A Palworld dedicated server is a copy of the game’s world that runs on its own, 24/7, for up to 32 players. You can run one yourself on a Windows or Linux PC with 8–16 GB of free RAM using the free Palworld Dedicated Server app (Steam app 2394010), open UDP port 8211 to the internet, and configure it in PalWorldSettings.ini. This guide walks through every step, then covers admin access, crossplay and the problems people actually run into.
Dedicated server vs. co-op: which one do you need?
Palworld has two ways to play together, and they behave very differently:
| Co-op (invite code) | Dedicated server | |
|---|---|---|
| Players | Up to 4 | Up to 32 |
| Does the host have to be online? | Yes — the world closes when the host quits | No — the world keeps running |
| Bases keep working overnight | No | Yes |
| Custom rules (capture rate, death penalty, PvP) | Limited | Full control in PalWorldSettings.ini |
| Mods | Client-side only | Server-side, with the right build (see below) |
If more than four of you play, or your group plays at different times, you want a dedicated server.
Official, community and dedicated servers
The in-game server list mixes three things. Official servers are run by Pocketpair: anyone can join, but you get no say over the rules (if they all seem to be down at once, check the Palworld status page). A community server is a dedicated server that has registered itself in that list with the -publiclobby launch argument. A plain dedicated server stays out of the list, and players join by IP address and port. Same software, same settings — the only difference is whether strangers can find it.
Palworld dedicated server requirements
- RAM: 8–16 GB free for the server alone. Every base, and every Pal working in it, adds to the load, so memory climbs as the world matures whatever the player count. Plan on 16 GB for a busy server. Pocketpair’s own requirements page lists 16 GB, recommends 32 GB or more for stable operation, and warns that 8 GB boots but is more likely to crash from running out of memory.
- CPU: a modern processor with strong single-core speed. The world simulation is the bottleneck long before core count is. Pocketpair recommends 4 or more cores.
- OS: 64-bit Windows (through Steam or SteamCMD) or 64-bit Linux (through SteamCMD or Docker).
- Storage: an SSD. Saves are written constantly and slow disks show up as lag spikes — Pocketpair warns that low-performance storage can even corrupt save data.
- Network: a stable upload and the ability to open a port on your router (not possible behind some ISPs — see port forwarding).
Running the server on the same PC you play on works for a small group, but the server and the game each want their own share of RAM. Our RAM guide goes deeper.
How to set up a Palworld dedicated server
Option A: Windows, through Steam
- In your Steam library, switch the filter to Tools and install Palworld Dedicated Server. It is free if you own Palworld.
- Click Play once and let it start, then close it. The first start creates the config folders.
- Continue with configuring the server.
Option B: Windows or Linux, through SteamCMD
- Install SteamCMD for your system.
- Download the server (the same command updates it later):
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quit - Start it once so it creates its config folders: run
PalServer.exeon Windows or./PalServer.shon Linux, then stop it.
Option C: Linux with Docker
Pocketpair publishes an official Docker image with a sample Compose file in pocketpairjp/palworld-dedicated-server-docker. It maps UDP 8211, keeps the world and the config in ./Saved, and runs with three commands:
docker compose up -d # start (the first start creates ./Saved)
docker compose logs # read the server log
docker compose down # stopSettings go in ./Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini, the same as a normal Linux install. Pocketpair advises against Docker Desktop on Windows and macOS: its slow disk access raises the risk of corrupted saves.
The most popular community image is thijsvanloef/palworld-server-docker. It turns most options into environment variables (PLAYERS, SERVER_PASSWORD, ADMIN_PASSWORD, COMMUNITY…), adds scheduled backups and updates, and comes in two flavours: :latest for the normal Linux server and :wine, which runs the Windows build — the one that can load mods.
Server manager tools
If you’d rather not live in a terminal, a server manager can create and run the server for you. LinuxGSM supports Palworld on Linux, and the open-source Palworld Save Pal app can install a server through SteamCMD, start and stop it, and edit PalWorldSettings.ini from one window. Or skip running anything yourself with Palworld server hosting.
Configure the server
- Copy
DefaultPalWorldSettings.inifrom the server folder to:- Windows:
Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\PalWorldSettings.ini - Linux:
Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini
Editing
DefaultPalWorldSettings.iniitself does nothing — this is the most common reason “my settings don’t work.” - Windows:
- Open the copy. Everything sits on one long line starting with
OptionSettings=(. Set at least:ServerName="My Palworld Server" ServerPassword="friends-only" AdminPassword="something-long-and-private" ServerPlayerMaxNum=32These are shown on separate lines for readability; in the file they stay on the single
OptionSettingsline, separated by commas. - Save the file while the server is stopped, then start it.
Server names: ServerName is what people type into the community list search, so a generic “Palworld Server” gets lost among thousands of others. A name nobody else uses shows up first when your friends look for it. Put your rules or mod list in ServerDescription.
Every other option — capture rate, EXP, day length, death penalty, PvP, base limits — is explained in Palworld server settings explained.
Open the port
Players connect on UDP 8211 by default. Forward that port on your router to the PC running the server and allow it through the firewall. You can change it with the -port= launch argument. Step-by-step instructions, including the Windows firewall command and what to do behind CGNAT, are in Palworld server port forwarding.
Optional: list it as a community server
Add the -publiclobby launch argument to show the server in Palworld’s community server list. Without it, players join by address only, which is what most private groups want. One exception: Xbox and PS5 players can only join a community server, so if console friends are coming, you need -publiclobby (and a ServerPassword if you want to keep strangers out).
How to join your Palworld server
- Launch Palworld and choose Join Multiplayer Game.
- At the bottom of the server list, paste the address: your public IP and port, for example
203.0.113.25:8211. Players on the same network as the server use its local IP instead. - Click Connect and enter the server password if you set one.
Finding your server’s IP: for players outside your home, it is your public IP (search “what is my IP” on the server PC). On a hosted server, it is shown in the control panel. Our guide to joining with a hostname shows how to give friends a name instead of numbers.
How to become admin on a Palworld server
- Set
AdminPasswordinPalWorldSettings.iniand restart the server. - In game, press Enter to open chat and type
/AdminPassword yourpassword. - You can now use admin commands such as
/ShowPlayers,/KickPlayer,/BanPlayer,/Saveand/Shutdown. Full list: Palworld admin commands.
“Admin password incorrect”? Nine times out of ten the password was saved in DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini, the server wasn’t restarted, or the file was saved while the server was running and got overwritten. See fixing an AdminPassword that isn’t recognized.
Can Xbox and PS5 players join?
Console players can’t run a dedicated server — the server software is for Windows and Linux only — but they can join one. The server’s CrossplayPlatforms setting decides which platforms may connect; by default it allows Steam, Xbox, PS5 and Mac. Pocketpair groups the Xbox consoles with the Windows version from the Microsoft Store, which is the one PC Game Pass installs. Two things to check when a console friend can’t join: that their platform is still in that list, and that the server runs as a community server (-publiclobby), which Pocketpair’s docs say Xbox and PS5 players need.
Palworld dedicated server save location (and moving a co-op world)
The world lives in Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/<world ID>/ inside the server folder. Level.sav is the world itself, and the Players folder holds one .sav per character, named after that player’s ID. Back up the whole Pal/Saved folder and you have everything, settings included. To transfer a co-op world to the server, copy its folder in and point the server at it:
- On the host’s PC, co-op worlds are in
%localappdata%\Pal\Saved\SaveGames\<Steam ID>\<world ID>\. Copy that whole folder intoPal/Saved/SaveGames/0/on the server, with the server stopped. - In
Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini(WindowsServeron Windows), setDedicatedServerNameto the folder’s name. - Delete
WorldOption.savfrom the world folder. It holds the co-op world’s settings and overridesPalWorldSettings.iniwhile it’s there. - Start the server and join. On a Windows server, players usually find their characters waiting — except the host. On a Linux server, the host save fix tool’s README says every player gets a new character.
The host is the catch. In co-op, the host’s character is saved under a fixed ID (00000000000000000000000000000001), but on a dedicated server they get their own ID, so the server hands them a fresh character. Linux servers generate player IDs differently again, which is why everyone is affected there. A host save fix tool moves the old character onto the new ID. The step-by-step, tools included, is in transferring a Palworld save to a dedicated server. Pals can also travel between worlds through the Global Palbox, if the server allows it (bAllowGlobalPalboxExport and bAllowGlobalPalboxImport).
Keeping the server updated
When Palworld updates, players on the new version can’t join a server on the old one. Stop the server, run the same SteamCMD command (app_update 2394010 validate) or let Steam update the tool, and start it again. Back up Pal/Saved first — updates are when worlds get lost. More in how to update a Palworld server.
Common Palworld server problems and fixes
| Problem | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Settings reset to default | The [/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings] header line was broken, or you edited the Default file |
Re-copy the default file and edit the copy with the server stopped |
| Friends can’t connect / time out | UDP 8211 not forwarded, firewall, or ISP CGNAT | Port forwarding guide |
| “Unable to retrieve server information” | The game got no answer from that address: wrong IP or port, the server is still starting, or the port is blocked | Check the address and port, give the server a minute after start, then work through port forwarding |
| “Can’t find the server” in the list | Not started with -publiclobby |
Join by IP:port, or add the argument |
| Host (or, on Linux, everyone) gets a new character after moving a co-op world | The saves are still under the old player IDs | Run a host save fix (save transfer guide) |
| Players can’t join after a game update | Server on an older version | Update the server |
| Crash with signal 11 / exit code 139 | Outdated server image or build | Update the server build; the save is not the problem |
| Server gets laggy over weeks | Too many bases and Pals for the RAM | Add RAM or lower BaseCampMaxNumInGuild (the per-guild base limit: default 4, maximum 10) |
More in why a Palworld server keeps crashing and known Palworld server issues.
Want mods?
The standard Linux server can’t load mods at all. Server mods need the Windows build with UE4SS — the full walkthrough is in how to add mods to a Palworld server.
Skip the setup: rent a Palworld server
Running your own server means keeping a PC on, forwarding ports and editing a one-line .ini file without breaking it. If you’d rather just play, Palworld server hosting on GameTeam is ready in minutes: you pay per GB of RAM (from $0.49/GB a week), there is no port forwarding, and the built-in AI copilot does the fiddly parts — tell it “double the capture rate and make nights shorter” and it rewrites PalWorldSettings.ini for you, or ask “why did the server crash last night?” and it reads the log and tells you.
FAQ
Is a Palworld dedicated server free?
The server software is free for Palworld owners. Running it costs you a PC that stays on (and its electricity), or a monthly or weekly hosting fee.
How many players can join a Palworld dedicated server?
Up to 32 — that player limit is set with ServerPlayerMaxNum or the -players= launch argument. Co-op through an invite code is limited to 4.
Is there an invite code for a dedicated server?
No. Invite codes are a co-op feature. Friends join a dedicated server by typing its IP address and port at the bottom of the server list, or by finding it in the community list if you started it with -publiclobby.
Does the host have to be online?
On a dedicated server, no — the world runs on its own and bases keep working. In co-op, yes.
Can I move my co-op world to a dedicated server?
Yes. Copy the world folder from Pal/Saved/SaveGames to the server (transferring a Palworld save shows where it goes). One catch: in a co-op world the host’s character is stored differently from everyone else’s, so the host may need to convert it or start a new character on the server. On a Linux server, every player’s character needs the same conversion.
How much does a Palworld server cost to host?
Self-hosting costs only the hardware you already have. Hosted servers are usually priced by RAM or slots; on GameTeam an 8 GB server is $3.92 a week with unlimited slots.
What’s the best server for Palworld?
The best Palworld server is the one with RAM to spare, an SSD, and a location close to most of your players, running the same game version they are. Whether you run it or rent it, check those four before anything else. If you rent, compare the price per GB of RAM and whether you can resize without losing the world.
