ARK: Survival Evolved Server Guides
Complete ARK dedicated server guides: installation, GameUserSettings.ini, cluster setup, cross-ARK travel, modding, and performance tuning.
How to Connect to Your ARK Server
Three ways to join your ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated server — Steam Favorites, the Epic Games console command, and the Epic server browser. Covers crossplay setup and password limitations on Epic.
How to Use Admin Commands in ARK
Authenticate as admin on your ARK server using enablecheats, then run cheat commands in-game. Covers admin password setup, the permanent SteamID whitelist method, and a reference of the most useful admin commands.
How to Install Mods on Your ARK Server
Add Steam Workshop mods to your ARK dedicated server in three steps: find the mod ID from the Workshop URL, add it in the control panel, and reboot. Covers mod order, auto-updates, and config files.
How to Update Your ARK Server
ARK dedicated servers update automatically within 15 minutes of a patch release when the server is empty. Trigger an immediate update manually with a reboot. What to do when auto-updates don't apply.
How to Upload a World Save to Your ARK Server
Transfer a singleplayer or multiplayer ARK world save to your dedicated server. Covers the four key files to upload, renaming your player profile to match your SteamID64, and configuring the server to load the right map.
How to Force Save Your ARK World
ARK auto-saves every 15 minutes. Use the cheat SaveWorld admin command to force an immediate save before rebooting or making changes — preventing up to 15 minutes of lost progress.
How to Increase Stats Per Level in ARK
Customize how much each stat increases per level for players, wild dinos, and tamed dinos using PerLevelStatsMultiplier entries in Game.ini. Full stat index reference and step-by-step config guide.
How to Increase Engram Points Per Level in ARK
Give players more engram points per level by adding OverridePlayerLevelEngramPoints lines to Game.ini — one line per level. Includes a full example config for levels 1–155 and tips for balancing progression.
How to Force Ride Flyers in ARK
Enable flyer mounts on maps and in caves where they're restricted by default. Toggle Force Can Ride Fliers and Force Allow Cave Flyers in your server settings — plus a client-side launch option fix for Fjordur and similar maps.
How to Whitelist Players on Your ARK Server
Restrict your ARK server to approved players using the Exclusive Join whitelist. Add SteamID64s to PlayersExclusiveJoinList.txt and toggle Exclusive Join in settings — plus a hybrid mode for password + whitelist.
How to Change Taming, Harvesting, and XP Rates on Your ARK Server
Tweak taming speed, harvest amounts, XP gain, and more by editing a handful of multiplier settings in GameUserSettings.ini — no mods required.
How to Configure Breeding and Imprinting Rates on Your ARK Server
Breeding settings are split across two config files — get them in the wrong one and nothing changes. This guide covers exactly where each setting lives and how to tune breeding, maturation, and imprinting for your server.
How to Set Up a Server Cluster (Cross-ARK Travel) on Your ARK Server
Link two or more ARK servers together so players can transfer their survivor, dinos, and items between maps using Obelisks and Supply Drops.
How to Change the Map on Your ARK Server
Switch your ARK server to any official map by updating the startup parameter. Includes every official map ID and a note on what happens to existing player data.
How to Configure Tribe Settings on Your ARK Server
Control tribe size, alliances, and governance on your ARK server by editing GameUserSettings.ini. Includes every key tribe setting and what each one actually does.
How to Set Up RCON on Your ARK Server
Enable RCON on your ARK server to send admin commands remotely without logging in-game. Covers config, client tools, useful commands, and security basics.
How to Password Protect Your ARK Server
Set a join password to keep your ARK server private and an admin password to control who can use admin commands. These are two separate passwords with different purposes.
How to Enable Crossplay on Your ARK Server (Steam + Epic Games)
Let Epic Games Store and Steam players join the same ARK server by adding a single launch flag. Covers crossplay limitations, Epic-only mode, and how to verify it's working.
How to Edit GameUserSettings.ini and Game.ini on Your ARK Server
ARK uses two config files to control almost everything about your server. Learn what goes in each file, where to find them, and how to edit them without breaking your server.
How to Wipe Your ARK Server
Delete ARK save files to do a full wipe, a map-only wipe, or a character-only wipe. Includes what each file type contains and how to back up before deleting.
How to Set Your ARK Server Name and Message of the Day
Set a memorable server name that appears in the browser and configure a Message of the Day that greets every player on join. Both are simple ini settings.
How to Enable the Admin Log on Your ARK Server
Turn on the ARK admin log to record every admin command used on your server. Essential for multi-admin accountability and catching command abuse.
Run your own ARK: Survival Evolved server.
Rent a private ARK: Survival Evolved server on real hardware — full control-panel access, your mods, your configs, your rules. It's your server; run it your way.
Don't want to run it yourself? Our managed services & consulting team will set it up and keep it running for you — game servers, Windows, Linux, and cloud, from 10+ years of MSP work.