Which file holds Palworld dedicated server settings?

PalWorldSettings.ini, in Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer on Windows or Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer on Linux, inside the server folder. Copy DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini there first. Pocketpair say editing DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini will not affect the changes; it is only a template.

Why did my Palworld server setting change not stick?

Usually one of three things: the edit went into DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini instead of PalWorldSettings.ini, the server was running while you edited (in our test a stop wrote the running settings back over the edit), or a line break split the OptionSettings line, which makes the server ignore everything after the break.

Does the server need a restart to apply PalWorldSettings.ini?

Yes. In our test on server v1.0.5 the settings were read once, at start; a change made while the server ran did nothing until the next start. Stop the server, edit, then start it.

Do I need every setting in the file?

No. Keys you leave out keep their defaults, and Pocketpair's own container example sets only ServerPassword and DeathPenalty. On a ForgeWorld Gaming server keep the full file anyway, because the panel replaces a very short file with the defaults at start.

What is the default death penalty on a Palworld dedicated server?

Item: players drop all items except equipment. The other values are None (nothing dropped), ItemAndEquipment (all items) and All (all items plus every Pal in the team).

How many bases can a Palworld guild have?

BaseCampMaxNumInGuild ships at 4, and Pocketpair give 10 as the maximum, noting that raising it raises processing load. BaseCampMaxNum caps bases across the whole server (128 by default), and BaseCampWorkerMaxNum caps Pals per base (15 by default, 50 maximum).

Should I use RCON or the REST API?

Pocketpair mark RCON as deprecated and scheduled to stop working in an upcoming update, and point to the REST API instead (RESTAPIEnabled, port 8212 by default). Both are meant for use within your own network, not exposed to the internet.

Palworld server settings reference

Where the file lives

Pocketpair's configuration page gives one path per system, inside the server folder:

Windows: steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\PalWorldSettings.ini
Linux: steamapps/common/PalServer/Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini

Those folders only appear once the server has been started. Pocketpair's instruction is to copy DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini from the top of the server folder to that path and edit the copy; the Palworld setup guide walks through it. The default file is a template and nothing more: Pocketpair's page says "editing DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini will not affect the changes", and the file itself says "Changes to this file will NOT be reflected on the server." Server-side mods have a file of their own, covered in the Palworld mods guide.

When the server reads it, and when it writes it

Pocketpair's pages say which file to edit but not when it is read, so we tested the Linux server, v1.0.5.102999 (Steam build 25247047), on a spare machine. Four results are worth knowing before you edit:

The first start leaves the file empty. The server created PalWorldSettings.ini with nothing in it, so you still have to copy the defaults in yourself.
Settings are read once, at start. A value changed while the server was running made no difference until the next start.
A stop writes the file back as the server read it. When we changed a value with the server running and then stopped it, whether through the REST API's shutdown, the shutdown command sent over RCON or an interrupt signal, the server put its old value back on the way out and the edit was gone. So stop the server first, then edit, then start it.
Keys you leave out keep their defaults. A file holding only a few settings started with every other setting at its default, the same as Pocketpair's own container example, which sets just ServerPassword and DeathPenalty. Editing the default file had no effect, as Pocketpair say.

The format: one section heading, one long line

The file has a section heading and a single OptionSettings line holding every setting in parentheses, separated by commas:

[/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings]
OptionSettings=(ServerName="Our Palworld server",ServerPassword="choose-one",ExpRate=1.500000,DeathPenalty=None)

That line has to stay one line. In our test, a line break inside the parentheses meant everything after it was ignored: settings moved to a second line took their defaults, and when the REST API settings sat on the second line, the API never came up at all. Text values go in double quotes, true or false values are written True or False, CrossplayPlatforms keeps its own inner parentheses, and DenyTechnologyList takes a quoted, comma-separated list in parentheses. The shipped file writes numbers with six decimals; a whole number such as ExpRate=2 was read the same way.

Mistakes are not reported. In our test a misspelt key (ExpRat) was ignored without a line in the server log, a DeathPenalty value the game does not know fell back to the default, and a guild base count above Pocketpair's maximum of 10 was reported back unchanged. Check spelling and ranges against the tables below, because the server will not do it for you.

The Palworld server settings generator does that check for you: it builds the whole file on one line from a form that starts at these defaults, and a file you paste into it is checked for each of these mistakes.

Pocketpair's table also warns that some parameters are "reserved for future updates" or deprecated. One example is AllowConnectPlatform, which older guides still mention: Pocketpair says it is "Not available in this version. Use CrossplayPlatforms instead."

Every setting, with its default

The defaults are the values in DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini as it ships with Steam build 25247047 (server v1.0.5.102999). The descriptions are Pocketpair's, from the configuration and PvP pages of their v1.0.4 documentation and their patch notes. Pocketpair describe 99 of the 122 keys; the other 23 appear in the default file with no description, and we list them as such rather than guess. Multipliers are relative to 1.0. Checked 2026-10-19.

Server name, passwords and who can join

Key	Default	What it does
`ServerName`	`"Default Palworld Server"`	Server name.
`ServerDescription`	`""`	Server description.
`ServerPassword`	`""`	Password required to log in to the server. This is the join password.
`AdminPassword`	`""`	Password used to obtain administrative privileges. Pocketpair's commands page says it must be set before any admin command works; in the game you then type `/AdminPassword` followed by it.
`ServerPlayerMaxNum`	`32`	Maximum number of players who can join the server. Pocketpair's arguments page also lists a `-players=` launch option that changes the maximum number of participants.
`CoopPlayerMaxNum`	`4`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`CrossplayPlatforms`	`(Steam,Xbox,PS5,Mac)`	Platforms allowed to connect. Keep the parentheses and commas; the crossplay guide covers narrowing the list.
`bAllowClientMod`	`True`	Allow players with mods enabled to join the server.
`bShowPlayerList`	`False`	Enable the player list on the ESC menu.
`bIsShowJoinLeftMessage`	`True`	Show in-game messages when players join or leave.
`ChatPostLimitPerMinute`	`30`	Maximum number of chat messages allowed per minute.
`bEnableVoiceChat`	`False`	Enable in-game voice chat. The v1.0 changelog says voice chat is only available when it is enabled in a dedicated server's world settings.
`VoiceChatMaxVolumeDistance`	`3000.000000`	Distance at which voice chat volume does not fade.
`VoiceChatZeroVolumeDistance`	`15000.000000`	Distance at which voice chat volume reaches zero.
`bEnableBuildingPlayerUIdDisplay`	`False`	Whether to show the ID of the player who built a structure on it.
`BuildingNameDisplayCacheTTLSeconds`	`60`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`bIsMultiplay`	`False`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.

Ports, remote admin and logs

Key	Default	What it does
`PublicPort`	`8211`	For a community server: states the external public port by hand. It does not change the port the server listens on; the `-port=` launch argument does.
`PublicIP`	`""`	For a community server: states the external public IP by hand.
`RCONEnabled`	`False`	Enable RCON. Pocketpair marks RCON deprecated and says it is scheduled to stop working in an upcoming update.
`RCONPort`	`25575`	Port number used for RCON.
`RESTAPIEnabled`	`False`	Enable the REST API, the replacement Pocketpair points to.
`RESTAPIPort`	`8212`	Listening port for the REST API.
`LogFormatType`	`Text`	Log format: `Text` or `Json`.
`Region`	`""`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`bUseAuth`	`True`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`BanListURL`	`"https://b.palworldgame.com/api/banlist.txt"`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.

Pocketpair's warning on both remote-admin routes is the same: RCON and the REST API "are not designed to be exposed directly to the Internet", and they recommend using them within the LAN. The REST API uses HTTP Basic authentication; in our test it accepted the user name admin with the AdminPassword.

Saving and backups

Key	Default	What it does
`bIsUseBackupSaveData`	`True`	Enable world backups (see the backup schedule below). Pocketpair notes it increases disk load.
`AutoSaveSpan`	`30.000000`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.

With backups on, Pocketpair say the server creates a backup directory in the save data directory and keeps a rolling set: 5 saves 30 seconds apart, 6 at 10 minutes, 12 hourly and 7 daily. A copy of your own before a big settings change is still worth having.

Difficulty, time of day and rates

Key	Default	What it does
`Difficulty`	`None`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation. See the note on 1.0 defaults below.
`DayTimeSpeedRate`	`1.000000`	Daytime progression speed.
`NightTimeSpeedRate`	`1.000000`	Nighttime progression speed.
`ExpRate`	`1.000000`	EXP gain multiplier.
`PalCaptureRate`	`1.000000`	Capture rate multiplier.
`PalSpawnNumRate`	`1.000000`	Pal spawn rate. Pocketpair marks it as affecting performance.
`PalEggDefaultHatchingTime`	`1.000000`	Hours to hatch a Huge Egg. Pocketpair notes that other eggs take time to incubate as well.
`WorkSpeedRate`	`1.000000`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`MonsterFarmActionSpeedRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for the speed of item production from grazing. The v1.0 changelog made ranch production time adjustable.
`FishingDifficultyRate`	`1.000000`	Fishing difficulty, from 0.1 to 1.0.
`SupplyDropSpan`	`180`	Interval between meteorite and supply drops, in minutes.
`bEnableInvaderEnemy`	`True`	Enable invaders.
`bAllowEnemyCampSpawnNearBaseCamp`	`False`	Whether enemy camps may spawn near player bases. Added in v1.0.3, whose notes say it disables the suppression of enemy camp spawns near base camps.
`EnablePredatorBossPal`	`True`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`RandomizerType`	`None`	Random Pal spawn mode: `None` (no randomization), `Region` (randomized per region) or `All` (fully random).
`RandomizerSeed`	`""`	Seed used when a randomizer mode is on.
`bIsRandomizerPalLevelRandom`	`False`	With True, wild Pal levels are fully random; with False, they are randomized within each area's intended range.

A note on 1.0 defaults. Pocketpair's v1.0 changelog says "the default world settings for dedicated servers have been adjusted to closely match single-player Normal difficulty". The defaults in these tables come from a 1.0 server, so they already include that change; a guide written before July 2026 may quote different ones.

Damage, health, hunger and stamina

Key	Default	What it does
`PalDamageRateAttack`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for damage dealt by Pals.
`PalDamageRateDefense`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for damage taken by Pals.
`PlayerDamageRateAttack`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for damage dealt by players.
`PlayerDamageRateDefense`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for damage taken by players.
`PlayerStomachDecreaceRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for how fast player hunger drops.
`PlayerStaminaDecreaceRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for how fast player stamina drops.
`PlayerAutoHPRegeneRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for players' natural health regeneration.
`PlayerAutoHpRegeneRateInSleep`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for players' health regeneration while sleeping.
`PalStomachDecreaceRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for how fast Pal hunger drops.
`PalStaminaDecreaceRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for how fast Pal stamina drops.
`PalAutoHPRegeneRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for Pals' natural health regeneration.
`PalAutoHpRegeneRateInSleep`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for Pals' health regeneration while sleeping in the Palbox.
`bEnableFriendlyFire`	`False`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`bEnableAimAssistPad`	`True`	From Pocketpair's PvP page: with False, aim assist is off for players using controllers.
`bEnableAimAssistKeyboard`	`False`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.

Gathering, items and technology

Key	Default	What it does
`CollectionDropRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for items from gathering.
`CollectionObjectHpRate`	`1.000000`	Health multiplier for gatherable objects.
`CollectionObjectRespawnSpeedRate`	`1.000000`	Respawn interval of gatherable objects.
`EnemyDropItemRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for the quantity of items enemies drop.
`EquipmentDurabilityDamageRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for equipment durability loss.
`ItemWeightRate`	`1.000000`	Item weight multiplier.
`ItemCorruptionMultiplier`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for how fast items corrupt (decay).
`DenyTechnologyList`	empty	Technologies to disable, by Technology ID, for example `DenyTechnologyList=("GrapplingGun","GuildChest")`. Pocketpair publishes the list of Technology IDs.
`DropItemMaxNum`	`3000`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`DropItemAliveMaxHours`	`1.000000`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`PhysicsActiveDropItemMaxNum`	`-1`	Maximum number of dropped items that can use physics behaviour.
`bActiveUNKO`	`False`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`DropItemMaxNum_UNKO`	`100`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`ItemContainerForceMarkDirtyInterval`	`1.000000`	How often, in seconds, a container is forced to re-sync while its window is open.
`bAllowGlobalPalboxExport`	`True`	Allow saving Pals to the Global Palbox.
`bAllowGlobalPalboxImport`	`False`	Allow loading Pals from the Global Palbox.
`PlayerDataPalStorageUpdateCheckTickInterval`	`1.000000`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.

Bases and building

Key	Default	What it does
`BaseCampMaxNum`	`128`	Total number of bases across the whole server.
`BaseCampMaxNumInGuild`	`4`	Maximum bases per guild, up to 10. Pocketpair says raising it raises processing load.
`BaseCampWorkerMaxNum`	`15`	Maximum Pals working at one base, up to 50. Pocketpair says raising it raises processing load.
`MaxBuildingLimitNum`	`0`	Per-player cap on the number of structures; 0 means no cap.
`MaxBuildingLimitNumPerPlayer`	`0`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation. The v1.0.4 notes added "a server setting for administrators to set a per-player limit on the number of buildings" without naming the key.
`BuildObjectHpRate`	`1.000000`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`BuildObjectDamageRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for damage dealt to buildings.
`BuildObjectDeteriorationDamageRate`	`1.000000`	Multiplier for how fast buildings decay.
`bBuildAreaLimit`	`False`	Prevents building near structures such as fast-travel points.
`bInvisibleOtherGuildBaseCampAreaFX`	`False`	Base area boundaries. Pocketpair's PvP page says False makes other players' base areas visible.
`ServerReplicatePawnCullDistance`	`15000.000000`	How far from players, in centimetres, Pals are kept in sync: 5000 minimum, 15000 maximum.

Guilds

Key	Default	What it does
`GuildPlayerMaxNum`	`20`	Maximum number of players in a guild.
`GuildRejoinCooldownMinutes`	`0`	Cooldown, in minutes, before a player can rejoin a guild.
`bAutoResetGuildNoOnlinePlayers`	`False`	When no member of a guild logs in, its structures and base Pals are deleted.
`AutoResetGuildTimeNoOnlinePlayers`	`72.000000`	How long the guild must stay offline before that deletion happens. Ignored while `bAutoResetGuildNoOnlinePlayers` is False.
`AutoTransferMasterCheckIntervalSeconds`	`3600.000000`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`AutoTransferMasterThresholdDays`	`14`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.
`MaxGuildsPerFrame`	`10`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.

Death, respawn and Hardcore

Key	Default	What it does
`DeathPenalty`	`Item`	What a player drops on death: `None` (nothing), `Item` (all items except equipment), `ItemAndEquipment` (all items) or `All` (all items and every Pal in the team).
`bPalLost`	`False`	Pals are lost for good on death.
`bHardcore`	`False`	Hardcore: players cannot respawn after death.
`bCharacterRecreateInHardcore`	`False`	Whether a player may make a new character after dying in Hardcore.
`BlockRespawnTime`	`5.000000`	Cooldown, in seconds, before a player can respawn after death.
`RespawnPenaltyDurationThreshold`	`0.000000`	Survival time, in seconds, that decides whether the next death gets the longer cooldown set by `RespawnPenaltyTimeScale`.
`RespawnPenaltyTimeScale`	`2.000000`	Multiplier applied to the respawn cooldown.
`bCanPickupOtherGuildDeathPenaltyDrop`	`False`	From Pocketpair's PvP page: whether items lost on death can be picked up, which decides whether players can take other players' Pals or items.
`bExistPlayerAfterLogout`	`False`	With True, a player who logs out lies down and sleeps where they stood.
`bEnableNonLoginPenalty`	`True`	Not described in Pocketpair's documentation.

Travel, start and stat points

Key	Default	What it does
`bEnableFastTravel`	`True`	Enable fast travel.
`bEnableFastTravelOnlyBaseCamp`	`False`	Restrict fast travel to travel between bases.
`bIsStartLocationSelectByMap`	`False`	Let players choose their starting location.
`bAllowEnhanceStat_Health`	`True`	Allow stat points in Health.
`bAllowEnhanceStat_Attack`	`True`	Allow stat points in Attack.
`bAllowEnhanceStat_Stamina`	`True`	Allow stat points in Stamina.
`bAllowEnhanceStat_Weight`	`True`	Allow stat points in Carry Weight.
`bAllowEnhanceStat_WorkSpeed`	`True`	Allow stat points in Work Speed.

PvP

Key	Default	What it does
`bIsPvP`	`False`	Enable PvP. One of the three settings Pocketpair's PvP page sets to True.
`bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage`	`False`	From the PvP page: the second of the three.
`bEnableDefenseOtherGuildPlayer`	`False`	From the PvP page: the third of the three.
`bAdditionalDropItemWhenPlayerKillingInPvPMode`	`False`	Whether a player killed in PvP drops a special item.
`AdditionalDropItemWhenPlayerKillingInPvPMode`	`"PlayerDropItem"`	The ID of that item. The PvP page says the default drop is the Champion's Emblem.
`AdditionalDropItemNumWhenPlayerKillingInPvPMode`	`1`	How many of that item drop.
`bDisplayPvPItemNumOnWorldMap_BaseCamp`	`False`	Show on the map how many PvP-only items each base holds.
`bDisplayPvPItemNumOnWorldMap_Player`	`False`	Show player locations and the number of PvP-only items they carry on the map.

Pocketpair's PvP page calls PvP a trial feature that is not covered by support, and sets three settings to True to turn it on: bIsPvP, bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage and bEnableDefenseOtherGuildPlayer. Its recommendations for a PvP server use settings from the tables above: bAllowEnhanceStat_Health and bAllowEnhanceStat_Attack set to False, a DenyTechnologyList for fast Pal Gear, the Grappling Guns and the Guild Chest, bEnableFastTravelOnlyBaseCamp=True, bExistPlayerAfterLogout=True, GuildPlayerMaxNum=4 with BaseCampMaxNumInGuild=2, MaxBuildingLimitNum=1000, and a respawn cooldown of 5 seconds that doubles with each death and resets after 1800 seconds without one (BlockRespawnTime=5.0, RespawnPenaltyDurationThreshold=1800.0, RespawnPenaltyTimeScale=2.0).

Changing a setting safely

Stop the server, so it cannot write its old settings over yours on the way out.
Keep a copy of PalWorldSettings.ini as it is.
Edit the value in place, inside the one OptionSettings line. Leave the section heading, the parentheses and the commas as they are.
Save, start the server, and check the result in the game.

Changing settings on ForgeWorld Gaming

On a ForgeWorld Gaming Palworld server the file is at Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini in the control panel's file manager (the Files tab). The DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini at the top of the file list is the template: the server ignores it, but the panel copies it into place when PalWorldSettings.ini is missing or very short, so leave it unedited too. Press Stop on the Console tab and wait until the server has stopped before you open the file. The Stop button sends the server the shutdown 15 command, so it stops about 15 seconds later, and as above it writes the file back as it read it at start. Then change values in place, keep the whole OptionSettings line on one line, save, and press Start.

A few settings belong to the panel rather than the file. The server name, server description, server password, admin password and crossplay platforms are fields on the Startup tab, and the panel writes them into PalWorldSettings.ini each time the server starts, so change them there; an edit to those lines in the file is replaced at the next start. The two password fields take letters, numbers, dashes and underscores, and the name and description fields refuse commas, parentheses, double quotes and backslashes. The panel's start-up step ends a value at the first comma or closing parenthesis, so in our tests a comma or a closing parenthesis left stray text in the line from the second start and the server then ignored every setting after it; a double quote cut the name short, and a name ending in a backslash also kept the settings after it from being read. Keep those characters out of the two values in the file as well. If a comma or closing parenthesis has got into them, stop the server, then in the file replace the whole damaged value with "": everything between ServerName= and ,ServerDescription= for the name, or between ServerDescription= and ,AdminPassword= for the description. Then start the server; in our tests of both fields the panel then wrote the Startup-tab value back in cleanly. The player limit, ServerPlayerMaxNum, is set from your plan's slots. The panel also sets PublicPort, PublicIP, RCONEnabled and RCONPort for you, and since 22 October 2026 RESTAPIEnabled and RESTAPIPort too (a server that was already running gets them at its next restart): leave those lines alone, because the Console tab's commands reach the server through them (see the Palworld admin commands guide). Only the game port is open to the internet, so RCON and the REST API answer only inside your server, which is how Pocketpair recommend running them. Everything else in this guide is yours to change in the file, and it stays as you set it.

Two more things to know. Keep the whole file rather than cutting it down to the few lines you changed: when the file is very short, the panel's start-up step replaces it with a copy of DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini. And a reinstall from the panel's Settings tab replaces PalWorldSettings.ini with a copy of that default file; your old one is kept beside it as PalWorldSettings_ followed by the date and time, so you can copy your values back.

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Questions this guide did not answer? Email support@fwg.world for pre-sales help. No account or payment is required.

Palworld server settings reference

Where the file lives

When the server reads it, and when it writes it

The format: one section heading, one long line

Every setting, with its default

Server name, passwords and who can join

Ports, remote admin and logs

Saving and backups

Difficulty, time of day and rates

Damage, health, hunger and stamina

Gathering, items and technology

Bases and building

Guilds

Death, respawn and Hardcore

Travel, start and stat points

PvP

Changing a setting safely

Changing settings on ForgeWorld Gaming

Common questions

Sources

Where the file lives#

When the server reads it, and when it writes it#

The format: one section heading, one long line#

Every setting, with its default#

Server name, passwords and who can join

Ports, remote admin and logs

Saving and backups

Difficulty, time of day and rates

Damage, health, hunger and stamina

Gathering, items and technology

Bases and building

Guilds

Death, respawn and Hardcore

Travel, start and stat points

PvP

Changing a setting safely#

Changing settings on ForgeWorld Gaming#

Common questions

Sources

Where the file lives

When the server reads it, and when it writes it

The format: one section heading, one long line

Every setting, with its default

Changing a setting safely

Changing settings on ForgeWorld Gaming