Install a custom map on ARK Evolved

A custom map on ARK: Survival Evolved is a Steam Workshop mod that brings its own world. It needs two things from you: the mod's ID, and the map's own name. This guide shows where both go on your ARK: Survival Evolved server and how to check it loaded.

Get the ID and the map name

1. Open the map's page on the Steam Workshop. The number after id= in the address bar is the mod ID.
2. Find the map name. ARK's wiki says to check the Workshop page, or ask the author, for the name of a modded map.

Copy the name exactly as the author writes it.

Install it

1. Take a backup of your current world. How to create and restore backups shows how.
2. Open the Startup tab.
3. In Mod IDs, add the map's ID. If you already have mods, add a comma and keep the rest. The field takes digits and commas only.
4. In Map, replace the current name with the map's name. The field accepts letters, numbers, dashes and underscores, up to 40 characters.
5. Press Save next to each field.
6. Press Restart now in the alert.

The first start downloads the map and loads it, so give it several minutes and watch the Console tab. Players get the map automatically when they join. How to add Workshop mods to your ARK: Survival Evolved server covers load order and mod updates, which apply to a map mod too.

Going back

Put the official map's name back in Map (for example TheIsland), press Save and restart. Delete the map mod's ID from Mod IDs too if you no longer want it.

Common problems

1. The server loads the wrong map: the name in Map is wrong or still has the old value. Check you pressed Save and restarted.
2. The server sits on loading for a long time: normal on the first start with a new map mod. If it never finishes, check the Console tab's Errors tab and re-check the ID and name.
3. Players cannot join: they need the same version of the mod. Have them restart Steam so it updates, and restart the server so it uses the current Workshop version.