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Use serverchat <message> instead when the announcement should appear as a normal in-game chat line. The two commands reach the whole server, but they differ greatly in visibility and intrusiveness.
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What the ARK broadcast command does
The broadcast command displays a prominent announcement overlay to all players currently connected to the server. It is intended for messages that should not be missed, such as an imminent restart, a scheduled event, a rule change, or an urgent moderation notice.
Because the overlay is deliberately conspicuous, it should not be used for every routine reminder. Frequent broadcasts can interrupt building, taming, combat, or exploration. For ordinary information, serverchat is usually the less disruptive choice.
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- Start a tribe with hundreds of other players to survive and dominate competing tribes...and ultimately discover ARK's true purpose
- Build a fire or shelter, then craft customizable clothing & armors to help protect against damage and extreme temperatures on your way to unlocking advanced technologies and equipment
- Chop down trees and mine metal and other precious resources to build massive multi-leveled structures composed of complex snap-linked parts
RCON is the important part of the workflow. You authenticate to the server’s RCON service, then submit the command through that connection. An RCON command is already being sent through an authenticated administrative channel, so adding admincheat is unnecessary and can cause the command to fail.
What you need before sending a message
- An ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated server that has RCON enabled.
- Access to the server configuration, specifically
GameUserSettings.iniand its[ServerSettings]section, or access to a hosting panel that exposes the same controls. - The value configured as
ServerAdminPassword. This password is used to authenticate the RCON connection. - An RCON client that can connect to the server’s configured RCON port. Any Source-compatible RCON client can be used.
- A server restart after configuration changes. RCON settings do not become active until the server has restarted.
The RCON port is separate from the ordinary game connection details. Use the port shown by your host or in your server configuration; do not assume that a port from another ARK installation applies to yours.
Enable RCON in GameUserSettings.ini
Configuration names and presentation vary by host, but the setting belongs under [ServerSettings] in GameUserSettings.ini. The server must have RCON enabled, and ServerAdminPassword must be defined. A typical configuration area will therefore contain the server-admin password alongside the host’s RCON-enabled setting.
- Stop the ARK server from the host control panel or service manager. Editing a live configuration can be overwritten when the process stops or restarts.
- Open
GameUserSettings.ini. - Locate the
[ServerSettings]section. - Enable RCON using the option supplied by your host or server manager, and set
ServerAdminPasswordto a strong value that you can enter into your RCON client. - Save the file, start the server, and wait until it has completed its normal startup.
- Confirm the RCON port and connection address in the host panel or server manager. The exact port number is installation-specific.
If your provider supplies a configuration editor rather than direct file access, make the equivalent changes there. The important requirements are that RCON is enabled in the server settings and that the RCON client uses the configured ServerAdminPassword.
Connect an RCON client
Open a Source-compatible RCON client and create a connection using the server address, the configured RCON port, and the value of ServerAdminPassword. The labels differ between clients, but the fields normally represent the same three pieces of information: host, port, and password.
- Enter the server address supplied by your host.
- Enter the server’s RCON port, not a different game or query port.
- Enter the exact
ServerAdminPassword, including capitalization and punctuation. - Connect and wait for the client to show an authenticated session.
- Send a harmless test message before relying on the connection for a time-sensitive announcement.
Do not put the password into a public chat, screenshot, shared configuration, or automated task that other administrators can view without authorization. Anyone who obtains RCON credentials may be able to issue administrative commands.
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- 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
Send a message to everyone
Large overlay: broadcast
In the authenticated RCON command box, enter:
broadcast <message>
Replace <message> with the text you want displayed. For example, a maintenance notice could be entered as:
broadcast Server restart in 10 minutes. Return to a safe location.
Send the command exactly as shown, without admincheat. The result is a large overlay shown to all players connected to that server. The overlay is the most visible option, so reserve it for information that genuinely needs immediate attention.
Chat line: serverchat
For a quieter server-wide announcement, enter:
serverchat <message>
For example:
serverchat Community event starts at the northern obelisk at 20:00 UTC.
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This posts the message to everyone’s in-game chat instead of placing a large overlay over the game view. It is better suited to event reminders, routine rule notices, and other information that players can read when they next check chat.
Which command should you use?
| Command | Who receives it | Where it appears | Relative intrusiveness | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
broadcast <message> |
All connected players | Large on-screen overlay | High | Urgent notices, imminent restarts, safety warnings |
serverchat <message> |
All connected players | In-game server chat | Lower | Routine reminders, events, rules, community information |
serverchatto "<Steam64ID>" <message> |
One player identified by Steam64 ID | Private in-game chat message | Low and targeted | Individual support, moderation contact, or a player-specific notice |
The distinction is not merely cosmetic. A broadcast reaches everyone but interrupts everyone; server chat reaches everyone with less disruption; serverchatto limits the message to one account.
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- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game. Run too far and not only will you be exhausted, but you will also quickly get hungry and thirsty. Weather effects are based on real-world climates, and so you'll need to hide out from rain and snow, while making the most of sunny days
- 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!)
- Gather Resources, 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 style of everything from the walls of your home, to your character's armor, weapons and more
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout. Make your way to the final boss and figure out why you've been dropped into this Jurassic-era experience
Send a private message to one player
When an announcement is relevant to only one person, use:
serverchatto "<Steam64ID>" <message>
Replace <Steam64ID> with the player’s Steam64 ID and replace <message> with the text. Keep the quotation marks around the ID in the command format. This avoids turning a player-specific moderation or support message into a server-wide announcement.
Check the ID carefully before sending. A valid command aimed at the wrong ID can deliver a private message to the wrong player, while a malformed ID can result in no useful delivery.
Use a hosting panel instead of a standalone client
Some game-hosting control panels provide an RCON console directly in the browser. In that case, the panel may handle the connection details for you while still asking for the admin password and the command text.
One panel workflow uses a “Panel RCON” button that becomes available after the required mod or panel component has been installed through the provider’s mod manager. The exact labels and prerequisites depend on the provider. Open the panel’s RCON tool, enter the admin password when prompted, type the bare command, and submit it.
A panel console does not change ARK’s command syntax. Enter broadcast ..., serverchat ..., or serverchatto ... in the same form you would use in a desktop RCON client, and do not prepend admincheat.
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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
Schedule recurring announcements
For messages that must recur, some hosts offer a Scheduled Tasks tool that runs an RCON command on a timetable. A scheduled task can be useful for a daily event reminder, a warning before a planned restart, or a repeating server rule notice.
- Create a scheduled task in the host panel.
- Choose the panel’s RCON or command-execution action.
- Enter the appropriate bare command, such as
serverchat Scheduled restart in 15 minutes.or a less frequentbroadcastfor an urgent countdown. - Set the interval and time zone explicitly in the panel.
- Run the task once manually, if the panel provides a test option, and confirm that players receive the expected message.
- Review the task after a server restart to ensure it remains enabled.
Scheduling is a convenience, not a separate ARK messaging system. The task still depends on the panel’s RCON connection, the server being online, and valid administrative credentials. If any of those conditions fail, the announcement will not be delivered.
Send broadcasts from a web-based RCON tool
Web-based RCON services for ARK: Survival Evolved can also send the same commands from a browser. The service must be connected to your server and authenticated with the server’s RCON credentials. Use the same command choice: broadcast for an overlay, serverchat for a normal server-chat line, and serverchatto for one Steam64 ID.
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Test the setup without disrupting players
Test RCON with a short, harmless message before using it for maintenance or moderation. A message such as serverchat RCON test. is less disruptive than a full-screen overlay. Confirm that it appears in chat, then test broadcast only when a small group of players is prepared for the overlay.
- If the chat test appears, the RCON connection and authentication are working.
- If chat works but the overlay does not, check that you entered
broadcastexactly and did not accidentally use a different command. - If neither command produces a result, troubleshoot the connection, password, port, and server restart before testing again.
Troubleshooting failed broadcasts
The RCON client cannot connect
- Confirm that RCON is enabled in the server settings under
[ServerSettings]. - Verify that the server was restarted after changing the configuration.
- Check that the client is using the server’s RCON port rather than the ordinary game port.
- Re-enter
ServerAdminPasswordexactly as configured. - Make sure the server has finished starting and is accepting administrative connections.
The client connects, but the command is rejected
- Remove the
admincheatprefix. RCON is already authenticated. - Check spelling and spacing in the command.
- Use a simple test message with no unusual punctuation first.
- Confirm that the client is connected to the intended ARK: Survival Evolved server.
The message reaches chat but no overlay appears
This normally means the command used was serverchat rather than broadcast, or that the command text was altered by a panel’s input field. Submit the bare broadcast command through the authenticated RCON console and test again with a short message.
A private message does not reach the intended player
Check the Steam64 ID, including every digit, and preserve the quotation marks shown in the command format. Make sure the player is currently connected to that server. A private command cannot reach a player who is not present on the instance at the time it is sent.
A scheduled message stops appearing
Check whether the scheduled task is still enabled, whether its time zone or interval changed, and whether the panel can still authenticate to RCON. A task may also fail while the server is offline or during a restart, so inspect the panel’s task history if it provides one.
ARK: Survival Evolved versus ARK: Survival Ascended
This guide is for ARK: Survival Evolved. Several command references found online target ARK: Survival Ascended instead. A cheatsheet for Ascended lists the same broadcast and serverchat command names, but version, server-manager, and mod behavior can differ.
Before copying a command from another guide, check the game title in its heading and the version or mod context. Do not assume that a setting described for Ascended has the same location or activation behavior in an Evolved installation. If a command behaves unexpectedly, first verify that the guide and your server are for the same game.
Good administration practices
Match urgency to visibility
Use the overlay only when every connected player should stop and read the message. A restart countdown, emergency rollback warning, or immediate safety instruction justifies broadcast. Use serverchat for information that can wait until a player opens or notices chat.
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Keep messages concise
State the action, timing, and consequence in one readable sentence. For example, identify when a restart happens and what players should do before it. Long announcements are harder to read in either an overlay or a fast-moving chat feed.
Separate testing from live notices
Use a harmless chat test while configuring RCON. Do not test repeatedly with a full-screen broadcast while a busy server is active. Once the connection is confirmed, reserve live overlays for real notices.
Protect administrative access
ServerAdminPassword functions as the RCON password, so treat it as an administrative credential. Limit access to the RCON client or panel, avoid sharing screenshots that reveal it, and change it if it has been exposed. After changing the password, update every RCON client and scheduled task that uses the old value.
Quick Recap
Quick reference
- Enable RCON in
GameUserSettings.iniunder[ServerSettings]. - Set and protect
ServerAdminPassword. - Restart the server so the change takes effect.
- Connect with a Source-compatible RCON client, a host-panel RCON console, or an authenticated web RCON tool.
- Send
broadcast <message>for a large overlay,serverchat <message>for a quieter server-wide chat line, orserverchatto "<Steam64ID>" <message>for one player. - Do not add
admincheatto an RCON command. - Confirm that the instructions you are following target ARK: Survival Evolved, not only ARK: Survival Ascended.
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