> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://new-docs.squads.so/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Validator Management

> Manage validator operations from your Squad

Manage your Solana validator directly from your Squad. Transfer your validator's withdraw authority to your Squad, and all validator operations (commission and collector changes, reward withdrawals, authority transfers) require multisig approval before execution.

## How validator management works

Validator management works by transferring your validator's withdraw authority to your Squad. Once transferred, every validator action requires approval from Squad members based on your threshold. This adds multisig security to validator operations, ensuring no single key can change commission rates, withdraw rewards, or reassign authority.

Before you can manage a validator from your Squad, you must transfer its withdraw authority. Until the authority is set, management actions are unavailable.

## Add a validator

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Validators tab">
    In the sidebar, open **Developers** and select **Validators**, then select **Add validator**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter validator details">
    Enter the **Validator name** and the **Validator ID** (your validator's vote account address), then select **Next**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Transfer withdraw authority">
    Transfer the validator's withdraw authority to your Squad's vault address (labeled **Squads Vault** in Settings) using one of these methods:

    * Copy your Squad's vault address and transfer the authority to it directly
    * Insert the absolute path of the current authority keypair, copy the generated command, and run it in the CLI

    The generated command has this form, with your validator ID, keypair path, and vault address filled in:

    ```bash theme={null}
    solana vote-authorize-withdrawer <VALIDATOR_ID> <KEYPAIR_PATH> <VAULT_ADDRESS>
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify">
    Select **Verify** to confirm the transfer. The validator is added to your list once its onchain withdraw authority matches your vault address.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Validators cannot be removed from the Squad UI once added. A validator is only added after its withdraw authority is verified, so ensure you have access to the current withdraw authority before you start.
</Warning>

### Withdraw authority vs. stake authority

Transferring the **withdraw authority** to your Squad gives you control over commission changes and reward withdrawals. However, if you also plan to manage staking operations (unstaking, deactivating stake accounts) from your Squad, you must also set the **stake authority** to your Squad's vault address.

If only the withdraw authority is transferred but the stake authority remains with a different key, unstake operations initiated from the Squad UI will fail.

## Change commission

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select the validator">
    In the sidebar, open **Developers** and select **Validators**, then select the validator.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Initiate the change">
    In the **Validator** dialog, select the **Commission** row. Enter the **New commission** percentage (0 to 100), add a note (optional), and select **Initiate**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Execute">
    Once the transaction reaches the threshold and is executed, the commission updates.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  A commission change can be executed at any time in the epoch. The new rate applies to rewards from the second epoch after the change executes, so delegators always get at least one full epoch of notice.
</Info>

## Withdraw rewards

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select the validator">
    In the sidebar, open **Developers** and select **Validators**, then select the validator.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Initiate withdrawal">
    Select **Withdraw rewards**, enter the amount (or select **MAX**), add a note (optional), and select **Initiate**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Execute">
    Once the transaction reaches the threshold and is executed, rewards appear in your vault.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Change commission collectors

A validator's commission is paid to two collector accounts: the **Block Revenue Collector** receives the commission from block revenue, and the **Inflation Rewards Collector** receives the commission from inflation rewards. The **Validator** dialog shows both current collectors.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select the validator">
    In the sidebar, open **Developers** and select **Validators**, then select the validator.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Initiate the change">
    In the **Validator** dialog, select **Change block revenue collector** or **Change inflation rewards collector**. Enter the new collector address, add a note (optional), and select **Initiate**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Execute">
    Once the transaction reaches the threshold and is executed, the commission goes to the new collector.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  The new collector must be the vote account itself or an existing, funded system wallet. Any other valid address passes the form but makes the transaction fail when it is executed.
</Warning>

## Unstake validator-staked SOL

Unstaking validator-staked SOL is a multi-step process:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Deactivate the stake account">
    Open **Stake** in the sidebar, select the **Validator** tab, and set **Filter by** to **Staked**. Select **Unstake** on the stake account and execute the transaction.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for the epoch to end">
    The stake remains locked until the epoch boundary. Wait for the current epoch to end.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Withdraw">
    Return to the **Staked** view of the **Validator** tab and select **Withdraw** on the inactive stake account to return the SOL to your vault.
  </Step>
</Steps>

If you originally staked through a liquid staking token (LST), an additional step is required: first unstake from the LST pool, then follow the steps above to unstake from the underlying validator, wait for the epoch to end, and withdraw.

## Self-staking through your Squad

To self-stake (for Solana Foundation eligibility or other purposes):

<Steps>
  <Step title="Transfer SOL to your Squad">
    Transfer SOL to your Squad. You can do this via CLI from your identity keypair (`solana transfer <vault-address> <amount> --keypair identity.json`) or by sending SOL from a hot wallet through the Squads UI.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Delegate to your validator">
    Open **Stake** in the sidebar, select the **Validator** tab, and search for your validator. Delegate the desired amount and execute the transaction. The stake activates at the next epoch.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Since your Squad holds the withdraw authority, the Solana Foundation recognizes this delegation as self-stake. Note that the withdraw authority controls commission and reward withdrawals only. It cannot move SOL held in your validator's identity account, so you must transfer SOL out of the identity account via CLI to fund your Squad for self-staking.

## Change authority

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select the validator">
    In the sidebar, open **Developers** and select **Validators**, then select the validator.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Initiate the transfer">
    In the **Validator** dialog, select **Change authority** and enter the **New authority** address for the withdraw authority.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit and execute">
    Add a note (optional) and select **Initiate** to create the transaction. Once the transaction reaches the threshold and is executed, authority transfers to the new address.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Best practices

* **Transfer both withdraw and stake authority.** If you plan to manage staking operations from your Squad (not just commission and rewards), ensure the stake authority is also set to your Squad's vault address.
* **Plan commission changes ahead.** A change applies to rewards from the second epoch after it executes, not immediately.
* **Withdraw rewards regularly.** Accumulated rewards remain in the vote account until withdrawn. Withdraw periodically to consolidate funds in your vault.
* **Keep at least `0.1 SOL` in your vault.** Insufficient SOL causes transaction execution to fail. Top up before initiating validator operations.
* **Never transfer authority to an address you do not control.** Transferring withdraw authority to an unknown or exchange address means permanent loss of validator management access.

<Accordion title="Troubleshooting">
  | Issue | Solution |
  | - | - |
  | Management actions are greyed out | The app shows "Withdraw authority is not set to this squad". Transfer the vote account's withdraw authority to your Squad's vault address |
  | Authority verification fails | Confirm the address matches your Squad's vault address and select **Verify** again |
  | Rewards still use the old commission after execution | A commission change applies to rewards from the second epoch after it executes. Wait two epoch boundaries |
  | Unstake transaction fails from Squad UI | Verify the stake authority matches your Squad's vault address. If it doesn't, use the Transaction Builder to change it, or unstake using the original stake authority key directly |
  | Transaction execution fails immediately | Insufficient SOL in vault for fees. Top up your vault with at least `0.1 SOL` and retry |
  | **Add validator** button is greyed out | The connected wallet is not a member of this Squad. Connect a member wallet |
</Accordion>


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.