Palworld Server Settings: File Location and Safe Changes

Use the live configuration file

1. 01

   Run the dedicated server once so the Saved/Config directories exist.

2. 02

   Stop the server cleanly.

3. 03

   Copy DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini into Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/PalWorldSettings.ini.

4. 04

   Edit the new PalWorldSettings.ini and keep its one-line option structure valid.

5. 05

   Restart and verify a visible setting such as the server name before changing balance values.

Settings worth understanding first

Change one group at a time. Player capacity, base count and worker count directly increase simulation and memory pressure. Raising every limit together makes a later crash difficult to diagnose.

Server identity

ServerName, ServerDescription, ServerPassword

Capacity

ServerPlayerMaxNum; launch -players defaults to 32

Bases

BaseCampMaxNum and BaseCampMaxNumInGuild

Workers

BaseCampWorkerMaxNum, up to current documented limit

Crossplay

Steam, Xbox, PS5 and Mac platform list

Protection

bIsUseBackupSaveData

Backup behavior

With bIsUseBackupSaveData enabled, the current official guide documents rolling server backups across short, ten-minute, hourly and daily intervals. That protects against a recent bad write, but it is not a substitute for copying the world off the server before an update or mod change.

Test recovery on a copied directory. A backup that has never been restored is only an assumption.

Useful launch arguments and admin commands

The default port argument is -port=8211. Other official arguments include -players, -publiclobby, -publicip and -publicport. Version 1.0 guidance notes that leaving older performance flags unset can improve performance, so do not paste an Early Access launch string without auditing it.

Set AdminPassword before using administrative commands, then authenticate with /AdminPassword. Core commands include /Save, /Shutdown, /DoExit, /Broadcast, /ShowPlayers, kick/ban commands and teleport controls.

Safe change protocol

1. 01

   Announce downtime and run /Save.

2. 02

   Stop the server and copy the config plus current world directory.

3. 03

   Change one logical group of values.

4. 04

   Launch, check logs and join as a normal client.

5. 05

   Roll back the copied file if the server fails before attempting another edit.