INI File Validator | Free Tool

Table of Contents(11 sections)

How to Use This Tool
Why Your INI Config Keeps Resetting
Common INI Errors
1. Missing Section Headers
2. Invalid Key=Value Format
3. Wrong Boolean Format
4. Malformed Section Headers
Games That Use INI Config Files
ARK GameUserSettings.ini Reference
INI Syntax Quick Reference
Valid INI Structure

Input

Validate as I type

Supported extensions: .ini, .cfg

How to Use This Tool

Paste your INI/CFG content into the input area above
Click Validate & Format to check for errors
If valid, the formatted output appears with clean structure
Copy or download the validated config file

Enable “Validate as I type” for real-time feedback while editing.

Why Your INI Config Keeps Resetting

The Silent Reset Problem

ARK, Palworld, and other Unreal Engine games silently overwrite invalid INI files with defaults on server start. You won’t see an error — your custom settings just disappear.

Common causes of the reset:

Syntax errors — Invalid format, missing section headers
Encoding issues — Must be UTF-8 or ANSI, not UTF-16
File permissions — Server might be writing a fresh copy
Multiple config locations — Editing the wrong file

Common INI Errors

1. Missing Section Headers

Every setting must be under a section header:

; ❌ WRONG - settings before section
MaxPlayers=20
ServerPassword=secret

[ServerSettings]
ServerName=My Server

; ✅ CORRECT - settings under section
[ServerSettings]
MaxPlayers=20
ServerPassword=secret
ServerName=My Server

2. Invalid Key=Value Format

Each line must have exactly one equals sign:

; ❌ WRONG - various formatting errors
MaxPlayers 20          ; Missing =
MaxPlayers==20         ; Double ==
MaxPlayers=            ; Empty value (usually OK but game-dependent)

; ✅ CORRECT
MaxPlayers=20
ServerPassword=MyPass123
EmptyValue=

3. Wrong Boolean Format

Different games expect different boolean formats:

; Unreal Engine (ARK, Palworld) - use True/False
[ServerSettings]
AllowFlyingStaminaRecovery=True
PreventDiseases=False

; Some other games - use true/false lowercase
[Settings]
enabled=true
debug=false

; ❌ WRONG - quoted booleans
AllowFlyingStaminaRecovery="True"    ; Don't quote
enabled="true"                        ; Don't quote

4. Malformed Section Headers

Section headers must use proper bracket syntax:

; ❌ WRONG - malformed headers
[ServerSettings          ; Missing ]
ServerSettings]          ; Missing [
[[ServerSettings]]       ; Too many brackets
[ ServerSettings ]       ; Spaces inside brackets (some parsers fail)

; ✅ CORRECT
[ServerSettings]
[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameUserSettings]

Games That Use INI Config Files

Game	Config Files	Key Sections
ARK: Survival Evolved	`GameUserSettings.ini`, `Game.ini`	`[ServerSettings]`, `[SessionSettings]`
ARK: Survival Ascended	Same as above	Same sections
Palworld	Server settings	`[/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings]`
7 Days to Die	`serverconfig.xml` (actually XML, not INI)	—
Conan Exiles	`ServerSettings.ini`	`[ServerSettings]`

ARK Config Location

ARK has different config paths for client and dedicated server. Make sure you’re editing:

Dedicated Server: ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ (or LinuxServer/)
Single Player: ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsNoEditor/

ARK GameUserSettings.ini Reference

Required sections for ARK dedicated servers:

[ServerSettings]
ServerPassword=
ServerAdminPassword=YourAdminPass
MaxPlayers=70
DifficultyOffset=1.0
NewMaxStructuresInRange=6000

[SessionSettings]
SessionName=My ARK Server

[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameUserSettings]
MasterAudioVolume=1.000000
MusicAudioVolume=1.000000

[/Script/Engine.GameSession]
MaxPlayers=70

INI Syntax Quick Reference

Element	Syntax	Example
Section	`[Name]`	`[ServerSettings]`
Key=Value	`Key=Value`	`MaxPlayers=20`
Comment	`;` or `#`	`; This is a comment`
Empty Value	`Key=`	`ServerPassword=`

Valid INI Structure

; Server Configuration File
; Last updated: 2026-01-14

[ServerSettings]
ServerName=My Game Server
ServerPassword=
MaxPlayers=32
AllowCheats=False

[GameSettings]
Difficulty=Normal
FriendlyFire=False

; Advanced settings
[Advanced]
TickRate=60
MaxPing=250

Pro Tip

Always keep a backup of your working config before making changes. If something breaks, you can quickly restore it.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my ARK server ignore GameUserSettings.ini?

If your INI file has syntax errors, ARK silently resets it to defaults on server start. Common causes: missing section headers, invalid key=value format, or file encoding issues. Validate your file before uploading.

How do I stop my INI file from resetting?

First, validate the file for syntax errors using this tool. Then ensure all required section headers are present (like [ServerSettings]). Finally, check file permissions — the server needs write access but shouldn't overwrite valid configs.

What sections are required in GameUserSettings.ini?

For ARK servers, you typically need [ServerSettings], [SessionSettings], and [/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameUserSettings]. Missing headers cause settings to be ignored or the entire file to reset.

Do boolean values need quotes in INI files?

No. For Unreal Engine games (ARK, Palworld), use True/False without quotes. Some games use lowercase true/false. Check your specific game's documentation for the expected format.

Can I use comments in INI files?

Yes, most INI parsers support comments. Use a semicolon (;) or hash (#) at the start of a line. Comments cannot appear on the same line as a setting — they must be on their own line.

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