How to Make a Palworld Server: Step-by-Step Setup Guide

To make a persistent Palworld server, install Pocketpair’s Palworld Dedicated Server on a 64-bit Windows or Linux machine, launch it once, copy the default INI into the live configuration folder, open and forward UDP port 8211, then give players the server’s IP address and port. Add -publiclobby when you want the world listed in Palworld’s Community server browser. A dedicated server runs the world without the game client staying open; a community server uses the same basic dedicated process but registers it for list discovery. Xbox and PS5 players require the community-server approach, while direct IP joining is intended for compatible clients that can enter an address manually.

What kind of Palworld server should you make?

Choose the server mode before installing anything because it determines how players connect. Both modes run a persistent world independently of a player’s game client, but they expose that world differently.

Mode	How players find it	Best fit	Important platform detail
Private dedicated server	Players enter the server IP address and port in the multiplayer join screen.	A private group that can share an address and wants direct access.	Clients must support direct dedicated-server joining.
Community server	Players choose Community server and select the listing in the in-game browser.	A server that should be discoverable without distributing an IP address.	Pocketpair says Xbox and PS5 players need community-server deployment.

A community server is not a different world engine. It is a dedicated server started with the community-list option, usually -publiclobby, so the game can advertise it. You can still set a password and other access controls in the configuration file.

What hardware and operating system does a Palworld server need?

Use a 64-bit Windows or Linux machine with enough memory, a fast SSD and a network path that allows UDP traffic. Pocketpair’s 2026 guidance recommends at least four CPU cores and 16 GB of RAM; larger populations should have more than 32 GB. An 8 GB machine may boot the server, but the lower headroom increases the chance of out-of-memory crashes.

• CPU: four or more cores recommended by Pocketpair.
• Memory: 16 GB recommended; more than 32 GB for larger servers. Eight gigabytes is bootable but carries greater crash risk.
• Storage: a faster SSD is recommended. Pocketpair warns that low-performance storage may corrupt saved data.
• Operating system: 64-bit Windows or Linux.
• Network: UDP port 8211 by default, or the custom port you choose, must be allowed through the host firewall and forwarded by the router for Internet players.

The server can be installed through Steam, SteamCMD on Windows or Linux, or Pocketpair’s official Docker image. Docker is an advanced option; Pocketpair’s requirements guidance deprecates Docker Desktop because storage-I/O overhead can increase the risk of save corruption and malfunction. If you are new to game servers, a native Windows installation is the least demanding route.

Which installation method is easiest?

Windows Steam is the most approachable path because Steam supplies the tool and a launch dialog. SteamCMD is reproducible and works on both supported operating systems, but it requires command-line administration. Linux gives you a lightweight, scriptable host when you already know Linux service and firewall administration.

Method	What you do	Administration level	When to choose it
Steam on Windows	Install Palworld Dedicated Server from the Steam Tools library and launch it.	Lowest; graphical Steam workflow.	First server, home PC or a Windows host.
SteamCMD on Windows	Install SteamCMD and run the official app-update command.	Command-line; easy to automate once learned.	Headless Windows host or scripted updates.
SteamCMD on Linux	Install SteamCMD, download app 2394010 and run PalServer.sh.	Highest; Linux shell, permissions and firewall knowledge needed.	Dedicated Linux machine or VPS you administer yourself.
Official Docker image	Run Pocketpair’s image with persistent storage.	Advanced container administration.	Existing container infrastructure; avoid Docker Desktop for this workload because of the documented storage-I/O concern.

How do I install a Palworld server with Steam on Windows?

This route installs the dedicated-server tool separately from the normal game client. You do not need to leave the game running after the server process starts.

1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
2. Enable the Tools filter if the server tool is not visible.
3. Find Palworld Dedicated Server and install it.
4. Launch the tool. In the startup dialog, choose Play Palworld Dedicated Server.
5. Allow the first launch to finish creating its save and configuration folders, then stop the process cleanly before editing settings.

The default installation is normally under Steam’s steamappscommonPalServer directory. If Steam is installed on another drive, use that library’s actual path in the commands below.

How do I install a Palworld server with SteamCMD?

SteamCMD downloads the same official dedicated-server package on either Windows or Linux. Install SteamCMD using Valve’s instructions for your operating system, then run this command from a shell or command prompt:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quit

App ID 2394010 is the official Palworld Dedicated Server package. The validate portion checks the downloaded files and is also a useful recovery step if the server later refuses to start.

Windows SteamCMD launch

After the download, open a command prompt in the server directory and run:

cd .steamappscommonPalServer
PalServer.exe

Linux SteamCMD launch

From the corresponding Steam library directory, run:

cd ~/Steam/steamapps/common/PalServer
./PalServer.sh

Start the process once, wait for the folders to appear, and shut it down normally. Editing files while the process is still writing can leave you with settings that appear not to apply or a save that was not closed cleanly.

How do I create the live Palworld configuration file?

Palworld reads the live PalWorldSettings.ini, not the template named DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini. First launch creates the platform-specific configuration directory; copy the template into that directory and edit the copy.

Windows

Copy-Item steamappscommonPalServerDefaultPalWorldSettings.ini steamappscommonPalServerPalSavedConfigWindowsServerPalWorldSettings.ini

Linux

cp steamapps/common/PalServer/DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini steamapps/common/PalServer/Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini

Open the resulting PalWorldSettings.ini in a text editor, change the values you need, save it, and restart the server. Editing only the default template does not change a running server.

Settings most administrators change first

• ServerName — the name shown to players.
• ServerDescription — explanatory text for the server.
• ServerPassword — password required to join.
• AdminPassword — administrative password for server commands.
• ServerPlayerMaxNum — maximum participant count in the configuration.
• CrossplayPlatforms — limits which supported platforms may connect.
• PublicIP and PublicPort — values used when advertising a community server.
• bIsUseBackupSaveData — enables automatic save-data backups.

Keep a copy of the original live file before making substantial changes. A malformed value or missing quotation mark can prevent a setting from loading, so change one group of options at a time and restart to verify it.

How do I set the listening port and forward it?

The default listening port is UDP 8211. The server must be allowed through the operating system’s firewall, and an Internet router must forward that same UDP port to the machine running Palworld. The exact firewall panel and router labels vary by Windows or Linux distribution and by router model, so there is no single universal click path.

1. Decide whether to keep UDP 8211 or choose another unused port.
2. If you change it, use the same value in the server startup argument and in the router’s UDP forwarding rule.
3. Allow that UDP port through the host firewall.
4. Forward the port from the router’s public interface to the server computer’s local address.
5. Give remote players the public IP address and listening port, not the server’s private LAN address.

For a server behind carrier-grade NAT or another network that does not provide inbound forwarding, direct self-hosting may be unreachable from the Internet even when the process is running. In that case, use a network with a forwardable public address or a managed host that supports the required port.

How do I start a private dedicated server?

For private direct-IP play, start the executable without the community-list switch. The basic commands are:

Windows: PalServer.exe
Linux:   ./PalServer.sh

Players select the game’s multiplayer join option and enter the server IP address and port below the server list. Share the public address only with people you trust; use ServerPassword when you need an additional access gate.

How do I make the server appear in Palworld’s Community list?

Add -publiclobby when starting the process. This registers the dedicated server as a community server instead of requiring every player to type an address.

Windows: PalServer.exe -publiclobby
Linux:   ./PalServer.sh -publiclobby

The Steam launch workflow also offers an Open and start as a community server choice. For explicit advertising values, Pocketpair documents -publicip=x.x.x.x and -publicport=xxxx. The latter controls the port advertised to the community list; it does not change the server’s listening port. If you set an advertised port that differs from the actual forwarded port, players will see the listing but fail to connect.

A router without Hairpin NAT may block clients on the same local network from joining a listed community server. Test a community listing from an outside network as well as from the host’s LAN before assuming the server is offline.

Which startup arguments are useful?

Arguments are appended to the executable command. They are useful when you want a repeatable launch script or need a value that is not convenient to keep in the INI.

Argument	Purpose	Operational note
-port=8211	Changes the listening port.	Forward and allow the new UDP port instead of 8211.
-players=32	Sets the maximum participant count in launch arguments.	Choose a value your memory and CPU can sustain.
-publiclobby	Registers the process as a community server.	Required for the Community list workflow.
-publicip=x.x.x.x	Supplies an explicit public IP for community advertising.	Use the address players can actually reach.
-publicport=xxxx	Supplies an explicit advertised port.	It does not alter the listening port.
-logformat=text or json	Selects the log format.	JSON is useful for log processing; text is easier to read manually.

In version 1.0 and later, Pocketpair notes that leaving older multithreading flags unset may improve performance. Do not copy legacy bundles of flags unless you have a measured reason and a way to compare the result.

How do players connect from PC, Xbox and PS5?

Direct dedicated-server connection

For a private server, players open the multiplayer join flow and enter the server’s IP address and port in the field below the server list. They must use the public address when joining from outside your home network.

Community-list connection

For a community deployment, players choose Community server, wait for the list, search for the configured server name and select it. A password prompt appears when ServerPassword is set.

Cross-play considerations

Pocketpair’s current overview lists Steam, Xbox/Microsoft Store, macOS and PS5 as cross-play-enabled by default. The CrossplayPlatforms setting can restrict the allowed platforms. Xbox and PS5 users need the community-server deployment so the server is available through the in-game list; a direct IP-only setup does not satisfy that requirement.

How do I enable automatic backups?

Set bIsUseBackupSaveData=True in the live PalWorldSettings.ini, then restart the server. Palworld creates a backup directory and maintains rolling save copies on the documented schedule:

Interval	Save copies documented by Pocketpair
Every 30 seconds	5 save data
Every 10 minutes	6 save data
Every hour	12 save data
Every day	7 save data

Backups increase disk load, so the SSD recommendation matters even more when this option is enabled. Before a game update or major configuration change, stop the server cleanly and copy the save and backup directories to an offline location. The built-in feature creates local recovery points; it is not a substitute for an off-host copy if the machine or drive fails.

What should I check when the server does not work?

The process will not start

• Confirm that you are in the correct PalServer directory and using PalServer.exe on Windows or ./PalServer.sh on Linux.
• Run the SteamCMD command with validate to repair incomplete or damaged files.
• Check that the host is 64-bit and has adequate memory; an 8 GB machine is more prone to out-of-memory crashes.

Players cannot reach a private server

• Verify the listening port, including any custom -port value.
• Confirm the same UDP port is allowed by the host firewall and forwarded by the router.
• Make sure players entered the public IP and correct port.
• Test from a different network so a LAN routing limitation is not mistaken for a server failure.

The server appears in the list but will not accept connections

• Check that -publicip and -publicport describe the address and port actually reachable from the Internet.
• Remember that -publicport changes the advertised value only; the listening port still comes from the server’s port setting.
• If clients are on the same LAN, check whether the router lacks Hairpin NAT.

Xbox or PS5 players cannot find it

• Start the process with -publiclobby or use Steam’s community-server launch option.
• Review CrossplayPlatforms and remove restrictions that exclude the console platform.
• Give the community list time to refresh after a restart and verify the server name exactly.

Settings seem ignored

Stop the server, edit PalSavedConfigWindowsServerPalWorldSettings.ini or Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini, save the file and start again. Changes made only to DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini are not read as the live configuration.

Saves become unstable or corrupt

Move the installation and save data to a faster SSD, add memory headroom, and avoid running the server from low-performance storage. Enable the built-in backups, then keep an offline copy before updates and major edits.

What is a sensible first-day operating routine?

1. Install or update the server package and run a file validation after a failed update.
2. Start once with the default configuration so Palworld creates its directory tree.
3. Copy the default INI into the live platform directory and edit identity, access, player-count and cross-play settings.
4. Choose private direct-IP mode or add -publiclobby for community discovery.
5. Open and forward the selected UDP port, then test from outside the host’s LAN.
6. Enable bIsUseBackupSaveData=True and confirm that the backup directory receives files.
7. Record the launch command, port, public address, administrator password location and backup location in a secure admin note.

This sequence separates software installation, configuration, networking and player testing. If a later change fails, you can identify which layer changed instead of reinstalling the entire server.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I run a Palworld dedicated server and play on the same PC?

Yes. The dedicated process is separate from the game client, so the client can be opened on the same machine if the computer has enough CPU, memory and storage headroom. Running both workloads together makes the 16 GB recommendation more restrictive, especially with several players or automatic backups enabled.

Does changing the community port change the port I must forward?

Only a listening-port change does that. The -publicport argument changes the value advertised to the community browser, while -port changes where the server actually listens; forwarding must match the listening value.

Why can friends outside my home connect while local players cannot?

Some routers do not support Hairpin NAT, which prevents devices on the same LAN from reaching the router’s public address. Test the listing from an external network or use a LAN-appropriate address for local testing.

Where are Palworld server saves stored?

The live configuration and save tree is under the server installation’s Pal/Saved directory, with Windows using Config/WindowsServer and Linux using Config/LinuxServer. The automatic backup files appear in the generated backup directory when backup saving is enabled.