How to Backup Your ARK Server

How to Backup Your ARK Server – Introduction

During ARK server adventures, players experience many memorable moments while playing. From adventuring through the narrow molten element caves of the ARK Aberration DLC to taming a mighty T-Rex to head into a PvP battle against your best friend. With such amazing moments, saving those memories is just as important as the adventure. Backing up an ARK server preserves those files, storing that part of your journey onto your server and/or PC.

When you backup your ARK server, this not only provides a way to go back to that world later but also makes a restore point in case something breaks and you need to restore your server. An ARK server with Nitrado includes free automatic backups, but you can also take your own backups directly to your computer. In this guide, we will show you how to create a backup of your ARK server and perform restores if needed so that you can continue your adventure!

How to Make Backups

Automatic Server Backups and Restorations

With Nitrado, your ARK server will come equipped with automatic server backups. Two types of backups occur with an ARK server at Nitrado, map backups, and server backups. Map backups are taken every three hours while server backups are taken once a day. Server backups mean that if any issues ever occur, such as map corruption or even your favorite tamed dinosaur dying, you can quickly restore your server to a point before that problem began. To find and restore ARK backups on your server follow these steps:

1. Head to your ARK server panel and, to the left under “Tools”, select the “Restore Backup” option.
   

2. From there, you’ll be able to see the “Backup Management” section that will include “Map Save Backups (Internal Save Game Backups)” specifically for ARK server maps and “Server Backups”. Under the Server Backups section, you’ll see ARK: SE backups along with the backups of any other game that was installed and had taken automatic backups.
3. Afterward, if you’d like to restore a backup you can press the red “Restore” option next to that backup. Your server will ask for confirmation. Press “Restore” once more to confirm the backup restoration.
   

4. Finally, once the restoration finishes, you can start your server. You’ll be ready to start your ARK exploration from that backup restore point.

Backup Your ARK Server Locally

Local ARK backups are another great method of backing up your server. A local backup of your ARK server is one stored on your computer, ensuring that you have a copy with you at all times. To create a local backup of your ARK server, follow these steps:

1. To start, login to your ARK server’s FTP by following this guide.
2. Next, in your server’s FTP go to the location /arkse/ShooterGame/Saved/.
3. In the “Saved” folder, you will see three important folders named “Config”, “Logs”, and “SavedArks”.
   

1. Config – The config folder holds your important server configuration files including the GameUserSettings.ini, Game.ini, and Engine.ini.
2. Logs – In the logs folder, you’ll find detailed server logs for when your server is in use with everything from server startup information to player connect/disconnect messages.
3. SavedArks – The most important folder of the three, the SavedArks folder contains your map and player save files.
4. Once you’re at this point, on the left side of your FTP client, use the navigation to go to a safe location on your computer and create a new folder named “ARK server backup – calendar date”. This will provide you with a place to save your files and be able to access them again. After creating the folder, click and enter that folder.
   

5. Now, drag and drop the ARK folders you’d like to backup to that newly created folder on your computer. This will start the backup process.
   

6. Lastly, allow the files to finish backing up to your computer. You can now exit your FTP program and you’ll have a local backup of your ARK server.

Need to restore a local ARK server backup? Look below to learn how!

Restoring a Manual Server Backup

1. To restore a local backup of your ARK server, begin by stopping your server.
2. Next, log in to your ARK server’s FTP by following this guide.
3. After logging in, in your FTP go to the location /arkse/ShooterGame/Saved/.
4. In this location, if there are any files we recommend removing them. Alternatively, you can create a folder named “old” and move the folders inside of that to disable them. This will prepare your server for the backup.
   

5. On the left side of your external FTP program, find the local ARK server backup.
6. Once you have found those files, select them and move them over to your server to upload them. Allow those files to completely upload to your server. Depending on the file sizes and your internet upload speed, this can take some time.
   

7. After the files finish uploading, go back to your ARK server. You’ll need to ensure your ARK server is set to the correct map to load your ARK save files.
8. While on your ARK server panel, on the left side, press “General” to edit your server settings.
   

9. In your ARK server settings find the “Mapname” option. Use this option’s dropdown to select the correct map.
   

10. Finally, with the correct map selected, press “Save changes” and restart your ARK server. Your ARK game server will now load with that backup, ready for you and your fellow ARK players to continue the ARK adventure!

Backup and Protect Your ARK Server

Are you protected with an ARK server backup? If you don’t have a backup ready, now is a great time to get started. Not only will it only take a short time, but it’ll protect your server for as long as you keep that backup. Now that you know how to create a backup of your ARK server, backup your ARK game server today and have peace of mind knowing you and your players are safe.

Protect and play on your own ARK server!