How to Manage Worlds and Saves on Your ARK: Survival Ascended Server

Your ARK: Survival Ascended server stores your world progress in save files. Knowing how to manage these files means you can switch maps, protect your progress with backups, and recover quickly if something goes wrong. The RiverHosting panel gives you the tools to do all of this without editing any files by hand.

Before you start

• You need an active ARK: Survival Ascended server on RiverHosting.
• Log in to the panel at panel.riverhosting.com and open your server.
• Stop your server before making any changes to world or save files. This prevents file corruption.

1. How to change the map on your ARK: Survival Ascended server

ARK: Survival Ascended supports several official maps. You can switch between them from the Server Config page in the panel without editing any config files manually.

1. Open your server in the RiverHosting panel.
2. Stop the server using the Stop button at the top of the page.
3. In the left-hand menu, click Server Config.
4. Find the map setting. This is usually labelled something like Map or Map Name.
5. Enter or select the map you want to use. Common official map names include TheIsland_WP, ScorchedEarth_WP, Aberration_WP, and TheCenter_WP.
6. Save your changes.
7. Start the server again. It will load the new map on the next boot.

2. How to find and manage your save files

Your ARK save files are stored inside your server's file system. You can browse, download, and delete them from the File Manager in the panel.

1. Open your server in the panel and make sure it is stopped.
2. In the left-hand menu, click Files to open the File Manager.
3. Navigate to the save folder. ARK: Survival Ascended typically stores saves in a path such as ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/. The exact folder name may vary slightly depending on your setup.
4. Inside this folder you will find .ark save files for each map, along with player profile files.
5. To download a save file for safekeeping, click the three-dot menu next to the file and choose Download.
6. To delete an old or unwanted save file, click the three-dot menu and choose Delete.

3. How to back up your ARK world and saves

The RiverHosting panel includes a built-in backup system that creates a full snapshot of your server, including all save files. This is the safest way to protect your progress.

1. Open your server in the panel.
2. In the left-hand menu, click Backups.
3. Click Create Backup. Give it a name so you can recognise it later, such as Before map switch or Week 3 progress.
4. Wait for the backup to complete. The status will update when it is ready.
5. Your backup will appear in the list. You can download it to keep a local copy, or leave it stored on the panel.

4. How to restore a world from a backup

If something goes wrong, you can roll back your server to an earlier backup in just a few clicks.

1. Open your server in the panel and stop it.
2. In the left-hand menu, click Backups.
3. Find the backup you want to restore and click the three-dot menu next to it.
4. Choose Restore.
5. Confirm the restore when prompted. The panel will replace your current server files with the files from that backup.
6. Start your server again once the restore is complete.

5. How to use the Saves page in the panel

ARK: Survival Ascended has a dedicated Saves page in the left-hand menu. This page gives you a quick way to view and manage your saved worlds directly without browsing through the File Manager.

1. Open your server in the panel.
2. In the left-hand menu, click Saves.
3. You will see a list of save files associated with your server.
4. From here you can review which saves exist and take action on them as needed.

Troubleshooting

• The server loads the wrong map after switching. Double-check the map name you entered in Server Config. Map names for ARK: Survival Ascended use the _WP suffix (for example TheIsland_WP). A typo will cause the server to fall back to a default.
• My save file is missing after a map change. The save file is still there under the original map's name. Use the File Manager to browse the SavedArks folder and confirm the file exists.
• The server is not saving progress. Make sure the server has enough time to save before you stop it. Use the Console to send a save command (such as saveworld) before stopping, or enable auto-save in Server Config if the option is available.
• I cannot find the save folder in the File Manager. The folder structure may differ slightly depending on how your server was set up. Try searching for files ending in .ark using the File Manager search, or contact support for help locating the correct path.
• My backup is taking a long time. Backups on larger servers with lots of save data can take a few minutes. Leave the panel open and wait for the status to change to complete before starting the server again.

Need help?

If you run into an issue that is not covered here, the RiverHosting support team is happy to help.