07/20/2026
How to set up a Palworld dedicated server (2026)
Palworld 1.0 is out and you want your own dedicated server for the squad — here's how to set one up yourself, step by step. At the end you've got a server that runs 24/7, holds up to 32 players and doesn't depend on whether a host is online. Everything below is what I do myself when I set up Palworld.
Before you start: hardware
In short: a 4+ core CPU with a good single-thread clock, an NVMe SSD (slow storage can corrupt your save) and enough RAM for your player count. 16 GB is the official recommendation for 4-16 players. If you're not sure what size, I wrote a separate guide on how much RAM a Palworld server needs.
Install via SteamCMD
Palworld has a native Linux server build, so you don't need Proton or Wine. You install it through SteamCMD: log in anonymously (login anonymous) and pull app 2394010 with the command app_update 2394010 validate. That downloads the server into your install folder. After that you start it with the PalServer.sh script.
Configuration: PalWorldSettings.ini
The main settings live in the PalWorldSettings.ini file. That's where you set the server name, admin and server passwords, and crucially ServerPlayerMaxNum for the maximum player count (up to 32). World difficulty is tuned here too: gather rates, Pal spawns and so on. Tip: change settings while the server is off, otherwise a restart overwrites them.
Open port 8211 (UDP)
The server listens on UDP port 8211. Open it on the firewall and, if you're behind a router, set up a port forward to that machine. Without it your squad simply can't connect — this is the number-one reason for "I can't see the server".
Crossplay: Steam, Xbox, PS5, Mac
Palworld supports crossplay on dedicated servers. You enable it with the line CrossplayPlatforms=(Steam,Xbox,PS5,Mac) in PalWorldSettings.ini. Remove the platforms you don't want. Without this setting, Xbox and PS5 players can't get in — so if your squad is mixed, it's mandatory.
Mods (if you want them)
Palworld has no official mod loader. Mods are .pak files or UE4SS scripts you copy manually onto the server and to every player. Two rules from experience: the mod versions have to match on server and client (or nobody joins), and after every game update server-side mods tend to break until they're refreshed. Heavy mods also need more RAM.
Keeping it stable: restarts and backups
Two things separate a server that runs for weeks from one that dies in a few days. First, a scheduled automatic restart every 6-12 hours — Palworld has a memory leak, and the restart clears memory before it fills up. Second, regular backups of the save folder; on Palworld the save is the most valuable thing, and the worst case is a corrupt save with no copy.
This is an hour or two of work if everything goes smoothly — and it doesn't always. If you'd rather not wrestle with SteamCMD, ports and restarts, on mcbalkan you get the Palworld server set up and ready, with automatic restarts and daily backups, and when something breaks you talk directly to me — no ticket queue, no bot. See our Palworld hosting.