To let only approved accounts join an ARK server, enable exclusive join, add each player’s SteamID64 to the server’s exclusive-join list, and restart the server. Rented servers usually expose the setting as a Whitelist or Enable Exclusive Join checkbox; self-hosted servers use the -exclusivejoin launch parameter. ARK identifies accounts by SteamID64, not by display name.
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What ARK’s whitelist actually does
ARK’s whitelist is an account-level access control. When exclusive join is enabled, the server checks a player’s SteamID64 against a text file containing approved IDs. An account that is not in that file should be refused even if the player knows the server address and password.
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- Exclusive join enabled: the server launch configuration or hosting panel must turn on exclusive-join mode.
- Approved-ID list: the correct player-list file must contain one SteamID64 per line.
Editing the list without enabling exclusive join does not create a whitelist. Enabling the switch while editing the wrong file has the same result: approved players can still be rejected, or unapproved players may still enter. Restart after changing either the setting or the file.
Choose the setup route
| Where your server runs | What you change | Best approach |
|---|---|---|
| Rented game-server panel | A setting labelled Whitelist, Exclusive Join, or Enable Exclusive Join, plus the panel’s player list or file manager | Use the panel control, then confirm which file it edits |
| Your own Windows server | The startup command, shortcut, batch file, service, or script | Append -exclusivejoin to the existing server launch parameters and edit the list file |
| Your own Linux server | The systemd unit, shell script, container command, or other startup configuration | Append -exclusivejoin to the existing launch parameters and edit the list file |
Panel labels and file locations differ between providers and ARK installations. The steps below deliberately include verification points rather than assuming that every host uses the same interface.
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Before you edit anything
- Get administrator or file-manager access to the server.
- Know whether the server is running on Windows or Linux.
- Stop the server before editing files if your host warns that live edits can be overwritten.
- Make a copy of any existing player-list file and the current launch configuration.
- Collect the exact Steam account for every person who should be allowed in. A display name is not sufficient.
Backups matter because a panel save, game update, or mistaken text edit can replace a list. Keep the backup outside the server’s active configuration directory so a restart or reinstall cannot overwrite it.
Method 1: enable the whitelist in a hosting panel
Turn on the panel setting
- Open the server’s configuration or startup-settings page.
- Look for a checkbox or toggle named Whitelist, Exclusive Join, or Enable Exclusive Join.
- Enable it and save the configuration. Some panels apply the launch parameter automatically; others show the generated command so you can confirm that
-exclusivejoinis present.
Do not assume that a panel’s “whitelist” field is the same as an administrator field. Check whether it asks for SteamID64 values and whether it identifies the resulting file. If the panel provides both an access list and a “join-check bypass” list, use the access-list control for a whitelist.
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Add players through the panel or file manager
Hosts implement the list differently. A panel may provide a multiline box, an “add player” button, or a file manager. Enter one SteamID64 on each line, without commas, quotation marks, or the player’s display name. Save the file and restart the server from the panel’s restart control.
If the panel does not explain which file it edits, open the server’s file manager after saving and identify the changed text file. Record its exact name and location. This gives you a way to confirm later that an update or configuration reset has not moved the list.
Method 2: configure a self-hosted server
Append the launch parameter
Find the command, script, shortcut, service definition, or container configuration that starts the ARK server. Append -exclusivejoin as a separate launch argument, preserving all existing map and server parameters. Save the startup configuration and make sure the server is actually started through that configuration; changing an unused shortcut will have no effect.
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After the next start, inspect the server’s startup log if available. A log entry confirming the parsed command line is useful, but the absence of a visible message is not proof that the option failed. The functional test is whether an account absent from the approved list is denied while an account on the list can join.
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Third-party ARK instructions disagree about both the filename and directory, and game updates can change launch or file conventions. Two locations commonly reported for the relevant server binaries are:
| Operating system | Path reported by guides | How to treat it |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | ShooterGameBinariesWin64 |
Use as a search starting point; verify against the files installed on your server |
| Linux | ark/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/ |
Use as a search starting point; verify the actual installation root and filename |
Search the server installation for existing files whose names include “Exclusive,” “Join,” or “NoCheck.” If a file already exists, preserve its extension and capitalization. One community answer specifically says the filename must retain the .txt extension.
Which list file should you use?
Sources use conflicting names, so do not create a file solely because a guide lists it. Confirm the filename that your server build or host’s configuration creates and, where possible, compare it with the panel’s generated settings.
| Filename reported | What the source material associates it with | Safe interpretation |
|---|---|---|
PlayersExclusiveJoinList.txt |
Exclusive-join or whitelist list in hosting guides and a community forum thread | Most directly associated with restricting entry; verify that your installation reads it |
PlayersJoinNoCheckList.txt |
A join-check bypass list in one guide | Not the normal exclusive-join list; it may let listed players skip checks such as slot limits |
AllowPlayerToJoinNoCheck.txt |
An alternative name in one guide | Purpose and support are unclear; do not substitute it without confirmation from your server files or host |
The presence of “NoCheck” is an important warning: a bypass list and an exclusive-join list solve opposite problems. A bypass list can exempt selected accounts from a join check; it does not necessarily deny everyone else.
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Create or edit the confirmed file
- Stop the server if the host recommends doing so before file changes.
- Open the confirmed list file in a plain-text editor. Avoid rich-text editors that insert formatting.
- Put one player’s SteamID64 on each line.
- Remove leading or trailing spaces and do not add commas, labels, comments, or quotes.
- Save as a plain
.txtfile with the original filename. Do not let the editor append a second extension such as.txt.txt. - Start or restart the server.
Keep the list readable: one ID per line makes it easier to audit, remove a former player, and spot a duplicated entry. A duplicate normally adds no access, but it can hide a typo during a quick visual check.
Find each player’s SteamID64
ARK does not whitelist by display name. Names can be changed, reused, or displayed differently across clients, while the SteamID64 remains tied to the Steam account. Obtain the ID from the player’s own profile rather than guessing from a name.
- Have the player open their Steam profile.
- Copy the profile URL, or copy the account identifier shown by the Steam client when profile URLs are enabled.
- Use a SteamID lookup service such as steamid.io to resolve the profile to its SteamID64 value.
- Send the resulting numeric value back to the player for confirmation before adding it.
- Paste the value into the list with no extra characters and one ID per line.
Ask the player to join with the same Steam account whose ID you added. If they switch accounts, family-shared access, or a different launcher identity changes the account presented to the server, the saved ID will not match.
Restart and verify the whitelist
A restart is required after editing the access list. A running process may have already loaded the old list into memory, and a panel may not apply a changed launch parameter until the process is recreated.
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Use a two-account test
- Restart the server after saving the parameter and list.
- Have an approved player connect and confirm normal entry.
- Have a test account whose SteamID64 is not listed attempt to connect.
- Confirm that the unlisted account is refused rather than merely kicked for a separate issue.
- Check the server log and panel status if either result is unexpected.
Testing both sides catches the two most common configuration mistakes: a list that is never read, and a correctly read list containing the wrong account.
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- 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
Troubleshooting by symptom
An approved player is rejected
- Confirm that
-exclusivejoinis still enabled, or that the panel checkbox remains on after saving. - Compare every digit of the saved SteamID64 with the player’s current account. One wrong digit identifies a different account.
- Make sure the player is logged into the Steam account that supplied the ID.
- Check that the ID is in the file the server actually reads, not in a similarly named bypass file.
- Verify that the file still has the
.txtextension and contains plain text with one ID per line. - Restart again after correcting the file.
An unlisted player can still join
- Check the startup command or panel-generated command for
-exclusivejoin. - Confirm that you edited the active server instance, not a backup, staging installation, or old map profile.
- Look for a panel setting that disabled exclusive join during a configuration save.
- Check whether the player is connecting to a different server address or port than the one you changed.
- Inspect similarly named files and remove IDs from any unintended exclusive list, then restart.
The setting disappears after an update or reinstall
Updates can rename launch parameters or files, and a reinstall can restore default configuration. Recheck the current startup command, search the installation for the list file again, and restore your verified backup only after confirming that the filename and directory still match the current server build.
Players can bypass the whitelist through an administrator file
Whitelisting and administration are separate permissions. The file reported for admin access is AllowedCheaterSteamIDs.txt; adding an ID there grants administrator capability and does not, by itself, create ordinary whitelist access. Restrict that file to trusted operators and keep it separate from the exclusive-join list.
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One guide claims that an admin menu contains a Whitelist button that adds a selected player. Its availability is not established for every server setup. Treat the launch parameter and verified text file as the dependable method; use an in-game control only if your own build visibly provides it and you can confirm which file it changes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Exclusive join versus join-check bypass
| Mechanism | Effect | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Exclusive join | Restricts entry to SteamID64 values on the approved list | You want a private server for specific friends, a community roster, or a testing group |
| Join-check bypass list | Lets listed accounts skip particular join checks, such as slot-limit checks, according to the server’s implementation | You need an exception to a check, not a deny-by-default access policy |
AllowedCheaterSteamIDs.txt |
Grants administrator or cheat permissions | You are assigning server operators; it is not a whitelist |
Do not put ordinary friends into an admin or bypass file merely because its name contains “join” or “player.” Use the narrowest mechanism that matches the intended permission.
Maintaining a private ARK server
When someone leaves
Remove that account’s SteamID64 from the exclusive list, save the file, and restart. Removing a display name from a note or community roster has no effect on server access.
When someone changes their Steam name
No whitelist edit is needed if the person keeps the same Steam account. The ID, not the visible name, is the access key. Still ask the player to confirm the account if they report a sudden denial.
When you add several players
Collect and verify all IDs before restarting once. Keep a dated copy of the final list and record which server instance it belongs to. This avoids accidentally restoring an old list to a second map or cluster node.
When you operate multiple maps or instances
Check whether each instance has its own startup configuration and installation directory. Apply the parameter and the correct list to every server that should be private; changing one instance does not prove that another instance uses the same file.
Practical checklist
- Mode: exclusive join is enabled in the active startup command or panel setting.
- Identity: every entry is a verified SteamID64, not a display name.
- File: you edited the confirmed exclusive-join file, retained the
.txtextension, and used one ID per line. - Location: the file belongs to the server instance players actually connect to.
- Restart: the server process was restarted after both configuration and list changes.
- Test: one approved and one unlisted account produced the expected results.
- Permissions: admin IDs remain in
AllowedCheaterSteamIDs.txt, not in the access list unless the account also needs ordinary entry. - Backup: a known-good copy is stored before updates or migrations.
What to expect from imperfect documentation
No single official file-name and path reference was available in the material used for this setup, and community and hosting instructions conflict. That does not change the core procedure, but it does change how you should implement it: verify the active launch parameter, inspect the files created by your own server build, and test with both an approved and an unlisted account. If a guide tells you to use a “NoCheck” file without explaining that it is a bypass mechanism, stop and confirm its purpose before adding IDs.
Following those checks gives you a maintainable whitelist without confusing account access with join-check exceptions or administrator privileges.
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