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To move an Official ARK: Survival Ascended world to a server you control, import the exported save files rather than using an in-game transfer. Download and extract the Official export first, keep an untouched rollback copy, stop the destination server, then place the map .ark, player .arkprofile, and tribe .arktribe data in the destination map folder. Rename the world file to the map name expected by the server before restarting it. Steam PC imports also require renaming LocalPlayer.arkprofile so its filename begins with the player’s OSS ID.
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CrossARK transfers are a different tool: they move selected characters, creatures, and items through in-game towers between linked servers, but they do not recreate a complete Official world with its structures and tribe state.
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Decide which kind of transfer you need
There are two distinct migration methods. Choose before you alter any files, because they preserve different parts of your progress.
| Capability | Complete save-file import | In-game CrossARK transfer |
|---|---|---|
| What moves | The exported map, survivor data, tribe data, structures, tames, and the other state stored in the world save. | Selected survivor, creature, and item data uploaded and downloaded through the game’s transfer interface. |
| World and structures | Preserved when the correct map and associated files load. | Not recreated; the destination world remains a separate save. |
| How it works | Files are copied into the destination server’s save directory while the server is stopped. | Use an in-game map tower or obelisk on linked servers. |
| Access required | Access to the Official export and the destination server’s file browser or FTP connection. | Access to both game servers and a platform-supported CrossARK route. |
| Rollback | Possible if you preserve the original export and a destination-server backup. | Not a reversible snapshot of the original world; uploaded items or characters can be subject to the game’s transfer rules. |
| Best use | Continuing an Official world on a private, self-hosted, or managed server. | Moving only a survivor, selected tames, or items when a full save export is unavailable. |
If your goal is to keep your base, tribe, and existing map exactly as they were, use the file import procedure below. If you only need a character or a few possessions, CrossARK may be sufficient, particularly on consoles or in situations where you cannot obtain the complete save.
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- ARK: Survival Ascended has completely recreated and redesigned the artwork and worlds of ARK to take advantage of the latest in videogame technology, Unreal Engine 5, using high-end graphics features such as fully dynamic Global Illumination (“Lumen”), so that light bounces realistically of off surfaces and provides realistic reflections, and advanced mesh streaming (“Nanite”) of hundreds of millions of triangles for extreme detail.
- Advanced new physics systems such as dynamic water so that every creature creates waves, ripples, splashes, and bubbles as they move through fluids, and fully interactive physical foliage where every blade of grass, bush, and tree reacts to characters, explosions, projectiles, and physics objects.
- ARK: Survival Ascended includes access to all of ARK’s worlds, including Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, ARK Genesis Part 1, ARK Genesis Part 2, and more. The Island is released now, with the subsequent expansion worlds to be added at no additional cost on a regular basis.
- Thorough Quality of Life revamps in every area: redesigned User Interfaces, dynamic navigation for intelligent creature pathfinding, Wild Babies, Photo Mode, new Camera systems, new Map system, Tracking System, new Structures and Items, new Creatures, and much more.
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Prepare a safe migration workspace
Do all preparation away from the live destination server. A failed import is much easier to fix when the original files still exist in two independent locations.
- Create a working folder on your computer and a second, untouched copy on removable storage or another physical drive. A USB flash drive for ARK save backups is suitable for this rollback copy if it has enough free space and is safely ejected after copying.
- Confirm that your destination server supports the same platform and map type as the export. A Steam PC save, for example, should not be assumed to load on a console server, and a custom map may use a different filename from the standard maps.
- Record the destination map currently selected in the server control panel. You will need its exact save-folder and world-file name.
- Plan maintenance time. The server must remain stopped while its save is replaced, and the first boot can take longer while the imported world is read.
Do not delete the destination save while you are still identifying files. The destination’s existing save is your second recovery option after the untouched Official export.
1. Obtain and extract the Official ASA export
Download the Official save export made available by Studio Wildcard or by the hosting provider that supplied it. Availability and download procedures can change, so verify that the export is still offered for your network and platform rather than relying on the historical announcement alone. Studio Wildcard previously described these Official Network save games as a way for players to host their own server and continue their progress; that announcement is historical context, not a promise that every Official world can still be downloaded today.
- Save the archive to your computer without opening or replacing any destination-server files.
- Extract it into the working folder. Do not edit files inside the original compressed archive.
- Look for a map-world file ending in
.arkand player and tribe data ending in.arkprofileand.arktribe, or folders that contain those files. - Make a second copy of the extracted folder and mark it as read-only or otherwise untouched. Perform renaming and staging only on the working copy.
The export may use an Official server identifier in the world filename, such as OfficialServer1234.ark. That is normal; the destination server generally expects the map’s standard filename, which you will set later.
Know what each save file contains
Correctly identifying the files prevents the most common partial-import mistakes.
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| File or folder | Role in the migration | What happens if it is missing |
|---|---|---|
.ark world file |
Map state: terrain state, placed structures, wild and tamed creatures, and the world data associated with that map. | The server may create a new world, fail to load, or show a map without your Official progress. |
.arkprofile |
Player or survivor data. | Your survivor may not appear even though the world file loads. |
.arktribe |
Tribe membership and tribe information. | Tribe ownership and related data may be absent or disconnected from the survivor and structures. |
| Containing player/tribe folders | Some exports package the profile and tribe files inside folders rather than at the top level. | Uploading only the visible top-level file can omit the actual data; preserve the supplied folder structure when the server instructions require it. |
Do not rename the profile or tribe files casually. The one deliberate profile rename described for Steam PC is the LocalPlayer.arkprofile adjustment in the next section.
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2. Stage a Steam PC import
Nitrado’s Steam PC instructions identify the local save location as ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArksLocal. Use that path as a reference when preparing a Steam export, while following the destination provider’s current directory layout.
- Copy the extracted map save, player profile, and tribe file into a staging folder. Work from the copy, not the untouched backup.
- Find the file named
LocalPlayer.arkprofile. - Rename that file so the filename begins with the player’s OSS ID, while retaining the
.arkprofileextension. The OSS ID must be the identifier used by the destination’s Steam/ASA save system; do not substitute a display name. - Keep the renamed profile beside the matching world and tribe data for upload.
The profile rename is specific to this Steam PC import pattern. If you are importing a different platform’s export, or if the provider gives platform-specific naming instructions, follow those instructions instead of applying the Steam filename.
If you do not know the correct OSS ID, stop before uploading. Check the destination host’s current ASA file instructions or support channel for the identifier format; guessing can make the survivor appear missing even when the world itself loads.
3. Stop the destination server and create a rollback point
Never replace a live save. Stop the server completely through its control panel and wait until its status confirms that the process has exited.
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- Advanced new physical systems such as dynamic water and fully interactive physical leaves
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- Public online mode for up to 70 players, private multiplayer mode for up to 8 players + local split screen for 2 players
- Use the provider’s restore-point function, if available, or download the existing destination save files before replacement.
- Label that backup with the date, map, and server name so you can distinguish it from the Official export.
- Verify that the backup contains the current world and any associated player or tribe data before proceeding.
- Only after the backup is confirmed should you remove or rename the destination’s default world files.
Nitrado’s warning is explicit: “We recommend backing up your server before you delete the default save.” Treat that as a recovery requirement, not an optional precaution. If the control panel offers both a restore point and file download, using both gives you two recovery paths.
4. Upload the files into the destination map folder
Open the server’s File Browser or connect with FTP while the server remains stopped. In the Nitrado layout described by the transfer guide, the relevant root is /arksa/ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks.
- Navigate to
/arksa/ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks. - Open the folder for the selected map, such as
TheIsland_WP. Do not upload the files one level above the map folder. - Confirm that your destination backup exists, then remove or rename the default world file. Keeping a renamed copy temporarily can make visual comparison easier.
- Upload the Official
.arkworld file, the correctly named.arkprofile, and the.arktribefile. If the export supplies player or tribe folders, upload those folders in the structure expected by the provider. - Wait for every upload to finish. A partially transferred world file is not a usable backup and can prevent startup.
File Browser and FTP present the same underlying save location; use whichever your host supports. If the path or folder names differ on a self-hosted installation, locate the equivalent ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks directory for the selected map rather than creating a second, similarly named folder.
5. Rename the world to the server’s expected map filename
The server usually does not boot an Official export under its original server-number filename. Rename the uploaded world file on the destination to the standard name for the selected map, preserving the .ark extension.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Map | Expected world filename example |
|---|---|
| The Island | TheIsland_WP.ark |
| The Center | TheCenter_WP.ark |
| Scorched Earth | ScorchedEarth_WP.ark |
| Other or custom map | Not stated in the available instructions; check the exact map name used by the destination server before startup. |
Use the spelling, capitalization, underscores, and suffix expected by the destination configuration. Renaming only the extension, adding a second extension such as .ark.ark, or placing the file in a different map folder can make the server generate a fresh world instead of opening the import.
6. Start the server and verify the migration
- Start the server from the control panel and allow the initial load to complete. Do not repeatedly restart it while the save is still being processed.
- Join the server using the same map selection and platform for which the files were prepared.
- Check the map identity first. A newly generated landscape indicates a folder, filename, or map-selection problem rather than a missing survivor profile.
- Locate the imported survivor and confirm the profile loads with the expected level and inventory.
- Check tribe membership, a known structure, and at least one known tame. These checks distinguish a complete import from a world-only or profile-only upload.
- Leave the server running only after these checks succeed, then create a fresh backup of the working imported state.
Keep the original export and the pre-import destination backup until you have played long enough to be confident that structures, tribe ownership, and tames behave correctly.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a world that will not load
When startup fails or the server opens a blank map, stop the server before changing more files. Work through these branches in order.
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- Confirm that the world file is inside the selected map folder under
SavedArks, not directly inShooterGame/Saved. - Check that the filename exactly matches the destination’s expected map name, including suffix and capitalization.
- Verify that the control panel is launching the same map whose folder contains the uploaded file.
The map loads but the survivor is missing
- Confirm that the
.arkprofileuploaded successfully beside the world data. - For Steam PC, verify that
LocalPlayer.arkprofilewas renamed with the correct OSS ID and still ends in.arkprofile. - Check that the profile and world came from the same export; mixing files from different saves can produce an apparently empty survivor.
The survivor appears but tribe or structures are absent
- Confirm that the matching
.arktribefile or supplied tribe folder was uploaded. - Check that the upload preserved the provider’s required folder structure and did not place the tribe file in a parent directory.
- Restore the pre-import backup if ownership data appears inconsistent, then repeat the upload with the complete set.
The server stops during startup or reports an incompatible save
- Stop it and restore the destination backup so the server is available again.
- Check platform compatibility, map selection, and save-version compatibility before another attempt.
- Make sure the world upload completed without truncation and that no duplicate extension was added during renaming.
- If the imported world still will not load after those checks, provide the host’s support team with the map, platform, filenames, and startup symptoms. Nitrado advises contacting support with those details when the imported world cannot be loaded.
Do not troubleshoot by deleting the only copy of the Official export. Revert first, then test one change at a time from a fresh staging copy.
What CrossARK can and cannot move
CrossARK is an in-game transfer system rather than a file replacement. Nitrado describes using map towers to transfer character and tame data between linked servers; the game’s transfer interface can also be used for eligible items.
- It can be useful when you have no accessible full-world export, especially for console players whose file access is limited.
- It does not copy the Official map, base structures, tribe archive, or the complete state represented by the
.arkfile. - It depends on linked servers, platform rules, and the current restrictions on what can be uploaded or downloaded.
- Transfers are selective rather than a reversible snapshot. Confirm current platform restrictions before moving valuable characters, creatures, or items.
Use CrossARK when the destination only needs selected assets. Use a complete save import when preserving the world itself is the requirement.
Managed hosting versus self-hosting for this migration
The procedure is fundamentally the same—stop the process, back up, replace the map files, and restart—but the tools around it differ.
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|---|---|---|
| File access | Usually a provider File Browser or FTP account; exact paths and permissions are host-specific. | Direct access to the server’s save directory, provided you can administer the machine. |
| Backup tooling | May offer restore points and downloadable backups; confirm retention before relying on one. | You choose the backup schedule, storage location, and retention policy. |
| Platform support | Determined by the provider’s supported ASA platforms and plans. | Determined by your hardware, operating system, and the server software you can run. |
| Map and mod support | Controlled by the host’s current configuration and file-management interface. | You control map files and configuration, but must resolve compatibility issues yourself. |
| Support availability | Provider support can inspect paths and logs when an import fails. | No external support is included; keep your own logs and rollback copies. |
| Current price | Not stated in the available transfer instructions; check the provider for current regional pricing. | Not stated; costs depend on your hardware, network, electricity, and administration. |
Before choosing a destination, confirm that it allows the file access needed for an import and that its platform and map support match the Official export. A server that cannot expose its save directory cannot perform this file-based workflow without provider assistance.
A rollback plan you can execute
If verification fails, recovery should be deliberate rather than experimental.
- Stop the destination server.
- Move the imported world, profile, and tribe files out of the active map folder; do not overwrite your backup while cleaning up.
- Restore the destination’s pre-import files or use the provider’s restore point.
- Start the server and confirm that the original destination world works.
- Review the failed attempt for one specific cause—wrong map folder, filename, OSS ID, incomplete upload, platform mismatch, or save-version mismatch.
- Prepare a new staging copy from the untouched Official export and retry only after correcting that cause.
This sequence leaves the destination playable even when the import needs support intervention. Keep dated copies until the imported world has been verified in normal play.
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