How to Upload your Single-player ARK Save to your Server

Knowledgebase

Uploading your Single-player ARK save can allow you to continue your progress on a dedicated server alongside your friends. To do this, you are required to upload both your save data and world configuration.

Epic Games File Location

If you're using the Epic Games launcher, you can easily locate your save file using the options section of the game library.

Select Options(...) next to ARK on your Game Library, and click Manage.
Click Open Install Location, this will open your ARK local save file folder.
Navigate to \ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArksLocal, this will contain your save data.

Steam Save File Location

If you're using Steam, you can easily locate your save file using the Local section of the Ark's Properties window.

Launch Steam, then go to your Game Library.
Right-click ARK: Survival Evolved, then select Properties...
Navigate to Local Files > Browse...
Navigate to \steamapps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArksLocal, this will contain your save data.
1. The .ark contains your map save.
2. The .arkprofile contains your player data.
3. The .arktribe contains all tribe information.

Uploading your Save File

Once you have located your local ARK save, you can easily upload it to your server using FTP.

Access your control panel and Stop your server.
Access your server files via FTP. We recommend using FileZilla.
Navigate to /ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks.
- We would recommend backing up & removing any currently existing files from this file to avoid conflicts.
Upload the files you located in the previous section to this folder.
Rename localplayer.arkprofile with your SteamId64 in the format <steamID64>.arkprofile, so that you claim the player data.
Go back to your control panel, and navigate to Files > Config Files.
Open ARK Server Settings.
Ensure that Server Map is set to the map you uploaded.
Save and Start your server.

Uploading your World Configuration

Alongside your save data, you may want to upload your world configuration to update your server settings.

Launch Steam, then go to your Game Library.
Right-click ARK: Survival Evolved, then select Properties...
Navigate to Local Files > Browse...
Navigate to ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsNoEditor. You will require Game.ini and GameUserSettings.ini.
Access your control panel and Stop your server.
Access your server files via FTP - we recommend using FileZilla.
Navigate to /ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxNoEditor/.
Replace Game.ini and GameUserSettings.ini in this folder with the files found in step 4.
Start your server.