How to Add Admins and Use Commands on Your Counter-Strike 2 Server

This guide shows you how to give players admin rights, use the console and RCON, and run your own config files on your Counter-Strike 2 server.

Difficulty

Intermediate

Time

15 minutes

Three kinds of admin access

Access	What it controls
Game Panel subusers	Who can use the panel: console, files, restarts. Add them as subusers.
In-game admins	Who can kick, ban or change the map from inside the game. Needs CounterStrikeSharp and an admin plugin.
RCON	Remote control of the server console from an RCON tool.

CS2 has no built-in in-game admin system. Without a plugin framework, admins use the panel Console or RCON.

Add a CounterStrikeSharp admin

CounterStrikeSharp keeps its admins in a file. Plugins such as CS2-SimpleAdmin and MatchZy use these admins.

Find the player's SteamID64

It’s a 17-digit number starting with 7656119. Look it up from the player’s Steam profile address with a SteamID finder website.

Open admins.json

Click Files and open game/csgo/addons/counterstrikesharp/configs/admins.json. Create the file if it doesn’t exist.

Add the admin

{
  "YourName": {
    "identity": "76561198000000000",
    "flags": ["@css/root"]
  },
  "Moderator": {
    "identity": "76561198000000001",
    "flags": ["@css/generic", "@css/kick", "@css/chat"]
  }
}

Each entry needs a unique name, the player’s SteamID64 in identity, and a list of flags.

Reload the admins

Save the file and type css_admins_reload in the console, or restart the server.

JSON is strict: put a comma between entries but not after the last one. If admins stop working, paste the file into a JSON checker.

Admin flags

Flag	Allows
`@css/root`	Everything. Ignores immunity. Give it only to people you trust completely.
`@css/generic`	Basic admin access.
`@css/kick`	Kick players.
`@css/ban` / `@css/unban`	Ban and unban players.
`@css/slay`	Slay or harm players.
`@css/changemap`	Change the map and major game play settings.
`@css/cvar`	Change most server settings (cvars).
`@css/config`	Run config files.
`@css/chat`	Special chat rights, such as admin messages.
`@css/vote`	Start votes.
`@css/password`	Set a server password.
`@css/rcon`	Use RCON commands.
`@css/cheats`	Change `sv_cheats` and use cheat commands.
`@css/reservation`	Reserved slot.
`@css/vip`	VIP status, used by some plugins.

Type css_admins_list in the console to see who is loaded. More options, such as admin groups, are in the CounterStrikeSharp admin docs.

CS2-SimpleAdmin

CS2-SimpleAdmin adds an admin menu and commands for bans, mutes, gags and warnings.

Install CounterStrikeSharp

Use the Frameworks page. See frameworks and plugins.

Install its dependencies

CS2-SimpleAdmin also needs PlayerSettings, AnyBaseLibCS2 and MenuManagerCS2. Upload each one like any other plugin.

Upload CS2-SimpleAdmin

Upload it to game/csgo/addons/counterstrikesharp/plugins/ and restart the server.

Set up the database

The config file appears at game/csgo/addons/counterstrikesharp/configs/plugins/CS2-SimpleAdmin/CS2-SimpleAdmin.json. It uses SQLite by default. To use MySQL, for example to share bans between servers, create a database and use the host from the Databases page, not 127.0.0.1.

Add yourself as admin

Add yourself to admins.json with @css/root (see above), then restart.

Common SimpleAdmin commands

CounterStrikeSharp commands work in chat with ! or / instead of css_, for example !admin.

Command	What it does
`css_admin`	Opens the admin menu.
`css_kick <#userid or name> [reason]`	Kicks a player.
`css_ban <#userid or name> [minutes, 0 = permanent] [reason]`	Bans a player.
`css_unban <steamid or name or ip>`	Removes a ban.
`css_mute` / `css_gag <#userid or name> [minutes] [reason]`	Blocks voice or text chat.
`css_warn <#userid or name> [minutes] [reason]`	Warns a player.
`css_map <mapname>`	Changes the map.
`css_wsmap <id or name>`	Changes to a workshop map.
`css_addadmin <steamid> <name> <flags> <immunity> [duration]`	Adds an admin to the database.
`css_reloadadmins`	Reloads SimpleAdmin’s admins.

RCON

RCON lets you send console commands from a remote administration tool. It does not work from inside the game.

Set a password

In Server settings > Advanced, set a long RCON password. Review and save, then restart.

Connect your tool

In your RCON tool, enter your server address and port, for example 203.0.113.10:27015, and the password.

Anyone with the RCON password has full control of your server. Never share it in chat or screenshots.

Console commands

Type these in the Console in the panel. See how to use the server console.

Command	What it does
`status`	Lists the players on the server with their user ID and name.
`changelevel de_mirage`	Changes the map and keeps players connected.
`mp_restartgame 1`	Restarts the match in 1 second.
`mp_warmup_end`	Ends the warmup straight away.
`bot_kick`	Removes all bots. Use `bot_kick ct` or `bot_kick t` for one team.
`bot_add_ct` / `bot_add_t`	Adds a bot to that team.
`sv_cheats 1`	Turns on cheat commands. `sv_cheats 0` turns them off.
`exec practice`	Runs `game/csgo/cfg/practice.cfg`.
`kick <name>`	Kicks a player by name.
`kickid <userid> <message>`	Kicks a player by the user ID from `status`.
`say <message>`	Sends a chat message to everyone.
`mp_pause_match` / `mp_unpause_match`	Pauses at the next freeze time, and resumes.

Bots come back after bot_kick if the Bots number in Server settings is above 0. To remove bots for good, set Bots to 0.

Console buttons

Above the console you find quick buttons and a + button to add your own. A custom button can run one command or several. Give it a Name of up to 24 characters and a Command of up to 200 characters. A semicolon is sent as a comma, so choose Several commands to run more than one. Tick Ask before running it for anything that affects players. Your buttons are saved in this browser, for this server only.

Run practice and live configs

Config files let you switch a whole set of settings with one command.

Create the file

Click Files, go to game/csgo/cfg/ and click New file. Name it, for example, practice.cfg or live.cfg.

Add your settings

One setting per line. For example, live.cfg:

sv_cheats 0
mp_friendlyfire 1
mp_freezetime 15
mp_maxrounds 24
mp_warmup_end
mp_restartgame 1
say "Live! Good luck, have fun."

Run it

Type exec live in the console. Leave out .cfg.

For a full practice config, see popular setups. For matches, the MatchZy plugin runs its own warmup, knife and live configs for you.

Frameworks and plugins

Install CounterStrikeSharp and plugins.

Popular setups

Practice, retakes, deathmatch and demos.

Server configuration

Settings, game modes and startup.

Sub-users

Give others access to the panel.

Need Extra Help?

If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist:

Live Chat: Quick assistance via our website.
Support Ticket: Open a Ticket
Discord: Join our Community
Email: support@freakhosting.com

Save on Your Hosting

Ready to upgrade your hosting? Use code KB20 at checkout for 20% off your first order!

Last Updated: October 2026

Getting Started

Popular Games

Survival Games

GTA & RDR Multiplayer

Racing & Simulation

Shooters

Sandbox & Building

Other Games

How to Add Admins and Use Commands on Your Counter-Strike 2 Server

Difficulty

Time

Three kinds of admin access

Add a CounterStrikeSharp admin

Admin flags

CS2-SimpleAdmin

Common SimpleAdmin commands

RCON

Console commands

Console buttons

Run practice and live configs

Frameworks and plugins

Popular setups

Server configuration

Sub-users

Need Extra Help?

Save on Your Hosting

Difficulty

Time

​Three kinds of admin access

​Add a CounterStrikeSharp admin

​Admin flags

​CS2-SimpleAdmin

​Common SimpleAdmin commands

​RCON

​Console commands

​Console buttons

​Run practice and live configs

​Related articles

Frameworks and plugins

Popular setups

Server configuration

Sub-users

​Need Extra Help?

​Save on Your Hosting

Three kinds of admin access

Add a CounterStrikeSharp admin

Admin flags

CS2-SimpleAdmin

Common SimpleAdmin commands

RCON

Console commands

Console buttons

Run practice and live configs

Related articles

Need Extra Help?

Save on Your Hosting