On an s&box dedicated server, admin access isn’t a password — it’s a list of Steam IDs and the permissions (“claims”) they hold, stored in a single file: users/config.json. This guide explains how it works and how to set yourself and your team up as admins.
Where admin access lives
In your server directory you’ll find users/config.json. It’s a JSON array where each entry pairs a player’s SteamID64 with a list of claims — the permissions that decide what they can do. No claims, no power; the right claims, full control.
Step 1: Get each admin’s SteamID64
You need the 17-digit SteamID64 for everyone you want to grant access. Look it up from a player’s Steam profile with any SteamID resolver — we have a free Steam ID Resolver that converts a vanity URL or profile link to SteamID64 (and SteamID2/3) instantly.
Step 2: Add them to config.json
Stop the server, open users/config.json, and add each admin with their Steam ID and claims. Because it’s JSON, a single missing comma or bracket will stop the file from parsing — so build it carefully. Our free users/config.json generator produces a valid file from a simple visual editor: add Steam IDs, tick the permissions, copy the output.
Step 3: Restart and verify
Save the file and restart the server so it reloads the user list. Your admins now have their granted claims, which gate the engine-level permission flags (Admin, Server, Cheat) used by console commands — see our ConCmd & ConVar guide for how those tie together.
Why claims instead of a single admin flag?
Claims let you give people exactly the access they need — a moderator who can kick but not change server settings, a developer who can run cheat commands on a test server, and so on. It’s finer-grained than a blanket “is admin” boolean, which matters once your community grows beyond a couple of trusted people.
Manage it the easy way
On XGamingServer s&box hosting you edit users/config.json straight from the File Manager or over SFTP and restart in one click. Full setup details are in our user permissions guide.
FAQ
Where is the admin file? users/config.json in your server directory.
What goes in it? A JSON array of SteamID64s, each with a list of permission claims.
My config won’t load. It’s almost always invalid JSON — a missing comma or bracket. Use the generator to produce a clean file.
Sources: s&box Docs — Dedicated Servers.
