To enable ARK’s server admin log, launch the dedicated server with -servergamelog. The server then writes dated log files in its Logs directory and makes the game log available through RCON, where administrators can run getgamelog. Configure RCON in GameUserSettings.ini, restart the server, and use the files for a durable history or RCON for a quick view of recent events.
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This guide explains the exact settings, access methods, interpretation workflow, and fixes for the common cases where the log is empty, incomplete, or confused with AdminLogging.
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What the ARK server admin log records
The server game log is the operational record produced by the dedicated-server process. It helps you reconstruct what happened around a player report, server restart, configuration change, connection, kick, ban, save, command, or tribe event. The log is useful for troubleshooting and chronology: instead of relying on a player’s recollection, you can compare timestamped server activity with your own maintenance notes and reports.
The feature is not enabled merely by turning on an in-game chat setting. The launch option -servergamelog is the switch that enables server admin logs, supports RCON retrieval, and causes dated output files to be written under Logs. Exact field names and line formats are not universal; they can vary with the ARK edition, patch, and the type of event being logged.
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Enable the log before you need it
1. Add the launch option
Add -servergamelog to the dedicated-server launch arguments. Use the argument in the same launch configuration that starts your running server, whether that is a startup script, a service definition, or a managed-host control panel. Adding it to a file that the server does not actually use will have no effect.
2. Include tribe events when required
If your administrators need tribe activity in the RCON output, add -servergamelogincludetribelogs as well. The official configuration documentation identifies this option as required for tribe logs in RCON output when -ServerRCONOutputTribeLogs is being used. Treat tribe-event coverage as a separate requirement: enabling the general game log does not automatically prove that every tribe event will appear in an RCON response.
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3. Configure RCON in GameUserSettings.ini
Under the [ServerSettings] section of GameUserSettings.ini, set the RCON options needed by your administration workflow:
RCONEnabled=Trueturns on the RCON service.RCONPortdefines the port on which your RCON client will connect.ServerAdminPasswordsupplies the administrator password used by RCON and in-game cheat authentication.
Use the exact key spelling and place the entries in the [ServerSettings] section. If a hosted panel generates this file for you, make the changes through the panel’s configuration editor or startup settings so that the panel does not overwrite them at the next restart.
4. Restart the server
Restart the dedicated server after changing launch arguments or configuration. The running process must be started with the new argument and must reread the updated INI file; editing settings while the old process remains online does not retroactively enable logging.
5. Authenticate for in-game administration
For administration performed from inside the game, authenticate with:
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enablecheats <ServerAdminPassword>
Replace the angle-bracketed placeholder with the password configured on your server. In multiplayer, the command you want to run may also require the cheat or admincheat prefix. This authentication step is separate from connecting an RCON client, although both workflows rely on the administrator password configured for the server.
Where to find the log
Persistent files in the Logs directory
The dedicated server writes dated output files in its Logs directory when -servergamelog is active. The exact parent path depends on your installation and hosting arrangement, so locate the server’s own Logs folder rather than assuming a universal operating-system path.
File review is the right choice when you need to reconstruct a longer timeline, search older activity, preserve evidence, or compare events across restarts. Copy the original dated file before annotating or filtering it. Keep the timestamp and filename with any incident notes so another administrator can identify the same source.
RCON with getgamelog
RCON provides a remote, operational view. Connect to the RCON endpoint configured by RCONPort, authenticate with the server administrator password, and run:
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The official documentation describes retrieval in batches of 100 entries. If that batch does not cover the operational window you need, increase RCONServerGameLogBuffer and restart the server so the new buffer is used. RCON is convenient for checking recent activity without opening the server filesystem, but it should not be treated as a substitute for retaining dated files when a complete historical record matters.
Hosted control panels
A managed provider’s panel may expose the same server log file, an RCON console, or both. The panel is only an access layer: the underlying requirements remain the same. The server must be launched with -servergamelog, and an RCON view still depends on enabled RCON, a port, and the administrator password. If a panel offers a “logs” button but shows no game events, verify the launch arguments rather than assuming the panel is collecting a different log stream.
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| Access method | Best use | Where the data comes from | Practical limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server files | Historical reconstruction, evidence preservation, searches across older events | Dated files in the server’s Logs directory |
Requires filesystem or panel file access and appropriate permissions |
| RCON | Fast check of current activity while the server is running | The server game-log buffer returned by getgamelog |
Responses are retrieved in documented batches of 100 entries and depend on the configured buffer |
| Hosted panel | Administration when the provider exposes files or RCON in one interface | The provider’s view of the server file or RCON endpoint | Available controls depend on the provider’s panel and your account permissions |
Do not confuse AdminLogging with servergamelog
These settings answer different questions:
| Setting | Where it is configured | What it controls | What it does not guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
AdminLogging=True |
GameUserSettings.ini, under [ServerSettings] |
Visibility of administrator commands in in-game chat | It does not replace the server game-log stream or create the dated files used by the server log workflow |
-servergamelog |
Dedicated-server launch arguments | Server admin logs, dated output files, and support for RCON retrieval with getgamelog |
It does not by itself configure the RCON port, password, or tribe-log inclusion |
-servergamelogincludetribelogs |
Dedicated-server launch arguments | Includes tribe events for the relevant RCON output workflow | It does not replace the general -servergamelog switch |
If your question is “which administrator command appeared in chat?”, inspect the effect of AdminLogging=True. If your question is “what did the server do, and when?”, use the server game log enabled by -servergamelog.
How to read an entry without misdiagnosing an incident
Start with the timestamp
Read the timestamp first and compare it with the player’s report, your restart schedule, and any configuration change. Confirm the time zone or clock convention used by your server records before comparing the line with external screenshots or chat messages. A correct event attached to the wrong time window can lead you to investigate the wrong player or restart.
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Next, determine what kind of activity the line describes. Common investigative categories include a connection or disconnection, a save, an administrator command, a kick or ban, and a tribe event. The exact wording and fields are not fixed across every ARK edition or patch, so classify the event by its meaning rather than relying on one universal column layout.
Identify the actor and affected object
Look for the player, tribe, administrator, or system component named in the entry. Separate the actor who initiated an action from the object affected by it. For example, an administrator may issue a command that affects a player, while a system save has no player as its initiator. Record names exactly as shown, including capitalization, when preparing an incident note.
Read adjacent entries
Do not make a decision from one isolated line when the question concerns a sequence. Read the surrounding entries before and after it. A connection may be followed by a command; a restart may explain a cluster of disconnects; a save may bracket the event a player reported; and a tribe action may make sense only when the preceding authentication or player activity is visible.
Correlate with independent records
Compare the log with server restart times, configuration edits, maintenance notes, player reports, and any panel activity you retain. The log establishes what the server recorded, while the other records can explain why the event occurred or whether an outage affected several players at once.
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Preserve the original evidence
When a dispute or rollback decision may follow, retain the original dated file. Work from a copy for filtering, annotations, or excerpts. For an RCON-only investigation, save the returned output with the date, server identity, and buffer setting used; an RCON response is a live view and may not contain the older entries needed later.
Using getgamelog effectively over RCON
Verify the prerequisites
- Confirm that the server was launched with
-servergamelog. - Confirm
RCONEnabled=Trueunder[ServerSettings]. - Confirm the configured
RCONPortand that your client is connecting to that port. - Authenticate with the configured
ServerAdminPassword. - If tribe events are expected, confirm
-servergamelogincludetribelogsand the related tribe-log output setting are present.
Request and preserve the batch
Run getgamelog after authentication. Treat the result as a batch view rather than an unlimited archive: the documented retrieval unit is 100 entries, and the available operational window depends on RCONServerGameLogBuffer. Save the response when investigating an incident, because later requests may no longer show the same recent entries.
When the buffer is too small
If the response stops before the beginning of the period you need, increase RCONServerGameLogBuffer and restart the server. The setting controls how much game-log data is available to the RCON retrieval workflow; it does not alter already-written dated files. Use the filesystem copy for a complete historical review whenever it is available.
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Choose the correct date and server instance
Begin with the dated file that covers the reported incident. If the server has been restarted or migrated, check which instance wrote each file before combining timelines. Keep files from separate instances distinct until their timestamps and configuration history show that they belong to one continuous operation.
Build a narrow time window
Search a small window around the reported time first, then widen it if the sequence is incomplete. This reduces noise and makes it easier to see the relationship between a command, a connection, a save, and a subsequent kick or ban. Keep the original order; sorting extracted lines by player name destroys the chronology you are trying to establish.
Document uncertainty
If a line names a system component rather than a person, say so in your notes. If the entry’s label is unfamiliar, compare adjacent events and the relevant edition or patch documentation instead of assigning a meaning from memory. The available documentation explains how to retrieve the log but does not define one field-by-field schema for every ARK build.
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Troubleshooting common failures
No dated files appear in Logs
- Check the actual launch arguments of the running process and add
-servergamelogif it is missing. - Restart after changing the launch configuration.
- Verify that you are inspecting the server instance’s own
Logsdirectory, not a client installation or an old migrated directory. - Check filesystem or panel permissions if the process is running but you cannot open the directory.
getgamelog returns nothing
- Confirm that
-servergamelogwas active when the current process started. - Confirm
RCONEnabled=True, the correctRCONPort, and the administrator password. - Restart after editing the INI file.
- Make sure the RCON client is connected to the server and port you intended; a successful connection to another instance can look like an empty log.
RCON works but tribe events are missing
Check the tribe-specific launch option -servergamelogincludetribelogs and the configuration that requests tribe logs through -ServerRCONOutputTribeLogs. The general game log switch alone does not establish that tribe events will be included in the RCON response.
The response ends before the incident
RCON retrieval is limited by the available buffer and documented 100-entry batches. Increase RCONServerGameLogBuffer, restart, and collect the output again. If the event predates the available buffer, use the dated file in Logs rather than expecting RCON to reconstruct it.
An administrator command is visible in chat but absent from the server log
Check whether you are looking at AdminLogging=True output rather than the server game-log stream. Chat visibility and the dated server files are separate features. Ensure -servergamelog was enabled and inspect the corresponding time window in the file or RCON response.
Labels do not match an online example
Do not force a line into a schema from another build. Exact labels vary by ARK edition, patch, and logging context. Use the timestamp, event meaning, named actor or system component, and adjacent entries to interpret it, and record the version context in your incident notes.
Choosing a workflow: files, RCON, or a hosted panel
Use the method that matches the question rather than treating one access route as universally better.
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|---|---|---|
| What happened several hours or days ago? | Dated file | The file provides a persistent record beyond the current RCON buffer. |
| What is happening on the live server right now? | RCON and getgamelog |
It is a quick remote check while the server is running. |
| Can I access logs without direct filesystem access? | Hosted panel, if it exposes the file or RCON | The panel can provide an interface for the same underlying sources. |
| Do I need a defensible incident archive? | Dated files, copied and retained with timestamps | They preserve the original record for later review. |
Self-hosted and managed-server responsibilities
The technical settings do not change just because a provider hosts the server, but control over each step does.
| Operational area | Self-hosted server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Launch arguments | You add and verify -servergamelog and any tribe-log option. |
The panel may provide a startup-arguments field; confirm that it is applied to the live instance. |
| Filesystem access | You can inspect and copy the server’s Logs directory if permissions allow. |
Access depends on whether the provider exposes files or downloadable logs. |
| RCON support | You configure the port, password, and network access. | The panel may expose an RCON console, but the provider controls which ports and tools are available. |
| Backups and retention | You are responsible for copying dated files and setting retention procedures. | Ask what the panel preserves and for how long; do not assume a live log view is an archive. |
| Permissions | You control operating-system and firewall permissions. | Your panel role and provider policies determine file and RCON access. |
Operational checklist for administrators
- Add
-servergamelogto the real dedicated-server launch configuration. - Add
-servergamelogincludetribelogswhen tribe events must be available through RCON. - Set
RCONEnabled=True,RCONPort, andServerAdminPasswordunder[ServerSettings]when remote retrieval is required. - Restart after every launch-argument or INI change.
- Confirm that a new dated file appears in the server’s
Logsdirectory. - Perform an authenticated RCON test with
getgamelog. - Increase
RCONServerGameLogBufferif the live window is too short for your operations. - Protect the administrator password and limit access to the RCON port to trusted administrators.
- Copy dated files before investigating disputes, bans, or rollback requests.
- Record the ARK edition, patch context, server instance, and time window with every incident review.
Practical decision
Enable -servergamelog before an incident occurs, keep the dated files in the server’s Logs directory, and use RCON only as the fast operational view. Configure RCON deliberately, add the tribe-log option when needed, and keep AdminLogging conceptually separate from the server game log. When an event matters, read the timestamped sequence around it, correlate the named actor or system component with your other records, and preserve the original file.
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