--- title: "ARK Server Not Showing Up? Fixes for ARK: Survival Evolved" description: "ARK: Survival Evolved server not showing up? Join by IP, check Steam's master server, match the game branch, and enable crossplay for Epic players." url: "https://www.gameserverkings.com/knowledge-base/ark-survival-evolved/ark-server-not-showing-up/" category: "ARK: Survival Evolved" category_url: "https://www.gameserverkings.com/knowledge-base/ark-survival-evolved/" published: "2026-10-28T03:25:50.205Z" updated: "2026-10-28T03:25:50.205Z" source_format: "markdown" site: "GameServerKings" --- # ARK Server Not Showing Up? Fixes for ARK: Survival Evolved If your ARK: Survival Evolved server is not showing up, it is usually still running fine. ARK's in-game unofficial list is slow and incomplete, so the dependable way in is direct: add the server to Steam favourites as `IP:QueryPort`, or type `open IP:GamePort` in the in-game console. If neither works, the cause is one of a handful of things: the server isn't listed with Steam at all, you're on a different game branch from the server, or you're on the Epic version and the server isn't set up for crossplay. This page goes through those in the order we check them on our own ARK servers, with the one test that tells you which one you have. > [!NOTE] This page is for ARK: Survival Evolved only > ARK: Survival Ascended is a different game with a different server list. The steps here, including the ports and the `-crossplay` option, are for **Survival Evolved** (Steam app `346110`, dedicated server app `376030`). Checked 27 October 2026, when the last ASE patch in Steam's news feed was v361.4 (25 November 2025). ## First: Join Without the List Before you troubleshoot the list, check that the server can be joined at all. You need three numbers from the panel: the **IP** and **game port** from the **Address** at the top left, and the **Query Port** from the **Startup** tab. 1. **Steam favourites.** In the Steam client, open **View > Game Servers > Favorites**, click the **+**, and enter `IP:QueryPort`, for example `203.0.113.10:27015`. Then in ARK, set the session filter to **Favorites** and join from there. 2. **Console.** Start ARK, press **Tab** to open the console, and type: ```text open 203.0.113.10:7777 ``` That one uses the **game port**, not the query port. Mixing the two up is the most common reason "join by IP" fails. Steam favourites want the query port, `open` wants the game port. If either method gets you in, the server is fine and only the list is the problem. The ARK wiki is blunt about it: "the in-game list has a limit on the servers it can search at per minute and especially for Steam players this can take a good amount of time to find it." Favourite the server and stop relying on the list. If neither method works, carry on below. ## Check Whether Steam Lists the Server The unofficial list is fed by Steam's master server. You can ask Steam directly whether it knows about your server. Paste this into a browser, with your server's IP: ```text https://api.steampowered.com/ISteamApps/GetServersAtAddress/v0001?addr=203.0.113.10 ``` - If your server **is** listed, you get an entry with `"appid": 346110` and your game port in `"gameport"`. Steam knows about it, so the problem is on the player's side: filters, branch, or platform (next sections). - If Steam answers `"No servers found at that address"`, the server isn't registered. A server that has only just started can take a few minutes to appear, so wait and try again. If it is still missing after that, look at the console for a crash or a server stuck downloading or loading, and contact support if the console looks normal. On a shared host that IP can carry other customers' servers too. Look for the entry whose `gameport` matches yours. ## Game Branch: Aquatica vs Preaquatica Since the Aquatica DLC (15 July 2025), ARK: Survival Evolved has two live versions on Steam. The default branch is the current game. The `preaquatica` beta branch keeps the old build: version 358.24 for the server and 358.26 for the client. That build is still what many older Workshop mods expect. Studio Sirens announced on 20 October 2025 that preaquatica "will remain a permanently available branch for all users on ARK: Survival Evolved." A client and a server on different branches don't match. The ARK wiki notes that players have to switch to preaquatica themselves to join a preaquatica server, from **Properties > Betas** in Steam. Our ARK: Survival Evolved servers install the **default** branch. The installer passes no beta flag. So a player who has opted into `preaquatica` in Steam won't be on the same version as your server. Have them set **Beta Participation** back to **None** and let Steam update the game. The same applies after a game patch. Our ARK egg's **Auto-update server** variable defaults to `0`, which means the server does **not** check for updates when it starts. If players have updated and the server hasn't, set **Auto-update server** to `1` in the Startup tab and restart. The server then runs SteamCMD on every start before launching. ## Epic Games Players Need Crossplay Enabled The Epic Games Store version of ARK: Survival Evolved doesn't use Steam's server list. A Steam dedicated server is invisible to Epic players unless it runs with both of these launch options: ```text -crossplay -PublicIPForEpic=203.0.113.10 ``` The ARK wiki says both are "necessary" for Epic players to join an ASE dedicated server. `-PublicIPForEpic` must be the server's **public** IP, the one in your panel's Address. On our servers you add them to the **Additional Arguments** variable in the Startup tab, then restart. Steam players can still join a crossplay server. We haven't tested Epic crossplay on our ASE servers ourselves. If Epic players still can't see the server after a restart, open a ticket. ## In-Game List Filters That Hide Your Server If Steam lists the server and everyone is on the same branch and platform, the in-game filters are the last suspect: - **Session filter.** Set it to **Unofficial**. Dedicated servers don't appear under **Official**. Under **Non-Dedicated** you only find sessions that someone is hosting from their own game. - **Map filter.** If the list is filtered to a map, it has to match the **Server Map** in your Startup tab. Custom maps are easy to miss here. - **Password.** If you set a **Server Password**, check that the list's filters aren't hiding password-protected sessions. - **Search by name.** Search for a distinctive word from your **Server Name**, not the whole name. Even with perfect filters, the list can take minutes to fill. Steam favourites skip all of this, which is why we tell every new ARK customer to use them. ## Error Messages You May See | What you see | What it usually means | |---|---| | Server not in the list, but `open IP:GamePort` works | List refresh limit or a filter. Use Steam favourites | | `No servers found at that address` from Steam's API | Server not registered yet, or not running. Check the console | | Steam favourites shows the server as not responding | Wrong port. Favourites need the **Query Port**, not the game port | | Connection fails right after a game patch | Client and server on different versions. Set **Auto-update server** to `1` and restart | | Only Epic players can't find it | Server lacks `-crossplay -PublicIPForEpic=` | | One player can't see it, everyone else can | That player is on the `preaquatica` branch, or using filters | If none of this fits, collect the time it happened, the player's platform (Steam or Epic), and the result of the Steam API check, and send them to support. Those three things tell us where to look. If you're still setting up, [Getting started with your ARK: Survival Evolved server](/knowledge-base/ark-survival-evolved/getting-started-with-your-server/) covers the first boot, and our [ARK: Survival Evolved server hosting](/games/ark-survival-evolved/) page lists the plans. ## Common Questions ### Why is my ARK server not showing up in the unofficial list? Usually because the in-game list is slow, not because anything is wrong. The ARK wiki says it can only search a limited number of servers per minute. Add the server to Steam favourites as `IP:QueryPort`, or join with `open IP:GamePort` in the console, and you won't need the list. ### Which port do I use to join my ARK server by IP? Steam favourites use the **query port** (default `27015`). The in-game `open` console command uses the **game port** (default `7777`). On our servers, the game port is in the panel Address and the query port is in the Startup tab. ### Can Epic Games players join a Steam ARK: Survival Evolved server? Yes, if the server runs with `-crossplay` and `-PublicIPForEpic=`. Without both, Epic players can't see or join it. ### Does this apply to ARK: Survival Ascended? No. ASA has its own server list, ports and launch options. This page is for ARK: Survival Evolved only. ## What to Read Next - [Getting started with your ARK: Survival Evolved server](/knowledge-base/ark-survival-evolved/getting-started-with-your-server/): first boot, connecting and wiping - [ARK Server Settings and Rates](/knowledge-base/ark-survival-evolved/configuration-overview/): GameUserSettings.ini and Game.ini - [ARK Admin Commands](/knowledge-base/ark-survival-evolved/how-to-add-admins-and-commands/): console access once you're in - [How to install mods for ARK: Survival Evolved](/knowledge-base/ark-survival-evolved/how-to-install-mods/): mods are a common reason to stay on `preaquatica` --- Made with 💜 by GameServerKings