Most Project Zomboid admin-command lists online predate Build 42 — they're not so much wrong as unlabelled about what changed. This is the current list as of Build 42.20, with the B42-specific changes (access levels, the new capability system, item IDs) called out where they bite.
Becoming admin in the first place
Three routes, in order of how often they're used:
- The built-in
adminaccount. A dedicated server started with-adminpassword <password>creates an account literally namedadminon first boot. Log in with usernameadminand that password and you have full powers. (Managed hosts generate this for you — check your panel's connection details.) - Promote a normal account from the server console:
setaccesslevel "TheirUsername" "admin"— no slash when typed at the console (or a hosting panel's console tab, which is the same thing). - Promote from in-game (requires already being admin/moderator):
/setaccesslevel "TheirUsername" "admin"— same command, with the slash, in chat.
That slash rule is general: console commands take no slash; the same commands in in-game chat do.
Access levels in Build 42
setaccesslevel accepts exactly these values: admin, moderator, gm, observer, priority, user, banned. To strip someone's powers, set them back to user.
B42 changed what sits underneath those roles: individual admin actions are now gated by named capabilities (the 42.16 changelog talks about entries like Capability.ChangeAccessLevel) rather than one hardcoded per-role list. In practice the seven roles behave as you'd expect — admin can do everything, moderator most player-management, observer looks but doesn't touch — but if a mod or future patch surfaces capability configuration, that's what it's referring to.
The commands that get daily use
Player management
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
players | List everyone currently connected |
kickuser "name" | Disconnect a player |
banuser "name" | Ban by account (add -ip to also ban the IP) |
banid <SteamID> / unbanid <SteamID> | Ban/unban by Steam ID |
unbanuser "name" | Lift an account ban |
voiceban "name" | Block a player's voice chat |
teleport "you" "them" | Teleport a player to another player |
teleportto x,y,z | Teleport yourself to coordinates |
Communication and server ops
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
servermsg "text" | Broadcast to every connected player — the restart-warning workhorse |
save | Write the world to disk now |
quit | Save and shut down cleanly — the only right way to stop a server |
reloadoptions | Re-read server options — but note most servertest.ini changes still need a full restart to apply |
showoptions | Print current server options |
changeoption Name "value" | Change a server option live (same restart caveat) |
adduser "name" "pw" | Add an account on a whitelisted server |
releasesafehouse | Release the safehouse you're standing in |
World and events
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
chopper | Trigger the helicopter event |
gunshot | Fire a distant gunshot (zombie bait) |
alarm | Sound a building alarm (stand in a room) |
startrain / stoprain | Weather control |
createhorde <count> | Spawn a horde near you |
removezombies | Clear zombies in the area |
Your character
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
godmod | Toggle invulnerability (yes, "godmod" — no e) |
invisible | Zombies ignore you |
noclip | Walk through walls |
additem "Module.Item" <count> | Spawn items — see the B42 warning below |
The B42 catches
additemIDs changed for new content. Build 42's crafting overhaul added items (stone tools, metalworking materials, animal products) under module paths that don't exist in any B41 reference — an old item-ID cheat sheet will error on exactly the items B42 added. When an ID fails, check against a current 42.x item list rather than assuming the command broke.- Most settings still want a restart.
changeoptionandreloadoptionsexist, but the reliable rule on 42.x remains: stop, editservertest.ini, start. Which keys matter is covered in every B42 server setting explained. - The in-game admin panel does more in B42. The rebuilt server management UI covers a lot of what used to be command-only (item spawning, sandbox tweaks, player management) — commands remain fastest for scripting, scheduling and console use, which is why
servermsgandsaveare the two you'll automate first (for example, warning players before a mod-update restart).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do these commands work from a hosting panel's console?
Yes — a panel console is the server console, so no slash. players, servermsg, setaccesslevel all work as written there.
How do I make someone admin without giving them the admin password?
setaccesslevel "TheirUsername" "admin" from the console promotes their own account — the shared-password admin login never has to leave your hands. Set them back to user any time.
What's the difference between banuser and banid?
banuser bans the in-game account (optionally its IP with -ip); banid bans the Steam ID, which survives account renames. For anyone genuinely unwelcome, ban the Steam ID.
Can I schedule commands?
Not in the base game — scheduling comes from the layer above: a cron/script on self-hosted boxes, or a panel scheduler on managed hosting, chaining servermsg warnings into saves and restarts.
If you'd rather the routine parts run themselves — nightly restart with the servermsg warning already chained, backups on a schedule, console in the browser — that's the default setup on our Project Zomboid server hosting.