Every AMX Mod X admin is one line in addons/amxmodx/configs/users.ini. It looks trivial until an admin silently stops working, and then the difference between the two flag columns suddenly matters a great deal. This is the file explained field by field, with the example lines that actually work in production. The file lives at addons/amxmodx/configs/users.ini and is read by the AMXX admin plugins at map start and whenever you reload — it is the single source of truth for who is an admin unless you have deliberately moved admin management into a database like AMXBans.
1. The line format
Each admin is four quoted fields:
"<name|ip|steamid>" "<password>" "<access flags>" "<account flags>"
Field one is the identity (a SteamID, an IP, or a player name). Field two is a password — empty for SteamID/IP admins. Field three is access flags: what the admin is allowed to do. Field four is account flags: how AMXX should authenticate this line. Mixing up columns three and four is the most common mistake in the file.
2. Access flags (column 3)
These are the letters a-z that grant commands. A few you will use constantly:
a— immunity (cannot be kicked/banned/slayed by other admins)b— reserved-slot accessc—amx_kickd—amx_ban/amx_unbane—amx_slay/amx_slapf—amx_mapu— admin menu accessz— basic user, no admin power
The full a-z table is in the admin flags reference. A full admin is usually given abcdefghijklmnopqrstu — every access flag except z.
3. Account flags (column 4)
These tell AMXX how to match and authenticate the line. They are a different alphabet from the access flags:
| Flag | Meaning |
|---|---|
a | Disconnect the player if the password is wrong |
b | Treat the name field as a clan tag / substring of the player name |
c | The identity is a SteamID (authid) check |
d | The identity is an IP check |
e | No password required (used with SteamID/IP admins) |
The workhorse combination is ce: authenticate by SteamID (c) and skip the password (e). That is the correct account-flag string for almost every modern admin.
4. Real example lines
; SteamID admin, full access, no password "STEAM_0:0:12345678" "" "abcdefghijklmnopqrstu" "ce" ; Name + password admin (legacy / non-Steam) "BogdanAdmin" "S0meL0ngP@ss" "abcdefghijklmnopqrstu" "a" ; IP-based admin, moderator subset only "203.0.113.5" "" "cdefiju" "de" ; VIP: reserved slot + custom level H, matched by SteamID "STEAM_0:1:99887766" "" "bt" "ce"
Comments start with ;. Note how the SteamID lines use ce and an empty password, while the name line uses a and a real password — that is the whole authentication story in four lines.
5. Applying changes without a map change
After editing the file, run this in the server console (or via RCON):
amx_reloadadmins
It re-reads users.ini live. There is no need to change the map or restart. Existing players are re-checked against the new list. Adding a specific admin by SteamID is covered step by step in how to add an admin by SteamID.
6. Order, quoting and comments
A few rules keep the file from silently breaking. Every field must be wrapped in double quotes — an unquoted access string with a space, or a missing quote, makes AMXX skip the whole line without warning. Blank lines are ignored and any line starting with ; is a comment, which is the right way to document who each admin is:
; head admin - Bogdan "STEAM_0:0:12345678" "" "abcdefghijklmnopqrstu" "ce" ; trial mod - added 2026-07 "STEAM_0:1:22334455" "" "ceu" "ce"
Order does not imply priority for distinct SteamIDs, but if the same identity appears twice the later line effectively wins after a reload, so remove stale duplicates rather than layering new lines on top of them.
Common errors
- Admin has power but is asked for a password — you left off account flag
e. A SteamID admin needsce, not justc. - Admin is completely ignored — you put
c(SteamID) in the access column instead of the account column. Column order is identity, password, access, account. - Name admin works for impostors — name matching is weak; anyone can use that name. Prefer SteamID (
ce) on any Steam server. On non-Steam servers this is why you install Reunion to get stable IDs. - Wrong universe digit —
STEAM_0:...versusSTEAM_1:.... The 2023 client update changed the leading digit for some setups; if the admin is not recognised, try the other digit and read admin not recognised. - Edited the wrong file — admins go in
configs/users.ini, notadmins.inior a plugin config. Confirm the path.
Verification
Run amx_reloadadmins, reconnect, and type amx_who in chat or console — your name should list the flags you assigned. Open the admin menu with amx_menu (needs flag u). If amx_who shows you with no flags, the line did not match: re-check the SteamID with status and the account flags with the flag reference.
