ARK: Survival Evolved guide

How to move your ARK: Survival Evolved world to a dedicated server

ARK keeps each map's world in one .ark file, with a file for every player and every tribe. Move all three kinds and your dinos, bases and tribes come with them.

Updated 28 October 2026

Find your files

On another server, they're in ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArks: the map's save (such as TheIsland.ark or Ragnarok.ark), one .arkprofile file per player and one .arktribe file per tribe. Stop that server and download them all.

Each map keeps its own world, so take the save for the map you want to move.

Upload it

  1. Set the map. In Settings, set Map to the world's map and press Save configuration.
  2. Add the mods first. If the world used mods, add the same ones on the Mods tab, in the same order, and wait until each shows Ready. Dinos and items from a mod that isn't loaded can be lost.
  3. Stop the server. Press Stop in your dashboard.
  4. Upload the files. In Files & SFTP, press Generate SFTP credentials and connect with FileZilla or WinSCP. Upload the .ark, .arkprofile and .arktribe files to Saved/SavedArks, up to 2 GB each.
  5. Start the server. Press Start. The server loads the map's world with its players and tribes.

Good to know

  • GameUserSettings.ini and Game.ini go in config/. Your rates, such as taming and harvesting, are in Settings.
  • Genesis: Part 2 needs 16 GB, so choose Large or above for it.
ARK: Survival Evolved questions

Good to know.

Do tribes and players come with it?

Yes, with their .arktribe and .arkprofile files. Each player's file is named after their Steam ID, so they're matched up when they join.

Can I move a single-player world?

The map's .ark file from ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArksLocal in the game's install folder uploads the same way, but your single-player character is saved under a different name and doesn't come with it.

Is this ARK: Survival Ascended?

No. Warp Hosting runs ARK: Survival Evolved, and Ascended saves don't load on it.