How to Create TAK Server Users
Connecting devices to a TAK Server can be challenging the first time you try it. This guide walks through the exact steps to create users and connect ATAK, WINTAK, or iTAK clients with minimal hassle.
How to Create TAK Server Users
You have your TAK Server up and running—but now comes the next step: connecting your users. For many, this is where things get tricky. After setting up countless deployments, we’ve identified common pitfalls and streamlined the process.
This guide will walk you through creating users and successfully connecting ATAK, WINTAK, or iTAK devices.
What You'll Need
Before we begin, make sure you have:
- A GOTS TAKSERVER set up - You can set up one in minutes on TAKGRID
- Administrator login credentials and the URL of your server
- Devices with ATAK, WINTAK, or iTAK already installed
Step 1: Log Into the TAK Server
Open your browser and navigate to your TAK Server's web interface. If you have set up your server on https://takgrid.com then it will be https://YOURSERVERNAME.takgrid.com:8446
You’ll be greeted with the login screen:
Enter your admin username (commonly tak-admin) and password.
💡 Certificate Warnings: If you encounter certificate warnings, that's expected when using self-signed certificates.
If you don't know where to find the login credentials for your TAKGRID server, you can find them in the user dashboard under the server actions dropdown.
Step 2: Access User Management
From the right-hand menu, expand Administrative and select Manage Users.
Step 3: Create a User
Click Add New User to open the user creation screen:
Key Fields to Configure:
📝 Username
Keep it simple and descriptive (e.g., user1, teamlead, operator)
🔒 Password
A strong password is required: at least 15 characters with uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.
👥 Groups
By default, users are placed in the ANON group, which works for most setups:
- In Group: Defines what the user can receive
- Out Group: Defines what the user can transmit to
- Both: Grants permissions in both directions
Step 4: Connect a Device
With the user created, the next step is to connect a client device. In ATAK, WINTAK or iTAK navigate to Manage Server Connections:
Connection Configuration:
| Setting | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Connection Name | A recognizable label (e.g., "TAKGRID" or "My Server") |
| Host Address | Your server's IP address or domain (e.g., myserver.takgrid.com) |
| Port | Typically 8089 |
| Security Settings |
• Enable Enroll for Client Certificate (recommended) • Enable Use Authentication and enter credentials from Step 3 |
Save the configuration and attempt the connection.
Confirming Success
Your device is now communicating with the TAK Server, and you should begin seeing other connected users.
🚨 Troubleshooting
🔥 Connection Failed
Sometimes you need to clear all previous certificates and connections (this is prevalent especially with WINTAK). A known bug for some iTAK versions - the connection might show up as unsuccessful until you go back to the server menu and refresh the connections.
❌ Invalid Credentials
Remember that TAK Server usernames and passwords are case-sensitive
👻 Broken Visibility Between Users
Revisit user group settings to ensure permissions allow visibility
Conclusion
Once your first user is connected, the process for adding others is identical: create user, configure device, connect.
While the TAK ecosystem can feel daunting at first, establishing user connectivity is a manageable process once you know where to look.