If you’ve ever hosted a private ARK: Survival Evolved server to play with friends, you’ve probably run into the common headache of wanting your co-op partner to help manage settings, spawn items, or fix glitches without passing your own login details around. Maybe you’re mid-tame of a high-level giga and your friend needs to teleport themselves back to base after falling off a cliff, or you’re tired of being the only one who can wipe stray wild dinos that spawn inside your base walls. Figuring out how can player 2 enter admin codes in ARK is one of the most requested multiplayer tips we get, especially for new server hosts who haven’t messed around with permission settings before. I’ve hosted over a dozen small private ARK servers for my friend group over the years, so I’ve tested every method across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox to find the most reliable, low-hassle ways to give a second player admin access without risking your account or server security.
How Can Player 2 Enter Admin Codes in ARK: Core Pre-Requisites First
Before you try any method to add player 2 as an admin, there are a few basic boxes you need to tick first to avoid running into errors. First, you need to already have admin access to the server yourself, either as the host of a local non-dedicated server or as a listed admin on a dedicated server. You also need to have set an admin password for the server when you created it – if you forgot your password, you can reset it in the world’s advanced settings menu, though you will need to restart the server for the change to take effect. You never need to share your personal admin password with player 2 to give them access, even if some outdated guides online tell you otherwise.
This process only works on private servers you control, by the way. You won’t be able to add a second admin to official ARK servers, or public servers run by another host, for obvious security reasons. If you’re playing crossplay between Steam and Epic Games, or between console and PC, you’ll need to make sure crossplay permissions are enabled in your server settings first, otherwise the player ID list may not pull up correctly for player 2.
Step-by-Step Methods to Give Player 2 Admin Access
There are two main ways to set up admin access for a second player, but the most reliable method works across every platform without extra setup. Before you start, make sure both you and player 2 are logged into the server and loaded into the game world, so you can confirm the permissions work right away. Follow these core steps first:
- Log into the server as the primary admin, open your admin console by pressing the correct keybind for your platform (Tab on PC, LB+RB+X+Y on Xbox, L1+R1+Square+Triangle on PlayStation)
- Type EnableCheats [your admin password] into the console and hit enter to activate your own admin permissions first – this step is easy to skip, but it’s required before you can adjust other players’ permission levels
- Find player 2's in-game player ID either by typing ListPlayers into the console, or asking them to share their ID from their account settings if the list doesn't load (crossplay servers sometimes show platform-specific IDs instead of in-game usernames)
- Run the command GiveAdminTo [Player 2's ID] to grant them full admin permissions immediately. You’ll see a small confirmation pop up in your console if the command worked correctly.
This method works for 90% of private server setups, whether you're running a local non-dedicated server for just you and one friend, or a dedicated server for a larger group. If you're running a modded server, you may need to restart the server after running this command for the permissions to stick, but most vanilla servers will apply the change right away. Player 2 will not need to enter any admin codes themselves after you run this command – their console will automatically have admin access enabled as long as they stay connected to the server. If you want them to have access every time they join, you can add their ID to your server’s admin whitelist file to skip this step in the future.
Troubleshooting Common Issues When Adding Player 2 as Admin
Even if you follow the steps above perfectly, you might run into a few common snags depending on your platform and server setup. The most frequent issue we see is the GiveAdminTo command returning an error, which almost always happens because you typed the player ID incorrectly. Double check that you’re using the exact ID that pops up in the ListPlayers menu, not the player’s in-game username, because usernames often have spaces or special characters that the command can’t read.
Another common issue is player 2 being able to open their console, but commands not working when they type them. This usually happens on non-dedicated local servers, where the permissions don’t sync automatically. To fix this, just send them your admin password via a private off-server message, and have them type EnableCheats [admin password] into their own console once. Never share your admin password in in-game chat, even if it's just with player 2 – chat logs are often saved on server files, and anyone who gains access to those logs can take over your server.
If you’re playing on PlayStation or Xbox, you might find that the admin console won’t open for player 2 at all. This is almost always because they have a custom controller layout that overrides the default console open button combo. Have them check their controller settings to make sure the combo is enabled, or remap the console open button to a spare input if they don’t want to change their whole layout. For modded servers, make sure you don’t have any permission-mods installed that block default admin commands, as those will override the GiveAdminTo function entirely.
Best Practices for Giving Player 2 Admin Permissions
Before you give anyone admin access to your server, it’s important to understand exactly what permissions you’re handing over. Full admin access lets player 2 spawn any item, kick or ban other players, change server settings mid-game, and even delete entire builds if they type the wrong command. Only give admin access to people you trust completely, even if they’re just joining for a casual playthrough.
You can remove admin access from player 2 at any time by running the RemoveAdmin [player ID] command, so you don't have to worry about permissions being permanent. If you only want player 2 to be able to use specific commands, like spawning items or teleporting, you don’t need to give them full admin access. There are dozens of lightweight permission mods available for both PC and console servers that let you set custom permission tiers, so you can limit what they can do without giving them full control over the server.
From personal experience, I always recommend backing up your server save file before giving anyone new admin access. A few years back, I gave admin access to a friend I’d played with for months, and they accidentally wiped half our 100-hour base when they were testing spawn commands for a new dino mod. We lost weeks of progress because we didn’t have a recent backup, and that’s a mistake I never make now. If you’re running a small server for friends, you don’t need to do daily backups, but saving a copy of your save file before adjusting permissions only takes a minute, and it can save you hours of frustration down the line.
At the end of the day, figuring out how can player 2 enter admin codes in ARK doesn't have to be a confusing, hours-long process. Most of the time, you can set up access in less than a minute using the GiveAdminTo command, and you don't have to share any sensitive login details to do it. Whether you're playing a casual co-op playthrough with your roommate or running a small server for your gaming group, giving a trusted second player admin access takes a lot of the work of managing a server off your plate, so you can spend less time typing commands and more time taming dinosaurs and building bases. Just remember to only give access to people you trust, and back up your save file first to avoid any accidental mishaps.