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If ARK disconnects a player with a “you have been kicked from this server” message, first determine whether an administrator actually used KickPlayer, whether the account is banned, or whether the disconnect is coming from BattlEye or a stale session. A kick is temporary and normally allows the player to reconnect; a ban remains in force until an administrator runs UnBanPlayer. For server administrators, the fastest reliable workflow is to identify the player, use the correct platform ID format, check the ban state, and only then investigate anti-cheat or session problems.
This guide covers ARK: Survival Evolved servers, including the distinctions between official and unofficial servers. The available guidance is community- and hosting-provider based, so anti-cheat and stale-session remedies are troubleshooting steps rather than confirmed fixes from an official 2026 patch.
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What “kicked” means in ARK
Players use “kicked” for several different outcomes. The wording on screen is not enough to identify the cause, so treat the symptom as a starting point rather than a diagnosis.
| Outcome | What happens | Can the player return? | Administrator action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | The server disconnects the named player immediately. | Yes. A kick is not a permanent restriction. | Nothing is required unless the kick was accidental or keeps recurring. |
| Ban | The account is placed on the server’s banned list and is refused on later connection attempts. | Not until the ban is removed. | Run admincheat UnBanPlayer [SteamID] with the player’s ID. |
| Anti-cheat disconnect | BattlEye may drop a player shortly after connection, sometimes after a few seconds of play. | Usually, once the anti-cheat or game-file problem is resolved. | Confirm the anti-cheat message and work through BattlEye and file-integrity checks. |
| Stale session | The server believes the same account is still connected, producing “already a player with this account connected.” | Often after the old session times out, or after an administrator clears the stale connection. | Wait for timeout on an official server; on a private server, ask the administrator to remove the stale session. |
If someone can no longer reconnect after being told they were “kicked,” check the ban list before assuming the game is malfunctioning. A previous BanPlayer action can look like a kick to the player because both result in a disconnect or refusal to play.
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The administrator command reference
These commands require administrator access and the admincheat prefix on a server. Replace the bracketed value with the player identifier returned by the server’s player-list command.
| Purpose | Command | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Enable administrator commands | enablecheats [ServerAdminPassword] |
Authenticates the administrator on the current server session. |
| List connected players and IDs | admincheat ListPlayers |
Displays connected players and the identifiers available to the server. |
| Open the administration manager | admincheat ShowMyAdminManager |
Opens ARK’s administrator-management interface, where supported by the server build. |
| Kick a player | admincheat KickPlayer [SteamID] |
Disconnects the specified player. The player may reconnect. |
| Ban a player | admincheat BanPlayer [SteamID] |
Adds the specified player to the banned list. The restriction persists until removed. |
| Remove a ban | admincheat UnBanPlayer [SteamID] |
Reverses a ban when the identifier and command are accepted by the server. |
The command examples use SteamID as the placeholder because that is how many guides label the argument. It does not prove that every cross-platform server accepts a Steam identifier in every situation. The ID-format issue is the most important reason a command appears to do nothing.
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1. Confirm the symptom and scope
Ask the affected player for the exact on-screen message, when the disconnect occurs, and whether other players remain connected. “You have been kicked from this server,” a BattlEye warning, and “already a player with this account connected” point to different branches. Record whether the player can reconnect immediately, because a successful reconnection strongly suggests a temporary kick rather than a persistent ban.
- Disconnects immediately after you issue an administrative action: investigate the command and ID.
- Disconnects after a few seconds with an anti-cheat message: investigate BattlEye and local game files.
- Only one account is refused while others play normally: check that account’s ban or stale-session state.
- Many players drop at once: treat it as a server, network, or anti-cheat-wide incident rather than an individual kick.
2. Authenticate as administrator
Open the server console or the in-game console according to the platform and server configuration. Enter enablecheats [ServerAdminPassword]. The password must be the server’s administrator password; a normal player password or a mistyped value will not grant the required authority.
3. Obtain the player’s identifier
Use the command or interface available in your build. Sources describe both admincheat ListPlayers and admincheat ShowMyAdminManager. Copy the identifier exactly as displayed instead of copying a profile name, display name, or shortened nickname. Names can change and may not be unique; the server identifier is what the kick, ban, and unban operation uses.
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4. Decide between a kick and a ban
Use admincheat KickPlayer [SteamID] when you need to remove someone immediately but want them to retain the ability to return. Use admincheat BanPlayer [SteamID] only when a persistent restriction is intended. Explain the distinction to moderators: a kick ends the current connection, while a ban changes what happens on future connection attempts.
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After a kick, ask the player to reconnect. If reconnection succeeds, the command worked as intended. If the player remains blocked, run the unban command with the correct identifier when the ban was accidental: admincheat UnBanPlayer [SteamID]. If a command produces no visible effect, do not repeatedly issue it with the same argument. Check the identifier format first.
Why a kick or ban command does nothing
ID-format mismatch
Guidance conflicts over the identifier formats accepted by KickPlayer and BanPlayer. Some instructions tell administrators to use a Steam64 ID. Another guide lists a 17-digit Steam ID, a 19-digit Epic ID, and a 32-character EOS ID, depending on the player’s platform and the server’s build. Because the sources do not establish one universal format, use the type your server exposes in its player list and configuration.
A wrong format commonly fails silently: the server may not kick or ban anyone and may not return a useful error. That behavior can be mistaken for a broken command, missing permissions, or a networking fault.
- Run the player-list command again while the account is connected.
- Copy the complete ID, including every digit or character.
- Check whether the value is a Steam64/Steam identifier, an Epic identifier, or an EOS identifier.
- Repeat the command with that exact value and no display-name text.
- Have the player test reconnection before escalating to anti-cheat troubleshooting.
Do not shorten a 17-digit, 19-digit, or 32-character value for convenience. The accepted representation is dependent on the server’s platform and build, and the available guidance does not establish a cross-platform conversion rule.
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Administrative access or console context
If enablecheats was not accepted, the later commands may run as ordinary chat text or be ignored. Re-authenticate in the correct server session, confirm that the console is targeting the intended server, and ensure the command includes admincheat. A command entered on a client connected to a different server cannot affect the player you are trying to manage.
Wrong target
Display names are not a safe substitute for the identifier. Players may share similar names, change names, or use different platform accounts. Re-run ListPlayers or open ShowMyAdminManager while the target is online and copy the ID associated with the correct account.
Cause 1: an administrator or management tool removed the player
This is the best-supported explanation when one named player is disconnected and the event coincides with moderation activity. A moderator may have run KickPlayer, a management tool may have issued the equivalent action, or a previous ban may still be active. Ask every administrator who had console access what action was taken and when.
If the player reconnects normally, the event was consistent with a kick. If the player is refused repeatedly, test the ban state and use UnBanPlayer only after confirming that the restriction was unintended. Keep an internal record of the account ID, action, administrator, reason, and time so that a later “I was only kicked” report can be distinguished from an old ban.
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On unofficial servers, the owner or administrator controls moderation decisions and server rules. Community reports describe players being kicked or unable to rejoin because the administrator chose to remove them, not because ARK itself failed. The practical remedy is to contact that server’s administrator through its published support or community channel and ask whether a kick, ban, whitelist rule, or policy decision was applied.
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Do not assume that an unofficial server follows the same moderation policy as an official server. A player who can join other servers but not one private server may be encountering that server’s ban list or operating rules. Administrators should publish a short rule and appeal path so players know whom to contact instead of repeatedly attempting to reconnect.
Cause 3: BattlEye anti-cheat disconnects
A hosting-provider troubleshooting summary identifies BattlEye as a plausible cause when a player connects, plays for a few seconds, and is then dropped with an anti-cheat message. This is not the same symptom as a deliberate administrative kick. The available guidance does not include a dated, verified fix from BattlEye itself, so treat the following as diagnostic steps rather than a guaranteed repair.
Checks for the affected player
- Close ARK and the Steam client completely.
- From the ARK installation folder, run the BattlEye installation or setup component and choose the repair or reinstall option presented by that installer.
- In Steam, open the game’s properties, find the installed-files section, and run the option to verify the integrity of game files.
- Restart Steam, launch ARK, and test the same server again.
Ask the player for the exact anti-cheat text and whether the disconnect occurs only on one server. If BattlEye messages appear across several servers, the problem is more likely local to that installation or account environment. If only your server produces the message while other players remain connected, compare server configuration and recent changes before blaming the player.
What administrators should record
- The time between connection and disconnect.
- The exact BattlEye or ARK message.
- Whether the player can join another ARK server.
- Whether the event affects one platform or all platforms.
- Any server, mod, configuration, or restart change made immediately beforehand.
Without those details, repeatedly kicking or unbanning the account will not address an anti-cheat rejection and can make the incident harder to interpret.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Cause 4: “Already a player with this account connected”
This message is community-reported as a stale-session problem. The server believes the account is still present even though the player has lost the usable connection. It can happen after a crash, network interruption, or an incomplete disconnect, but the available evidence does not confirm a single technical cause.
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Official-server response
Players commonly report waiting for the old session to time out before trying again. Advise the player to close ARK, wait rather than launching repeated connection attempts, and try again after the session has had time to clear. Because this behavior is not confirmed by an official source, do not promise a specific timeout duration.
Private-server response
On an unofficial server, ask the administrator to check whether the account remains listed as connected and to remove the stale session using the server’s normal administrative controls. The administrator should verify the account identifier before removing anything, especially when multiple players have similar names.
Cause 5: the disputed Pegomastax report
One Steam user reported that taming a Pegomastax coincided with kick and ban commands no longer working and claimed that removing the creature resolved the issue. Another commenter said the commands still failed for them. This is a single disputed anecdote, not an established ARK fix.
Do not delete creatures, wipe a character, or alter a player’s save data solely because of that report. If a server team wants to investigate it, first preserve a backup, record the exact command and identifier, and test whether the failure is actually an ID-format or permission problem. A reproducible report would need the server version, platform, creature state, command output, and a comparison with another account.
Official versus unofficial servers
| Question | Official server | Unofficial server |
|---|---|---|
| Who controls a player ban? | The server’s official administration and systems. | The private owner or administrators operating that server. |
| Who can reverse a ban? | An administrator with the required access and the correct account ID, where the command is available. | The server owner or an authorized moderator using that server’s controls. |
| What should a player do after a stale-session message? | Wait for the session to clear and retry. | Contact the server administrator to clear the stale connection. |
| How should policy disputes be handled? | Use the official support route appropriate to the service. | Use the private server’s stated rules and appeal contact. |
A player’s ability to join other servers is a useful comparison, but it is not proof of the cause. It helps separate an account- or installation-wide issue from a single server’s policy or state.
A practical decision tree for support tickets
- Does the message explicitly mention BattlEye? If yes, collect the text and follow the anti-cheat checks before changing the ban list.
- Does the player reconnect immediately? If yes, the event is consistent with a temporary kick. Ask which administrator or tool issued it.
- Can the player reconnect anywhere else? If no, investigate the local installation, BattlEye, or account environment. If yes, focus on this server’s actions, policy, or session state.
- Does the player receive a persistent refusal? Check whether a ban exists. If the ban was accidental, run
admincheat UnBanPlayer [SteamID]with the verified ID. - Did the command have no effect? Recheck administrator authentication and the ID format before trying unrelated fixes.
- Does the message say the account is already connected? Treat it as a stale-session branch: wait on an official server or ask the private administrator to clear it.
Preventing accidental kicks and hard-to-resolve bans
- Require moderators to copy the full identifier from
ListPlayersorShowMyAdminManager, never from a display name. - Document which Steam, Epic, or EOS ID representation your server build accepts.
- Use a kick for a temporary removal and reserve a ban for a deliberate, persistent restriction.
- Record every ban with the exact ID and reason so an unban can target the same account.
- Publish a contact method for unofficial-server appeals and stale-session requests.
- Ask for the exact disconnect message before modifying a player’s character, creatures, or save data.
- Back up the server before testing an unusual anecdotal theory such as the disputed Pegomastax claim.
- When many players disconnect together, investigate server health and recent changes instead of treating each report as a separate moderation action.
Limits of the available fixes
No official 2026 patch note addressing unexpected ARK kicks was identified in the material available for this guide. The BattlEye recommendation comes from a hosting-provider summary rather than verified BattlEye documentation, and the stale-session behavior and Pegomastax claim are community reports. That means an administrator should describe these as likely causes or troubleshooting paths, not guaranteed defects with a universal repair.
The most dependable facts are operational: KickPlayer disconnects a named player and permits a later return; BanPlayer persists until UnBanPlayer; and a command that silently fails warrants an ID-format check. Those checks resolve the common administrative cases without risking unnecessary changes to the server save.
The Bottom Line
For “ARK kicked while playing,” verify the exact message, authenticate with enablecheats, retrieve the full account ID, and distinguish a temporary kick from a persistent ban. Check Steam, Epic, or EOS format compatibility before repeating a command. Only after administrative and ID checks should you pursue BattlEye repair or a stale-session timeout, and treat the Pegomastax report as unverified.
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