Schedule ARK server restartsWhy they help and when they should happen

Published on September 2, 2026 · last updated on November 8, 2026

Why restarts help

ARK builds up ballast while it runs. Objects that nobody needs anymore, creatures from finished events, memory that is not released cleanly. Every community knows the result: on the first day after a restart, the server runs smoothly; three days later, it stutters.

A restart resets this state. It does not replace a plan that fits the world - for that, see How much RAM does an ARK server need? - but it noticeably frees up breathing room.

There is a second effect: at startup, the server checks for updates to your Workshop mods. If you never restart, you will eventually be playing with outdated mods - and run into trouble as soon as a player has loaded the current version.

How often?

More is not better: every restart means a longer loading time for ARK than for other games, especially on large maps. Two restarts a day are enough even for very active servers.

Setting it up

In the web interface, you will find the task scheduler. There you create fixed times at which the server restarts - set up once, it runs permanently.

Two points on the time of day: choose a time when, in your experience, nobody plays - for communities in European time zones, that is the hours between 4 and 6 a.m. And avoid round times such as midnight, because there is often still activity then.

Announcing - the most important part

In ARK, an unannounced restart is more than rude: anyone currently taming a large creature may lose an hour of progress. Anyone on a raft in the middle of the sea may find themselves in an unexpected place after the restart.

That is why every scheduled restart needs an announcement. With RCON, you send announcements from outside without being in the game yourself - a warning 15 minutes, 5 minutes and 1 minute beforehand has proven itself.

It is also worth posting the fixed times on your Discord. If people know the server restarts at 5 a.m., they simply plan their taming beforehand.

Saving before the restart

ARK saves at intervals on its own - but a restart between two save points costs the minutes in between. For those affected, that may mean a lost structure or a lost creature.

If you want to be on the safe side, trigger a save via RCON before the restart. And if you are stopping the server anyway, use the opportunity for a backup, see Back up and move your save.

When the restart takes a long time

ARK servers take considerably longer to start than most other games - several minutes depending on the map and world size. That is normal and not an error.

• Large maps load longer than compact ones, see Maps compared.
• Mods extend the startup further, because they are checked and updated if needed.
• A grown world loads more slowly than a fresh one.

It only becomes a concern when the server does not show up at all after starting - then it is not a loading time issue but a case for Fix connection problems.

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