Where is Your ARK: Survival Evolved Save Data? A Comprehensive Guide
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If you’re an avid player of ARK: Survival Evolved, understanding where your game saves are located is crucial for backups, transfers, or troubleshooting. The short answer is: your ARK save files are typically stored in a specific directory within your Steam installation folder. For a standard Windows installation, this path looks like this:
C:Program Files (x86)SteamsteamappscommonARKShooterGameSaved
Within this Saved folder, you’ll find further subfolders like SavedArksLocal, which houses your single-player save data, and potentially SavedArks, which is relevant for server saves. Knowing this location is your first step in managing your ARK data effectively. Let’s dive deeper into understanding the various aspects of ARK saves.
Understanding ARK Save File Locations
The specific location of your ARK save files varies slightly depending on whether you are playing single-player, hosting a local server, or playing on a dedicated server. Here’s a breakdown:
Single Player Saves
For single-player games, your save data is located within the SavedArksLocal folder. This folder contains the necessary files to resume your single-player world, including your survivor’s progress, tamed creatures, and built structures. Think of it as your personal ARK world’s blueprint.
Local Server Saves
If you’re hosting a local server for your friends, your saves will reside within the SavedArks folder. These files represent the shared progress on your local server. This folder’s contents are what you manipulate when wanting to transfer your single-player world over to a server.
Dedicated Server Saves
When playing on a dedicated server, which is hosted by a third party or by yourself through a separate program, the save files are usually located in a similar path structure within the server files on that specific machine. You might not directly interact with these files as a standard player, but server administrators will need to know this location to perform backups or server restorations.
Accessing Your ARK Save Files
Finding the exact location of your ARK files can be done in multiple ways. Here’s how you can easily find them through Steam, or manually through File Explorer.
Finding Saves Through Steam
- Open Steam on your computer.
- Navigate to your Library and find ARK: Survival Evolved in your game list.
- Right-click on ARK and select “Properties.”
- In the properties window, click the “Local Files” tab on the left.
- Click the “Browse…” button. This will open the ARK game directory in File Explorer.
- From this directory, navigate into ShooterGame, then into Saved, and finally, you will find either SavedArksLocal or SavedArks.
Manual Navigation
- Open File Explorer (Windows Key + E).
- Navigate to your Steam installation directory. The default is usually C:Program Files (x86)Steam.
- Within the Steam folder, go to steamapps, then common, and then find the ARK folder.
- Continue to navigate through ShooterGame, then Saved, until you locate the desired save folder.
Important Save Files
Inside the SavedArksLocal or SavedArks folder, you will find a collection of files. Some of the most important files to take note of are:
- TheIsland.ark (Or Ragnarok.ark, ScorchedEarth.ark, etc.): This is the main save file for your world. This particular example is specifically for The Island map but the format stays the same for the rest.
- TheIsland.arkprofile: This file contains the information regarding your character.
- Various backup files with names similar to the main save files, often appended with dates and times. These are auto-generated backups that can be used to revert to a previous state.
Backup and Restoration
It’s crucial to regularly back up your ARK save files to prevent any losses. To back up your game, simply copy the contents of your relevant save folder to a different location. To restore from a backup, paste the files back into the original save directory, overwriting the existing files, or deleting the existing ones before doing so.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about ARK Saves
Here are some frequently asked questions to further help you understand the ins and outs of ARK: Survival Evolved saves:
1. Where are my ARK mod files stored?
ARK mod files are typically stored in: [Steam Install Directory]steamappscommonARKShooterGameContentMods.
2. How do I go back to my ARK save?
ARK automatically creates backups. You can find these backups in the SavedArks or SavedArksLocal directory. To restore, replace the main save file with a backup file.
3. How do I manually save my single-player game in ARK?
Use the admin command Saveworld by opening the command console (press L1, R1, Square, Triangle on a controller, or TAB on PC and entering enablecheats, then adminpassword, then the saveworld command.
4. Can I transfer my single-player world to a server?
Yes, you can. Copy all files from your SavedArksLocal folder into the SavedArks folder of your server.
5. Does ARK have cloud saving?
No, ARK does not have cloud saving. You need to manually back up and transfer your saves.
6. How often does ARK auto-save?
Single-player servers auto-save every 15 minutes, though you can manually save more often.
7. Do dedicated servers automatically save in ARK?
Yes, dedicated servers auto-save, and admins can use the command Cheat SaveWorld to manually save.
8. Where do I find my character data?
Your character data is stored in the .arkprofile file within your SavedArksLocal or SavedArks folder.
9. Can I transfer dinosaurs and items between servers?
Yes, but only within the server cluster and from PvE to PvE servers, and PvP to PvP servers. There are also limitations on some creatures.
10. What items cannot be transferred between servers?
Certain creatures like the Chalk Golem, Polar Bear, and Fenrir (outside a cryopod) cannot be transferred.
11. Can I transfer dinos from single-player to a dedicated server?
Yes, upload them at an obelisk in single-player and retrieve them at an obelisk on the server if the server allows downloads.
12. Is ARK better in single-player or multiplayer?
Single-player is great for learning, while multiplayer is ideal for playing with friends and exploring together.
13. Can I turn a single-player ARK game into a multiplayer game?
Yes, by transferring your world to a server as described earlier, effectively turning single player into a multiplayer environment.
14. Does Steam save your save files for games?
Steam can back up some saves to the cloud, but ARK does not use Steam Cloud. You have to manually back up.
15. What are the requirements to run an ARK dedicated server?
At least 8GB of RAM, 20-75GB of disk space, 2 CPU cores and a reliable 100Mbps+ internet connection.
Conclusion
Understanding where your ARK: Survival Evolved save files are stored is essential for any serious player. Knowing how to backup, restore, and transfer these files can save you countless hours of potential lost progress. Armed with this information, you can confidently navigate the world of ARK, knowing your hard-earned progress is secure. Remember to regularly backup your saves and use the information above to ensure your ARK adventures continue smoothly. Happy surviving!