SyncCrate
ARK: Survival Evolved guide · Updated
Hand over your ARK map PC to PC.
A non-dedicated ARK session lives on whoever hosted it. SyncCrate copies the installed mods and the local saves to another PC, so the next friend can host the same map, and after the first time only what changed.
FreeOpen sourceNo cloudWin · macOS · Linux
// 01 Why
Why moving an ARK world is painful
When a friend hosts a non-dedicated ARK session, or you play single-player, the whole world is saved on that one PC: the map, every character profile and the tribe files. If the host can't play, or you want to continue on another PC, someone has to find SavedArksLocal deep in the game folder and copy it without missing a file.
Modded maps add another layer. Mods are huge, and everyone needs the same ones in the same versions, or the world loads with missing structures and creatures.
SyncCrate syncs the installed mods and the local saves directly between PCs. Files are compared by content, only the differences are copied, and you see the list before anything changes.
// 02 What syncs
What SyncCrate syncs for ARK: Survival Evolved
| Folder | Path in the game folder | Files |
|---|---|---|
| Mods | ShooterGame/Content/Mods/Mods installed in ShooterGame/Content/Mods. Official DLC maps in the same folder are skipped, so paid maps are never copied. | .mod .uasset .ubulk .umap .info |
| Save Files | ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArksLocal/Local and non-dedicated saves: the map (.ark), character profiles (.arkprofile) and tribes (.arktribe). | .ark .arkprofile .arktribe |
// Where it looks
- Steam
steamapps/common/ARKin every Steam library, on every drive- Anywhere else
- Point SyncCrate at the folder yourself, once
Built in for ARK: Survival Evolved
- Turn mods on and off. Disabled mods move to a
_Disabledfolder the game doesn't load. - Game-running warning. SyncCrate warns you before syncing while ARK: Survival Evolved is still open.
- Undo and history. Undo the last sync in one click, and put back any single file a sync replaced or deleted.
// 03 How it works
Sync ARK: Survival Evolved in three steps
Install and add the game
Install SyncCrate on every PC and add ARK: Survival Evolved in the Game Browser. Its folder is found automatically.
One PC hosts
The PC with the setup everyone should have clicks Start Hosting. The others pick it under Scan for Hosts on the same network, or paste its join code from anywhere.
Compare and sync
Check the list of new, changed and conflicting files, then Sync Now. Only the files that differ are copied, PC to PC.
TipClose ARK on both PCs before syncing a save that's in use. SyncCrate warns you if the game is still running.
// 04 Common problems
When ARK: Survival Evolved mods don't match
The host is away
A non-dedicated session only exists on the host's PC, so the tribe can't play without them.
Sync the save and mods to whoever hosts next. Their PC needs the same map and mods the world was started with.
Characters missing after a move
Copy only the map file and everyone has to make a new survivor, because characters and tribes are separate files.
SyncCrate syncs the whole
SavedArksLocalfolder, so map, profiles and tribes arrive together.Gigabytes of mods
ARK mods are big, and downloading them all again on every PC takes a long time.
Files are compared by hash and only the differences are copied, at local network speed when you're on the same network.
Both of you kept playing
Two copies of the same world can't be merged; one has to win.
SyncCrate shows every file that changed on both PCs and asks which version to keep. Pick the same side for the whole world.
// 05 ARK: Survival Evolved
Good to know
- Workshop subscriptions. Steam keeps its own Workshop download folder outside the game folder, and that isn't synced. SyncCrate syncs the mods ARK has installed into the game folder. Friends should still subscribe to the same mods so Steam keeps them updated.
- Official servers use anti-cheat. Use synced mods in single-player, non-dedicated sessions and on modded private servers, not to change your game on official servers.
- DLC maps aren't copied. Each player needs to own the DLC maps they play on.
// FAQ
ARK: Survival Evolved questions
How do I transfer my ARK single-player save to another PC?
Install SyncCrate on both PCs, host on the one with the save, join from the other and Compare & Sync. The save arrives in ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArksLocal on the other PC.
Can a friend take over hosting our non-dedicated world?
Yes: sync them the saves and mods. They also need the same map and any DLC it uses.
Does it work with ARK: Survival Ascended?
No. This page is about ARK: Survival Evolved. Survival Ascended keeps its files differently and isn't in SyncCrate's game list.
Does it sync server saves?
It syncs SavedArksLocal, which holds single-player and non-dedicated saves. A dedicated server keeps its saves in its own folder.
// Related game guides
All games · SyncCrate supports 100 games.
// Free · Open source · Windows, macOS, Linux
Same ARK: Survival Evolved setup on every PC.
Install SyncCrate on each PC, one of you hosts, everyone else joins. No accounts, no cloud, nothing uploaded anywhere.