To restore an ARK: Survival Ascended dedicated-server save, stop the server completely, preserve the current SavedArks folder, and then choose either the host’s snapshot restore or a manual file replacement. On Nitrado, the built-in route is Tools > Restore Backup. For a supplied single-player, official, or downloaded save, replace the files in arksa/ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/ and make sure the map file has the filename your server expects.
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A restore replaces current progression. Do not begin until you have downloaded or copied the existing files somewhere separate, so you can undo a bad restore.
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What a save restore changes
ASA stores more than one file for a functioning world. The map file contains the world state, while player and tribe files contain ownership and character data. Restoring only the map can therefore produce a world that loads without the expected survivors, tribes, inventories, or structures. A complete recovery normally includes the map .ark, player SteamID.arkprofile files, and tribe .arktribe files.
Nitrado’s guide warns that restoring a backup “overwrites existing progression, meaning it’ll be lost.” Treat every restore as a destructive operation, even when you are trying to reverse a recent mistake.
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Choose the right recovery route
| Situation | Best route | What it restores | Rollback copy needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| The desired date is already available in the host’s backup list | Built-in restore through Tools > Restore Backup | The server data represented by the selected snapshot | Yes; the restore overwrites current progression |
| You have a save archive or files from another server, single-player, or an official server | Manual replacement through the file browser or FTP | Whatever map, player, and tribe files you upload | Yes; preserve the existing SavedArks folder first |
| You need to reverse a recent in-game change | Game-internal backup, when available | A recent in-game state | Yes; keep a separate copy before applying it |
| You need to return the whole server to an earlier date | Server backup snapshot | The broader server state captured by that snapshot | Yes; the current state is replaced |
Game-internal backups and server backups are not interchangeable. Nitrado describes game-internal backups as a way to reverse a recent in-game change, while a server backup rolls the whole server back to a selected date. Use the narrowest recovery that fixes the problem, but always retain the current files before applying it.
Prepare the server safely
- Announce maintenance. Tell players that the server will be unavailable and that progress made after the chosen restore point may disappear.
- Stop the server completely. Do not edit, delete, or upload save files while ASA is running. A running process can write a new world state over the files you are trying to preserve.
- Make a separate copy. Download or copy the entire
arksa/ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/folder to a local location such as an external SSD or USB drive. Keep the folder intact and give the copy a date-based name so you can identify the pre-restore state. - Identify the map in use. The map directory and expected filename must match the server’s configured map. Common ASA map filenames include
TheIsland_WP.ark,TheCenter_WP.ark, andScorchedEarth_WP.ark. - Confirm what your source contains. A usable full restore should include the map
.arkplus the matching.arkprofileand.arktribefiles. If your source has only a world file, plan to test player and tribe ownership carefully after startup.
Restore an existing Nitrado snapshot
Use this route when the backup date you need is already listed in the Nitrado control panel. It avoids manually renaming and uploading individual files.
- Open the Nitrado control panel for the ASA server.
- Stop the server and wait until the status shows that it is fully offline.
- Open Tools > Restore Backup.
- Select the snapshot or date that contains the world state you want.
- Confirm the restore only after checking that you have a separate copy of the current
SavedArksfolder. - Allow the restore to complete, then start the server. Nitrado’s documented workflow restarts the server with the restored data after a successful operation.
Join the server with a test account or a trusted administrator first. Check the world, survivor, tribe, structures, inventories, and recent events before announcing that the rollback is complete. If the selected snapshot is wrong, stop the server again and restore the preserved pre-restore copy rather than layering another uncertain restore over it.
Manually replace an ASA save
Manual replacement is the appropriate route when you received files from another machine or host, exported a single-player world, or need to install a save that is not present in the host’s snapshot list.
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Open the correct directory
With the server stopped, use the host’s file browser or an FTP client and navigate to:
arksa/ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/
Inside that location, open the directory for the map you are replacing. For example, an Island save may be under TheIsland_WP. Preserve the complete existing directory before changing anything.
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After the backup copy is safely stored elsewhere, remove the default world file that the server currently uses. Do not delete your local safety copy. If you are uncertain which file is active, stop and verify the configured map name before proceeding; uploading a second world file with a different name will not necessarily make the server load it.
Upload and rename the replacement
Upload the replacement map, player, and tribe files into the map directory. The map file must use the filename expected by the server. A supplied file may need to be renamed to one of these configured names:
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TheIsland_WP.arkTheCenter_WP.arkScorchedEarth_WP.ark
The exact name is map-dependent. Do not assume that the filename used by a single-player or official save will match the name configured on your dedicated server. The map file, SteamID.arkprofile files, and .arktribe files must be placed in the directory the server actually reads.
Restart only after the upload finishes
- Check that the replacement files have completed uploading; a partially transferred file is not a valid restore.
- Confirm that the map file has the expected name and that the player and tribe files are beside it in the correct map directory.
- Start the server.
- Join and perform the post-restore checks described below.
Upload through the file browser or FTP
| Method | Use it when | Critical precaution |
|---|---|---|
| Host file browser | You want to make a small, visible change directly in the provider’s storage interface | Keep the original folder copied elsewhere before deleting or replacing files |
| FTP | You have a large archive or prefer a desktop transfer workflow | Wait for every file to finish transferring before starting the server |
The two methods change the same underlying save location. Neither method removes the need to stop the server, preserve the current folder, and match the configured map filename.
Restore a single-player or official save
A save from another environment is not automatically ready for a dedicated server. First extract it without changing the original archive. Locate the map .ark, the SteamID.arkprofile files, and the .arktribe files. Then compare the map’s name with the map configured on the server.
If the source map is named differently, rename the map file to the server’s expected name, such as TheIsland_WP.ark, before uploading it. Keep the player and tribe files associated with that world together. Uploading a world without its matching player or tribe data can leave the terrain present while character progress, tribe membership, or ownership does not appear as expected.
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After the first startup, test with the survivor and tribe that should own the restored content. Check a structure, an inventory, and a tribe-owned object rather than relying only on the server’s successful boot message.
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Post-restore verification checklist
Do not consider the operation complete merely because the server starts. Work through these checks while the server remains in a controlled maintenance window:
- Login: The server appears online and accepts a connection.
- Map: The expected map loads instead of a newly generated or incorrect world.
- Character: The intended survivor is available, with the expected level and inventory.
- Tribe: The survivor belongs to the correct tribe and can access tribe-owned assets.
- Structures: Important bases, storage, crafting stations, and defenses are present.
- World state: Recent changes that should have been reversed are gone, while older progress remains.
- Multiple users: At least one additional affected player confirms that their character and tribe access are correct.
If any check fails, stop the server before making another change. Restore the pre-restore copy you created at the beginning, or repeat the manual upload with the correct matching files and filename.
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The server loads a fresh world
This usually indicates that the server did not find the replacement map under the filename and directory it expects. Stop the server, verify the path arksa/ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/<MapName>, and confirm that the map file has the configured name, such as TheIsland_WP.ark. Do not keep playing on the fresh world; preserve it only if you intentionally need it, then restore the correct files.
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The map is present but the survivor is missing
Check that the corresponding SteamID.arkprofile file was uploaded with the map. A map-only replacement can load terrain while leaving player data behind. Stop the server before adding the matching profile file.
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The survivor exists but tribe ownership is wrong
Verify that the matching .arktribe file is in the same map directory. Tribe membership and ownership are separate from the terrain map, so replacing only the .ark file may not reproduce the original state.
The wrong date was restored
Stop the server immediately to avoid creating additional progress on the wrong state. Use the preserved current folder to return to the pre-restore state, then select the intended snapshot or repeat the manual replacement with the correct archive.
The upload appears incomplete
Do not start ASA while transfers are still running. Finish the upload, verify that the files are in the map directory, and restart only after the transfer has completed. If the server still behaves incorrectly, revert to the preserved folder and upload again.
How to avoid making the next rollback harder
- Keep a dated local copy of
SavedArksbefore every destructive restore or manual replacement. - Retain the map, player, and tribe files together rather than archiving only the
.arkfile. - Record the configured map name and expected filename for each server.
- Use the host’s snapshot restore when the desired date is already available; reserve manual replacement for external or specially prepared saves.
- Test a restored server privately before reopening it to the entire player base.
Nitrado’s upload guidance strongly recommends making a backup of the files in case something goes wrong. That separate copy is the difference between a reversible rollback and a second, potentially permanent loss of progression.
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