiguous target

Names that contain spaces, punctuation, or similar text can make a target ambiguous. Copy the exact name or use the identifier exposed by your server’s player list or moderation interface. If two players have similar names, do not issue the command until you can distinguish the intended target.

Confirm the result

The player should disappear from the active session and be able to reconnect unless another rule prevents it. If nothing happens, verify that your login succeeded, that the target is still connected, and that the command syntax matches the running build. A failed kick is often an authentication or targeting problem rather than a network problem.

How do I ban a player, and should I use KickBan?

The command reference lists admin ban <player>; a 2026 syntax cross-check also lists admin KickBan <player> for a combined kick-and-ban action. Because the references do not agree perfectly, test the accepted form on your specific server and use a unique name or identifier.

Separate ban versus combined kick-and-ban

• admin ban <player>: Use the form documented by the command reference when your build supports it.
• admin KickBan <player>: Use only after confirming that the running build recognizes this combined syntax.

Do not promise an unban command to moderators unless the server’s current build or host documentation explicitly provides one. The references used here establish the kick and ban forms, but they do not establish a universal unban syntax for every deployment.

Keep moderation deliberate

A ban is a stronger action than a kick. Check the target identity before submitting it, record the reason in your normal moderation log, and avoid broad or partial names that could match the wrong player. These precautions matter most on public servers where similarly named accounts can be present at the same time.

Why can’t I ban anyone from WebAdmin?

Tripwire temporarily disabled WebAdmin’s kick and ban functionality after admins modified those controls abusively. Its official Steam announcement, dated December 10, 2020, says that manual kick and ban commands can still be conducted within the game client. That is why an older guide may show buttons or console fields that are missing or inactive in your panel.

WebAdmin functions that were disabled

The announcement identifies several affected areas:

• Kick and ban controls on the Players tab.
• Adding IDs in Session Bans.
• Adding IDs in Banned IDs.
• Adding IP masks.
• Kick and kick-ban commands in the Management Console.

What still works

Use WebAdmin for the administrative functions that remain enabled, but perform a manual kick or ban after authenticating through the game client. The restriction was described as temporary, so panel behavior can change with a future build; check the current server version and host documentation before assuming that a control has returned.

How can I connect when the server is full?

Use a direct console connection with the spectator parameter: Open <IP of the Server>?SpectatorOnly=1. This is the documented way to enter as a spectator when all normal player slots are occupied.

1. Obtain the server’s IP address from your host or server operator.
2. Open the game’s developer console with ~.
3. Enter Open <IP of the Server>?SpectatorOnly=1, replacing the bracketed text with the address.
4. Wait for the spectator connection to complete, then run AdminLogin <password>.
5. Issue the required administrative command from the authenticated console.

The spectator parameter is for getting an administrative client onto a full server; it does not grant admin rights by itself. Authentication remains a separate step.

Where are persistent settings and server ports configured?

Runtime console commands affect the current session. Persistent access rules, game behavior, map rotation, takeover settings, Workshop configuration, and WebAdmin listening behavior are stored in the generated INI files for the server installation.

Which INI files matter?

• KFGame INI files: Hold game and server settings such as access-control entries, game rules, map-cycle behavior, takeover options, and Workshop-related settings.
• KFEngine INI files: Hold engine-level settings generated for the platform and deployment.
• KFWeb.ini: Controls WebAdmin enablement and its HTTP listen port.

Stop the server before editing these files. A running server can overwrite manual changes when it writes its current state, and settings that are not hot-reloaded require a restart before they take effect. Make one change at a time and restart before diagnosing a second issue so you know which edit produced the result.

What are the default ports?

Service	Default port	Protocol	Use
Game traffic	7777	UDP	Player gameplay connection.
Query	27015	UDP	Server listing and query traffic.
WebAdmin	8080	TCP	HTTP administration panel.
Steam	20560	UDP	Steam-related server traffic listed by the guide.

These are the defaults listed by the configuration guide, not a guarantee that every host uses them unchanged. Forward only the ports your deployment actually needs, and protect WebAdmin with a strong administrator password. If you change the WebAdmin port in KFWeb.ini, update the firewall and forwarding rule to match.

Does Killing Floor 2 support RCON?

No. The configuration guide states that Killing Floor 2 has no RCON protocol. Remote administration therefore uses the built-in WebAdmin HTTP panel for the functions it still exposes, plus authenticated in-game console commands for live moderation and server control.

This distinction affects tool selection: an RCON client designed for another game cannot authenticate to a stock Killing Floor 2 server simply by pointing it at the game port. Use the game’s own console workflow or a tool that explicitly integrates with Killing Floor 2’s WebAdmin interface.

What should I check when an admin command fails?

Work through the failure in order. Changing several settings at once makes it difficult to tell whether the problem is credentials, connection state, syntax, or targeting.

The login command is rejected

• Confirm that the password was saved in the server control panel or access-control configuration before the server started.
• Restart the server after changing the password.
• Make sure you joined the intended server, not another server with a similar name.
• Try the command spelling used by your host if AdminLogin <password> is not recognized.
• Check for accidental spaces or shell-like quotation marks copied into the console.

The command is unknown

• Compare capitalization and spacing with the syntax accepted by the current build.
• Use the command reference’s exact form for admin changemap, admin restartmap, or admin say.
• For moderation, test whether the build expects admin ban or admin KickBan; do not assume both exist.

The command runs but affects the wrong player

• Stop and verify the complete player name or identifier.
• Do not rely on a short prefix when multiple names share it.
• Recheck the player list immediately before issuing the command because players can leave or reconnect between checks.

Changes disappear after a restart

• Make persistent edits while the server is stopped.
• Confirm that you edited the generated files for the correct platform and server instance.
• Restart after saving settings that are not hot-reloaded.

WebAdmin has no kick or ban controls

That behavior is consistent with Tripwire’s temporary restriction. Authenticate in the game client and run the manual kick or ban command instead of trying to re-enable disabled panel controls through unrelated INI edits.

Players cannot reach the server

Check that the game, query, WebAdmin, and Steam ports required by your deployment are forwarded with the correct protocols. Do not expose every default port automatically; match the firewall and forwarding rules to the services you have enabled.

Can I automate commands or manage several servers?

A Steam Community guide for “KF2 Magicked Admin” describes WebAdmin-based scheduled commands, player statistics, chat output, and multi-server management. That page was updated March 29, 2020 and is currently marked removed or incompatible by Steam, so treat it as a legacy example rather than a ready-to-install solution.

Before deploying any automation, verify that it supports your server build, uses the currently available WebAdmin endpoints, and does not depend on the disabled kick and ban controls. A script that assumes the old Management Console moderation commands will fail even if the panel itself still loads.

What is the safest day-to-day administration workflow?

Use a repeatable sequence so a moderation action is attributable and reversible where possible.

1. Confirm the server address and that you are connecting to the correct instance.
2. Join normally, or connect with SpectatorOnly=1 when the server is full.
3. Open the console and authenticate with the configured administrator password.
4. Identify the target by a unique name or identifier.
5. Use the least severe command that solves the problem: announce with admin say, remove with admin kick, or apply a ban only when warranted.
6. For map or configuration work, record the intended change before running admin changemap or admin restartmap.
7. For persistent changes, stop the server, edit the appropriate INI file, save a backup, and restart.

This workflow keeps live actions separate from persistent configuration and avoids relying on WebAdmin controls that are not currently available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do some guides write the login command as “admin login” instead of “AdminLogin”?

The references use both presentations, and command parsing can vary by build or host. Start with AdminLogin <password>; if the console rejects it, use the exact spelling documented for that server rather than assuming the tutorial’s syntax is universal.

Is WebAdmin completely unusable after the kick and ban restriction?

No. The restriction targets specific moderation controls, not every administrative feature in the panel. You can still use whatever functions your current build exposes there, while performing manual kick and ban actions from an authenticated game client.

Is there a universal Killing Floor 2 unban command?

A universal syntax is not established by the command references covered here. Do not advertise an unban command to moderators until the running build or your host’s current documentation confirms the exact operation.

Why does an automation plug-in from an older Steam guide fail to install?

The “KF2 Magicked Admin” page was updated March 29, 2020 and is currently marked removed or incompatible by Steam. Its age and status mean that compatibility with a current server cannot be assumed; verify the tool against the exact build before deploying it.