Once your group gets hooked on Palworld, waiting for the host to log in before anyone else can play gets old fast. Invite code co-op is capped at 4 players and runs on the world stored on the host's PC, so when the host quits, everyone stops. A dedicated server fixes that.
You run the server program on its own, the world stays up around the clock, and according to the Steam store page up to 32 players can join.
This guide walks through how to host a Palworld server from scratch: installing Palworld Dedicated Server from your Steam library, choosing between a private server and a community server, setting the server name, password and player limit in the config file, port forwarding and firewall rules, getting friends connected, admin commands and backups.
It skips rate tweaks such as EXP and capture multipliers and sticks to getting a server online and people into it. Everything was checked on November 10, 2026 against Palworld 1.0 (latest patch v1.0.5) and the official server documentation. More guides live on the Palworld game page.
Co-op, private dedicated server or community server: which one fits
Start with how many people will play and on what. If you are four or fewer and always play at the same time, in-game invite code co-op is enough. If schedules differ or the group is five or more, host a dedicated server.
The official docs describe two kinds. A dedicated server is joined by typing its IP address and port, which makes it a private server in practice. A community server is the same server registered on the in-game server list, so strangers can find it.
Under the hood they are identical; only the listing differs. There is one catch: the official docs say players on the Xbox and PS5 versions can only join if you deploy it as a community server.
Servers allow crossplay by default between Steam, Xbox (Xbox Series and the Microsoft Store Windows PC version), Mac and PS5, so if anyone plays on console or PC Game Pass, run a community server and lock it with a password. Then check the machine.
The official recommendation is a 4 core CPU or better, 16GB of memory (32GB or more for stable play) and a fast SSD. The docs note that 8GB will boot but raises the risk of out of memory crashes, and slow storage can corrupt save data.
Running the server on the same PC you game on means the game needs its own memory too, so compare against the Palworld system requirements. If that PC cannot spare it, a spare machine or a rented server from a game server host are both options.
The server runs on 64 bit Windows or Linux, and the official Docker image is aimed at experienced users, with Docker Desktop setups not recommended.
On cost: the server program is a tool you download through an anonymous SteamCMD login, so there is nothing extra to buy, but every player who joins needs their own copy of Palworld. As of November 10, 2026 it costs US$29.99 on the US Steam store, with no discount running.
How to set up a Palworld dedicated server
- 1Install the server toolSearch your Steam library for Palworld Dedicated Server and install it. If your library is filtered to games only, include tools and it will show up. To skip the Steam client, run steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quit in SteamCMD. That command downloads the server files with an anonymous login, so the server machine never has to run the game itself.
- 2Start it once, then stop itPress Play in Steam and a launch option window appears. Pick Play Palworld Dedicated Server for a private server, or Open and start as a community server to put it on the server list. With SteamCMD, run PalServer.exe, or PalServer.exe -publiclobby for a community server. A console window means it started. The config folders are only created on the first start, so start the server once, then shut it down.
- 3Create the config file and set name, password and player capIn the server folder (steamapps\common\PalServer for the Steam tool), copy DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini and paste it into Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer as PalWorldSettings.ini. Linux servers use the LinuxServer folder. The official docs warn that editing DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini itself does nothing, so always edit the copy. Open it in Notepad and you will see every option on one line inside OptionSettings=( ), separated by commas. Change only the values for ServerName, ServerPassword, AdminPassword and ServerPlayerMaxNum, leave the brackets, commas and quotation marks alone, save, and start the server again.
- 4Open the port and the firewallThe default port is UDP 8211, and the -port launch argument changes it. The official docs say Windows Firewall and your router each need their own setup. Add an inbound rule allowing UDP 8211 in Windows Firewall, then in your router's admin page forward UDP 8211 to the server PC's local IP, something like 192.168.1.x. If that local IP changes, the forward breaks, so reserve a fixed address for the server PC in the router.
- 5Get your friends connectedFriends open the multiplayer join menu from the Palworld title screen and type your public IP and port into the field below the server list, in the form 123.45.67.89:8211. On the PC running the server, use 127.0.0.1:8211. PCs on the same router use the server PC's local IP. To join a community server, pick the community server tab on the left of the server list and search for its name. The official docs warn that if your router lacks Hairpin NAT support, you cannot reach a community server hosted on the same network, so connect by local IP instead.
- 6Set up admin access and backupsWith AdminPassword set, type /AdminPassword followed by that password in chat to become admin. From there, /Save writes the world, /Shutdown 60 Restarting soon shuts down with a countdown and message, /ShowPlayers lists who is online, and /KickPlayer or /BanPlayer followed by a Steam ID removes someone. Turn on bIsUseBackupSaveData and the server keeps 5 backups at 30 second intervals, 6 at 10 minutes, 12 hourly and 7 daily, so you always have a point to roll back to.
Server settings to set first in PalWorldSettings.ini (as of November 10, 2026)
| Setting | What it does | How to set it |
|---|---|---|
| ServerName | The name shown in the server list and when joining | For a community server, pick something unique so friends can search for it. Keep it inside the quotation marks. |
| ServerPassword | The password players enter to join | Always set one on a community server, since it is listed publicly. Share it with friends only in private. |
| AdminPassword | The password used with /AdminPassword to get admin rights | Use a different value from ServerPassword and keep it to the people who run the server. |
| ServerPlayerMaxNum | The maximum number of players on the server | The Steam store lists up to 32 for dedicated servers. Lower it to your real group size if memory is tight. |
| CrossplayPlatforms | Which platforms may connect | The default is (Steam,Xbox,PS5,Mac). Leave only Steam if you want Steam players only. |
| bIsUseBackupSaveData | Automatic world backups | Adds backups at 30 second, 10 minute, hourly and daily intervals in the save folder. It adds disk load, so an SSD helps. |
| bEnableVoiceChat | In-game voice chat | Added in 1.0 and only available when a dedicated server turns it on. Pocketpair noted it is not supported on the PC Game Pass build (WinGDK). |
| PublicIP and PublicPort | Manually set the external IP and port of a community server | Only fill these in if auto detection gets them wrong. They do not change the port the server listens on. |
Checks before and after you open the server
- ServerPassword and AdminPassword are different, and neither is posted anywhere public.
- Your IP and password go out only in private, never in a public post. If your group uses Discord, share them in a role restricted channel like the ones in how to set up a gaming Discord server.
- Before recording or streaming, the streaming friendly server address hiding mode added in 1.0 is on, so your IP never lands in a video.
- bIsUseBackupSaveData is on, and before big updates you copy the server's Pal\Saved\SaveGames folder somewhere safe.
- When the game updates, update the server too: Steam handles the tool, and SteamCMD needs the same app_update command again. The next update, Palworld: Side by Side, was announced on October 20, 2026 for winter 2026, and its details are not yet officially announced.
Keep your server nights with DOR
A server turns Palworld into long sessions, and after hours of base building and boss fights the funniest moments usually survive only as stories. DOR is a free Windows game recorder.
When you launch the Steam version of Palworld, it detects the game and records the whole session from launch to exit, and the recording lands in My Clips in the app. Afterwards, trim just the moments you want with Trim Section in 16:9, 9:16 or 1:1.
Game audio and your mic are captured together on one track, so the banter comes along too. When several friends record their own point of view, merge those clips into one video in DOR Studio (dor.gg/studio), add text and music, then export an mp4 or share a dor.gg link.
Admins can also switch on spectator mode with /ToggleSpectate and record a tour of every base on the server. For anything outside the game, such as editing the config file, screen recording (F7 by default) captures the steps, which makes a handy reference the next time you rebuild the server.
Before you share anything, trim out parts that show your IP, such as the join screen. Storage only gets tidied when full session videos go past their share (5GB by default), oldest first, and recent recordings and liked videos stay, so give the server videos you want to keep a like. For sending clips, see how to share Palworld clips with friends, and for other games on Steam see how to record Steam games.
