Team Fortress 2 server console commands

These are the Team Fortress 2 server commands you’re most likely to want. Run them in the Console tab on the server page, or from Discord with /server console. You need the Control servers permission and a Live server. Commands reach TF2 over RCON, so the server’s reply appears right under your command.

A few things to know first:

• The console doesn’t suggest commands for TF2 as you type, so type the full command. Commands you run are kept as Recent shortcuts for one-click reuse.
• Separate several commands with ; on one line: mp_timelimit 30; mp_winlimit 3.
• Settings you change in the console last until the server restarts. To keep them, put them in server.cfg (see Make settings stick).

See The console for the tab itself.

Change the map

Command	What it does
changelevel <map>	Change map, keeping players connected.
map <map>	Load a map, reconnecting everyone.
maps *	List every map the server has.
nextlevel <map>	Set the map that follows the current one.

changelevel pl_badwater

The map’s prefix tells you its game mode. A few well-known official maps for each:

Mode	Prefix	Maps
Control points	cp_	cp_dustbowl (the default), cp_gorge, cp_granary, cp_badlands, cp_well, cp_process_final, cp_gravelpit, cp_steel
Capture the flag	ctf_	ctf_2fort, ctf_turbine, ctf_doublecross, ctf_well, ctf_sawmill
Payload	pl_	pl_badwater, pl_upward, pl_goldrush, pl_thundermountain, pl_hoodoo_final, pl_barnblitz
Payload race	plr_	plr_hightower, plr_pipeline
King of the hill	koth_	koth_harvest_final, koth_viaduct, koth_lakeside_final, koth_nucleus
Arena	arena_	arena_well, arena_granary, arena_lumberyard, arena_ravine

Use maps * to see the exact names on your server. Custom maps go in tf/maps (see Custom maps).

Match rules

Command	What it does
mp_timelimit <minutes>	Time on each map before it changes. 0 means no limit.
mp_winlimit <rounds>	Change map after a team wins this many rounds. 0 means no limit.
mp_maxrounds <rounds>	Change map after this many rounds in total. 0 means no limit.
mp_restartgame <seconds>	Restart the round after N seconds, resetting scores.
mp_tournament <0/1>	Tournament mode: teams ready up before the match starts.
mp_disable_respawn_times <0/1>	1 makes everyone respawn instantly.
mp_autoteambalance <0/1>	Even out team sizes automatically.
mp_friendlyfire <0/1>	Damage to teammates.

Bots

TF2 has built-in bots that play most official maps.

Command	What it does
tf_bot_add <count>	Add bots. You can add a class, team and difficulty, for example tf_bot_add 3 soldier red hard.
tf_bot_kick all	Remove all bots. Use a bot’s name instead of all to remove one.
tf_bot_quota <number>	Keep this many bots on the server.
tf_bot_difficulty <0-3>	0 easy, 1 normal, 2 hard, 3 expert, for bots added from now on.

Bots need navigation data for the map. Official maps have it. On a custom map without it, bots may stand still or not join.

Players and bans

Command	What it does
status	List connected players with their user id and Steam ID.
kick <name>	Disconnect a player by name.
kickid <userid or steamid>	Disconnect by user id or Steam ID.
banid <minutes> <userid or steamid>	Ban a player. 0 minutes means permanent.
removeid <steamid>	Lift a ban.
writeid	Save the ban list to tf/cfg/banned_user.cfg.
say <message>	Message everyone as the server.

Run writeid after banning so the ban survives a restart. banned_user.cfg and banned_ip.cfg are kept between runs.

Server and practice

Command	What it does
sv_cheats <0/1>	Enables cheat-protected commands. Anyone on the server can then use them, so turn it off again when you’re done.
sv_gravity <value>	World gravity.
exec <file>	Run a .cfg file from tf/cfg.

Settings SLASHPLAY manages for you

These are set when the server starts. Don’t change them in the console or in server.cfg:

Setting	Why
sv_password	The join password. Use Password on the General tab instead. If server.cfg sets it, it overrides the dashboard, and the copied connect line stops working.
rcon_password	The Console tab uses it. Change it and the console stops working.
sv_hibernate_when_empty	Kept at 0 so the server stays awake when nobody’s on.

Blocked commands

A few commands are refused because they would take the server down in a way the dashboard can’t follow:

Command	Use instead
quit, exit, shutdown, _restart	Restart server on the General tab, or Stop & Save
host_timescale below 0.05 or above 10	A value between 0.05 and 10

Make settings stick

Console changes are gone after a restart. For settings you want every time, put them in tf/cfg/server.cfg. It’s one of TF2’s kept files, so it’s part of your save and comes back after every stop and restore. TF2 runs it each time a map loads.

Steps

1. On the server page, open Advanced → Files and go to tf/cfg.

2. If there’s a server.cfg, click Edit on it. If there isn’t one, create a plain text file named server.cfg on your computer and Upload it.

   

3. Add one command per line, for example:

   hostname "Friday night TF2"
   mp_timelimit 30
   mp_winlimit 3
   tf_bot_quota 0

4. Save, then click Restart server on the General tab (or change map) so TF2 reads it.

Leave sv_password and rcon_password out of it (see above). Other files you add to tf/cfg, such as a separate practice config, are kept too as long as you uploaded them yourself. See What’s kept between runs.

Custom maps

Upload a map’s .bsp file to tf/maps with the file manager. The folder is kept between runs. Then load it with changelevel <mapname>, without the .bsp. Your players need the map too: TF2 downloads it to them when they join, which can be slow for big maps.

Related

• The console
• SourceMod on Team Fortress 2
• What’s kept between runs
• The file manager