Last updated: 13 July 2026

Palworld Dedicated Server Setup Guide

A dedicated server is the best way to play Palworld with friends — the world stays online around the clock, supports far more players than a co-op invite, and gives you full control over rates, difficulty, and rules. This guide walks through a Windows or Linux install with SteamCMD, the key configuration settings, port forwarding, and how everyone connects.

01Dedicated Server vs Co-op: Which Do You Need

Palworld offers two multiplayer modes, and picking the right one saves a lot of effort:

• Co-op (invite) session: host opens their world and invites up to 4 players. Simple, but the world only exists while the host is online and player progress is tied to that session.
• Dedicated server: a standalone world that runs independently of any player, supports up to 32 players, persists 24/7, and exposes full configuration. This is what you want for a community, a long-running world, or playing across different schedules.

If you just want a quick session with up to three friends, co-op is enough. For anything persistent or larger, set up a dedicated server using the steps below.

02Installing the Server with SteamCMD

The Palworld Dedicated Server is a free tool on Steam. The cleanest install uses SteamCMD, the command-line Steam client, with the server's App ID 2394010.

1. Download SteamCMD from Valve's official developer page and extract it to a dedicated folder (e.g. C:\palserver or ~/palserver).
2. Launch SteamCMD and log in anonymously with login anonymous.
3. Set the install directory with force_install_dir followed by your folder path.
4. Install the server with app_update 2394010 validate.
5. Wait for the download to finish, then quit.

On Windows the server is also available directly in the Steam library under Tools as 'Palworld Dedicated Server', which is a simpler option if you already have the Steam client installed on the host machine.

03Starting the Server

With the files installed, launch the server executable:

• Windows: run PalServer.exe from the install folder. A console window opens and the world boots.
• Linux: run ./PalServer.sh. You will typically need the SteamCMD runtime and 32-bit libraries installed; many admins run it under a process manager so it restarts automatically.
• Performance flags: launch options such as -useperfthreads -NoAsyncLoadingThread -UseMultithreadForDS are commonly used to improve multi-core performance on busy servers.

On the very first launch the server generates its configuration files. Stop the server once after that first boot so you can edit the settings file before players join — otherwise your custom settings will not apply cleanly.

04Configuring PalWorldSettings.ini

All server rules live in PalWorldSettings.ini, found under Pal/Saved/Config/ in a platform-specific subfolder (WindowsServer or LinuxServer). Copy the default settings into the [/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings] section and edit the values — editing the wrong default file will not take effect.

Key settings most admins change first:

• ServerName — the name shown in the community server browser.
• ServerPassword — set one to keep your world private.
• AdminPassword — required to use in-game admin commands.
• ServerPlayerMaxNum — player cap, up to 32.
• PublicPort — defaults to 8211; change only if you also update port forwarding.
• Rate multipliers — ExpRate, PalCaptureRate, gather and breeding rates to tune difficulty.
• DeathPenalty — controls what you drop when you die.

Save the file and restart the server to apply changes. Keep a backup of a working .ini before large edits — a single malformed line can stop the server from loading the section.

05Port Forwarding and Firewall

For friends outside your network to connect, the host router must forward the server port. Palworld uses UDP port 8211 by default.

1. Log in to your router's admin page.
2. Create a port forwarding rule for UDP 8211 pointing to the host machine's local IP.
3. Allow PalServer.exe (or the Linux process) through the host firewall.
4. Find your public IP and share it with players as publicIP:8211.
5. If you run multiple servers, give each a unique PublicPort and forward each one.

Players on the same local network can connect using the host's local IP without any port forwarding. For a hands-off option, many players rent from a game-server host that handles installation and ports automatically — at a monthly cost.

06Joining Your Server

Once the server is running and reachable, connecting is straightforward:

1. In Palworld's main menu choose Join Multiplayer Game (Dedicated Server).
2. At the bottom of the community server list, enter the address as IP:Port (for example 203.0.113.5:8211).
3. Enter the server password if one is set.
4. Click connect — you will create or load a character on that specific server.
5. To use admin commands, open chat and authenticate with your AdminPassword, then run commands like /Shutdown, /KickPlayer, or /Broadcast.

Character progress is stored on the server, so the same world and your character persist between sessions regardless of who is online. Back up the Pal/Saved/ folder regularly to protect against corruption or accidental wipes.