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To disable BattlEye on an ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated server, add the launch argument -NoBattlEye to the server startup command. Put it at the end of the command, after the map and other options and outside any closing quotation mark. It is a command-line switch, not a setting in Game.ini or GameUserSettings.ini. Restart the server, then inspect the startup console or log to confirm that BattlEye is no longer being initialized.
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What -NoBattlEye changes
BattlEye is enabled for many dedicated-server launches by default. The -NoBattlEye switch tells the server process to start without loading BattlEye. The switch is interpreted when ShooterGameServer starts; changing an ini file after the process has launched cannot substitute for it.
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Command-line parameters also take precedence over configuration files in common server managers such as LinuxGSM. That is why the reliable fix is to change the launch line, startup script, service definition or hosting-panel command-line settings rather than searching through the normal ARK configuration files.
This guide is for ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated servers. ARK: Survival Ascended has different server builds and launch behavior, so do not assume that a procedure tested on Ascended applies unchanged to Evolved.
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Before you change the launch command
- Stop the server cleanly and wait for the process to exit before editing its startup settings.
- Save a copy of the existing startup script, service definition or panel command line. This makes reverting the change easy.
- Determine whether the server is started directly, through a script or service, with LinuxGSM, or through a hosting control panel.
- Record the current map and options. A misplaced edit can remove an option even though the server still starts.
- Plan a restart window. Players must reconnect after the process is restarted.
Self-hosted Windows or Linux server
1. Find the actual ShooterGameServer command
Look in the batch file, shell script, scheduled task, service unit or management tool that launches the server. The line may contain the executable, a map name, question-mark options and additional flags. Edit the command that is really used at boot; changing an unused shortcut or an old script has no effect.
2. Append the flag after the existing options
Add a space followed by -NoBattlEye at the end of the command. A safe template is:
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3. Keep the flag outside a quoted map string
If your launcher quotes the map and its options, place -NoBattlEye after the closing quote:
ShooterGameServer.exe "<map-and-options>" -NoBattlEyeAn old 2016 Steam discussion reported that putting a dash-prefixed flag inside the quoted map string failed for one server, while placing -crossplay -NoBattlEye after the closing quote worked. That report is dated, but it illustrates the important rule: treat the switch as a separate argument and verify it in your own launcher.
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4. Save, start and watch the first seconds of output
Save the script or service configuration, start the server and keep the console visible through initialization. Do not assume that a successful process start means the flag was parsed. The startup output is the quickest way to catch a typo, a stale script or a panel that overwrote your edit.
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Panel labels differ, but a documented workflow is consistent:
- Stop the ARK server from the panel and wait until it reports that the process has stopped.
- Open the panel’s Commandline Manager or equivalent startup-settings page.
- Enable the checkbox labeled Disable Battleye (capitalization may vary).
- Save or apply the command-line profile.
- Start the server and inspect the console or log for the BattlEye initialization message.
A panel checkbox normally writes -NoBattlEye for you. If the panel also exposes a raw command-line field, check that the resulting line contains the switch once, outside any quoted map string. Avoid adding a second copy manually unless the panel documentation specifically requires it.
Argument placement and separators
ARK startup lines commonly contain two kinds of arguments:
- Map options: settings attached to the map with a question mark, such as
<map>?OptionName=Value. - Standalone launch flags: switches separated from the map portion by a space and a hyphen, such as
-NoBattlEye.
Use the separator style expected by your launcher. The ARK Official Community Wiki shows options separated either by a question mark or by a space followed by a hyphen-minus, depending on the syntax being used. A Windows example on that page contains a typographical error that displays =AllowThirdPersonPlayer; the option form should use a question mark before the first map option, not an equals sign. Copy the syntax of your working command and add only the final space plus -NoBattlEye.
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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. 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
Do not put a slash before the switch, change its capitalization, or replace the hyphen with a typographic dash. The expected spelling is exactly -NoBattlEye.
LinuxGSM and other launch managers
LinuxGSM lists -NoBattlEye as a common ARK parameter. Add it through the manager’s custom-parameters mechanism or to the generated startup command, using the method supported by the version you run. If the manager regenerates the command from a configuration file, edit the manager’s parameter setting rather than a temporary process command line.
After saving the parameter, restart through LinuxGSM itself. Starting the executable manually while testing can produce a result that does not match the service’s normal boot path. Keep the manager’s console open so you can see the complete command and early initialization messages.
How to verify that BattlEye is disabled
Verification must happen after a full stop and restart:
- Open the live server console or the newest startup log.
- Search the first part of the output for BattlEye initialization or the phrase BattlEye Anti-Cheat Protection.
- Confirm that the command shown by your manager includes
-NoBattlEye. - Check that players can connect normally under the server configuration you intend to run.
If the BattlEye warning still appears, treat the switch as unapplied. The most likely causes are an edited but unused script, a panel profile that was not saved, a flag placed inside a quoted map string, or a typo in the argument. A third-party guide for Ascended notes that launch flags can appear at the top of the server console; that is a useful diagnostic idea, but Ascended output should not be treated as authoritative for an Evolved server.
Rank #4
- 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 when the flag appears not to work
The server still prints BattlEye initialization
- Stop the server again and confirm that no older server process remains running.
- Print or inspect the exact command used by the service or panel. Make sure it ends with
-NoBattlEye. - Remove quotation marks around the switch if they were added accidentally; only the map portion should be quoted when the launcher requires it.
- Check for a Unicode en dash or em dash. Replace it with the ordinary keyboard hyphen in
-NoBattlEye. - If a manager generates a command from a profile, place the parameter in that profile and restart through the manager.
The server starts, but a map option stopped working
Compare the edited line with your backup. A missing question mark, an option moved inside or outside quotes, or a deleted space can alter map parsing. Restore the original map/options portion first, then append one space and -NoBattlEye without changing anything else.
The panel checkbox keeps reverting
Some panels maintain separate command-line profiles for different startup modes. Reopen the active profile, apply the checkbox there and save it before restarting. If the panel has a “startup,” “custom,” and “mod” command line, verify which one is selected for the current instance.
A 2016-era report says the switch did not work
Community reports from 2016 are mixed. One Steam thread described a server that continued to display BattlEye protection even with the switch present, while another discussion repeated a release-note statement that BattlEye had become enabled by default and that -NoBattlEye was the intended override. These reports are old and do not establish how every current patch behaves. Use the live console and current server binary as the authority for your installation; if the flag is visibly present and the warning remains, test with the hosting provider or server-manager maintainer.
Why editing the ini files is not the solution
ARK stores many gameplay and server settings in GameUserSettings.ini and Game.ini. Typical locations are ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer on Windows and ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer on Linux. No BattlEye ini key is established for this purpose. Adding a guessed key can be ignored, overwritten or mistaken for a successful change because the server still starts.
Use ini files for the settings they actually define, and use the launch command for BattlEye selection. Keeping those responsibilities separate also makes future troubleshooting easier: the command controls whether BattlEye loads, while the ini files control the game and server options documented for them.
Security and server-policy trade-offs
Disabling an anti-cheat layer can make abuse easier on a public server. That risk is more significant when strangers can join, the server has valuable progression, or administrators cannot review player reports promptly. The practical decision is different for a private testing instance, a password-protected session with trusted players, and a public community server.
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| Server situation | Reason someone may disable BattlEye | Risk to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Local or development server | Testing mods, launch behavior or a controlled environment where BattlEye is unnecessary. | Do not expose the test instance publicly by accident. |
| Password-protected private server | Playing with a known group that accepts the trade-off. | Any shared password increases the number of people who must be trusted. |
| Public community server | A compatibility requirement identified by the administrator. | More opportunity for cheating or disruptive behavior; stronger moderation and backups become important. |
Before changing a public server, tell players what is changing, review your moderation tools and keep regular world backups. Disabling BattlEye does not disable every other server security measure, but it removes the protection provided by that component.
Re-enabling BattlEye
To restore the default behavior, stop the server and remove the standalone -NoBattlEye argument from the startup command, or untick Disable Battleye in the panel’s active command-line profile. Save the change, restart and check the console for BattlEye initialization. Do not leave both a disable checkbox and a manually added switch in different profiles; identify the profile actually used at boot.
Self-hosting versus a hosting panel
| Method | Where you make the change | How you verify it | Main failure mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows batch file or service | Append -NoBattlEye to the ShooterGameServer.exe command. |
Read the startup console or newest log. | Editing a shortcut or script that is not used by the service. |
| Linux shell or service | Append the flag to the command that launches ShooterGameServer. |
Inspect service output and the command recorded at startup. | A generated service or wrapper replaces manual edits. |
| LinuxGSM | Use the manager’s supported custom-parameter setting. | Restart through LinuxGSM and inspect its console. | Changing a temporary command instead of the persistent profile. |
| Hosting panel | Commandline Manager, usually the Disable Battleye checkbox. | Check the panel console after saving and restarting. | Applying the checkbox to an inactive startup profile. |
Version and platform qualifications
The core method is consistently documented for ARK dedicated-server launches, but exact behavior can depend on the server build, launcher and hosting layer. The ARK Official Community Wiki is fan-maintained rather than Studio Wildcard documentation, and current Studio Wildcard guidance does not provide a single, version-specific procedure that covers every host. LinuxGSM documents the parameter for its ARK: Survival Evolved setup, while hosting panels may expose it under their own labels.
For that reason, treat the startup command and post-restart console as decisive. If a future patch changes BattlEye defaults or argument parsing, the observable command and log will reveal whether -NoBattlEye is still accepted. Keep a copy of the previous command so you can revert quickly if the server fails to start or players cannot connect.
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Quick checklist
- Stop the ARK: Survival Evolved server.
- Open the command, script, manager profile or panel command-line editor that actually starts it.
- Append
-NoBattlEyeafter the map/options portion and outside closing quotes. - Save the persistent configuration and start the server through its normal launcher.
- Read the startup console or newest log; a BattlEye initialization warning means the flag was not applied.
- For a public server, reassess moderation, access controls and backup practices before leaving BattlEye disabled.
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