How to Reset or Wipe an ARK Survival Evolved Server

This guide walks you through safely resetting or wiping an ARK: Survival Evolved server, whether it’s for a fresh start, a new map, or to clear out unwanted progress. You’ll learn how to back up your current world, perform a full wipe or a targeted reset, and restore data if needed, all without risking your server files.

What You’ll Need

• Access to your server’s file system (via FTP, a control panel like ARK Server Manager, or the host’s file manager).
• If you’re using a hosting provider, you’ll need the login details for their control panel.
• Enough free disk space to store a backup of your current world (usually a few GB).
• Basic knowledge of how to start and stop your server.

Step-by-Step

1. Stop the server completely. Use your control panel or the command line to shut down the server process. Never perform a wipe while the server is running—this can corrupt files.
2. Locate the server’s save directory. The default path is usually /ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks inside your ARK installation folder. If you’re using a hosting panel, there may be a dedicated “FTP File Access” or “File Manager” button that shows this folder.
3. Back up the entire SavedArks folder. Copy it to a safe location on your local machine or another drive. This folder contains the world data, player data, and tribe data. If you’re using a control panel, use its backup feature or download the folder via FTP.
4. Decide what kind of wipe you want.
   • Full wipe: Deletes everything—structures, dinos, player characters, and tribes. The map will be completely fresh.
   • Partial wipe: You can delete only specific files (e.g., Players.arkprofile for player data, or Tribes.arktribe for tribe data) to reset just those aspects.
   • Map change: If you want to switch to a different map, you’ll need to upload the new map’s files or simply start the server with a different map name in the launch parameters.
5. Perform the wipe.
   • For a full wipe: Delete the contents of the SavedArks folder, but keep the folder itself. Also delete the SavedArksLocal folder if it exists (this holds local player profiles).
   • For a partial wipe: Delete only the specific files you want to reset. For example, to wipe all player characters and tribes, delete Players.arkprofile and Tribes.arktribe.
   • For a map change: Delete the old map’s save files (e.g., TheIsland.ark) and ensure your server launch parameters point to the new map (e.g., ?Map=ScorchedEarth).
6. Restart the server. Start the server again. It will generate fresh save files automatically. Verify that the server starts without errors in the console log.
7. Test the server. Join the server with a client to confirm that the world is fresh and that you can spawn in correctly. Check that structures and dinos are gone (if you did a full wipe).
8. If you need to restore the backup: Stop the server again, replace the SavedArks folder with your backup, and restart. This is your safety net if something goes wrong.

Common Mistakes

• Not stopping the server first. This is the most common cause of corruption. Always stop the server before touching any files.
• Deleting the wrong folder. Make sure you’re in the correct SavedArks directory. Deleting the entire ShooterGame folder will break the server installation.
• Forgetting to back up. A wipe is irreversible without a backup. Always back up before wiping, even if you’re sure you want a fresh start.
• Not clearing the local cache. On some setups, the server may cache world data in memory. A full stop and restart usually clears this, but if you see old structures after a wipe, try a full server restart (not just a map reload).
• Using the wrong map name. If you’re changing maps, ensure the map name in the launch parameters exactly matches the map’s official name (e.g., TheIsland, ScorchedEarth, Ragnarok).

Tips

• Use a scheduled backup system. Many hosting panels allow you to schedule automatic backups. Set one up before you do a wipe, so you always have a recent snapshot.
• Communicate with your players. If it’s a community server, give advance notice before a wipe. Also consider saving a copy of the world for players to download as a keepsake.
• Consider a “soft wipe” instead. If you want to reduce clutter but not start from zero, you can use admin commands to destroy all structures and dinos (e.g., DestroyWildDinos for wild dinos, or DestructAllStructures). This is less drastic and doesn’t require file editing.
• Keep the backup compressed. Save the backup as a ZIP or RAR file to save space and make it easier to transfer.

Troubleshooting

Server fails to start after wipe. This usually means you deleted a file that the server needs. Restore the backup and try again, ensuring you only delete the files listed in the steps. Also check the server log for specific error messages.

Old structures or dinos still appear. This can happen if the server didn’t fully stop, or if there are multiple save files (e.g., a backup file like TheIsland.ark.bak). Delete any .bak files as well. Also, ensure you’re not accidentally loading a different map.

Players can’t join after a wipe. If you deleted player profiles, players will need to create new characters. If they get a “character not found” error, have them delete their local player profile (in the game’s SavedArksLocal folder on their client) and rejoin.

Server uses too much disk space after restore. The backup may contain large files. After restoring, you can delete the backup to free space, but only after confirming the server runs correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a wipe delete mods?

No, a wipe only affects the save data. Mods are stored separately in the server’s Mods folder and will remain installed.

Can I wipe only the wild dinos?

Yes, you can use the admin command DestroyWildDinos in the server console to kill all wild dinos without affecting structures or tamed dinos.

How do I change the map without losing my server settings?

Your server settings are in the Game.ini and GameUserSettings.ini files, which are separate from the save data. You can change the map by editing the launch parameters, and your settings will remain intact.

What is the difference between a full wipe and a character wipe?

A full wipe deletes everything (structures, dinos, characters, tribes). A character wipe only deletes player characters and their inventories, but keeps structures and tamed dinos (though they become unowned).

Can I wipe my single-player world the same way?

Yes, the process is almost identical. For single-player, the save folder is typically in your Steam installation directory under ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks. Back up the folder, delete its contents, and restart the game.

Is it possible to undo a wipe without a backup?

No, a wipe permanently deletes the save files. Without a backup, there is no way to recover the data. This is why backing up is always the first step.

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