SteamCMD Anonymous Login: Which Game Servers Need a Steam Account

Most dedicated servers on Steam download with +login anonymous, no account and no purchase needed: Rust, Valheim, Palworld, 7 Days to Die, Project Zomboid, ARK, Enshrouded, Counter-Strike 2 and hundreds more. A small group needs a real Steam account to log in, the best known being DayZ and Arma 3, although the account does not have to own those games just to get the server files. A smaller group again needs an account that owns the game, usually for Workshop mod downloads or because the server is bundled inside the game itself.

The three cases

Valve keeps a Dedicated Servers List on its developer wiki that marks whether each server supports anonymous login. It is a good first stop, though not every entry is current, so if a listed server fails anonymously, trust the error over the table.

How to tell which one you need

Just try anonymous first:

steamcmd +force_install_dir /home/steam/server +login anonymous +app_update 223350 validate +quit

If anonymous is not allowed, you get ERROR! Failed to install app '223350' (No subscription). That is your sign to log in with an account. Before you do, make sure the app ID is the dedicated server's and not the game's store page ID, because the game's own ID gives the same error. Our No subscription guide has a table of server IDs for popular games.

Why some servers need an account

Developers choose how their server tool is distributed. Bohemia Interactive ties the DayZ and Arma 3 server downloads to Steam accounts, while most other studios make theirs fully public. The DayZ server works with any valid Steam account, but its Workshop mods are a different story: mods download through the Steam Workshop, and Workshop downloads for DayZ need an account that owns DayZ. That is why modded DayZ servers usually use an account that owns one copy of the game.

Workshop downloads follow the same rules

Downloading mods with SteamCMD looks like this:

steamcmd +login anonymous +workshop_download_item 107410 450814997 +quit

That example (Arma 3's app ID and the CBA_A3 mod) will fail anonymously, because Arma 3 Workshop content needs an owning account. For many other games anonymous Workshop downloads work fine. When a mod download fails with an access error, log in with an account that owns the game.

Some games do not use the Steam Workshop for servers at all. Arma Reforger uses Bohemia's own Workshop, which the server downloads from directly. Project Zomboid, Garry's Mod and Space Engineers download Steam Workshop items on server start using the IDs you list in their configs.

Setting up a safe server account

If you need a real account, do not use your main one. A server box is a bad place for the password to the account holding your whole game library.

1. Create a new Steam account just for servers.
2. Give it a password with only letters and numbers, so scripts and shells cannot mangle it.
3. Keep Steam Guard on, using email codes rather than the mobile authenticator if you want unattended updates. See SteamCMD login failed for logging in with a code the first time.
4. If you need ownership for Workshop mods, buy one copy of the game on that account.
5. Log in by hand once on each server so SteamCMD caches the login:

steamcmd
Steam> login serveraccount

6. In scripts, use +login serveraccount with no password once the login is cached.

Be aware that Steam limits some community features on accounts that have never made a purchase. For SteamCMD downloads that usually does not matter, but buying the game on the account lifts those limits anyway.

Family Sharing does not help

Steam Family Sharing lets other accounts play your games, but it does not give them a license SteamCMD can use. If ownership is required, the account SteamCMD logs into must own the game itself.

Downsides of anonymous login

None for downloading. Anonymous login is read only and has no password to leak, which makes it the best choice whenever it works. It does not affect how the server runs, whether it shows in the server browser, or whether players can join. Those depend on the game and, for some Source games like Counter-Strike 2, a separate Game Server Login Token. Our CS2 GSLT guide covers that.

A quick decision guide

1. Try +login anonymous with the server's app ID.
2. On "No subscription", check the app ID is the server's, not the game's.
3. If it still fails, log in with a separate server account.
4. If mods fail to download, make that account own the game.

Hosting without the account juggling

If you would rather not keep a spare Steam account on a server, a GamezServers server handles the download and updates for you, and every setting from the game's server template sits in the control panel. For Project Zomboid, Workshop items and mod IDs are fields in the panel, and for games like Arma Reforger you can edit the server's config file with the file manager or SFTP.

FAQ

Do I need to own a game to host its dedicated server?

Usually not. Most dedicated servers download anonymously for free. Players still need to own the game to join.

Can I download the DayZ server with anonymous login?

No. The DayZ server needs a real Steam account login, though the account does not have to own DayZ unless you want to download Workshop mods.

Is it safe to use my main Steam account with SteamCMD?

It works, but it puts your password and a cached login on the server. A separate account just for servers is safer.

Why does Workshop mod download fail when the server downloaded fine?

Server files and Workshop content have separate rules. Some games, like DayZ and Arma 3, need an account that owns the game for Workshop downloads.