How to Change the Admins and Permissions on Your Factorio Server

Factorio lets you run a factory-building server with friends, but keeping it well managed means knowing who has admin rights and how access is controlled. From the RiverHosting panel, you can manage admins and control who is allowed to join your server without touching any config files by hand.

This guide walks you through the Admins and Access page in the panel, explains what each setting does, and helps you avoid common mistakes.

Before you start

• You must have an active Factorio server with RiverHosting. Log in at panel.riverhosting.com.
• You need to know the in-game usernames of any players you want to promote to admin. Factorio uses Factorio.com account usernames, not display names.
• If your server is running, some changes may require a restart to take effect. A restart button is available at the top of every server page.

1. How to open the Admins and Access page

1. Log in to the RiverHosting panel.
2. Click on your Factorio server from the server list.
3. In the left-hand menu, click Admins & Access.

This page is split into two main areas: one for managing admin players, and one for controlling who is allowed to connect to your server at all.

2. How to add or remove an admin

Admins in Factorio can run console commands, kick or ban players, and manage the game while it is running. You grant admin status by adding a player's username to the admin list.

1. On the Admins & Access page, find the admin list section.
2. Type the player's Factorio.com username into the input field.
3. Click the button to add them to the list.
4. To remove an admin, find their name in the list and click the remove or delete option next to it.
5. Save your changes using the save button on the page.
6. Restart your server so the updated admin list takes effect.

3. How to control who can join your server

Factorio supports an access control option that lets you limit connections to specific players. This is useful if you want a private server for a small group rather than an open one.

1. On the Admins & Access page, find the access control or whitelist section.
2. To make your server private, enable the whitelist option. Only players on the whitelist will be able to connect.
3. Add the Factorio.com usernames of the players you want to allow into the whitelist input field, then confirm each entry.
4. To make your server open to anyone, leave the whitelist disabled or clear it.
5. Save your changes and restart the server if prompted.

4. How to check current admin and access settings

If you are unsure what your current settings look like, you can review them at any time without making changes.

1. Go to the Admins & Access page in the left-hand menu.
2. Review the admin list to see which players currently have admin rights.
3. Check whether the whitelist is enabled or disabled.
4. If the whitelist is enabled, review which usernames are listed.

You do not need to restart the server just to view these settings. Only apply and restart when you are ready to make a change.

Troubleshooting

• A player says they do not have admin rights in game. Double-check the spelling of their username on the Admins & Access page and make sure you saved the changes. Restart the server after saving.
• A whitelisted player cannot connect. Confirm their username is spelled exactly right and that the whitelist is actually enabled and saved. Check the Console tab for any connection error messages.
• Changes do not seem to apply after saving. Make sure you clicked the save button before restarting. If the issue continues, try a full stop and start from the server page rather than a quick restart.
• You locked yourself out by enabling the whitelist without adding your own username. Go back to the Admins & Access page and add your own Factorio.com username to the whitelist, then save and restart.

Need help?

If you run into an issue that is not covered here, the RiverHosting support team is ready to help.