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
admin account. A dedicated server started with -adminpassword <password> creates an account literally named admin on first boot. Log in with username admin and 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
additem IDs 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.
changeoption and reloadoptions exist, but the reliable rule on 42.x remains: stop, edit servertest.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
servermsg and save are 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.