ARK: Survival Evolved does not provide a universal, documented “delete this one player” command. To stop an individual account from joining, authenticate as an administrator, identify the account with ListPlayers, then use BanPlayer or remove the account from your whitelist with DisallowPlayerToJoinNoCheck. Use UnbanPlayer to reverse a ban. Do not use tribe-destruction commands when your goal is to remove only one person: those commands affect every player in a tribe.
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What “delete a player” means in ARK
Server owners use “delete” to describe several different outcomes. Those outcomes have very different scopes and risks:
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- Stop an account joining: add it to the server’s banned list with
BanPlayer. - Prevent a whitelisted account from joining: remove it from the whitelist with
DisallowPlayerToJoinNoCheck. - End a current session: a kick is temporary and does not create a permanent ban. The command references supplied for this procedure document ban, whitelist removal, and unban; they do not establish a universal “delete player” command.
- Destroy players and tribe ownership: commands such as
DestroyTribeIdPlayersandDestroyTribePlayershave tribe-wide effects and are not individual-removal tools.
The documented individual access controls are therefore bans and whitelist changes, not a single command that erases one survivor, account, or all of that player’s in-game history. Choose the narrowest action that solves the problem.
What you need before running a command
- Administrator access to the ARK dedicated server.
- The server’s administrator password.
- Access to the in-game administration console on the platform where you operate the server.
- The target account’s identifier. If the player is online, their name may be visible, but
ListPlayersis the reliable way to obtain the account identifier used by the server. - A clear decision about whether the action should be reversible. A ban can be undone with
UnbanPlayer; tribe destruction is destructive and is not an equivalent access-control action.
Make sure you are connected to the correct server before entering commands. A command entered on another ARK instance will affect that instance’s player lists, not the server you intended to administer.
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Step 1: Authenticate as a server administrator
Dedicated-server sequence
Open ARK’s in-game console while connected to the dedicated server. Log in with the server administrator password, then enable cheats before issuing administration commands. On a dedicated server, the documented sequence requires enablecheats before other commands are accepted.
- Join the server with an account that has administrative permission.
- Open the in-game console using the key or controller shortcut configured for your platform.
- Enter
enablecheats <server-admin-password>, replacing the angle-bracketed value with the server’s administrator password. - Wait for the console to accept the command before entering
ListPlayers,BanPlayer, or another administration command.
If the console reports that you are not authorized, stop and correct authentication first. Repeating a ban command without administrator access will not change the server’s banned list.
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Player-management commands change who can access the server. ARK’s administration guide treats administrator authentication and cheat enablement as prerequisites, so a correctly spelled command can still fail when the session has not been authenticated.
Step 2: Find the correct account with ListPlayers
Run:
ListPlayers
The official command reference describes ListPlayers as a way to obtain the player’s Int64-encoded Steam ID. Copy the identifier exactly as it appears. Do not rely on a display name when several people use similar names, and do not remove punctuation or leading digits from the output.
Recognize the identifier format
| Platform or account type | Identifier detail | Practical instruction |
|---|---|---|
| Steam | Typically a 17-digit Steam ID; ListPlayers can provide the Int64-encoded value. |
Copy the complete numeric value and use it in the command. |
| Epic | Epic account IDs are typically 19 digits. | Use the complete account ID returned or otherwise associated with the server account; do not shorten it to a Steam-length value. |
| Xbox or PlayStation | The command reference shows a name-based form for BanPlayer. |
Use the exact platform name form shown by the server, such as cheat BanPlayer myname84937593. |
These lengths are useful checks, not permission to guess an ID. If the output does not clearly identify the intended player, resolve the identity before banning. A mistaken identifier can block the wrong account.
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Step 3: Pick the least-broad action
| Goal | Command | Scope | Persistence | Reversal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Block one account from joining | cheat BanPlayer <SteamID-or-account-ID> |
One specified account | Persists through the server’s banned list | cheat UnbanPlayer <SteamID-or-account-ID> |
| Remove one account from the whitelist | cheat DisallowPlayerToJoinNoCheck <SteamID-or-account-ID> |
One specified account’s whitelist access | Removes that account from the whitelist | Restore whitelist access using the server’s normal allow-list process; the supplied command definition does not specify a matching re-add command. |
| End access without changing tribe data | Use a temporary session action if your server administration setup provides one; the documented references here do not establish a universal kick syntax. | Current session only | Temporary rather than a banned-list entry | The player can reconnect unless another access control blocks them. |
| Destroy every player in a tribe | DestroyTribeIdPlayers or DestroyTribePlayers |
Entire tribe or all players associated with the targeted tribe | Destructive game-state change | Not an equivalent of an unban; do not use for ordinary moderation. |
The table’s key distinction is access versus destruction. A ban changes whether an account can join. Tribe commands change game entities for multiple players and should be treated as an emergency destructive operation, not as a stronger version of a ban.
Ban an individual player permanently until you undo it
Command
After authentication and identification, enter:
cheat BanPlayer <SteamID-or-account-ID>
Replace the placeholder with the exact identifier from ListPlayers. The official definition of BanPlayer is to add the specified player to the server’s banned list. On Xbox and PlayStation, the command reference shows a name-based form, for example:
cheat BanPlayer myname84937593
Use the exact account or name format supported by your platform and server build. Do not combine a 17-digit Steam ID assumption with an Epic or console account.
When a ban is appropriate
- The player must not be allowed to reconnect after disconnecting.
- You need a persistent access decision rather than a one-session removal.
- You have verified the account identity and are prepared to reverse the decision if necessary.
A ban is narrower than tribe destruction because it targets the specified account’s server access. It does not make a tribe-wide command appropriate, even when the player owns structures or is a tribe leader.
Remove an account from the whitelist
Command
For a server that uses a whitelist, run:
cheat DisallowPlayerToJoinNoCheck <SteamID-or-account-ID>
The command reference defines this operation as removing the specified player from the server whitelist. Use the account identifier, not a similarly spelled display name, when the server output provides one.
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Ban versus whitelist removal
These controls solve different administrative problems. A ban places the account on the banned list. Whitelist removal takes the account off the list of players allowed to join without the command itself being described as a ban. If your server is not enforcing a whitelist, removing an account from a whitelist will not substitute for a ban; use the access mechanism your server actually uses.
Keep a record of which control you changed. If a player later cannot connect, knowing whether the account is banned or merely no longer whitelisted determines the correct recovery step.
Undo a ban safely
Command
To remove an account from the banned list, run:
cheat UnbanPlayer <SteamID-or-account-ID>
The official definition of UnbanPlayer is to remove the specified player from the server’s banned list. Use the same account identifier format used when the ban was applied. If the original action used an Epic account ID, do not substitute a guessed Steam ID; if it used a console name form, follow the platform’s supported form.
Verify the correction
- Run
ListPlayersif you need to confirm the identifier again. - Enter
cheat UnbanPlayer <SteamID-or-account-ID>. - Have the player attempt to reconnect only after the console accepts the command.
- If access is still denied, check whether a separate whitelist rule is preventing the account from joining.
Unbanning reverses banned-list membership; it does not automatically restore whitelist membership or undo any unrelated tribe or game-state change.
How to remove an offline player
An offline player cannot be selected from the current world as a live target, but offline status does not prevent account-based access control. Use the account identifier rather than waiting for the player to reconnect.
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- Authenticate with
enablecheats. - Use the server’s player information and prior administrative records to identify the correct Steam, Epic, or platform account.
- Run
ListPlayerswhen the account appears in the server’s listing or when you need to confirm the identifier format. - Apply
BanPlayerfor persistent denial, orDisallowPlayerToJoinNoCheckwhen the intended action is whitelist removal. - Record the command, identifier, date, and reason in your server’s moderation log.
Do not substitute a tribe-wide destruction command simply because the target is offline. Offline status changes how you identify the account; it does not expand the proper scope of the action.
Why tribe-destruction commands are the wrong solution
DestroyTribeIdPlayers
The command reference describes DestroyTribeIdPlayers as destroying all players in a specified tribe. That is inherently broader than removing one account’s ability to join.
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DestroyTribePlayers destroys all players of a tribe based on the targeted tribe or player owner. It is likewise a tribe-level operation, not an individual moderation command.
Consequences of choosing the broad command
- Players other than the intended target can be affected.
- The command changes game state rather than simply changing server access.
- It cannot be treated as a reversible ban;
UnbanPlayerdoes not restore destroyed tribe data. - A mistaken target can create a larger incident than the original moderation problem.
If your actual goal is to remove a person from a tribe, reclaim structures, or erase a survivor, that is a different game-state task from deleting a server account. Confirm the intended outcome before running any destructive command.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting command failures
“Unknown command” or no visible effect
- Confirm that the console is open on the dedicated server you intend to manage.
- Run
enablecheatswith the correct administrator password before other commands. - Check spelling and capitalization. Commands such as
DisallowPlayerToJoinNoCheckare easy to mistype. - Make sure the placeholder was replaced with a real identifier and that angle brackets were not entered literally.
The player can still join after a ban
- Verify that you banned the correct account, not another player with a similar display name.
- Run
ListPlayersand compare the complete identifier, including all digits. - Check whether the player is using a different platform account. Steam and Epic identifiers have different typical lengths, and console administration may use a name form.
- Confirm that the command was executed on the server where the player is attempting to connect.
An innocent player was blocked
- Identify the blocked account precisely.
- Run
cheat UnbanPlayer <SteamID-or-account-ID>using that same identifier. - If the server uses a whitelist, restore the account through the server’s allow-list process.
- Test access before taking any further action.
The player is offline and cannot be found
Use saved administrative records, prior ListPlayers output, or the account information associated with the server. Do not guess from a name. If you cannot establish the account identifier confidently, delaying the action is safer than banning the wrong person.
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Practical decision examples
Example: a repeat rule violator who has logged off
Authenticate, identify the account, and apply cheat BanPlayer <SteamID-or-account-ID>. This blocks reconnection through the banned list and can later be reversed with UnbanPlayer if the decision changes.
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Use cheat DisallowPlayerToJoinNoCheck <SteamID-or-account-ID>. This removes the account from the whitelist rather than treating the case as a ban. Document the change so another administrator knows why the account is no longer permitted.
Example: a temporary removal during an investigation
A session-only kick may be appropriate when you do not yet want a persistent banned-list entry. Because the supplied command definitions do not establish one universal kick syntax across platforms, use the administration interface and command form documented for your server version. Do not escalate to tribe destruction merely because a temporary action is inconvenient.
Example: a player asks to return after a mistaken ban
Confirm the account identifier, run cheat UnbanPlayer <SteamID-or-account-ID>, then check for an independent whitelist restriction. Unbanning addresses the banned list only.
Administrator checklist
- Am I connected to the correct dedicated server?
- Have I authenticated with the administrator password?
- Did I enable cheats before issuing the management command?
- Did I identify the account with
ListPlayersor a reliable prior record? - Is the identifier appropriate for Steam, Epic, Xbox, or PlayStation?
- Do I need a persistent ban, whitelist removal, or only a temporary session action?
- Have I avoided
DestroyTribeIdPlayersandDestroyTribePlayersunless I intentionally want a tribe-wide destructive effect? - Have I logged the command and identifier so another administrator can reverse or audit it?
Command quick reference
| Command | Use it for | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
ListPlayers |
Finding the player listing and account identifier. | Copy the complete ID; Steam and Epic formats differ. |
cheat BanPlayer <SteamID-or-account-ID> |
Adding one account to the banned list. | Verify identity before applying a persistent access restriction. |
cheat DisallowPlayerToJoinNoCheck <SteamID-or-account-ID> |
Removing one account from the whitelist. | This is whitelist removal, not a universal ban replacement. |
cheat UnbanPlayer <SteamID-or-account-ID> |
Removing one account from the banned list. | It does not restore whitelist membership or undo destructive commands. |
DestroyTribeIdPlayers |
Destroying all players in a specified tribe. | Too broad for individual moderation. |
DestroyTribePlayers |
Destroying all players associated with a targeted tribe or player owner. | Destructive and not equivalent to deleting server access. |
The safe default
For an individual account, authenticate first, run ListPlayers to obtain the correct identifier, and use BanPlayer when you need persistent denial of access. Use DisallowPlayerToJoinNoCheck when the intended change is whitelist membership, and UnbanPlayer when reversing a ban. Reserve tribe-destruction commands for a deliberately tribe-wide operation, never as a shortcut for removing one player.
Quick Recap
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