Palworld 1.0: Dedicated Server Setup, Settings & Requirements

Palworld 1.0 launches on July 10, 2026, and every Palworld dedicated server owner should have their setup ready before it lands. This guide covers self-hosted and VPS installation, system requirements, the server settings that matter most, backups, port forwarding, and the 1.0 changes most likely to affect stability.

Key Takeaways

• Palworld's dedicated server runs best with around 16 GB of RAM. Pocketpair recommends it even for small servers, because memory use grows over time.
• A dedicated server keeps your world online 24/7, so farming and resource generation continue while you are offline.
• Install the server with Steam App ID 2394010; the initial download is roughly 12 to 15 GB.
• Port 8211/UDP is the main game port and must be forwarded for players to connect.
• Prefer not to self-host? You can use a managed provider like Host Havoc's Palworld server hosting instead.

What Does Palworld 1.0 Change for Dedicated Server Owners?

Palworld 1.0 brings a massive expansion, including the long awaited World Tree region, new endgame content, and sweeping overhauls to core mechanics.

Following the 1.0 announcement at Summer Game Fest, developer Pocketpair officially confirmed that players do NOT need to wipe their data for Palworld 1.0. Your old early access saves will technically work, as the developers stated they "want to respect the time and effort you have put in."

However, Pocketpair strongly suggests starting fresh anyway, stating that due to the sheer volume of mechanical overhauls, starting a brand new character will provide the absolute best experience. Pocketpair’s publishing lead, John "Bucky" Buckley, said on X: "If you haven't played since the January 2024 launch, then 100% start fresh."

The Technical Reality for Server Admins

While old saves are supported, forcing an early access save file into the 1.0 architecture is a major gamble for dedicated servers. The newly unlocked World Tree map area, fresh assets, and overhauled world generation parameters mean vastly increased pressure on your hardware's CPU, RAM, and disk I/O. Legacy saves are historically much more prone to data corruption, performance degradation, and memory leaks when forced to convert to a major engine deployment.

🎮 Starting Fresh for 1.0? Give your crew a lag free fresh start. Spin up a brand new, high performance Palworld 1.0 Server with Host Havoc in under 60 seconds.

Pre-Launch Checklist: Is Your Palworld Dedicated Server Ready for 1.0?

• Back up Pal/Saved/SaveGames to an external disk or cloud storage before patch day.
• Save a copy of your config (PalWorldSettings.ini, launch flags, and firewall rules) so you can restore or compare after the update.
• Disable all mods before July 10, then re-enable only files their authors confirm are 1.0 compatible.
• Schedule downtime during low traffic hours and warn players in advance via Discord, in game MOTD, or community posts.
• Test the update on a copy (a staging instance or spare VPS) before touching your live server.

Will My Mods and Tools Break in Palworld 1.0?

Any mod that touches save data, world generation, or core balance values is the most at risk when 1.0 changes the underlying data structures. Those are the ones that can corrupt a save. This isn't a full mod list, just where to be careful.

Boot the updated server vanilla first to confirm it starts, saves, and handles logins. Then reintroduce mods one at a time, checking each author's GitHub, Nexus, or Discord for an explicit 1.0 compatible note. Keep a mods disabled backup of your 0.x save until the new build proves stable. For planning which mods you actually rely on, see our guide to Palworld quality of life mods.

What Are the Palworld 1.0 Dedicated Server Requirements?

For a small private server (up to roughly 8 players), plan for a quad core CPU, 16 GB of RAM, SSD storage, and 40 to 60 GB of free space for saves and backups.

For a busy community server on the larger 1.0 map, step up to 8 or more vCPUs, 32 GB or more RAM, NVMe storage, 100 GB or more free space, and a stable, high upload connection.

Pocketpair recommends at least 16 GB of RAM even on lightly populated servers, because memory use climbs over time. The official Palworld requirements list the same. A home connection needs stable upload and low latency. Heavily asymmetric lines with weak upstream are a poor fit, and that is a common reason to move to a VPS.

⚠️ A note on 1.0 world size: With the full World Tree area and expanded islands, RAM and disk I/O are expected to scale up faster than in earlier early access builds. If you are hovering around 12 GB of RAM, 1.0 is probably the time to move to 16 GB or more for a community server.

How Do You Install the Palworld Dedicated Server Files? (Steam & SteamCMD)

• Windows + Steam client: Open your Steam Library, enable Tools, and install "Palworld Dedicated Server."
• Windows or Linux + SteamCMD: Set an install folder, log in anonymously, and run app_update 2394010 validate.
• The dedicated server uses Steam App ID 2394010, and the initial download is about 12 to 15 GB. Plan disk space and time accordingly.
• Launch the server once so it generates its directory tree and configuration files before you edit anything.

Note: Only the Steam build provides the dedicated server tool. Xbox and Game Pass clients cannot host a full dedicated server.

Where Is the Palworld Config File and How Do You Edit It?

The main configuration file is PalWorldSettings.ini. It starts empty. Copy the template from DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini into PalWorldSettings.ini, then make all your changes in PalWorldSettings.ini. Editing the default file has no effect on the running server.

On Windows the path is steamapps/common/PalServer/Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/PalWorldSettings.ini. Linux uses the matching LinuxServer path. Always stop the server before editing, otherwise shutdown will overwrite your changes.

Which Palworld Server Settings Should You Tweak First?

PalWorldSettings.ini has dozens of options. Start with a small, high impact set, then test with a few players before changing more.

Two starting points: a casual PvE profile with slightly boosted drop rates and a forgiving death penalty for friends only servers, or a small group PvP profile with tighter loot and harsher penalties for higher stakes. Make modest changes first and watch performance before rebalancing across the larger map.

(Full parameter reference lives in our Palworld server settings guide. We will link here once the wiki article is live.)

How Do You Set the Admin Password and Gain Admin Privileges?

Set AdminPassword in PalWorldSettings.ini before you open a public or semi public server. It is what prevents griefing. Make it long, unique, and not reused from another service.

After joining, open chat and run /AdminPassword YOURPASSWORD to authenticate. You can then use commands like /Save and /DoExit to safely save and shut down. Keep the password private and share it only with trusted admins. For a friends only server, you can also run a whitelist to control exactly who is allowed to connect.

Port Forwarding and Firewall Rules for a Palworld Server

Forward port 8211/UDP from your router to the server's local IPv4 address. It is the main game port, and players cannot connect without it. On the host, allow the same port through Windows Firewall, or through UFW/iptables on Linux. Some setups also expose 27015/27016 for Steam queries and 25575 for RCON.

Open your router's port forwarding page (search your router model plus port forwarding for exact steps), then test the connection from outside your network. If your ISP uses CGNAT, port forwarding may not work even when your firewall is correct. That is a case where a VPS or managed host is the practical fix.

Running Palworld as a systemd Service on Linux

On a Linux box or VPS, run the server under a systemd service for automatic start on boot, clean restarts, and recovery after crashes or OOM kills. Create a dedicated palworld user, place the server files under that account, and set ExecStart with these performance flags to make better use of your CPU cores:

-useperfthreads -NoAsyncLoadingThread -UseMultithreadForDS

A screen or tmux session works for quick testing, but systemd is the right choice for a long running server.

Keeping Your Palworld Dedicated Server Updated and Backed Up

Patches will arrive frequently around 1.0. To update: Stop the server, run the Steam or SteamCMD update, restart, and confirm clients connect without a version mismatch error. Saves live in Pal/Saved/SaveGames. Back them up off server to a cloud bucket or a separate machine, and enable rolling backups if you have the disk space.

How to Join Your Palworld Dedicated Server (and Common Connection Issues)

Players connect through Join Multiplayer Game -> Direct Connect, using IP:8211. The in game server browser is unreliable and often hides servers, so direct connect is the dependable route for a private server. If players cannot get in, check the port forward, the host firewall, your player cap (ServerPlayerMaxNum), and the server password.

Self-Hosting vs. Renting: Which Is Right for You?

Self-hosting gives you full control and no monthly fee, but you own the hardware or VPS, updates, uptime, port forwarding, and backups. Renting gives you a control panel, automated backups, and a support team, taking the network headaches off your plate.

If you'd rather not deal with port forwarding, systemd, and config edits, renting from an established provider may be a better call.

FAQ

Can I run a Palworld dedicated server and play on the same PC? It's possible, but demanding! Palworld's CPU and RAM use is substantial, more so after 1.0. Aim for an 8 core CPU, 32 GB of RAM, and an NVMe SSD if you want to host and play on one machine, and move to a VPS once more than a few friends join regularly.

Does Palworld 1.0 support crossplay on dedicated servers? Yes. Full crossplay across Steam, Xbox, PlayStation 5, and Mac is supported on dedicated servers. To enable it on a self-hosted instance, make sure the CrossplayPlatforms=(Steam,Xbox,PS5,Mac) parameter is active in your PalWorldSettings.ini file. If managing configuration files isn't your thing, hosting your Palworld server with Host Havoc lets you toggle crossplay and platform settings with a few simple buttons.

How many players can a Palworld dedicated server handle? The default maximum is 32, but practical capacity depends on your CPU, RAM, and network. Start below the cap, monitor performance, and raise ServerPlayerMaxNum gradually.

What if my server keeps crashing after 1.0? Disable mods, verify or re-download the dedicated server files, start from a clean 1.0 config, and check the logs for memory errors. If the save itself is corrupted, restore your last known good backup before trying again.

Can I migrate my world to a new 1.0 server?Yes, but with an important catch. If you are moving a save from an old dedicated server to a new one, you can simply copy the entire Pal/Saved/SaveGames folder over. However, if you are migrating a local co-op save to a dedicated server, the player who originally hosted the co-op game will be forced to create a new character upon joining due to the way dedicated servers handle player IDs (GUIDs). You will need to use a community save migration script like community-based GUID fix tools to sync the old host data to the new server environment.