The Staging Version of Rust is essentially a work in progress. Before Facepunch officially releases an update for the game, all of the changes are tested in the Staging version.
Please be aware that a Staging branch often has unfixed bugs that may cause issues with your Rust server.
Important
Before making any changes, make sure to create a backup of your server to prevent any data loss.
# Enabling a Staging Branch
You can enable a staging branch on your server control panel.
- Access your control panel and Stop your server.
- Click on the Rust server type located next to the Default Instance section below your control panel's name.
- Navigate to Version below Edit Server.
- Click on Environment and select the Rust Version you wish to use.
- Once you have selected a version, click on Next Step.
- Click on Save Changes and Start your server.
# Enabling a Staging Branch on Your Client
To enable a Staging Branch on your client, you must navigate to Rust - Staging Branch properties through your Steam Library and if you wish to, select a different beta branch to use.
- Open Steam and Navigate to your Library.
- Locate and right-click Rust - Staging Branch then select Properties.
- Click the tab Betas and select the desired beta you would like to use. Selecting 'None' will use the default staging branch, alternatively, you can use the other betas available which may correlate to these dedicated server branches.
- Wait for the beta to install and Start the game.
To learn more about Rust server hosting, you can browse our library of Knowledgebase articles here.
