To broadcast an announcement to every player on an ARK: Survival Evolved server, connect through RCON and send broadcast Your message here. The command produces a large on-screen overlay. RCON is authenticated with the server’s admin password, so do not add the admincheat prefix. For a quieter announcement that appears in ordinary chat, use serverchat Your message here.
Playing with friends? Godlike.Host runs hosted ARK: Survival Evolved servers from 10 data-center locations, with free DDoS protection.
Choose the right ARK announcement command
ARK: Survival Evolved has separate commands for a prominent server-wide alert, a normal chat announcement, and a private message. All three can be sent through an authenticated RCON connection.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
ARK: Survival Evolved (PS4) | $19.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
ARK: Survival Evolved - Xbox One | $23.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
ARK: Survival Evolved (Nintendo Switch) | $35.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
ARK: Survival Evolved - Xbox One (Renewed) | $21.17 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
ARK Survival Evolved Definitive Complete Guide & Walkthrough (Latest Update 2025) All Strategies,... | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches| Command | Who sees it | Where it appears | Best use | Intrusiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
broadcast <message> |
Every connected player | Large on-screen overlay | Restart warnings, emergency maintenance, rule or event notices | High |
serverchat <message> |
Every connected player | In-game chat | Routine reminders and less disruptive updates | Low |
serverchatto "<Steam64ID>" <message> |
One player identified by Steam64 ID | Private in-game chat message | Direct moderation or support messages | Low for everyone else |
The examples above apply to ARK: Survival Evolved. Guides for ARK: Survival Ascended often show the same command names, but server-manager software, mods, and version behavior can differ. Confirm the game edition before copying a configuration or troubleshooting step.
What you need before sending a broadcast
- An ARK: Survival Evolved server you administer.
- RCON enabled in
GameUserSettings.iniunder the[ServerSettings]section. - A value for
ServerAdminPassword. This password is also used to authenticate RCON. - The server’s RCON connection details and a Source-compatible RCON client, unless your host supplies a web console.
- A server restart after changing the configuration. RCON settings do not take effect while the old server process is still running.
RCON is a remote administration channel, not the same thing as typing a cheat command into the in-game console. Once the RCON client has authenticated with the admin password, it sends the server command directly. That is why the command should be written as broadcast Maintenance begins in 10 minutes, not admincheat broadcast Maintenance begins in 10 minutes.
#1 Best Overall
- Use cunning strategy and tactics to tame, train, ride and breed the 100+ dinosaurs and other primeval creatures roaming the dynamic, persistent ecosystems across land, sea, air, and even underground Build your character's strengths and gain items, skills, and pet creatures using in-depth role-playing systems
- Start a tribe with hundreds of other players to survive and dominate competing tribes...and ultimately discover ARK's true purpose
- Build a fire or shelter, then craft customizable clothing & armors to help protect against damage and extreme temperatures on your way to unlocking advanced technologies and equipment
- Chop down trees and mine metal and other precious resources to build massive multi-leveled structures composed of complex snap-linked parts
Enable RCON in GameUserSettings.ini
1. Stop the server or use its configuration editor
Use your host’s normal stop or configuration workflow before editing the file. Editing a live configuration can be overwritten when the service saves its current settings, and the change will not become active until the server restarts.
2. Open the server settings section
Find GameUserSettings.ini and locate the [ServerSettings] section. The exact file editor differs between self-hosted installations and game-host control panels, but the setting belongs in this section.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →3. Set the administrator password
Add or update the ServerAdminPassword entry with a strong password that is used only for server administration. Keep the spelling and capitalization of the setting exactly as shown by the server configuration format. This value functions as the RCON password.
4. Save and restart
Save the file, start the server again, and wait until it has finished loading. A restart is required for the RCON configuration and password change to apply.
5. Record the connection details securely
Your RCON client needs the server address, the RCON port supplied by your host or installation, and the ServerAdminPassword. Do not publish the password in a Discord channel, screenshot, tutorial, or shared control-panel note. Anyone who obtains it may be able to issue administrative commands.
Rank #2
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety, and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
Send a server-wide overlay with RCON
Using a desktop RCON client
- Install or open a Source-compatible RCON client.
- Create a connection for the ARK server using the address, RCON port, and the value of
ServerAdminPassword. - Connect and wait for the client to report a successful authentication.
- Enter the bare command, including the message:
broadcast The server will restart in 10 minutes. Please return to a safe location. - Send the command and verify that a player sees the large overlay.
Do not type a leading slash unless your particular client explicitly requires one. The ARK command itself is broadcast followed by a space and the text to display. A harmless test such as broadcast Test announcement is useful immediately after setup; remove it from production procedures once you have confirmed delivery.
Using a host control panel
Some hosting panels provide their own RCON console instead of requiring a separate application. One documented panel workflow exposes a Panel RCON button after the relevant mod has been installed through the panel’s mod manager. The panel asks for the admin password and the command, then sends it to the server.
- Install the panel’s required RCON component or mod through its mod manager, if the panel requires one.
- Restart the ARK server so the component is loaded.
- Open Panel RCON.
- Enter the same administrator password stored as
ServerAdminPassword. - Submit
broadcast <message>withoutadmincheat. - Check with a connected player that the overlay appeared.
Panel labels and installation requirements are host-specific. If the button is missing, check whether the host requires the mod, a separate RCON toggle, or a full restart before the panel exposes the console.
Use serverchat for a less disruptive notice
broadcast is intentionally conspicuous: it places a large message over the game view. For ordinary status updates, send serverchat instead:
serverchat The new event starts at 20:00 UTC. Check the rules channel for details.
Rank #3
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game. Run too far and not only will you be exhausted, but you will also quickly get hungry and thirsty. Weather effects are based on real-world climates, and so you'll need to hide out from rain and snow, while making the most of sunny days
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Gather Resources, Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes and style of everything from the walls of your home, to your character's armor, weapons and more
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout. Make your way to the final boss and figure out why you've been dropped into this Jurassic-era experience
This posts the text to everyone’s in-game chat rather than covering the screen. It is usually a better choice for repeated reminders, welcome messages, event schedules, and non-urgent information. The same RCON setup and authentication rules apply, including the instruction to omit admincheat.
Message one player privately
Use serverchatto when an announcement is intended for one person rather than the entire server:
serverchatto "Steam64ID" Please move your tames away from the blocked area.
Replace Steam64ID with the player’s Steam 64-bit identifier. Keep the identifier in quotation marks as shown, then place the message after it. This sends a private server chat message and avoids exposing a moderation note to every connected player. The command still goes through RCON as a bare command.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Schedule recurring announcements
If you need the same message at regular intervals, use the scheduling feature provided by your host rather than manually reconnecting to RCON. Some hosts expose a Scheduled Tasks tool that can run an RCON command on a recurring timetable.
Rank #4
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety, and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
Plan the task
- Choose whether the message requires a full overlay (
broadcast) or ordinary chat (serverchat). - Set a schedule that matches the server’s time zone and restart window.
- Leave enough time between repeated notices that players can read them without feeling spammed.
- Use a different warning interval for an approaching restart, such as an earlier chat reminder followed by a final overlay.
Create and test it
- Open the host’s Scheduled Tasks area.
- Create a task that targets the ARK server’s RCON command function.
- Enter the complete command, for example
serverchat Automated reminder: save your progress before the scheduled restart. - Save the task and run it once manually, if the panel offers a test or run-now action.
- Confirm delivery in-game before enabling the recurring schedule.
Do not assume a task created for one server or one game edition can be copied unchanged to another. Verify the destination, command text, time zone, and whether the panel stores the RCON password separately.
Browser-based RCON options
Web-based RCON services for ARK: Survival Evolved can send the same commands from a browser. They are useful when you need to issue an announcement from a phone or a computer that does not have a desktop client. The service still needs valid RCON connection details and the administrator password.
Before using a browser console, check who can access the account, whether the service stores credentials, and whether it offers audit logs or role-based access. Treat a web RCON account as an administrative credential, not as a public chat tool. If a service cannot clearly explain how it protects the password, use your host’s built-in console or a trusted local RCON client instead.
Broadcast versus serverchat: a practical decision guide
| Situation | Recommended command | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency maintenance or imminent restart | broadcast |
The overlay is difficult to miss while players are moving or fighting. |
| Routine event reminder | serverchat |
The notice remains visible in chat without interrupting gameplay. |
| Rule reminder to everyone | serverchat, or a single broadcast for a major rule change |
Match the visibility to the consequence of missing the information. |
| Private moderation or support | serverchatto |
Only the identified player receives the message. |
| Recurring automated status | serverchat through a scheduled task |
Frequent overlays can become disruptive and be ignored. |
Troubleshoot a failed broadcast
The RCON client cannot connect
- Confirm that the server has been restarted since RCON was enabled or the password changed.
- Check the address and RCON port supplied by the host. Do not substitute the ordinary game connection port unless the host explicitly uses the same value.
- Re-enter the exact
ServerAdminPasswordand check for accidental spaces. - Verify that the setting is in
GameUserSettings.iniunder[ServerSettings], not in an unrelated configuration file. - Check whether a firewall, hosting rule, or network policy blocks the RCON port.
The client connects but the command is rejected
- Send
broadcast Test announcementexactly as a bare RCON command. - Remove
admincheat; RCON authentication already supplies the administrative context. - Check that you selected the ARK: Survival Evolved server and not an ARK: Survival Ascended instance or another game profile.
- Try a short message without unusual punctuation to rule out a client’s input or quoting problem.
The command succeeds but players see nothing
- Ask a connected player to confirm whether a brief overlay appeared and disappeared quickly.
- Test
serverchat Test chat messageto distinguish an overlay-display issue from a general command issue. - Confirm that the recipients are connected to the same server instance and that the RCON client is not connected to a similarly named server.
- Check the host panel or server log for a command response, if available.
Only some players receive the notice
A broadcast is delivered to players connected at the time it is sent. Players who connect later will not automatically see an earlier overlay. For scheduled maintenance, send a second notice after the server is available again or use a persistent information channel in addition to the in-game message.
Security and operational precautions
- Use a unique, high-entropy administrator password and limit access to the RCON client or panel account.
- Never paste the password into the message field, a public chat, or a shared screenshot.
- Prefer
serverchatfor frequent notices so important overlays retain their urgency. - Keep messages concise. Include the action players must take and the relevant time, rather than a long paragraph.
- Test with a harmless message after setup or after changing hosts, mods, or configuration.
- Record who has permission to send announcements so players can distinguish legitimate administration from impersonation.
Examples you can adapt
Restart warning
broadcast Server restart in 15 minutes. Secure your character, dinos, and valuables now.
Final restart warning
broadcast Restart begins in 2 minutes. Log out in a safe location.
Routine event reminder
serverchat Weekend event starts at 18:00 UTC. Check the event rules before joining.
Recommended Free Tools
Post-maintenance notice
serverchat The server is back online. Report connection or rollback problems to an administrator.
Private moderation message
serverchatto "76561198000000000" Please contact an administrator before re-entering the restricted area.
Replace the example Steam64 ID with the actual player identifier; the number shown above is only a formatting example.
Important version boundary: Evolved and Ascended
Search results and administrator cheat sheets frequently combine ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Survival Ascended. Both editions may show broadcast and serverchat, but that similarity does not establish that every host panel, mod, configuration path, or command response is identical. This guide is specifically for ARK: Survival Evolved.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →When a command behaves differently from the examples here, first verify the game edition, server software, mod set, and host documentation. Then send a harmless test message before attempting a maintenance announcement. That check prevents a copied Ascended instruction or a panel-specific shortcut from being mistaken for an Evolved server failure.
Quick Recap
Quick checklist
- Confirm the server is ARK: Survival Evolved.
- Enable RCON in
GameUserSettings.iniunder[ServerSettings]. - Set and protect
ServerAdminPassword. - Restart the server.
- Connect with a Source-compatible RCON client or the host’s RCON panel.
- Send
broadcast <message>for a large overlay. - Use
serverchat <message>for a normal chat announcement. - Use
serverchatto "<Steam64ID>" <message>for one player. - Do not prepend
admincheatto an RCON command. - Test once with a harmless message and confirm that a connected player received it.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
