Palworld Dedicated Server Setup Guide (1.0)

Setting up a Palworld dedicated server in 1.0 is a three-step job: install the server, edit PalWorldSettings.ini, open one UDP port. Everything below comes from Pocketpair’s official server guide (docs.palworldgame.com), cross-checked and verified 2026-08-08 — not from hosting-provider blogs.

Before you start: requirements and choices

Official operating requirements:

Parameter	Requirement
CPU	4 cores recommended
Memory	16 GB recommended; 32 GB+ for larger servers. 8 GB boots but raises the chance of out-of-memory crashes
Network	UDP port 8211 (default, changeable) and the ability to port-forward on your router
Storage	A faster SSD is recommended; low-performance storage may corrupt save data
OS	Windows 64-bit or Linux 64-bit

Self-hosting is free and fine for a friends group on a spare machine. A rented host or VPS makes sense when your home upload is weak, the machine cannot stay on, or you outgrow the RAM guidance. Choose on those constraints, not on marketing.

Installing and launching the server

Two official install routes:

• Steam client: search your library for Palworld Dedicated Server (enable the Tools filter if it hides), install, and press Play — choose “Play Palworld Dedicated Server” in the dialog.
• SteamCMD (Windows or Linux): steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quit

Then start it:

• Windows: run PalServer.exe from steamapps\common\PalServer.
• Linux: run ./PalServer.sh from ~/Steam/steamapps/common/PalServer.

An official Docker image also exists (pocketpairjp/palworld-dedicated-server-docker) for advanced users, but the docs warn that Docker Desktop deployments are deprecated — storage IO overhead raises the risk of save corruption.

PalWorldSettings.ini: the keys that matter

The config directories only appear after the first server start. Copy the default file, then edit the copy:

• Windows: copy steamapps\common\PalServer\DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini to steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\PalWorldSettings.ini
• Linux: same path, with LinuxServer instead of WindowsServer

Editing DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini directly does nothing. Stop the server before editing, and restart after saving.

The keys most admins touch first:

Key	What it does
ServerName / ServerDescription	How the server appears in lists
ServerPassword	Password required to join
AdminPassword	Grants admin privileges in-game
ServerPlayerMaxNum	Concurrent player cap
CrossplayPlatforms	Platforms allowed to connect; default is Steam, Xbox, PS5, Mac
PublicIP / PublicPort	Community-list display only — does not change the listening port
bIsUseBackupSaveData	Creates a backup directory in the save data folder; increases disk load
RCONEnabled / RESTAPIEnabled	Remote admin and API; leave off unless you use them

For what the gameplay values (rates, penalties, spawn multipliers) actually do to a save, use the playstyle framework in World Settings Explained — that page picks values, this page gets them onto a server. The official docs also confirm the server-side caps behind base planning: BaseCampMaxNumInGuild defaults to 4 (max 10) and BaseCampWorkerMaxNum maxes at 50, with both raising processing load.

Ports, firewall, and letting friends join

Per the official requirements page, the server listens on UDP 8211 by default. Forward that port on your router to the host machine and allow it through the OS firewall; players then join by entering your-ip:8211 in the field below the server list. Community servers appear in the in-game Community tab instead.

Hosting-provider guides commonly also forward Steam query and RCON ports (27015, 27016, 25575). Treat those as optional extras, not requirements: only open ports for features you have actually enabled.

Backups and updates

Backups are not optional on a server — world corruption on slow storage is an official warning, not a rumor. Enable bIsUseBackupSaveData for automatic backup folders, and follow the stop-copy-verify routine in the save backup guide: stop the server, copy the world folder and the settings file together, and never test a restore on your only copy.

To update after a patch: stop the server, back up, re-run the SteamCMD command (or update the tool in Steam), and start again. If players hit errors after an update — crashes, version mismatches, odd disconnects — the 1.0 crash and troubleshooting guide has a backup-first decision tree.

Crossplay and platform notes

1.0’s dedicated servers are cross-platform by default: CrossplayPlatforms ships set to Steam, Xbox, PS5, and Mac, so friends on console can join a PC-hosted world. Restrict the list only if you want a platform-locked server. Combined with 1.0’s cross-save support, a dedicated server is the cleanest way to run a persistent mixed-platform world.

Bottom line

Install via Steam or SteamCMD (app 2394010), launch once, copy DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini into the platform config folder, set the handful of keys above, forward UDP 8211, and turn on backups. When the official docs and a random tutorial disagree, the docs win — check them first at docs.palworldgame.com.