Enabling cheats on a Garry’s Mod dedicated server comes down to a single convar: sv_cheats. Flip it from its default value of 0 to 1 and a whole catalog of cheat-protected commands — noclip, god mode, buddha, impulse 101, give — suddenly works. It sounds simple, and it is, but there are important nuances about where you set it, how long it persists, and a major caveat that catches out almost every new server owner: sv_cheats applies to everyone on the server at once.
This guide walks through exactly how to enable cheats on your GMod server, what each unlocked command does, the difference between setting it live in the console versus baking it into server.cfg, and — crucially — why production servers almost never leave cheats on. By the end you’ll know both the quick-and-dirty method for a private build session and the proper, permission-based way to give admins god mode without handing it to every random player who joins.
What sv_cheats actually does
sv_cheats is a server convar (console variable) built into the Source engine that Garry’s Mod runs on. Its job is to act as a master gate for “cheat-protected” commands. Valve flagged a long list of commands as cheats years ago, and any command carrying that flag simply refuses to run unless sv_cheats is set to 1 on the server you’re connected to.
- Default value:
0(cheats disabled) - Enabled value:
1(cheat-protected commands unlocked server-wide) - Scope: per-server — it does not carry over to any other server you join
The key word there is server-wide. sv_cheats is not a per-player toggle. When you set it to 1, every connected client can immediately run noclip, spawn weapons, and turn on god mode. The moment you set it back to 0, all of those cheat-protected commands stop working again — anyone mid-noclip will be dropped, and give/impulse 101 will be rejected. This on/off behavior is exactly why it’s perfect for a quick private test and exactly wrong for a public server.
Method 1: Enable cheats live in the console
The fastest way to turn cheats on is to type the convar directly into the server console (or send it over RCON). This is ideal when you’re actively in a build or test session and want cheats only for right now.
From the in-game developer console — or the dedicated server’s own console window — run:
sv_cheats 1To turn cheats back off again:
sv_cheats 0If the console isn’t open yet, you’ll need the developer console enabled first. On the client side that lives under Options → Keyboard → Advanced → Enable Developer Console, after which the tilde (~) / backtick key toggles it. We cover the full process in our guide on enabling the in-game console on your Garry’s Mod launcher. For remote administration, you’d authenticate with rcon_password and then prefix commands with rcon, e.g. rcon sv_cheats 1.
One thing to remember: a value set live in the console is not permanent. If the map changes or the server restarts, sv_cheats reverts to whatever your config files dictate (which is 0 unless you’ve changed it). That’s a feature, not a bug — it means a forgotten test session won’t leave cheats on forever.
Method 2: Persist cheats in server.cfg
If you want cheats enabled every time the server boots — for example on a dedicated sandbox-building server among friends — set the convar in your server configuration file. GMod auto-executes garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg on every startup, so anything in there applies before players connect.
Open garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg and add the line:
// Enable cheat-protected commands on startup
sv_cheats 1Save the file and restart the server (or run exec server.cfg from the console to reload it without a full restart). From that point, cheats are active for everyone the instant the server starts. Removing the line — or changing it to sv_cheats 0 — restores the locked-down default on the next restart.
Because this is the same config file that holds your rcon_password, hostname, and other startup convars, it’s worth keeping organized and never committing it to a public Workshop collection or Git repo if it contains secrets.
What cheats unlock: the command catalog
Once sv_cheats 1 is active, the following cheat-protected commands become usable. These are the ones server owners and players reach for most often:
| Command | Effect |
|---|---|
noclip | Fly through the world, passing through walls and props |
god | Full invincibility — you take no damage at all |
buddha | You can’t die, but you still take damage (health stays at 1) |
impulse 101 | Gives all weapons and ammo |
give | Spawns a specific weapon or entity by class name |
In addition to these, a range of debug and physics commands also become available under sv_cheats 1. The distinction between god and buddha trips people up frequently: god means nothing can hurt you, while buddha still lets you feel damage (useful for testing damage sources) without ever actually dying.
Using give to spawn entities
The give command takes an entity class name. For example, to hand yourself a crowbar:
give weapon_crowbarLike every command in this section, it only works while sv_cheats is 1. Set the convar back to 0 and give immediately returns to being blocked.
The big caveat: sv_cheats enables cheats for everyone
This is the single most important thing to understand. sv_cheats 1 does not discriminate between you, your co-admins, and a stranger who joined thirty seconds ago. The moment it’s on, every single connected player can noclip through your builds, spawn infinite weapons with impulse 101, and turn on god mode. On a public server that’s a recipe for instant chaos — props clipping everywhere, players shooting through walls, and no way to selectively disable it for the troublemakers.
That’s why production servers leave sv_cheats at its default 0 and instead grant individual abilities through an admin mod’s permission system. With a permission-based approach, your trusted staff get noclip and god mode while regular players get nothing — exactly the control sv_cheats can’t offer.
The production-safe alternative: admin-mod permissions
For any server with the public, the right tool is an admin addon — most commonly ULX (with its required dependency ULib) or the modern SAM (Simple Admin Mod). These addons hook into the gamemode and grant abilities per-rank rather than per-server.
For example, an authorized admin running ULX can fly even when the rest of the server can’t, because the addon’s permission system bypasses the normal restriction:
ulx noclip
// or via chat:
!noclipIn Sandbox specifically, whether ordinary players can fly is governed by the convar sbox_noclip — set it to 0 to block players, 1 to allow them. The standard production setup is sbox_noclip 0 (players can’t fly) combined with admin-mod permissions (your staff can). This gives you flying admins without ever touching sv_cheats. We cover the full configuration in our guide on disabling the noclip feature on your Garry’s Mod server.
The same admin mods also handle moderation cleanly — !ban, !kick, and the rest — which is far more pleasant than the vanilla console equivalents. If you’re setting up staff tools, our walkthrough on banning players from your Garry’s Mod server pairs naturally with installing ULX or SAM.
When to actually use sv_cheats 1
Despite the caveat, there are perfectly legitimate uses. sv_cheats 1 is the right tool when:
- You’re building solo or with trusted friends on a private sandbox server and want everyone to noclip freely while constructing.
- You’re testing addons, maps, or gamemodes and need quick access to
give, god mode, and debug commands. - You’re running a closed dev/staging instance that the public never touches.
For these scenarios, setting sv_cheats 1 live in the console (and turning it off when done) is the cleanest approach. Reserve the server.cfg method for servers where you genuinely want cheats on by default for the entire population — which, again, should be a private box.
Doing it on a hosted server
On a managed game host, you typically have two easy paths to sv_cheats: the web console (type sv_cheats 1 directly, equivalent to Method 1) or the config file editor for garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg (Method 2). Both behave identically to a self-hosted SRCDS box. If you’re shopping for a place to run your build server, our Garry’s Mod server hosting plans give you full console and file access so you can flip cheats on for a session or persist them in config without wrestling with SteamCMD yourself.
For the deeper mechanics — launch parameters, gamemode switching, and the full convar reference — our Garry’s Mod documentation covers everything from first boot to advanced administration.
Frequently asked questions
What is the command to enable cheats on a Garry’s Mod server?
Run sv_cheats 1 in the server console (or add it to garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg). The default value is 0, which keeps cheat-protected commands disabled. Set it back to 0 to lock them again.
Does sv_cheats only affect me, or everyone?
Everyone. sv_cheats is a server-wide convar, not a per-player setting. When it’s 1, every connected player can use noclip, god, impulse 101, and the other cheat commands. To give cheats to only specific admins, use an admin mod like ULX or SAM and leave sv_cheats at 0.
What commands does sv_cheats 1 unlock?
It unlocks cheat-gated commands including noclip (fly), god (full invincibility), buddha (can’t die but still takes damage), impulse 101 (all weapons and ammo), give (spawn a specific item), and various debug/physics commands.
Do cheats stay enabled after a restart?
Only if you set sv_cheats 1 inside server.cfg, which auto-executes on startup. If you set it live in the console, it reverts to your config value (default 0) after a map change or server restart.
How do I let admins noclip without enabling cheats for everyone?
Install an admin mod such as ULX (with ULib) or SAM, keep sv_cheats 0, and set sbox_noclip 0 so regular players can’t fly. The admin mod then grants noclip to your staff through its permission system — for instance ulx noclip or the chat command !noclip.
Why don’t cheat commands work even after typing them?
Cheat-protected commands silently refuse to run when sv_cheats is 0. Confirm the convar is set to 1 on the server (not just your client), and make sure you’ve enabled the developer console first so the commands actually reach the server.
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