How to Install and Manage Mods on Your ARK: Survival Ascended Server

Mods are one of the best ways to change how ARK: Survival Ascended plays. Whether you want new creatures, extra quality-of-life features, or a completely different experience, the RiverHosting panel makes it straightforward to add and manage mods without touching any files by hand.

Before you start

• Make sure your server is stopped before making mod changes. This prevents file conflicts and saves from being interrupted.
• You will need the Workshop ID for each mod you want to install. You can find this on the mod's Steam Workshop page. The ID is the long number in the page URL.
• Make sure all players on your server also have the same mods installed through Steam before they try to join, or they may be unable to connect.

1. How to install mods using the Mods page

The RiverHosting panel includes a dedicated Mods page for ARK: Survival Ascended. This is the easiest way to add Workshop mods to your server.

1. Log in to the RiverHosting panel at panel.riverhosting.com.
2. Select your ARK: Survival Ascended server from the server list.
3. In the left-hand menu, click Mods.
4. You will see an area to enter mod details. Enter the Steam Workshop ID for the mod you want to install. You can add multiple mods by entering each ID.
5. Save your changes using the button on the page.
6. Start your server. The server will automatically download and load the mods on startup.

2. How to change the mod load order

When you have multiple mods installed, the order they load in can matter. Some mods need to load before others to work correctly. The Mods page lets you arrange your mods in the right sequence.

1. Go to the Mods page in the left-hand menu.
2. Review the list of mods you have added.
3. Drag mods up or down in the list to set the order you want, or edit the order as provided on the page.
4. Save your changes.
5. Restart your server for the new load order to take effect.

3. How to remove a mod

If you want to remove a mod that is no longer working or that you no longer want, you can do this from the same Mods page.

1. Open the Mods page from the left-hand menu.
2. Find the mod you want to remove in the list.
3. Remove it by deleting its Workshop ID or using the remove button next to it.
4. Save your changes.
5. Restart your server.

4. How to back up your server before making mod changes

It is a good habit to create a backup before installing new mods or removing existing ones. That way, you can roll back if something goes wrong.

1. From the left-hand menu, click Backups.
2. Click the button to create a new backup and wait for it to finish.
3. Once the backup is complete, you can safely make your mod changes.

Troubleshooting

• Mods are not downloading on startup. Make sure you have saved the mod list on the Mods page before starting the server. Check the Console tab for any error messages related to the Workshop download.
• Players cannot connect after adding mods. Players must have the same mods installed through Steam to join a modded server. Share the Workshop IDs with your players and ask them to subscribe to each mod.
• The server crashes after adding a new mod. One of the mods may be incompatible with another, or the mod may not yet support the current version of ARK: Survival Ascended. Check the mod's Workshop page for known issues, and try removing the newly added mod to confirm it is the cause.
• Mod items or structures disappeared after a restart. This can happen if a mod failed to load correctly. Check the Console tab for errors and make sure the mod ID is still listed correctly on the Mods page.
• Mods load in the wrong order. Review the load order on the Mods page and check the mod author's instructions for the recommended sequence.

Need help?

If you run into a problem that you cannot resolve, the RiverHosting support team is happy to help.