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ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) has two ways to grant administrator access. Set ServerAdminPassword in GameUserSettings.ini when access should be temporary and session-based. Use AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt when specific players should receive cheat-command access automatically every time they connect.
The most important distinction is the account identifier: ASA’s whitelist expects each player’s 32-character EOS account ID, not a 17-digit Steam64 ID. After changing either method, restart the server before testing.
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Your choice determines how players authenticate and how long their access remains active.
| Method | Where it is configured | How a player activates access | How long it lasts | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Password | GameUserSettings.ini, under [ServerSettings] |
Join the server and run EnableCheats <ServerAdminPassword> |
Only for that connection session; it must be entered again after reconnecting | Temporary help, troubleshooting, or occasional moderation |
| Whitelist | ShooterGame/Saved/AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt |
No command is required after the player is listed and the server has restarted | Persistent until the EOS ID is removed and the server is restarted | Owners, moderators, and trusted regular administrators |
Both methods provide access to administrative cheat commands. They do not create a separate in-game role hierarchy, and neither method changes the server’s player limit.
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Confirm that you are running Survival Ascended
File names and ID formats differ between ASA and the earlier ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE). This guide is for ASA dedicated servers, including self-hosted and managed-host installations.
- ASA uses
AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txtand EOS account IDs. - ASE documentation commonly refers to
AllowedCheaterSteamIDs.txtand 17-digit Steam64 values. - Putting an ASE file or Steam64 value into an ASA installation will not produce the expected whitelist result.
If you operate both games, keep their configuration directories separate and verify the executable and save path before editing anything.
What you need before changing the server
- File-system or control-panel access to the server configuration.
- Permission to stop and restart the server.
- For the password method, a new value for
ServerAdminPassword. - For the whitelist method, the EOS account ID for every person who should be an admin.
- A way to open the in-game console so you can test authentication and commands.
Stop the server or use the host’s configuration workflow before editing files. A running process can overwrite an unsaved configuration change when it shuts down. Make a copy of the original file or record the existing value so you can undo a mistake.
Method 1: add temporary admins with a server password
The password method is the quickest approach when you do not want to maintain a list of account IDs. The password is stored in the server settings, but a player does not become an admin merely by joining: they must authenticate during that session.
Step 1: open the server settings file
Locate GameUserSettings.ini in the server’s configuration directory. Find the [ServerSettings] section. If the section already contains a ServerAdminPassword entry, edit its value. Otherwise, add a new line inside that section:
ServerAdminPassword=replace-with-your-value
Use the exact value you intend to type in game. Do not include angle brackets, quotation marks, or explanatory text in the actual setting. Keep the password out of public chat, screenshots, support tickets, and shared configuration repositories.
Step 2: save and restart
Save the file, close the editor, and restart the ASA server. The new setting is not reliably available to players until the server has loaded the modified configuration. If your host provides a Save, Apply, or Restart control, use all required controls in that order.
Step 3: authenticate after joining
Have the intended administrator join the server, open the in-game console, and enter:
EnableCheats replace-with-your-value
Replace the example text with the exact ServerAdminPassword value. The command authenticates the current player for the current session. It does not permanently associate that account with the server.
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Step 4: run an administrative command
After authentication, run an admin command using the syntax supported by your server build. ASA guides commonly show the admincheat prefix, for example:
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admincheat ListPlayers
Some guides and builds use cheat instead. If one prefix is rejected, test the other supported form rather than changing the password or whitelist immediately. Command availability can also depend on whether the server accepted the authentication command.
Step 5: repeat authentication after reconnecting
When the player leaves and later rejoins, they must run EnableCheats again. This session-only behavior is the main reason to choose the password method for temporary access rather than for a permanent staff roster.
Method 2: create a persistent ASA admin whitelist
The whitelist method grants cheat-command access automatically to accounts listed in AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt. It is better suited to a small, known group of owners or moderators because access remains active across reconnects.
Step 1: open or create the correct file
In the ASA server installation, go to:
ShooterGame/Saved/AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt
If the file does not exist, create a plain text file with that exact name in that exact Saved directory. Do not place it in ShooterGame/Binaries/Win64; that location is associated with the older ASE Steam-ID approach.
Step 2: add one EOS account ID per line
Enter every administrator’s EOS account ID on its own line, with no commas or labels. ASA EOS account IDs are 32 alphanumeric characters. A file with three administrators therefore has three separate lines, one ID per line.
Do not substitute a display name, an in-game survivor name, a platform username, or a 17-digit Steam64 number. The server matches the EOS account identifier.
Step 3: save the file and restart the server
Save the text file using the host’s normal file encoding, then restart the server. The whitelist is read when the server starts; changing the file while players are connected does not reliably grant access to an existing session.
Step 4: have a listed player connect
A player whose EOS ID is present should receive admin access on connection and should not need to run EnableCheats. Test with a harmless administrative command. If the command is rejected, follow the troubleshooting section before editing unrelated settings.
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Step 5: revoke access
Remove the person’s entire line from AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt, save the file, and restart the server. Removing a name from a community roster or changing a password does not remove a matching EOS ID from the whitelist.
How to find and verify an EOS account ID
The ID must belong to the account that actually connects to your ASA server. A guide cited by the ARK community recommends running admincheat ListPlayers in the console to display player identifiers. Treat that output as a practical lead rather than an absolute guarantee across every server build, because the command’s formatting and visibility can vary.
Before adding an identifier, check the following:
- It is the EOS account ID, not a Steam64 value.
- It contains 32 alphanumeric characters.
- It is copied without spaces, quotation marks, punctuation, or a player’s display name.
- The account ID corresponds to the person’s current cross-platform account. A different account used to join the server will not match the line.
If you are uncertain, ask the player to connect while you collect the identifier shown by the server, then compare the character count and format before saving it.
Adding admins through a managed hosting panel
Managed hosts expose the same ASA settings through a web interface instead of direct file access. The labels differ, but the underlying files and restart requirement remain the same.
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Apex Hosting panel path
Apex Hosting documents an ASA workflow under Server Configuration > Config Files > ARK Admins File. That editor writes the contents of AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt. Add one EOS account ID per line, save the configuration, and restart the server from the panel.
Nitrado configuration
Nitrado’s ASA instructions place trusted players’ EOS IDs in AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt within the server’s save folder. Use the file manager or configuration editor provided for your instance, preserve the one-ID-per-line format, and restart after saving.
Admin password fields
Many hosting panels expose a field named Admin Password or similar. That field maps to ServerAdminPassword. Set it, apply or save the configuration, restart the server, and have the player run EnableCheats after joining. A panel password field does not automatically create a persistent whitelist entry.
If a panel offers both an admin-password field and an ARK-admins file, they are two independent methods. You can use the password for emergency access and the whitelist for a stable staff list, provided you document who has each credential.
Using admin commands after authentication
Authentication and command execution are separate steps. EnableCheats accepts the server password for the current session; it is not itself the command that performs an administrative action.
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Once the session is authenticated, use the command syntax accepted by your ASA build. ASA-focused guides commonly use:
admincheat command-name
Other references use:
cheat command-name
Check the server’s response after each test. A rejected command can indicate an unauthenticated session, an unsupported prefix, or a command-specific problem. Do not diagnose every failure as a bad whitelist entry.
Do not confuse admin access with join-cap bypass
cheat AllowPlayerToJoinNoCheck is a different feature. It adds a player to PlayersJoinNoCheckList.txt so that player can bypass the server’s player-cap check. It does not grant administrator or cheat-command privileges. Use the admin password or the ASA EOS whitelist for admin access.
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| Detail | ARK: Survival Ascended | ARK: Survival Evolved |
|---|---|---|
| Whitelist file discussed by community guides | ShooterGame/Saved/AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt |
AllowedCheaterSteamIDs.txt |
| Identifier type | EOS account ID, 32 alphanumeric characters | SteamID64, typically 17 digits |
| Common file location | Server save directory under ShooterGame/Saved |
References place the Steam-ID file under ShooterGame/Binaries/Win64 |
| Applies to this guide | Yes | No |
The ASE location and identifier details come from community comparisons and should not be used as an ASA installation recipe. If your server is ASA, start with the EOS file name and save path above.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot an ASA whitelist that does not work
1. Confirm that the server actually restarted
A saved file is not enough if the game process is still running. Stop and start the server, wait for it to finish loading, and then reconnect. If your host has separate Save and Restart buttons, use both.
2. Check the file name and directory
Verify that the file is exactly AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt and is under ShooterGame/Saved. Look for accidental extensions such as .txt.txt, a duplicate file in another save folder, or an upload to the server’s client-side installation instead of the dedicated server.
3. Check the identifier type
Each line must be an ASA EOS account ID. A 17-digit Steam64 number, a platform display name, or a copied player name will not match the ASA whitelist.
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Keep one complete ID on each line. Remove commas, bullets, labels, and quotation marks. Re-copy an ID if one character may have been omitted or transposed.
5. Test with a known password
Temporarily use the password method to determine whether the problem is general command authentication or only whitelist loading. If EnableCheats works but the listed account is not recognized automatically, focus on the file path, restart, and EOS ID.
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6. Consider the documented self-hosted caveat
A 2023 Steam discussion reported that ASA admin text files failed to load for some self-hosted users. One participant reported success with an AdminListURL that pointed to a file, while paths containing spaces caused problems. This is an older community report rather than a current universal fix. If you investigate it, first verify the normal local file path, restart, and identifier type; do not assume that an external list is required.
Troubleshoot a password that fails
- Confirm the line is inside
[ServerSettings]inGameUserSettings.ini. - Make sure the server was restarted after the value was changed.
- Enter the exact value, including capitalization and punctuation, without the angle brackets shown in documentation.
- Run
EnableCheatsafter joining the server, not before connecting. - If the authentication command appears accepted but an admin command fails, test the alternate
admincheatorcheatprefix supported by the build. - Check that you edited the active server instance rather than a local copy or an unused configuration profile.
Security and administration practices
Use the password method for short-lived access
Share the password only with the person who needs it, then change the value in GameUserSettings.ini and restart when the work is complete. Because password authentication is session-based, a reconnect forces the person to authenticate again.
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Use the whitelist for a controlled staff roster
Keep a private record of which EOS ID belongs to each moderator. Review the file when staff responsibilities change, remove departed administrators, and restart after every edit. A whitelist is convenient, but every listed account can use administrative cheat commands.
Separate game administration from player-cap exceptions
Maintain AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt for administrators only. Do not add ordinary players there when your actual goal is to let them join a full server; that use case involves the separate no-check list and does not grant admin rights.
Verification checklist
- Identify the installation as ASA rather than ASE.
- Choose password access for a temporary session or an EOS whitelist for persistent access.
- For password access, set
ServerAdminPasswordunder[ServerSettings]. - For persistent access, place one 32-character EOS account ID per line in
ShooterGame/Saved/AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt. - Save the configuration and restart the server.
- Join with the intended account.
- Run
EnableCheatsonly when using the password method. - Test an administrative command with the prefix accepted by the server build.
- If it fails, recheck restart status, file path, ID type, and formatting before changing other settings.
Which setup fits common scenarios?
You are helping a player once
Set a temporary admin password, restart, have the player authenticate with EnableCheats, and change the password afterward if it was shared broadly.
You have two or three permanent moderators
Collect and verify each moderator’s EOS account ID, add one per line to AllowedCheaterAccountIDs.txt, restart, and test each account separately.
You run a cross-platform community
Use the ASA EOS IDs for every administrator, regardless of which platform they use to connect. Do not build the list from Steam64 values simply because some staff members play through Steam.
You operate both ASA and ASE
Maintain separate documentation and separate files for each game. Use ASA’s EOS whitelist in the ASA save directory and the legacy Steam-ID method only for the ASE server that requires it.
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