ARK admin commands: how to enable cheats and manage your server
ARK gives server owners a full set of console commands, called cheats, for fixing problems, helping players and running events. They are controlled by an admin password. Used sensibly, they let you solve most problems in seconds. This guide covers how to turn them on, the commands worth learning, and how to use them without ruining your server's reputation.
Set the admin password
The password lives in your GameUserSettings.ini file, under the server settings:
[ServerSettings]
ServerAdminPassword=a-long-random-password
Choose something long, with no spaces, and keep it private. Anyone with the password can run every admin command on your server. Edit the file while the server is stopped and start it again, as described in ARK server rates explained. Use a password that is different from every other password you own.
Enable cheats in the game
- Join your server.
- Press the Tab key to open the console.
- Type
enablecheatsfollowed by your admin password, and press Enter:
enablecheats a-long-random-password
The game confirms you are now an admin. From then on, you run commands with the cheat prefix, such as cheat ListPlayers. If the console does not open, check that Tab is the right key in your keyboard layout, or that you have not rebound it.
Commands worth knowing
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
cheat ListPlayers | Shows who is online, with their IDs |
cheat KickPlayer id | Removes a player |
cheat BanPlayer id | Bans a player |
cheat SaveWorld | Forces a save, useful before a restart |
cheat Broadcast message | Sends a message to all players |
cheat SetTimeOfDay 12:00 | Changes the time of day |
cheat DestroyWildDinos | Removes all wild creatures so they respawn fresh |
cheat DestroyAll classname | Removes every instance of a class, for example a stuck object |
cheat TeleportPlayerIDToMe id | Brings a player to you |
cheat GiveItemToPlayer id blueprint qty quality 0 | Gives an item to a player |
Names and arguments change a little between versions, so if a command does not work, type the start and use the console's suggestions.
DestroyWildDinos is the one you will use most. After a crash or a long uptime, wild creatures can get stuck or fail to spawn. Running it resets them, and creatures respawn within a few minutes. It does not touch tamed creatures.
Saving before you act
Before any restart, wipe of creatures, or big change, run cheat SaveWorld and wait for the save to finish. A server that is stopped without saving can lose recent progress. Panel backups do the same job on a schedule, as described in Creating and restoring backups.
Using RCON from outside the game
You do not have to be in the game to run commands. RCON lets tools, and your panel's console, send them. Admin commands work there without the cheat prefix for some. RCON needs its port and a password configured, and is the same kind of power as the admin password, so treat it as seriously. What RCON is and how to use it safely explains the risks and how to reduce them.
Using admin power well
- Do not give players items without a reason. A server where an admin hands out gear stops feeling fair.
- Announce events and maintenance with
Broadcast, so players are not surprised by a restart. - Keep a log of bans and the reasons, so you can answer appeals.
- Do not play on the same account that you use for admin work. Players notice who has the cheats.
- Never share the admin password with the community. If a staff member leaves, change it.
If you suspect misuse
If a player seems to have items or abilities they should not, check your server log for admin commands. How to read your server logs explains where to look. Change the admin password straight away if you think it leaked, restart, and check that no one has added mods or settings you do not recognise.
Common problems
- "enablecheats" does nothing. The password is wrong, has a typo, or was not saved in the file. Check the file and that you restarted.
- Commands are unrecognised. Spelling, or a version difference. Use the suggestions.
- You lose cheats after rejoining. Cheats are enabled per session, so you need to enter
enablecheatseach time you join.
Still stuck? Open a ticket on Discord - run /ticket in any channel, pick a department, and include your Server ID or Invoice ID so we can jump straight in.