How to join an ARK server

ARK: Survival Evolved on PC. Use whichever of these three methods is easiest.

Before you start

The server must show Online on the dashboard. After a restart or an ARK update it can take a few minutes.
Steam must be running, and ARK must be on the same game version as the server. Let ARK finish updating first.
If the server has a join password you'll be asked for it. The owner finds it on the server's dashboard card.
Replace IP:QUERY-PORT and IP:GAME-PORT below with the two addresses on your dashboard. Open this page from the Help connecting link on your server and they fill in for you.

1Add it to your Steam favorites

In the Steam client, click View, then Game Servers.
Open the Favorites tab and click + (Add a server) at the bottom right.
Enter IP:QUERY-PORT and click Add this address to favorites. This is the query address; it is not the one used in method 3.
Launch ARK, click Join ARK, and set the session filter to Favorites. Refresh, then double-click the server.

Launch ARK: Survival Evolved and click Join ARK.
Set the session filter to Unofficial and turn on Show Player Servers.
Search for your server name and refresh the list.
Double-click the server, enter the join password if it has one, and wait for the world to load.

The public list is huge and can be slow. If the server doesn't appear, use method 1 or 3.

Launch ARK and, at the main menu, press Tab to open the console.
Type open IP:GAME-PORT and press Enter. This is the game address, which is different from the query address in method 1.
Enter the join password if asked.

“Lost/timeout pending connection to host”: the address is wrong, most often the query address typed into the console. Use the game address there.
Password rejected: passwords are case-sensitive. The owner can see and change it on the server's Config tab.
Version mismatch: update ARK in Steam. The server updates itself when it restarts, so a restart from the dashboard picks up the newest version.
Server not in the list: use method 1 or 3, and confirm the dashboard says Online.

Still stuck? Contact support and tell us which method you tried and the exact message you saw.