How to Change Ark Server Settings

Last modified on Apr 29, 2022 in ark

By Nathan Young

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Overview

As an ARK: Survival Evolved is explored, server owners and players alike may find that the default options become bland and desire something new. Luckily, ARK offers a wide range of gameplay features and values to change, which is accessible through a server configuration file. For example, you can edit the day cycle speed, xp multiplier, or dino decay options. Locating the file to change the values and adding new settings is not common knowledge among server owners, which can be troublesome. Apex Hosting makes it easier for you with our Config Files panel feature, so we created this guide for you to locate, edit, and add settings in your ARK server.
 

Locating the Server Settings

1. Head to your Apex server panel and Stop the server.
2. On the left-hand side of the page, press Config Files.
3. Once there, locate and click the GameUserSettings.ini file.
4. Upon opening the file, you’ll see all the default ARK server settings that you may change.
   

Editing the Server Settings

Now that you know where the GameUserSettings.ini file is located, you can start adding or changing values. If you want to explore all possible settings and their descriptions for your ARK server, then go here.

For reference: Maintaining the file’s format is crucial for ensuring all settings work properly. For example, removing the “=” or not keeping the capitalization for “True” or ”False” will result in a broken option or file.
 

Changing Existing Values

1. After opening the GameUserSettings.ini file, search for the setting(s) that you want to change.
2. Once located, begin to change the value(s) after the = for the option(s).
3. After you’re done, press Save in the top and Restart your server.
   

Adding More Settings

In the file, you may not see the option you want to change, so you’ll need to add it.
For example, the following option is undefined by default in the file:

TamingSpeedMultiplier – The value that sets the scaling factor for dinosaur taming speed.
Let’s use that option to edit the file.

Using that setting, we can implement it into the file for full customization.

1. Inside of the GameUserSettings.ini file, locate [ServerSettings] and press Enter to make a new line.
2. Once a line has been created, paste the desired setting in it.
   For example: TamingSpeedMultiplier=2.0
3. If necessary, modify the value(s) after the = in the setting for more control.
4. After pasting and editing it, click Save in the top and Restart your ARK server.
   

Conclusion

All values are stored in the GameUserSettings.ini file and is found from our Config Files panel feature, which allows you to easily find the file that contains all ARK server settings. All default options are configurable and make up a normal experience in-game if left untouched. However, if you do edit the values then remember you must maintain the file’s format for all settings so no issues arise. Server owners sometimes want more control than what’s shown by default, and that’s possible by manually adding the setting in the file. This Apex Hosting resource taught you how to locate, edit, and add values in the file, thereby giving you full control over your ARK: Survival Evolved server.
 

Useful Links

Server Configuration Wiki
Server Settings Generator
How to Set Admins