ARK: Survival Evolved controls recurring world saves with AutoSavePeriodMinutes in GameUserSettings.ini, inside the [ServerSettings] section. Set the value in minutes, save the file, and restart the server so the setting loads. For example, AutoSavePeriodMinutes=15.0 schedules saves at 15-minute intervals. Always confirm the value after the restart because provider panels, startup scripts, templates, or the wrong server profile can overwrite an edit.
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What the ARK autosave setting does
AutoSavePeriodMinutes is the interval, measured in minutes, between automatic saves of the active ARK world. It belongs in GameUserSettings.ini, under [ServerSettings]. The setting is not a map setting, player setting, or launch argument; placing it in Game.ini or under [SessionSettings] will not control the recurring world-save schedule.
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The ARK Official Community Wiki lists 15.0 as the reference default on its server-configuration page. A Nitrado official save-game template displays AutoSavePeriodMinutes=30.000000. These values are both documented, so do not assume that every installation starts with the same interval. Read the value in the configuration used by your own server before changing it.
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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
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Prepare the server before changing its INI file
Editing while the server is actively writing configuration or world data creates an avoidable risk of a partial change or a later overwrite. Use the host’s normal shutdown or maintenance workflow first.
- Warn connected players and choose a maintenance window.
- Stop the server, or take it safely offline through the host’s administration panel.
- Make sure you are editing the profile, map, and instance that players actually use. Multi-instance installations can contain several files with the same name.
- Keep a copy of the current
GameUserSettings.inibefore editing. This gives you a precise rollback if another setting is accidentally changed. - Use a plain-text editor or the provider’s configuration editor. Do not add rich-text formatting, smart quotes, or comments inside the value.
A scheduled autosave change is configuration work, not a substitute for a tested backup. If the server is important, arrange an independent backup or save-backup process before experimenting with a shorter or longer interval.
Set the interval on a self-hosted ARK server
Self-hosted servers use the installation’s saved configuration directory. The exact directory differs between Windows and Linux installations and can also change with the launch tool, container layout, or server manager. Find the GameUserSettings.ini that belongs to the running instance rather than relying on a path copied from a different installation.
- Stop the running instance. Use the service, script, container, or server-management interface normally used to administer your installation. Wait until the process has fully stopped.
- Open the active configuration file. Locate
GameUserSettings.iniin the server’s saved configuration directory. The official dedicated-server guidance explains INI-based configuration and notes that server-management tools can provide scheduled save backups; it is available at ARK Official Community Wiki: Dedicated server setup. - Find or create the section header. Search for
[ServerSettings]. If that header is absent in the active file, add it as its own line before the setting. - Add the key under that header. Enter the key exactly as written, followed by an equals sign and the interval in minutes. A valid example is:
AutoSavePeriodMinutes=15.0 - Check for duplicate entries. Keep one active line for this key in the section. If several copies exist, remove the extras so a startup script or parser cannot leave you guessing which value is effective.
- Save the file as plain text. Preserve the filename and the
.iniextension. A text editor that silently changes the extension can leave the server reading a different file. - Start the server again. The value is read during startup. Changing the file while the process remains online does not prove that the running process has adopted the new schedule.
- Verify persistence. After startup, reopen the file and confirm that the line is still present with the intended value. Then watch the server’s normal save notifications or save timestamps through at least one expected save cycle before treating the change as complete.
If your self-hosting tool generates configuration from a central panel or startup template, edit the authoritative source as well as (or instead of) the generated file. Otherwise the generated file may be rewritten on the next launch.
Set the interval on a Nitrado ARK: Survival Evolved server
Nitrado documents two ways to change ARK settings. Its server panel provides an exclusive custom setting editor that lets you modify and save settings without manually locating every INI file. The labels can change with the panel, so use the editor associated with the server instance you intend to restart.
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Use the custom setting editor
- Open the ARK: Survival Evolved server in the Nitrado web panel.
- Open the custom setting editor and locate the server-settings entry for the autosave interval.
- Set the value in minutes, save the panel changes, and restart the server from the panel.
- After startup, return to the editor and confirm that the value remains what you entered. Observe a normal save event before relying on it during play.
Edit the file through the Nitrado file browser
Nitrado’s documented file-browser route is:
arkse → ShooterGame → Saved → Config → WindowsServer → GameUserSettings.ini
- Stop the server through the Nitrado administration workflow.
- Open the path above and edit
GameUserSettings.ini. - Place
AutoSavePeriodMinutes=<minutes>under[ServerSettings]; for example,AutoSavePeriodMinutes=15.0. - Choose the panel’s Save changes action.
- Restart the server, as Nitrado’s configuration guide requires for edited settings to load.
- Reopen the editor or file after the restart and check that the value persisted.
The provider’s template may show six decimal places, such as 30.000000. That formatting is a template representation of a minutes value; the important parts are the exact key, the [ServerSettings] section, and a successful save followed by a restart.
Why documented defaults differ
| Document | Value shown | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| ARK Official Community Wiki, Server configuration | 15.0 |
Reference default listed for the server setting |
| Nitrado, Official Save Game Server Setting Templates | 30.000000 |
Value displayed in a provider template |
A wiki reference and a provider template are not necessarily contradictory: a host can ship a template that differs from a general reference, and an administrator may already have changed the file. Treat the value currently loaded by your server as authoritative. Record the original line before changing it so you can restore the previous schedule if the new interval causes an unwanted result.
Choose an interval without assuming a universal optimum
A shorter interval narrows the amount of progress that could be lost if the server stops before its next save. It also causes save operations more often. A longer interval reduces the frequency of writes but leaves a larger possible rollback window. The balance depends on the map, mods, player activity, hardware, storage, and host implementation.
No primary source cited for this setting publishes a universal performance benchmark or a safe minimum that applies to every ARK build, map, mod set, and host. A number that is stable on one installation is not evidence that the same number is optimal elsewhere.
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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
A practical selection method
- Record the current value. Use the value in the active file or panel, not a remembered default.
- Define the loss you can tolerate. Decide how much recent construction, breeding, taming, or exploration players could reasonably repeat after an unexpected stop.
- Change one variable. Alter only
AutoSavePeriodMinutesso any change in behavior can be associated with the interval. - Restart and observe. Complete the required restart, then watch save notifications, timestamps, log activity, and player-reported stability through several normal save cycles.
- Keep or revert deliberately. If the server remains stable and the reduced rollback window is valuable, retain the setting. If save activity coincides with instability or an unacceptable experience, restore the previous value and investigate the installation rather than assuming a different number will solve the underlying problem.
Do not describe an interval as a guaranteed performance improvement. The setting changes scheduling frequency; it does not by itself optimize storage, reduce every form of lag, or protect against corruption.
Troubleshoot an autosave change that does not stick
The key is spelled incorrectly
The parser expects AutoSavePeriodMinutes, including its capitalization and spelling. Check for missing letters, spaces, punctuation, or a value placed before the equals sign. Compare the line character by character with the documented form.
The line is in the wrong section or file
Move the entry under [ServerSettings] in GameUserSettings.ini. It will not control the recurring autosave when placed in [SessionSettings], Game.ini, or an unrelated configuration file. If several maps, profiles, or instances exist, verify that the file path belongs to the process you launched.
The server was not restarted
Saving an INI file is not the same as loading it. Stop and start the server using the normal administration workflow. Nitrado explicitly documents restart as the load step after saving changes. Recheck the file after startup because a restart also reveals whether another system rewrote the entry.
The panel or startup process overwrote the value
If the line returns to its previous value, look for a provider template, a startup script, configuration-management tool, container environment variable, or panel override that regenerates GameUserSettings.ini. Change the authoritative source, then restart and verify again. On managed hosting, the panel editor may be the source that must be changed; on self-hosting, a generated file may be replaced by a launch script.
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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
The server saves, but not on the expected schedule
First confirm the number and its unit: the value is minutes, not seconds. Then confirm that the server completed a clean restart after the edit. Use normal save notifications or timestamps over more than one cycle instead of judging from a single event immediately after startup. If the observed behavior remains inconsistent, inspect logs and the active instance path before changing the interval again.
The edit appears correct but the wrong installation is running
This is common when a machine contains multiple server profiles, maps, test copies, or service definitions. Match the path you edited to the launch configuration and the instance shown in the administration panel. A perfectly formatted line in an unused profile has no effect on players connected to another process.
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A delayed deployment, scheduled synchronization, or provider template can restore its preferred value after startup. Compare the file before and after the reversion, identify which tool performed the write, and update that tool’s source. Do not repeatedly edit the generated file while leaving the generator unchanged.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Autosaves are not backups
An autosave writes the current world state on a recurring schedule. It normally gives the running server a recent save to load after a restart, but it does not automatically provide independent historical copies, off-site storage, retention rules, or protection from a bad save being copied over every older save.
The ARK Official Community Wiki’s dedicated-server guidance notes that server-management tools can provide scheduled save backups. That feature is separate from AutoSavePeriodMinutes. A robust recovery plan should therefore answer two different questions:
- How often should the live server write its current world state?
- Where are independent copies stored, and how many older copies can be restored?
Changing the autosave interval addresses only the first question. Test the backup tool’s restore procedure separately, because a backup that has never been restored is not a proven recovery plan.
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Self-hosting and managed hosting compared
| Decision area | Self-hosted server | Nitrado-managed server |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration access | Edit the active installation’s GameUserSettings.ini under [ServerSettings]. |
Use the custom setting editor or the provider’s file browser. |
| File path | Depends on the Windows/Linux installation and launch tooling. | arkse/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/GameUserSettings.ini |
| Applying the edit | Save the file and restart through the service, script, container, or server manager. | Choose Save changes and restart the server through the panel. |
| Backup tooling | Server-management tools may provide scheduled save backups; configure and test them separately. | The autosave setting remains distinct from any provider backup or retention feature. |
| Default evidence | The active installation may differ from general reference values. | A Nitrado template shows 30.000000, while the ARK Official Community Wiki lists 15.0 as a reference default. |
The practical difference is control and workflow, not a different meaning for the key. In both cases, the setting is a minutes value in GameUserSettings.ini under [ServerSettings]; the path, editor, and source of truth vary.
Final verification before returning players
After the restart, perform a focused check instead of assuming that a successful panel message means the running process accepted the value.
- Open the active configuration again and confirm the intended line is still present.
- Confirm the entry is under
[ServerSettings]inGameUserSettings.ini. - Confirm the server instance, map, and profile match the one players join.
- Observe the server’s normal save notification or timestamp through an expected interval.
- Check logs and player experience for unusual instability before making another configuration change.
- Keep the original configuration copy until the new schedule has behaved normally.
For the exact setting syntax and general configuration context, consult the ARK Official Community Wiki server-configuration reference. For the documented Nitrado editor, file path, save action, and restart workflow, use Nitrado’s ARK server configuration guide. The provider’s template example is available at Nitrado’s Official Save Game Server Setting Templates.
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