How to Create and Configure an Unturned Server

Overview

Running an Unturned server gives you more control than a local world. You can choose the map, invite friends, build a public community, assign admins, enable cheats, add plugins, and install Workshop content. Some steps involve editing configuration files, but the process is manageable once you know where each setting lives.

This guide walks through the basic server installation, then covers the first settings most owners usually need.

Install Unturned on Your Server

• Open your server panel and find the version selector for your game.
• Click the dropdown menu, search for Unturned, and select it.

• Confirm the game change and allow the panel to generate a fresh world.
• Restart the server when prompted, or restart it from the main panel. The first install can take a few minutes, so give it a little time before assuming anything has gone sideways.

• Once the install finishes, join the server to confirm it starts correctly.

First Setup Steps

After the server is online, the next job is configuration. Most Unturned servers need at least a few changes, such as adding an owner account, turning on cheats for testing, changing the default map, or adding plugins and Workshop mods.

The sections below cover the common setup tasks in a practical order.

Join the Server

• In the server panel, find the IP Address:Port field and copy the address.

• Open Unturned through Steam, then select Play from the main menu.
• Choose Connect, then paste the IP address and port into their matching fields. If your server uses a password, enter it in the password field too.

• Click Connect, then select Join when the server appears.

Add an Admin Account

Unturned uses SteamID64 values to identify admin accounts. You will need the SteamID64 for each player who should receive admin permissions.

• Open Steam IO and search for the Steam account username you want to make admin.
• Wait for the profile details to load, then copy the SteamID64 value.

• Go back to your server panel and stop the server.
• Open the configuration files area, then open Commands.dat.

• Add the owner line using this format:

```text owner SteamID64 ```

Replace `SteamID64` with the actual value you copied. Put each admin or owner entry on its own line.

• Save the file, restart the server, and join with that Steam account to confirm the permission works.
• To add another admin from in-game later, use:

```text /admin SteamID64 ```

Enable Cheats

Cheats are useful for testing, admin work, and controlled private servers. They should be used carefully on public servers unless that is part of the server design.

• Stop the server from the panel.
• Open the configuration files area.

• Select Commands.dat.
• Add this line on a new blank line:

```text Cheats Enabled ```

• Save the file and restart the server.

Useful Server Commands

Admins can run Unturned commands in-game once permissions are configured. A few common examples include admin assignment, teleporting, giving items, changing the time, and managing players. For a full reference, use an Unturned commands guide so you can check exact syntax before running commands on a live server. Guessing commands in production is a reliable way to create exciting problems.

Change the Server Map

The map is controlled through the same `Commands.dat` file.

• Stop the server.
• Open the configuration files area, then select Commands.dat.
• Add a new line using this format:

```text map MapName ```

Replace `MapName` with the map you want to load.

• Save the file and restart the server.

Popular built-in maps can vary by game version and installed content, so use the exact map name expected by Unturned. If you want to use a Workshop map, install it as Workshop content first, then configure the server to load it.

Install OpenMod Plugins

Plugins are commonly used for moderation, economy systems, permissions, quality-of-life features, and other server additions. The automatic OpenMod install method is usually the easiest option.

• Open the OpenMod plugin page and find the plugin you want.
• Click Copy Install Command beside that plugin.

• Return to the server panel and open Console.
• Paste the install command into the console input, then press Enter.

• Wait for the installation to finish. A successful install should return a message similar to `Successfully installed PluginName`.
• Restart the server, or run this in the console:

```text openmod reload ```

• Join the server and test the plugin before adding more. Installing several plugins at once makes troubleshooting harder if one of them misbehaves.

Install Workshop Mods

Workshop mods can add items, vehicles, maps, structures, and other custom content. To load them on a dedicated server, add their Workshop IDs to the server's Workshop download configuration.

• Open the Unturned Steam Workshop and search for the mod you want.

• Open the mod page and copy the ID from the URL. It appears after `?id=`. Some Workshop pages also list the ID in the description.

• Save each mod ID you plan to install.
• In the server panel, open your FTP client or file manager.

• Log in with your panel password, then open the Servers directory.
• Enter your world folder and edit `WorkshopDownloadConfig.json`.

• Find the `File_IDs` list. Place each Workshop ID inside the brackets.

• Put each ID on its own line and separate entries with commas, except for the final entry.

A basic example looks like this:

```json "File_IDs": [ 123456789, 987654321 ] ```

• Save the file and restart the server.

If a mod requires another dependency, add that dependency's Workshop ID as well. For Workshop maps, install the map content and then set the map name in `Commands.dat` so the server knows which world to load.

Conclusion

An Unturned server starts with the game installation, but the real setup comes from configuration. Once you can connect, add admins, enable the options you need, choose a map, and install plugins or Workshop mods, you have the foundation for a private survival world or a larger public server.

Make changes in small batches and test after each restart. That habit makes server setup much easier to debug and keeps your Unturned world stable while you shape it into the experience you want.