If ARK recreates GameUserSettings.ini every time the server starts, the file usually failed validation. The most common causes are a syntax error, an invalid key or value, or a missing section that ARK expects. The reliable fix is to let the server generate a clean file, stop the service, and merge your changes into that baseline one setting at a time.
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Use the live configuration directory for your platform, save while the server is stopped, then restart and test. This procedure avoids the two biggest sources of trouble: editing the wrong copy and replacing a working file with an incomplete generator template.
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A reset is normally a validation failure rather than an intentional overwrite. Shockbyte’s November 8, 2024 guidance describes a restart reset as a sign that there is an error in the file. Point of Trade and Pingperfect identify the same pattern: malformed syntax, missing required settings, incorrect configuration variables, or values ARK cannot accept. When validation fails, the server can regenerate GameUserSettings.ini with defaults or with only the settings it can parse.
That distinction matters. Re-entering the same edited file will not solve the problem if one line is still malformed. Rebuilding from a file created by the server gives you a known-good section layout and lets you isolate the first change that causes another reset.
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Confirm which file and folder ARK is using
GameUserSettings.ini contains general server and player-facing options such as difficulty, passwords, PvE/PvP behavior, and multipliers. Advanced progression changes, including level caps and experience ramps, belong in Game.ini. Putting a setting in the wrong file can make it appear to be ignored and can lead to unnecessary edits in the user-settings file.
The directory is platform-specific and must be the live instance used by your hosting service, not a downloaded template or an old backup.
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|---|---|---|
| Windows server in Nitrado File Browser | arkse/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ |
Open the live GameUserSettings.ini, save edits, then restart the server. |
| Linux server | ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/ |
Edit the configuration used by the running Linux service. |
| Any managed host panel | Use the panel’s file browser or configuration editor for the active server instance. | Do not edit a local copy unless you upload that exact file back to the active instance. |
The ARK Official Community Wiki lists the Linux directory above, while Nitrado documents the Windows path and restart workflow. Panel layouts differ, but the principle is the same: identify the file the service reads at startup.
Repair procedure: rebuild from a clean baseline
Follow these steps in order. Keep a backup before each stable revision so you can return to the last file that loaded successfully.
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Back up the current file
Stop the server if your host allows it, then download or copy the existing
GameUserSettings.iniand name the copy with the date or revision. Shockbyte and Point of Trade both recommend preserving the file before changing it. A backup is also useful when opening a support ticket because it shows exactly what you attempted.Rank #2
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Generate a clean server file
Temporarily move the suspect file out of the live directory or rename it, then start the server once. ARK will create a working
GameUserSettings.ini. Stop the server again before opening the new file. Do not continue editing while the process is running.Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
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Check the required section headers
A server-generated baseline should include these headers:
[ServerSettings][/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameUserSettings][ScalabilityGroups][SessionSettings][/Script/Engine.GameSession]
Missing headers can cause ARK to regenerate the file with defaults. Preserve the spelling, capitalization, brackets, and slash characters exactly as generated.
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Compare your desired settings with the baseline
Open the backup and the newly generated file side by side. First identify keys that already exist in the baseline; those are safer to change than wholesale replacement. Then identify any additional keys you actually need. Leave unrelated generated lines intact.
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Validate every line
Each entry must use one setting per line in the form
Key=Value, with no spaces around the equals sign. Check that the key is spelled correctly, that it is under the section where ARK expects it, and that the value uses the required type. A Boolean setting must remain a Boolean rather than being changed to a number; numeric settings must contain an acceptable numeric value; and text values must not acquire stray quotation marks or extra characters.Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.Rank #3
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Add changes incrementally
Change one existing key or add one missing key, save the file, and keep a fresh backup. If that revision loads, make the next change. This is slower than pasting a complete generated file, but it identifies the exact line responsible for a future reset and preserves sections the generator may omit.
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Save, restart, and test persistence
Close the editor, upload the file if your panel requires an upload step, and start the server. Connect to the server and verify the specific setting you changed. Stop and start once more if you need to confirm that the value survives a full restart. Nitrado’s documented workflow likewise requires saving the edit and restarting so ARK reads the new version.
How to validate the INI before restarting
Use the server’s section structure
INI files are sectioned. A key placed under the wrong header can be ignored or treated as invalid even when the spelling is correct. Keep each line directly beneath the section that the clean baseline uses for that setting. Do not delete an entire section simply because you are not changing anything in it; ARK may expect the header and its generated defaults.
Keep syntax deliberately plain
- Use exactly one
Key=Valueentry per line. - Remove spaces before or after
=. - Check capitalization and spelling against the server-generated key.
- Do not mix a Boolean representation with a numeric representation.
- Remove accidental comments, pasted formatting, or characters from rich-text editors.
- Keep section headers enclosed in matching square brackets.
If a file was assembled in a spreadsheet, web form, or text editor that added formatting, rebuild the affected lines in a plain-text editor and compare them with the baseline. The goal is not to make the file look tidy; it is to preserve the exact syntax ARK accepts.
Respect supported ranges
Nitrado warns that extreme values can prevent startup. A value that is syntactically correct can still be outside the range the server accepts. If the server stops booting immediately after a change, restore the previous backup or remove the latest line first. Do not keep increasing a value while the server is offline; establish a working revision before trying another adjustment.
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Managed-panel editing versus direct file editing
Both approaches work when they target the active instance and follow the stop-save-restart sequence. Choose the method that gives you a reliable backup and a clear way to undo the last change.
| Workflow | Best use | Risk to control | Safe practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managed-panel file browser | Hosts that expose the live file and provide save, download, or restart controls in one place. | Editing a cached view or forgetting to restart after saving. | Download a backup, stop the server, save the file, then use the panel restart control. |
| Direct file transfer or host console | Administrators who need precise diffing and revision backups. | Uploading to a template directory or editing while the service is running. | Confirm the platform directory, stop the process, upload the revised file, and verify its timestamp before starting. |
| Clean-file incremental merge | Recovering from repeated resets or an unknown source file. | Forgetting a required generated section. | Keep the server-generated file intact and add only the required changes one at a time. |
| Whole-file generator paste | Rapidly applying a known, host-compatible configuration. | Omitted required headers, unsupported keys, or values outside supported limits. | Do not replace the baseline wholesale; merge selected lines and retain every generated section. |
Common causes and the corresponding fix
A whole-file generator omitted sections
Many online generators produce a visually complete file but omit headers that ARK expects. If that file resets, generate a fresh baseline on your server and merge only the settings you need. This preserves the host’s required structure and avoids assumptions made by a generator for a different ARK version or hosting setup.
You edited the wrong file
Editing Game.ini when you meant to change general server behavior will not alter the corresponding user setting. Conversely, putting level-cap or experience-ramp changes in GameUserSettings.ini will not place them where ARK reads those advanced rules. Check the filename and the live platform directory before troubleshooting syntax.
The server was still running
ARK may write its own state during shutdown or keep the open file in memory. Stop the server before editing, save the file, and restart only after the editor is closed and the upload is complete. If you changed the file while it was running, repeat the edit with a clean stop-save-start cycle.
Mods were placed in the wrong configuration
Shockbyte notes that its ARK service does not use GameUserSettings.ini to set mods; it uses ark.properties for that purpose. A mod entry pasted into the INI can be ignored or contribute to an invalid file. Follow the host’s documented mod configuration instead of adding mod declarations to user settings.
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A value is outside the supported limit
An extreme value can prevent startup even when the line follows Key=Value syntax. Revert the newest change first. If the server boots with the previous revision, the problem is isolated to that value or to another line added in the same edit.
Troubleshooting after the clean baseline
The baseline itself resets
Confirm that you stopped the server before moving or editing the file and that the service has permission to write to its configuration directory. Verify that you are restarting the same instance whose files you opened. If a newly generated file resets without modifications, stop making edits and contact the host; the issue may be with the service, path, or provider-side configuration rather than your syntax.
The file loads, but one setting does not apply
Check whether the option belongs in Game.ini, whether it is under the correct section, and whether the value type matches the generated format. Then change only that key and restart. A setting that persists in the file but has no in-game effect can be a wrong-file or wrong-section problem rather than a reset problem.
The server will not start after one change
Restore the most recent known-good backup or remove the last line you added. Start the server to confirm recovery, then reapply changes individually. Nitrado specifically advises reverting the latest change when extreme values prevent startup.
The file resets after several successful changes
Use the incremental backups to identify the first revision that fails. Compare that revision with the previous one character by character, including section headers and value types. Correct the offending line, save a new backup, and continue from the working revision instead of rebuilding the entire file again.
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Escalate after you have tested a server-generated baseline, used the correct platform directory, stopped the service while editing, and added changes incrementally. Include the intended GameUserSettings.ini, the last known-good backup, the exact restart time, and the first revision that reset or prevented startup. Point of Trade requests the INI when investigating a reset, and Pingperfect notes that provider staff may be able to restore a reset file from internal backups. Providing the files and the sequence of changes lets support distinguish a malformed line from a host-side restoration or path problem.
Quick Recap
Final verification checklist
- The file is the live
GameUserSettings.ini, not a template or backup. - The server is stopped before editing and restarted after saving.
- The file retains
[ServerSettings],[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameUserSettings],[ScalabilityGroups],[SessionSettings], and[/Script/Engine.GameSession]. - Every entry is one
Key=Valueline with no spaces around=. - Keys are spelled correctly and placed in the section used by the baseline.
- Boolean, numeric, and text values use the expected type and supported range.
- Changes were merged one at a time with a backup after each stable revision.
- Mods are configured through the host’s designated method rather than this INI.
- The server has been restarted and the changed setting verified in-game.
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