Ark: Survival Evolved features a wide set of built-in cheats and server commands designed to adjust difficulty, manage servers, and customize gameplay. This guide explains how these cheats work across PC, console, and mobile, what you need to enable them, and how they affect experience and progression. It also outlines practical use cases for testing, managing griefing, and running creative servers, while clarifying risks such as bans on official play. The following sections detail common cheat categories, configuration steps, and best practices for using commands safely and effectively.
Common Ark Cheat Categories
Ark organizes its cheats into functional groups, including player utilities, world and creature control, server administration, and debugging tools. Many cheats are console commands entered in the in-game console, while others are accessed through server configuration files or platform-specific menus. Understanding which category a cheat belongs to helps admins and players predict behavior and avoid unintended consequences. The table below summarizes key cheat groups and what they typically affect.
Core Cheat Groups at a Glance
| Cheat Group | Typical Purpose | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Player & Stats | Adjust health, stamina, oxygen, food, and level costs | Single-player, some servers |
| Item & Engram | Spawn items, unlock engrams, set quantities | Single-player, admins |
| Creature & Spawn | Summon creatures, modify levels, set imprint quality | Single-player, admins |
| World & Time | Change weather, time of day, and environmental settings | Admins mostly |
| Server & Network | Manage players, bans, saves, and server behavior | Server admins |
How to Enable Cheats in Ark
Cheats must be explicitly enabled before they can be used, and the method varies by platform and game mode. On PC, enabling cheats requires starting a session or server with the -EnableCheats flag and, in many cases, configuring AdminPassword and ServerPassword in the GameUserSettings.ini file. Console versions usually require setting a PIN or password through system settings and entering the appropriate command to turn cheats on for that title. Mobile and single-player sessions often allow a simpler in-menu toggle, but options may be limited compared to PC. Always back up save files before changing settings, as incorrect configurations can prevent the game from loading.
Enable Steps for Common Platforms
- PC (Steam): Launch with -EnableCheats, set AdminPassword in GameUserSettings.ini, and access the console with the ~ key.
- PC (Session): Use the game’s session settings to allow cheats if not hosting a dedicated server.
- Console: Set a manager or title PIN and activate cheats through the administrator menu or dashboard.
- Mobile & Single-Player: Toggle developer or creative modes where available; feature support may be limited by platform.
Player-Accessible Commands and Shortcuts
Some commands are available to any player when cheats are enabled, while others require admin privileges. Common player-level commands include stat commands that adjust health, food, oxygen, and stamina, as well as give commands for adding items to the inventory. These commands often accept numeric parameters to specify exact quantities or values. Shortcuts such as quick bar adjustments and teleportation options may also be bound to keys or controller buttons, depending on platform and input layout.
Examples of Player Commands
- GiveItemNum
: Adds items to the player’s inventory. - Stat
: Sets or modifies a specific player stat. - TeleToMe
: Requests the target player to teleport to the initiator (when allowed).
Admin and Server Commands
Admin-level commands are typically restricted to users with recognized Steam IDs, Unique Net IDs, or platform-specific identifiers added to the admin list. These commands can kick or ban players, adjust weather, force map reveal, and perform manual saves. On dedicated servers, configuration files such as GameUserSettings.ini and Engine.ini are the primary locations for setting default behaviors, managing tick rates, and defining privilege levels. Using admin commands carefully is important because misuse can disrupt sessions or corrupt save data.
Common Admin Commands
- admincheat
: Executes an admin command on the server. - banplayer
: Bans a player from the server. - makeplayeradmin
: Grants admin privileges to a player. - settimeofday
: Sets in-game time, useful for testing or events. - doexit: Shuts down the server gracefully.
Risks, Policies, and Best Practices
Using cheats on unofficial or private servers is generally permitted by server owners, but using them on official PvP or PvE servers usually violates the Terms of Service and can result in permanent bans. Local single-player sessions and explicitly enabled creative or debug modes carry far lower risk, but it is still wise to disable cheats before playing with others or entering ranked modes. Maintain regular backups of your saves, avoid sharing admin passwords, and communicate server rules clearly if you allow trusted players to use elevated commands. When in doubt, check the server or platform rules before enabling any cheat or modifying configuration files.
Wrap-Up and Takeaways
Ark cheat lists and commands provide tools for adjusting difficulty, testing changes, running creative builds, and managing servers. Enabling and using them correctly requires platform-specific steps, careful privilege management, and adherence to server policies. Understanding which commands are available, who can use them, and how they affect your world helps ensure a stable and fair experience for everyone involved.