How ARK Server Clusters Work: Setting Up Cross-ARK Transfers
An ARK cluster is a set of servers that share a transfer folder, so survivors, tamed creatures and items can be uploaded on one map and downloaded on another through an Obelisk or Tek Transmitter. Clustering needs two launch options on every server: the same -clusterid and the same -ClusterDirOverride path. Running several servers with the same cluster name but different folders does not work.
This guide is written for ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE), the version our hosting page offers. The launch options below are documented for both ASE and ASA on the ARK Wiki, but several details (such as mod handling) are ASA-specific and are marked. Checked against the wiki on 2026-11-01.
- Every server needs the same
-clusterid=NAMEand the same-ClusterDirOverride=PATH; the folder must be reachable by all of them. - Add
-NoTransferFromFilteringto stop characters arriving from single player or from servers outside your cluster. - Restrict traffic with
PreventUpload*,PreventDownload*andnoTributeDownloadsin[ServerSettings], and keep them identical on every map. - Structures and bases never transfer, and uploaded data expires (24 hours by default per the wiki).
On this page
What a cluster is and how transfers work
Transfers use an upload/download system. A player stands at an Obelisk or Tek Transmitter, opens the ARK Data tab (for survivors and items) or the Creatures tab (for tames), uploads, then downloads on the destination map. Both servers must be in the same cluster, and upload and download must be enabled on each.
The data is not sent server to server over the network. Each server reads and writes the same folder, which is why the shared directory matters more than any other part of the setup. If a server cannot see that folder, uploads will appear to succeed locally while the other map's download list stays empty.
The three launch options
| Option | What the ARK Wiki says it does |
|---|---|
-clusterid=NAME | Specifies the cluster name ID that allows Cross-ARK Data Transfer. Must match on every server. |
-ClusterDirOverride=PATH | Specifies the cross-server storage location. Every server must point at the same folder. |
-NoTransferFromFiltering | Prevents ARK Data usage between single player and servers that do not have a cluster ID. The wiki suggests keeping it even when a cluster ID is set. |
-clusterid=mycommunity01 -ClusterDirOverride=/srv/ark/cluster -NoTransferFromFiltering- Choose a unique cluster ID. A generic name like
clustercan end up shared with strangers on the same storage or hosting platform. - The directory must be persistent and shared. If it is lost on restart or lives only inside one container, transfers vanish.
- One folder per cluster. For ASA, community documentation notes that data is written to a subfolder named after the cluster ID inside the override path.
What transfers and what does not
According to the ARK Wiki, transfers move survivors, items and tames. Several things are blocked or altered:
- Never transfer: structures and bases, Element and Element Shards (converting to Element Dust loses 80%), most tributes, most boss heads, filled fish baskets and Gacha Crystals.
- Tek items with a charge lose that charge on transfer.
- Uploading a tame drops its inventory, including the saddle and headgear. Empty it first and transfer the saddle separately through ARK Data.
- Aberration only accepts a documented list of creatures unless
CrossARKAllowForeignDinoDownloadsis enabled. - Tame limits still apply on the destination. A Cryopod lets a creature travel over the limit, but you cannot release it past the cap.
- Objects can disappear without notice during a transfer, so do not move anything you cannot afford to lose without testing first.
Transfer restriction settings
These live in GameUserSettings.ini under [ServerSettings]. The wiki lists the first seven as the cross-ARK transfer options; you can also pass them on the launch line as ?Key=Value.
| Setting | Purpose |
|---|---|
PreventUploadSurvivors / PreventUploadItems / PreventUploadDinos | Block uploads of that data type from this server. |
PreventDownloadSurvivors / PreventDownloadItems / PreventDownloadDinos | Block downloads of that data type onto this server. |
noTributeDownloads | Blocks cross-ARK downloads on this server. |
MaxTributeCharacters / MaxTributeDinos / MaxTributeItems | Upload slots. Wiki defaults are 10, 20 and 50; values below the default are reverted. |
TributeCharacterExpirationSeconds, TributeDinoExpirationSeconds, TributeItemExpirationSeconds | How long uploads survive in the cluster data before being deleted. |
Two practical notes. First, keep all of these identical on every map, otherwise transfers work in one direction only. Second, the wiki's CrossARK page says multiplayer uploads expire after 24 hours by default and that admins can change this. Expiry is applied by whichever server reads the folder, so a server with a shorter timer can delete data the others would have kept.
Common mistakes that break clusters
- Same cluster ID, different directory. Uploads work, downloads are empty.
- Mismatched restriction or expiry settings across maps, causing one-way transfers or disappearing tames.
- Different game builds. Update every map together; maps on different builds can fail to transfer.
- Missing mods. Modded items and creatures need their mod loaded on any map they reach.
- Port collisions when several servers share one machine. Each needs its own game, query and RCON ports.
- Forgetting
-NoTransferFromFilteringso characters from single player or other setups can arrive. - Treating a server list as a cluster. Multiple servers under one account with no shared ID and folder are unrelated worlds.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a shared folder for an ARK cluster?
Yes. Every server needs the same -clusterid and a -ClusterDirOverride that points to the same shared storage. A matching cluster ID alone is not enough because the transfer data is read from and written to that folder.
Can structures or bases transfer between ARK maps?
No. Cross-ARK transfers move survivors, tames and items only. Bases stay on the map where they were built.
Why do my uploaded tames disappear?
Uploads expire. The wiki says multiplayer uploads expire after 24 hours by default, and the expiry is applied by whichever server reads the cluster folder. Make the TributeDino, TributeItem and TributeCharacter expiration settings the same on every map.
Can I mix PvE and PvP maps in one cluster?
Technically yes on private servers, since the cluster only cares about the ID and shared folder. Note that the wiki's PvE-to-PvE and PvP-to-PvP rule applies to official servers only.