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ARK: Survival Ascended Save File Location

Last verified: 2026-09-30

Save file location (Windows (Steam singleplayer)): <Steam>\steamapps\common\ARK Survival Ascended\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArksLocal

Quick answer: ARK: Survival Ascended does NOT store singleplayer saves in Documents or AppData — they live inside the game install at ...\ARK Survival Ascended\ShooterGame\Saved\ . Two folders matter: LocalProfiles (per-map exploration and local settings) and SavedArksLocal (your character and map state). The three files that ARE your save are .ark (the map/world), .arkprofile (your character/player data) and .arktribe (tribe data). There is effectively NO Steam Cloud for singleplayer — if you delete that Saved folder or verify/reinstall over it, the save is gone, so copy the whole Saved folder before any update. Dedicated-server saves live in the server's ShooterGame\Saved, not here.
Windows (Steam singleplayer)
<Steam>\steamapps\common\ARK Survival Ascended\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArksLocal
Windows (LocalProfiles)
...\ARK Survival Ascended\ShooterGame\Saved\LocalProfiles
Dedicated / non-dedicated server
<Server>\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArks
Xbox / PlayStation
Console system storage + platform cloud

ARK: Survival Ascended keeps singleplayer saves inside the game install at ShooterGame\Saved — not in Documents or AppData — and there is effectively no Steam Cloud backup. Here are the exact .ark/.arkprofile/.arktribe paths, the dedicated-server location, and how to back them up before an update.

Save file locations

Windows (Steam singleplayer)
<Steam>\steamapps\common\ARK Survival Ascended\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArksLocal

Full default: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\ARK Survival Ascended\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArksLocal . Holds the .ark (map), .arkprofile (character) and .arktribe (tribe). On a moved Steam library it is [Drive]:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\... instead.

Windows (LocalProfiles)
...\ARK Survival Ascended\ShooterGame\Saved\LocalProfiles

Keeps map-exploration state and some local settings for all maps. Back this up together with SavedArksLocal — restoring only one can desync exploration/progress.

Dedicated / non-dedicated server
<Server>\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArks

Server worlds use SavedArks (not SavedArksLocal). The active world is MapName.ark plus timestamped .ark backups; player data is in .arkprofile / tribe in .arktribe next to it.

Xbox / PlayStation
Console system storage + platform cloud

Console singleplayer saves stay in the system sandbox with no user path; use Xbox cloud saves / PS Plus cloud to move them between consoles. There is no PC<->console save transfer for ASA.

Cloud saves

ARK: Survival Ascended singleplayer is essentially a local-only save — unlike most Steam games it does not reliably mirror your .ark world to Steam Cloud, so your only real copy is the one in ShooterGame\Saved. That is why a Steam 'verify integrity' or a reinstall can wipe progress and there is no cloud copy to fall back on. Treat the Saved folder as the single source of truth and back it up manually.

Cloud save conflict & platform recovery

The classic ASA loss is 'my singleplayer world disappeared' after an update, a verify-integrity, or moving the install — because the save sits INSIDE the game folder with no cloud backup.

  1. Before any update or 'verify integrity of game files', copy the entire ShooterGame\Saved folder somewhere outside the install — verify can overwrite/reset files in the game directory.
  2. If a world vanished, look in SavedArksLocal for timestamped backup .ark files (e.g. TheIsland_WP.ark and TheIsland_WP_00.00.00.ark copies) and restore the newest good one by renaming it to the base map name.
  3. Keep .ark, .arkprofile and .arktribe together — restoring the map .ark without the matching .arkprofile can load the world but lose your character.
  4. When moving to a new PC, copy the whole Saved folder into the same ShooterGame\Saved path on the new install; there is no cloud sync to do it for you.
Back up first (Windows) — copy & run

How to open the save folder

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Save problems & fixes

FAQ

Where is the ARK: Survival Ascended save file on PC?

Inside the game install: <Steam>\steamapps\common\ARK Survival Ascended\ShooterGame\Saved , split into SavedArksLocal (character + map: .ark/.arkprofile/.arktribe) and LocalProfiles (exploration/settings). It is NOT in Documents or AppData.

Does ARK: Survival Ascended use Steam Cloud for singleplayer?

No, not reliably — singleplayer is effectively local-only. Your only copy is the ShooterGame\Saved folder, so back it up manually before updates or a reinstall.

Why did my ARK: Survival Ascended singleplayer world disappear?

Usually a Steam 'verify integrity', an update, or moving the install wiped files in the game folder. Check SavedArksLocal for timestamped backup .ark files and restore the newest good one.

How do I move an ARK: Survival Ascended save to a new PC?

Copy the whole ShooterGame\Saved folder to the same path on the new install. Keep .ark, .arkprofile and .arktribe from the same backup together, or you lose the character.

Other games

Need another game or a quick backup? Use the Save Location Finder — pick any game to get its exact save path plus a ready-to-run backup command.