How to Add an Admin to Your Garry's Mod Server

Garry's Mod comes with a built-in permission system providing the groups admin and superadmin. Players are assigned to these groups through the users.txt file.

Note

Unlike in singleplayer or on a listen server, you do not automatically become superadmin on a dedicated server. You have to add yourself.

Find the SteamID

For users.txt you need the SteamID in the format STEAM_0:x:xxxxxxx — not the SteamID64.

Tip

The fastest way to get the SteamID of a connected player is the status command in the server console. Alternatively you can look it up on the SteamID website; besides the SteamID64 it also shows the required STEAM_0: notation.

Add an admin

1. Stop the server
   Stop your server via the dashboard.

2. Connect via SFTP
   Connect to your server via SFTP.

3. Open the file
   Open the following file:

   /garrysmod/settings/users.txt

4. Add the players
   Add the players to the matching group. On the left is a freely chosen name, on the right the SteamID:

   "Users"
   {
   	"superadmin"
   	{
   		"MyName"		"STEAM_0:1:12345678"
   	}
   
   	"admin"
   	{
   		"Friend"		"STEAM_0:0:87654321"
   	}
   }

5. Start the server
   Save the file and start your server.

Caution

The file is only read when the server starts. A map change is not enough — the server has to be fully restarted for the changes to take effect.

Note

When joining you will see the chat message Hey '<Name>' - You're in the '<Group>' group on this server.. If you instead get Your SteamID wasn't fully authenticated, so your usergroup has not been set, no group is assigned — in that case restart Steam and reconnect.

Use admin commands with ULX

The built-in system only assigns permission groups, it does not provide admin commands or menus. In practice ULX together with ULib is used for that.

1. Install ULX and ULib
   Add both addons to your Workshop collection (ULX with the ID 557962280 and ULib with the ID 557962238) or upload them manually to the folders /garrysmod/addons/ulx/ and /garrysmod/addons/ulib/. You can find out how in the guide Add Mods.

2. Restart the server
   Fully restart your server.

3. Assign permissions
   Afterwards assign the permissions in-game or via the server console:

   ulx adduser <Name> superadmin

Important

ULX requires ULib to work. Always install both addons together.