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To wake the unconscious creature or player under your crosshair in ARK, open the admin console, aim at the target, and run cheat SetMyTargetSleeping 0. The value 0 wakes the target; 1 does the opposite and knocks it out. To wake your own character, run cheat ExecSetSleeping false.
On a multiplayer server, authenticate first with enablecheats <adminpassword>, then use the command prefix accepted by that server. Single-player does not require that authentication step according to the official ARK Community Wiki command reference.
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Which ARK wake-up command should you use?
The correct command depends on whether you are targeting another entity or changing your own player state. These are separate commands, so using the self command while aiming at a dinosaur will not wake that dinosaur.
| What you want to do | Command | Targeting | Important value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake an unconscious dinosaur or other entity under your crosshair | cheat SetMyTargetSleeping 0 |
Aim directly at the entity | 0 wakes; 1 knocks the target out |
| Wake your own player character | cheat ExecSetSleeping false |
No crosshair target is required | false wakes the executing player |
The command reference describes the second operation as putting the current player character to sleep or waking that character. Both commands are administrative game actions; you do not need a physical product, add-on, or separate utility to use them.
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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 dyno herd
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- 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
What you need before entering a command
Confirm which ARK edition you are playing
Console behavior differs between ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE) and ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA). ASE launched in 2017. ASA entered early access in 2023 for Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The command purpose is the same, but the keyboard shortcut for opening the console is different.
Make sure console access is available
Commands cannot run until the administrative console is open. On keyboard and mouse, ASA uses the ~ key and ASE uses Tab. Controller users must use the platform-specific button combination shown on the game’s pause screen and in the official command reference; the exact combination depends on the platform and control layout.
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Check whether the session is single-player or multiplayer
In single-player, the official command reference says you do not need to authenticate with enablecheats. On a multiplayer server, you must authenticate with the server’s administrator password before administrative commands are accepted:
enablecheats <adminpassword>
Replace <adminpassword> with the actual password. Do not include the angle brackets. If you are not the server owner or an authorized administrator, you may not have permission to run the command.
How to wake an unconscious dinosaur
Single-player procedure
- Stand where you can clearly see the unconscious dinosaur.
- Open the console: press
~in ASA orTabin ASE when using a keyboard. - Keep the crosshair centered on the dinosaur you want to affect.
- Enter
cheat SetMyTargetSleeping 0. - Submit the command and close the console. The entity under the crosshair is the target of the command.
The key detail is the crosshair. SetMyTargetSleeping acts on the entity you are aiming at, not automatically on the nearest dinosaur. If several creatures are close together, move until the intended one is clearly selected before submitting the command.
Multiplayer-server procedure
- Open the server console using the control for your ARK edition and platform.
- Authenticate with
enablecheats <adminpassword>if you have not already done so in the current session. - Aim at the unconscious dinosaur.
- Enter
cheat SetMyTargetSleeping 0, or use the server’s accepted administrative prefix if it requiresadmincheat. - Submit the command and verify that the targeted creature is now awake.
Some multiplayer configurations require the admincheat prefix rather than cheat. The command name and parameter remain the same; only the accepted administrative prefix changes. If the server rejects the line, try the prefix specified by that server’s command conventions after you have authenticated.
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How to wake your own character
When your own survivor is unconscious, use the player-state command rather than the crosshair command:
cheat ExecSetSleeping false
- Open the console for your edition and platform.
- In multiplayer, authenticate first with
enablecheats <adminpassword>. - Enter
cheat ExecSetSleeping false. - Submit the command. No dinosaur or other entity needs to be under your crosshair because the command operates on the player executing it.
On a server that requires the alternative administrative prefix, enter the equivalent form with admincheat instead of cheat. In single-player, the authentication step is not required according to the official reference.
Understanding the two commands
SetMyTargetSleeping: change the state of the aimed-at entity
This command uses a numeric parameter. The official example defines 1 as knocking the target out and 0 as waking the target up:
cheat SetMyTargetSleeping 0wakes the entity under the crosshair.cheat SetMyTargetSleeping 1knocks the entity under the crosshair out.
Because the same command can produce opposite results, check the final digit before submitting it. A mistaken 1 does not wake the dinosaur; it applies the knockout action instead.
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This command operates on the current player character rather than the crosshair target. The wake value is the Boolean word false, not the numeric value 0:
cheat ExecSetSleeping false
Do not substitute SetMyTargetSleeping when the problem is your own unconscious character, and do not expect ExecSetSleeping false to affect a dinosaur you are looking at.
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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
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- 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
Why the prefix matters
cheat is the prefix shown in the command examples. Multiplayer servers may require admincheat after administrator authentication. The command name, target rules, and values do not change when the prefix changes.
Console controls by game version and input method
| Game or input method | Console access information |
|---|---|
| ARK: Survival Ascended, keyboard and mouse | Press ~ |
| ARK: Survival Evolved, keyboard and mouse | Press Tab |
| Controller | Use the platform-specific pause-screen button combination listed by the official reference |
If the expected key does nothing, first verify the edition. Pressing Tab in ASA or ~ in ASE may not open the console because the shortcuts are edition-specific. On consoles, use the controller sequence for that platform rather than a keyboard shortcut.
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You are aiming at the wrong thing
The command only affects the entity under the crosshair. Move closer, clear obstructions, and center the crosshair on the intended dinosaur. When multiple creatures overlap, reposition until you can identify the exact target.
You used the self command for a dinosaur
ExecSetSleeping false wakes the executing player character. It does not select a creature from your crosshair. Use SetMyTargetSleeping 0 for an unconscious dinosaur.
The final value is wrong
Check that the target command ends in 0. The command reference assigns 1 to the knockout action and 0 to the wake action. Similarly, the player command must use false.
The console is not actually open
If the text is appearing in ordinary chat or nowhere at all, reopen the administrative console using the shortcut for your edition and input method. ASA keyboard users use ~; ASE keyboard users use Tab; controller users use the platform-specific pause-screen combination.
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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
You have not authenticated on a multiplayer server
Run enablecheats <adminpassword> before the administrative command. The server password must be correct, and your account must be authorized to use administrative commands. Single-player sessions do not require this authentication step according to the official command reference.
The server expects admincheat
Some multiplayer servers accept the command only with the admincheat prefix. After authentication, try the same operation with that prefix if the server’s configuration requires it. For example, the targeted wake command may be entered as admincheat SetMyTargetSleeping 0.
Practical command examples
Waking one unconscious tamed dinosaur
Point at the tamed dinosaur, open the console, and enter cheat SetMyTargetSleeping 0. The command uses the crosshair target, so it will not affect another creature standing nearby unless that other creature is the one you are aiming at.
Waking an unconscious wild creature
The same targeted command applies: aim at the wild creature and enter cheat SetMyTargetSleeping 0. The command does not depend on whether the target is tamed or wild; its selection rule is the entity under your crosshair.
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Open the console and enter cheat ExecSetSleeping false. This is the appropriate option when your own survivor is unconscious and you do not need to target another entity.
Checking the opposite action before using it
If your intention is to wake a target, do not copy the knockout example unchanged. The documented example uses SetMyTargetSleeping 1 to knock a target out. Replace that final value with 0 for waking.
Fast decision checklist
- Another entity under your crosshair: use
SetMyTargetSleeping 0. - Your own player character: use
ExecSetSleeping false. - Single-player: open the console and run the command;
enablecheatsauthentication is not required according to the official reference. - Multiplayer: authenticate with
enablecheats <adminpassword>first. - ASA keyboard: open the console with
~. - ASE keyboard: open the console with
Tab. - Controller: use the platform-specific pause-screen console combination.
- Target command: verify the final number is
0, not1. - Self command: verify the final value is
false.
What this command does—and does not require
The wake-up operation is an administrative console action built into ARK. It does not require buying a game accessory, downloading a separate program, or using a physical product. What it does require is access to the console and, on multiplayer servers, valid administrator authentication.
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