# Setting Up a Palworld Server

> Set up a Palworld server: edit PalWorldSettings.ini correctly, adjust rates and PvP, back up the save and solve the most common errors.

**Short answer:** Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\PalWorldSettings.ini. The DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini is only the template and is not read. The server has to be stopped while you edit, otherwise it overwrites your changes on shutdown.

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Game | Palworld |
| Category | Configuration |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Reading time | 7 min |
| Last updated | 2026-10-03 |
| Language | en |
| Source | https://agrarchaoten.com/en/guides/palworld-server-einrichten |
| Other language | https://agrarchaoten.com/guides/palworld-server-einrichten |

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## Contents

- [What you need](https://agrarchaoten.com/en/guides/palworld-server-einrichten#was-du-brauchst)
- [Starting the server](https://agrarchaoten.com/en/guides/palworld-server-einrichten#server-starten)
- [Adjusting the settings](https://agrarchaoten.com/en/guides/palworld-server-einrichten#einstellungen)
- [Savegame and backups](https://agrarchaoten.com/en/guides/palworld-server-einrichten#spielstand)
- [When something does not work](https://agrarchaoten.com/en/guides/palworld-server-einrichten#probleme)

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## What you need

A Palworld server runs as a program of its own, independent of the game. You do not need one player's PC to stay on so the others can keep playing. Three things are enough to start: a server, a name for the world and a decision about how hard you want it to be.

| Setting | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Game port | 8211 (UDP) |
| Query port | 27015 |
| RCON port | 25575 |
| Player slots | 16, up to 32 |

On our panel the ports are assigned automatically and the finished address is shown to you — there is nothing to work out. The defaults above are only there to show what belongs where.

## Starting the server

**1. Create the server**

Select Palworld in the panel and start the installation. The server downloads itself, which takes a few minutes.

**2. Let it start once**

The first start creates the configuration files. Before that there is nothing to edit — a file that does not exist yet cannot be changed.

**3. Join and check**

In the game, use "Join Multiplayer Game" and enter the address from the panel. If you get in, the foundation is there and you can start configuring.

## Adjusting the settings

Everything that matters lives in a single file:

`Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\PalWorldSettings.ini`

**Two traps almost everyone falls into once.** First: there is also a `DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini` — that is only the template and is not read. Second: the server has to be **stopped** while you edit, otherwise it overwrites your changes when it shuts down.

The file looks unwieldy because all values sit in one very long line behind `OptionSettings=(`, separated by commas. You only ever change individual values in it and leave the rest untouched. Do not insert line breaks.

| Value | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| `ServerName` | Name in the server list |
| `ServerPassword` | Password to join; leave empty for an open server |
| `AdminPassword` | Password for admin commands in game |
| `ExpRate` | Levelling speed, 1.0 is normal |
| `PalCaptureRate` | How easily Pals can be caught |
| `DeathPenalty` | What you lose on death |
| `bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage` | PvP on or off |
| `bIsPvP` | The server's PvP mode |
| `GuildPlayerMaxNum` | Maximum guild size |
| `WorkSpeedRate` | How fast Pals work at the base |

**Change one thing, then test.** Touch ten values at once and you will spend a long time looking for the one that broke something. After each change, start the server, look in briefly, carry on.

## Savegame and backups

The savegame sits under `Pal\Saved\SaveGames`. Download it via FTP before larger changes, and above all before game updates. Palworld writes the save on a clean shutdown — a server that crashes can lose the last few minutes.

If you want to move an existing world from a player's PC onto the server, that save can be transferred. Allow time for it and work only with copies, never the original.

## When something does not work

**Server does not show up in the list:** join via the direct address. The list often takes minutes; a direct connection works straight away.

**Settings have no effect:** almost always the wrong file was edited, or the server was running at the time. Check both, then change it again.

**Nobody can get in but you:** usually a `ServerPassword` that the others do not know.

**Server crashes with many players:** Palworld needs considerably more memory as the player count rises. Check the usage view in the panel before you go hunting through the settings.

If none of that helps, take a look at the log under `Pal\Saved\Logs\Pal.log`. It usually says exactly why the start failed.

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## Frequently asked questions

**Q: Which file holds the Palworld server settings?**
A: Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\PalWorldSettings.ini. The DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini is only the template and is not read. The server has to be stopped while you edit, otherwise it overwrites your changes on shutdown.

**Q: Why do my Palworld settings have no effect?**
A: Usually the wrong file was edited, or the server was running at the time. All values also sit in one long line behind OptionSettings=( - line breaks inside it make the file unusable.

**Q: How many players fit on a Palworld server?**
A: Up to 32; the default is 16. The more players, the considerably more memory the server needs.

**Q: Where is a Palworld server's savegame stored?**
A: Under Pal\Saved\SaveGames. Download it via FTP before updates and larger changes; Palworld writes the save on a clean shutdown.

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## About this guide

This guide was written by Agrar Chaoten — a German game server host specialising in Palworld.
Rent a server: https://agrarchaoten.com/gameserver

*Source: https://agrarchaoten.com/en/guides/palworld-server-einrichten*
*Agrar Chaoten — https://agrarchaoten.com*
*Support: support@agrarchaoten.com | Discord: https://discord.gg/YgredRdvY6*