To transfer an ARK survivor and tamed dinosaurs, use an Obelisk or another supported terminal to upload the survivor, place items in ARK Data, and upload creatures from the creature interface. Join the destination server, download the survivor, then retrieve the stored items and tames from its terminal.
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This guide answers “How do I transfer my character and dinos between ARK servers?”, “Can I move my survivor to another map?”, and “Why is my dinosaur missing after I transfer?” The exact result depends on whether you are using Official servers or an administrator-configured unofficial cluster.
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CrossARK Transfers is ARK’s upload-and-download system for moving a survivor, transferable items, and tamed creatures from one ARK to another. It is not a live teleport: the game first stores each part of your transfer at a terminal, then you download it after joining the destination server.
The survivor is a separate upload from your equipment and tames. Uploading the survivor removes that character from the current session until you download it elsewhere, so finish all preparation before confirming the upload. Items placed in ARK Data and creatures uploaded through the creature tab remain stored at the transfer system until you collect them.
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Check compatibility before uploading anything
A transfer can fail, or a download can be unavailable, when the destination does not belong to the same transfer environment. Confirm these points first:
- Official servers: transfer to an Official server using the same game mode. PvP survivors must go to PvP, and PvE survivors must go to PvE.
- Unofficial servers: ask the administrator whether the source and destination use the same
clusteridand a sharedClusterDirOverridestorage location. Dynamic travel requires at least two servers with both settings aligned; the configuration reference explains the requirement at Server configuration. - Map and version rules: the destination must expose a terminal and allow the type of download you are attempting. Server owners can change transfer, item, and creature policies.
- Creature permissions: on servers using the configuration default,
CrossARKAllowForeignDinoDownloadsisFalse. A dino uploaded on another server may therefore be present in storage but blocked from downloading until the administrator changes the setting.
The practical difference is who controls the boundary. Official transfers follow the game-mode rule and Official network availability; unofficial transfers depend on the administrator’s cluster identity, shared storage, and configuration.
Official and unofficial transfer rules compared
| Transfer detail | Official servers | Unofficial servers |
|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | Destination must be an Official server in the same game mode, such as PvP to PvP or PvE to PvE. | Servers must be configured as one cluster, normally with the same clusterid and shared ClusterDirOverride. |
| Who controls settings | Official network rules and current server configuration. | The server owner or administrator controls cluster and transfer settings. |
| Where transfer can start | Supply Crate, Terminal, Obelisk, or Tek Transmitter, where enabled. | Any supported terminal exposed by that server; availability varies by administrator. |
| Foreign-dino downloads | Subject to the current Official rules and server state. | Controlled by CrossARKAllowForeignDinoDownloads, which defaults to False in the configuration reference. |
| Limits and cooldowns | Published limits can include 50 item stacks, 20 dinosaurs, and a 43,200-second creature re-upload cooldown; current rules can change. | Administrators can alter limits, cooldowns, and whether downloads are accepted. |
Choose the right transfer terminal
An Obelisk is the most familiar option, but it is not the only one. Depending on the server type and settings, you can begin or finish a transfer at:
- An Obelisk, including a Red Obelisk; see the Red Obelisk reference.
- A Supply Crate.
- A regular server Terminal.
- A Tek Transmitter.
Use a terminal that displays the transfer controls. If the menu does not offer travel, survivor upload, ARK Data, or the creature tab, that structure is not configured for the operation or the server has restricted it.
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Step-by-step: transfer your survivor, items, and dinos
1. Prepare the source and destination
- Write down the exact destination server or map and verify its game mode.
- On an unofficial cluster, ask the administrator to confirm the shared
clusterid, sharedClusterDirOverride, and foreign-dino download policy. - Check the server’s current limits and cooldowns before selecting valuable creatures. The Obelisk reference records 50 item stacks and 20 dinosaurs as a reference point, but settings and versions can differ.
- Finish crafting, building, and inventory management that require the current session. Once the survivor is uploaded, that character is no longer active on the source server.
2. Reach a supported terminal
Travel to an Obelisk or use an enabled Supply Crate, Terminal, or Tek Transmitter. Open its inventory and locate the transfer controls. If you are playing single-player, the interface may label the action Upload survivor; on a cluster it may say Travel to another server.
3. Upload the survivor
- Choose the server-travel or survivor-upload option.
- Read the confirmation screen, including any warning about removing the survivor from the current session.
- Confirm only after your source-side preparation is complete.
Do not close the game or switch maps during the confirmation process. The destination download is a separate action; uploading alone does not spawn the survivor on another server.
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4. Put transferable items in ARK Data
Open the terminal’s ARK Data inventory and move the items you intend to carry into it. Items left in your normal character inventory are not automatically guaranteed to follow the survivor. Server rules can also restrict particular item types, so check the transfer inventory and administrator policy rather than assuming every carried item is eligible.
Keep the number of stacks within the server’s stated allowance. The Obelisk documentation lists 50 item stacks for its patch 246.0 reference; treat that as a documented reference, not a promise that every current server uses the same value.
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5. Upload dinosaurs from the creature interface
- Open the terminal’s creature tab.
- Select the tamed dinosaur you want to move.
- Use the creature upload control and accept the warning.
- Repeat only while you remain under the server’s creature limit and any upload cooldown rules.
The Obelisk reference lists 20 dinosaurs per upload. A creature’s saddle and inventory may be handled separately by the server’s transfer rules, so record what is equipped or stored before uploading and plan to verify it after download.
6. Join the destination server
Use the cluster travel or map-selection flow to select the destination. At the destination’s character screen, choose Download Survivor and select the uploaded character. If the destination offers only character creation, stop and check compatibility and cluster configuration instead of creating a replacement survivor.
7. Download the stored items and creatures
After spawning on the destination map, travel to an Obelisk or other supported terminal in that server. Open ARK Data and download the stored item stacks. Then open the creature tab and download each available tame. The survivor, items, and dinos are separate retrievals, so completing one does not automatically collect the others.
8. Verify the transfer before leaving the terminal
- Confirm that the intended survivor is active and has the expected progression.
- Check every item stack, saddle, and creature inventory you planned to move.
- Make sure each dinosaur appears in the destination creature list and can be downloaded.
- If a creature is missing, do not delete the source or create another upload until an administrator has checked the cluster and download settings.
Limits, cooldowns, and settings that can block a transfer
| Rule or setting | Documented value | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Item stacks per Obelisk upload | 50 stacks | Listed in the patch 246.0 Obelisk reference at Obelisk. Current server configuration or game versions may differ. |
| Dinosaurs per upload | 20 dinosaurs | Also listed in the Obelisk reference; confirm the live server rule before moving a large collection. |
| Official creature re-upload cooldown | 43,200 seconds (12 hours) | Recorded in the Server configuration reference. It applies to the documented Official setting and may be affected by current configuration or version. |
CrossARKAllowForeignDinoDownloads |
False by default |
On an unofficial server, a foreign tame can remain stored while downloads are refused until the administrator enables the setting. |
These numbers are operational limits, not a guarantee that a particular server has them enabled exactly as written. Ask the administrator for the live rule set before uploading irreplaceable tames or rare items.
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Why is my dinosaur missing after I transfer?
A missing tame usually means the upload and download stages do not agree, rather than that the creature instantly vanished. Work through these checks in order.
The tame was never uploaded
Return to the source terminal if the survivor is still there, or ask an administrator to inspect the source cluster storage. A creature must be selected in the creature tab and uploaded individually; moving the survivor does not automatically include nearby tames.
The destination blocks foreign creatures
On an unofficial cluster, ask the administrator to check CrossARKAllowForeignDinoDownloads. Its documented default is False, so a foreign dino can be visible to the cluster’s storage system but unavailable in the destination download list.
The servers are not sharing one cluster
For dynamic unofficial travel, both servers need the same clusterid and shared ClusterDirOverride. If either value differs, the destination may look correct in a server browser while having no access to the uploaded creature data.
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A limit or cooldown applies
Check whether the upload exceeded the stated 20-dinosaur allowance or whether the tame is within the documented 43,200-second Official re-upload cooldown. Server-specific values can be different, so the administrator’s current configuration is decisive.
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Use the destination terminal’s creature tab, not your personal inventory or a cryopod search. Downloaded creatures may still require a separate retrieval after the survivor and ARK Data items are collected.
Other common transfer failures
The survivor is not listed at the destination
- Confirm that the upload reached completion before you left the source.
- Verify the destination is the same Official game mode, or that an unofficial administrator confirms the cluster relationship.
- Use the destination’s Download Survivor path rather than starting a new character.
- If the upload was made in single-player, return to the single-player transfer flow and use the interface’s Upload survivor and download options as intended.
My items did not arrive
Items must be placed in ARK Data before the survivor is uploaded. Recheck the destination terminal’s ARK Data tab and the server’s item restrictions. A stack that stayed in the source character inventory is not evidence that the ARK Data transfer failed.
The transfer option is missing
Move to an Obelisk or another supported structure. Official documentation allows Supply Crates, Terminals, Obelisks, and Tek Transmitters where enabled, but an individual server can disable or restrict a terminal. If no supported terminal exposes the controls, contact the administrator rather than risking an unverified upload.
The game disconnects during travel
Reconnect to the same destination and check whether the survivor appears under Download Survivor and whether ARK Data still contains the stored items. Do not repeat the upload blindly; an interrupted attempt may already have created the destination entry, and a second attempt can complicate the administrator’s investigation.
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| Approach | Advantages | Risks and requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Manual terminal transfer | You decide when to upload the survivor, items, and each tame, then explicitly download them on the destination. | You can forget stored items or creatures, and every part must be retrieved separately. |
| Dynamic travel on an unofficial cluster | Once configured, multiple linked servers can share a travel network and its transfer storage. | Requires matching clusterid, shared ClusterDirOverride, administrator cooperation, and compatible foreign-dino settings. |
Neither approach removes the need to verify the destination. Dynamic travel changes who manages the connection; it does not eliminate item limits, creature limits, cooldowns, or download permissions.
A safe pre-flight and arrival checklist
Before leaving the source
- Destination server and game mode confirmed.
- Unofficial cluster ID and shared storage confirmed by the administrator.
- Current item, creature, and cooldown limits checked.
- Items moved into ARK Data.
- Every intended tame selected and uploaded in the creature tab.
- Survivor upload completed only after all preparation.
After joining the destination
- Downloaded the uploaded survivor instead of creating a replacement.
- Opened ARK Data and collected the item stacks.
- Opened the creature tab and downloaded the tames.
- Checked saddles, inventories, and creature count.
- Reported any absent entry to the administrator with the source and destination server names, rather than attempting repeated uploads.
When to contact the server administrator
Contact an administrator when the destination is in the wrong game mode, the unofficial servers have different cluster settings, a foreign dino is blocked, a cooldown or limit is unclear, or uploaded data is visible on one server but not another. Provide the approximate upload time, survivor name, source map, destination map, and the affected item or tame. Those details let the administrator check configuration and cluster storage without asking you to overwrite the original transfer.
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