The Forest Server Admin Commands and How to Use Them

To become an administrator on a dedicated The Forest server, set a separate serverPasswordAdmin in Server.cfg or your host panel, join through Multiplayer → Join Game → Dedicated (Internet), enter that password in the admin-password field, and reconnect if you left it blank. Once connected, press Enter to open multiplayer chat and run /help. That response is the authoritative command list for your installed server build. Use /save before /restart, /shutdown, or a panel restart, and verify every SteamID64 before kicking or banning a player.

How do I become an admin on a dedicated The Forest server?

Administration is granted when a player supplies the valid administrator password while joining. There is no separate SteamID allow-list described for dedicated-server administration, and the ordinary join password does not grant privileges.

1. Set the administrator password

1. Open the server’s Server.cfg, or open the equivalent configuration page in your hosting panel.
2. Add or edit serverPasswordAdmin and choose a password that is different from serverPassword, the normal player join password.
3. Save the configuration. If your panel has an apply, save, or restart control, use the control required by that panel so the server loads the new value.

The Forest Wiki and hosting documentation both distinguish these two passwords. Give the administrator password only to people who should be able to run server commands.

2. Join through the Dedicated (Internet) browser

1. Launch The Forest and choose Multiplayer → Join Game.
2. Select the Dedicated (Internet) source, select your server, and enter the administrator password in the admin-password field.
3. Join the server. The privilege is attached at connection time; if you joined without the password, leave and reconnect with it rather than trying commands from the existing session.

3. Open chat and confirm access

Press Enter to open the normal multiplayer chat box. Commands are typed there with a leading slash; the GamezServers documentation, updated October 7, 2026, specifically notes that a separate admin console is not required. Type /help and press Enter. A command list confirms that the session was recognized as an admin session.

Which The Forest admin commands are available?

The exact list can differ between server builds and documentation sets. Use the following as a practical reference, then compare it with /help on your running server before relying on a disputed command.

Command	What it does	Important limitation or safety note
/help	Lists commands exposed to the connected administrator.	Treat the output from your own server as the compatibility authority.
/save	Saves the active world to the current slot.	Run it before any disruptive operation.
/save 1 through /save 5	Saves to the selected numbered slot.	The Forest Wiki warns that selecting a slot can overwrite another save in the dedicated-server folder.
/restart	Restarts the dedicated server.	Documentation describes this as resetting save data in some builds; newer guides warn that unsaved work is lost. Save first and treat it as destructive.
/shutdown	Shuts the server down.	Save and warn connected players before using it.
/kick <SteamID64>	Removes one player from the server; that player can rejoin.	Check every digit of the identifier. Some newer references also report name arguments, but verify that syntax with /help.
/ban <SteamID64>	Applies a persistent ban to a player.	Confirm the identifier before applying the restriction.
/unban <SteamID64>	Removes a ban in newer hosting references.	The community wiki’s main table omits it; run /help before assuming it exists.
/treeregrowmode on or off	Toggles regrowth of 10% of felled trees when players sleep.	Use the exact spelling and argument shown by your server.
/allowbuildingdestruction on or off	Allows or prevents players from destroying buildings.	Changing it affects the shared world for everyone.
/allowenemiescreative on or off	Allows or prevents enemies in creative games.	The related configuration key is commonly written allowEnemiesCreativeMode; command spelling differs in some references.
/openlogs and /closelogs	Opens or closes server log output where supported.	These commands are absent from some command tables, so verify them locally.
/banlist	Lists bans in one October 2026 hosting reference.	Consider it unverified until your own /help output includes it.

How do I save, restart, or shut down the server without losing progress?

Use a deliberate sequence: notify players, save, then perform the operation. A restart or shutdown can interrupt unsaved activity, and numbered saves can overwrite existing files.

Safe save procedure

1. Tell players that maintenance is about to begin and ask them to stop building or exploring.
2. Open chat with Enter and run /save.
3. Wait for the server to acknowledge the command before closing the session or using a panel control.
4. If you need a separate slot, use /save 1 through /save 5 only after checking which slot contains the world you intend to replace.

Restart versus shutdown

/restart is not a harmless refresh. The wiki describes reset behavior, while newer hosting instructions emphasize that unsaved work is lost. Because documentation varies by build, save first and avoid using it as a routine way to test commands. Use /shutdown when you want the process stopped rather than immediately restarted; in both cases, warn players first.

How do I kick or ban a player in The Forest?

The documented syntax uses the player’s SteamID64 as the argument. A kick is temporary and allows the player to join again; a ban is persistent until an administrator removes it on a build that supports /unban.

Find and verify the identifier

Nodecraft and current hosting references show SteamID64 in the command syntax. Copy the identifier carefully and compare it with the player you intend to moderate before pressing Enter. One wrong digit can target another account.

Kick a player

In chat, enter /kick 7656119XXXXXXXXXX, replacing the example with the complete SteamID64. The player is removed from the current session but is not permanently blocked.

Ban and unban

Use /ban 7656119XXXXXXXXXX only after confirming the account. If /help lists /unban, use /unban 7656119XXXXXXXXXX to lift the restriction. Because the wiki omits /unban while newer hosting references include it, do not assume the command works on every installation.

Some newer references report that names can be accepted instead of identifiers. Name support is not consistent across the documentation, so SteamID64 remains the safer documented form.

Which world settings can I change while the server is running?

Three documented chat toggles affect the shared world: tree regrowth, building destruction, and enemies in creative mode. Each takes on or off; type the command exactly as shown by your build’s help output.

Tree regrowth

/treeregrowmode on enables regrowth of 10% of felled trees when players sleep. Use /treeregrowmode off to disable that behavior.

Building destruction

/allowbuildingdestruction on permits players to destroy buildings, while /allowbuildingdestruction off prevents it. Announce the change because it affects every player’s construction and can alter how a shared base is protected.

Enemies in creative mode

/allowenemiescreative on allows enemies in creative games; off prevents them. The configuration setting is often written allowEnemiesCreativeMode, so do not substitute that configuration-key spelling for the chat command unless /help shows it.

What should I know about Server.cfg settings?

The Steam setup guide and The Forest Wiki document these commonly used settings. Values can differ in files generated by older or newer server tools, so inspect the file created by your installed build before changing it.

Setting	Documented value or syntax	Purpose
serverIP	Server address	Identifies the host address; routers may require port forwarding.
serverSteamPort	8766	Steam communication port shown in the documented defaults.
serverGamePort	27015	Game traffic port shown in the documented defaults.
serverQueryPort	27016	Query traffic port shown in the documented defaults.
serverName	Text value	Name displayed in the lobby.
serverPlayers	8 documented default	Maximum player count in the documented configuration.
serverPassword	Text value	Normal password required to join.
serverPasswordAdmin	Text value	Separate password that grants administrator rights at connection time.
enableVAC	on or off	Valve Anti-Cheat toggle.
serverAutoSaveInterval	15-minute minimum; 30-minute documented default	Controls the autosave interval in the wiki’s configuration table.
difficulty	Peaceful, Normal, Hard, or HardSurvival	Selects the world difficulty.
initType	New or Continue	Chooses whether the server starts a new world or continues a persistent save. The wiki warns that New prevents continuation of an existing persistent save.
slot	Save slot 1 through 5	Selects the dedicated-server save slot.
showLogs	on or off	Controls event logging.
veganMode, vegetarianMode, resetHolesMode, treeRegrowMode, allowBuildingDestruction, allowEnemiesCreativeMode	World or building toggle values	Changes the corresponding world behavior.
allowCheats	on or off	Controls access to the client development console; it is not the dedicated-server admin chat system.
saveFolderPath, configfilepath, targetFpsIdle, targetFpsActive, realisticPlayerDamage	Values defined by the generated configuration	Additional path, performance, and gameplay controls documented by the wiki or Steam guide.

The documented ports and player count are configuration values, not current performance measurements. Older guides may target early server versions, so preserve a copy of the generated file before editing and confirm the syntax your tool accepts.

Why do my admin commands do nothing?

Most failures come from joining without the administrator password, using a command that is absent from the installed build, or entering the command outside multiplayer chat. Work through these checks in order.

• Confirm the password field: Leave the server and reconnect through Dedicated (Internet) with serverPasswordAdmin in the admin-password field. The normal join password is not a substitute.
• Use chat, not a separate console: Press Enter, include the initial slash, and submit the command in the multiplayer chat box.
• Run /help: If the command is not listed, treat it as unsupported or differently spelled on that build. This is especially important for /unban, /banlist, /openlogs, /closelogs, and name-based kick or ban syntax.
• Check spelling and arguments: Toggles require their exact command names and an on or off argument. Kick and ban commands require a complete, correct SteamID64 on the documented syntax.
• Reconnect after a failed attempt: If you entered without admin credentials, reconnecting with the password is the documented way to obtain rights; repeatedly sending commands in the original session will not grant them.

Are client cheats the same as dedicated-server administration?

No. The allowCheats configuration option controls access to a client development console. It does not replace serverPasswordAdmin, does not make a player a dedicated-server administrator, and should not be presented as a server-management command.

The documented admin interface is the slash-command chat system. Do not promise item spawning, teleportation, god mode, or other client cheats as dedicated-server features; the available server controls are the commands exposed by /help and the settings in the server configuration.

Should I self-host or use a hosting provider for administration?

Both approaches can run a dedicated server, but the practical difference is who controls the configuration and recovery workflow. Evaluate the following before moving a world.

• Configuration control: Self-hosting gives direct access to Server.cfg and launch parameters. A provider may expose only a subset through its panel.
• Password management: Check how quickly you can set or rotate serverPasswordAdmin and whether a restart is required.
• Backups and restore: Confirm that the service lets you create and restore backups of the dedicated-server folder, especially before numbered slot saves.
• Logs: Determine whether the panel exposes the same logging controls as showLogs or the optional log commands.
• Latency and capacity: Choose a geographic location suitable for your players and verify that the plan supports the number of players you need; the documented default maximum is eight.
• Command coverage: Ask whether the panel supports the command set shown by your server’s /help output rather than assuming every wiki-listed command is available.

What is the reliable operating routine for an admin?

1. Keep the administrator password separate from the normal join password.
2. Join through the Dedicated (Internet) browser with the admin-password field filled.
3. Run /help immediately and treat that output as the build-specific reference.
4. Tell players before changing world rules or performing maintenance.
5. Run /save before a restart, shutdown, panel restart, or numbered-slot save.
6. Use SteamID64 for moderation and verify each digit before /kick or /ban.
7. Keep a backup of the dedicated-server save data before changing initType, slot, or other world settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can two or more players be administrators on the same server?

Yes. Any player who joins with the valid serverPasswordAdmin receives the administrator privileges exposed by that server session. Share the password only with trusted players, and change it in the configuration or hosting panel if it becomes known more widely than intended.

Does changing initType from Continue to New create a separate test world?

The documented setting chooses whether the server starts a new world or continues a persistent save. The Forest Wiki warns that New prevents continuation of an existing persistent save, so treat the change as a world-selection decision rather than a temporary test switch.

Why is /unban missing even though I saw it in a guide?

The community wiki’s main command table omits /unban, while newer hosting references include it. Run /help on the live server; if it is not listed, that build does not expose the command through its admin chat interface.

Can I use a player’s name instead of a SteamID64 for moderation?

Some newer hosting references report name arguments, but the documented and more consistently supported syntax uses SteamID64. Use the identifier unless your own /help output or server documentation explicitly confirms name support.

What should I back up before changing save slots?

Copy or snapshot the dedicated-server save folder before using /save 1 through /save 5. The wiki warns that a selected slot can overwrite another save, so a backup is the recovery path if the wrong slot is chosen.