To install a Steam Workshop mod on a Palworld server, use a Windows dedicated server, stage a server-compatible Workshop package in its Mods/Workshop directory, enable the package by its exact PackageName in Mods/PalModSettings.ini, and restart the server. The restart deploys the package to the runtime location declared by its installation rules.
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This procedure is for supported server-side packages, not ordinary client-only Workshop items. Stop the server and make a world and configuration backup first: Pocketpair warns that mods can corrupt save data or crash the server.
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A supported server platform
Pocketpair’s current server guidance limits server-side mod support to a dedicated server running the Windows edition. A package copied into a Linux server, Wine installation, Proton prefix, or container is not an officially supported deployment. Community experiments may work for some loaders, but they should be treated as unsupported and unsuitable for an important production world unless you have a tested rollback plan.
A server-compatible Workshop package
Workshop availability does not automatically mean server compatibility. The package must declare a server installation rule. You can check this yourself by opening its root Info.json and looking for an InstallRule whose IsServer value is true. A client-only item will not become a server mod merely because its files are placed in the server directory.
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A maintenance window and backup
Stop the dedicated server before changing package files or configuration. Preserve a copy of the world, server configuration, and the original package archive. Test updates on a copied world when possible. This gives you a known-good state if the server fails to start, a dependency breaks, or a package changes save behavior.
- Windows dedicated-server installation
- A package with
IsServer: true - Access to the server executable directory
- Permission to edit
Mods/PalModSettings.ini - A backup of the world and configuration
How Palworld identifies and deploys a Workshop mod
The human-facing Workshop title, numeric Workshop ID, download folder name, and package identity are different things. Palworld uses the case-sensitive PackageName stored in the package’s root Info.json. That value must be repeated in the server configuration. Renaming the staging folder or copying the title shown in the Workshop browser does not activate the package.
Each package also describes where its files belong through InstallRules. On restart, the server reads the package, checks its rules and dependencies, and creates a managed deployment record at Mods/ManagedMods/<PackageName>/InstallManifest.json. The manifest is useful when verifying that the server actually recognized a package rather than merely seeing files in a folder.
Install a Workshop package step by step
1. Launch the server once, then stop it
Start the dedicated server one time before configuring mods. Palworld generates Mods/PalModSettings.ini after the first launch. Once the server has completed startup, shut it down cleanly and make your backup before editing anything.
2. Locate or create the Workshop staging directory
In the directory that contains the dedicated-server executable, locate Mods. Inside it, create Workshop if it does not already exist:
PalServer.exe
Mods
PalModSettings.ini
WorkshopPut each Workshop package in its own child directory. The package’s Info.json must be directly inside that child directory, not buried one level deeper. For example:
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ModsWorkshopExamplePackageContent...ExamplePackage is only a staging-folder label in this example. The activation name still comes from the PackageName field in Info.json.
3. Copy the complete package
Copy the complete extracted Workshop package, including its manifest and all files referenced by its installation rules. Do not copy only a single DLL, Lua file, or PAK unless the package author explicitly supplies a package layout that requires it. Keep one package per child folder so that dependencies and version changes can be tracked independently.
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4. Choose the Workshop root
The normal server location is Mods/Workshop. If packages must remain somewhere else, define an absolute alternative root under the [PalModSettings] section of Mods/PalModSettings.ini:
[PalModSettings]
WorkshopRootDir=D:PalworldWorkshopPackagesYou can instead pass an absolute path at launch with -workshopdir="D:PalworldWorkshopPackages". Use one deliberate root and make sure the account running the server can read it. Pocketpair also documents the default Steam Workshop location on a client as C:Program Files (x86)Steamsteamappsworkshopcontent1623730; that path is a reference to the client’s download location, not a replacement for staging and configuring the server’s package root.
5. Enable global mod loading and list each package
Open Mods/PalModSettings.ini. Under [PalModSettings], set bGlobalEnableMod=true. Add one ActiveModList line for every package, using the exact case-sensitive PackageName from that package’s root Info.json:
[PalModSettings]
bGlobalEnableMod=true
ActiveModList=GamingCattiva
ActiveModList=FarmingQuivern
# WorkshopRootDir=C:Program Files (x86)Steamsteamappsworkshopcontent1623730The two names above are examples only. Replace them with the values in your files. Do not use a Workshop title, numeric Workshop ID, display ModName, or the name of the folder you created. Repeating the key is intentional: each line adds another active package.
6. Save the file and restart
Start the server again after saving the package and configuration changes. Deployment occurs during restart; changing the file while the server is running does not install a package into the live process. A successful recognition creates Mods/ManagedMods/<PackageName>/InstallManifest.json and copies or links files according to the package’s InstallRules.
7. Verify the destination
Check the generated managed-mod directory and the runtime destination declared by the package. The documented destination map is:
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| Runtime type | Deployment destination |
|---|---|
| UE4SS | Mods/NativeMods/UE4SS |
| Lua | Mods/NativeMods/UE4SS/Mods/{PackageName} |
| PalSchema | Mods/NativeMods/UE4SS/Mods/PalSchema/mods/{PackageName} |
| LogicMods | PalContentPaksLogicMods |
| PAK files | PalContentPaks~WorkshopMods{PackageName} |
Use the package’s own rules as the authority if its files do not match a simple example. The table describes the runtime locations used by the supported installation system; it is not a reason to move files manually after deployment.
Choosing a package and staging approach
There are two supported ways to tell the loader where Workshop packages live. The standard approach keeps packages below the server executable in Mods/Workshop; it is easiest to audit because configuration, packages, and generated manifests share one server tree. An alternative absolute WorkshopRootDir in PalModSettings.ini, or -workshopdir at launch, is useful when packages are stored on another drive or managed separately. The alternative path must be readable by the server account, and the launch argument should match the path you intend to maintain.
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| Decision | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Windows versus Linux | Windows dedicated server is the supported boundary; Linux, Wine, Proton, and containers are community experiments. |
| Workshop title versus package identity | Activate the exact case-sensitive PackageName from root Info.json, never the title or numeric ID. |
| Standard versus alternate root | Use Mods/Workshop, or configure one absolute path consistently. |
| Runtime type | Follow the package’s InstallRules and verify the corresponding UE4SS, Lua, PalSchema, LogicMods, or PAK destination. |
| Production versus test rollout | Use a copied world, backup, and rollback archive before changing an established save. |
No paid hosting product is required by this procedure: self-hosting a supported Windows dedicated server is valid. Managed Palworld hosting is an optional administration choice, not a prerequisite. If you use it, confirm that the provider supports the Windows edition, Workshop-package staging, custom launch arguments, backups, and your region before relying on it; pricing and included features vary by provider.
Dependencies, versions, and client files
Read the dependency declarations
Some packages require a framework or another Workshop package. Stage and activate every declared dependency at a compatible version. Loading the main package alone can produce a clean server startup with missing features, or it can fail when the loader cannot satisfy a required dependency.
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If Info.json supplies a MinRevision, compare it with the revision of the running Palworld dedicated server. A package built for a newer revision may be rejected or behave unpredictably on an older server. Update the server or select a package release that supports the installed revision rather than bypassing the check.
Determine whether players need a matching client package
Server installation does not answer the client question by itself. A package’s rules and author documentation determine whether players must install matching client files. If the server starts but the feature is absent, or players disconnect when joining, inspect the package’s client requirement before changing unrelated server settings. Keep the client version aligned with the server package where the author requires it.
Troubleshoot a mod that does not load
The server ignores every package
- Confirm the server is stopped while you edit the file, then restart it after saving.
- Confirm
bGlobalEnableMod=trueis inside the active[PalModSettings]section. - Confirm the running server is reading the
Mods/PalModSettings.inibeside its executable, or that your launch process points to the intended server directory. - Check that the package is under the configured Workshop root and that
Info.jsonis directly inside its package folder.
The package is present but not activated
Open Info.json and copy PackageName exactly, including capitalization. Replace the value on the corresponding ActiveModList line. A Workshop title, numeric ID, display name, or staging-folder name will not substitute for this field.
The package is rejected as incompatible
- Check that an
InstallRulecontainsIsServer: true. - Stage and activate all declared dependencies.
- Compare
MinRevision, when present, with the server revision. - Confirm that the package version matches the server and its dependencies.
The server starts but files are missing
Inspect Mods/ManagedMods/<PackageName>/InstallManifest.json, then compare the deployed files with the package’s installation rules. A Lua package belongs below the UE4SS mod path, while LogicMods and PAK packages use their separate PalContentPaks destinations. Manually placing a file in a plausible-looking folder can leave the loader unaware of it.
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The feature is installed but players cannot use it
Check whether the package requires a client-side component and whether every connecting player has the compatible version. Server-only behavior should be tested separately from client presentation or UI features, since a missing client package can make a working server installation appear broken.
The server crashes or the world behaves incorrectly
Stop the server, remove the newly activated package from ActiveModList, and restart using the last known-good configuration. If necessary, restore the backed-up world and package archive. Do not continue testing on the only copy of a valuable save.
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Update, disable, or remove a package
Updating a package
Replace the staged package with the new version while the server is stopped, preserving the old archive until the update has passed testing. When Info.json reports a changed Version, the restart process automatically uninstalls the old version and deploys the new one. Verify the new managed manifest and runtime destination after startup.
Disabling one package
Remove that package’s exact PackageName line from ActiveModList, save the file, and restart. If files remain staged or the package needs a clean removal, delete its staged child folder while the server is stopped and restart again. Keep the archive if you may need to roll back.
Disabling all mods for an emergency test
Launch the server with the -NoMods argument to forcibly disable all mods. This is useful for separating a mod-related failure from a base-server failure. Remove the argument when you are ready to return to the configured mod set.
Use a safer rollout and rollback process
- Stop the server and copy the world, configuration, and current package archives.
- Record the server revision, package versions, dependencies, and active
PackageNamevalues. - Apply the change to a copied world first.
- Start the test server and verify startup, player connection, the mod’s behavior, saving, shutdown, and reload.
- Check whether clients need files and test a client that has the required version.
- Promote the tested package and configuration to the production server.
- Keep the previous package and backup available until the new version has operated normally.
This process matters because mod installation changes executable content and may alter save behavior. A clean startup alone is not proof that a package is safe for an established world.
Linux, Wine, Proton, and containers
The supported boundary is the Windows dedicated-server edition. Linux, Wine, Proton, and container deployments can be discussed only as community approaches unless Pocketpair changes its policy. They may have differences in path handling, process permissions, loader behavior, or update timing that are not covered by the official Windows procedure. If you choose to experiment, use a disposable copy of the world and maintain a tested Windows recovery path.
Installing mods does not make the server public
Workshop deployment and public-lobby configuration are separate settings. Installing and activating a package does not advertise the server. For a Windows community server that is already configured as a dedicated server, Pocketpair documents the startup form PalServer.exe -publiclobby. Add public-lobby behavior only when you intend to operate a public server; it is not required for a private modded server.
Final pre-start checklist
- Windows dedicated server is being used.
- The world and configuration have a recoverable backup.
- Every package is under the configured Workshop root with
Info.jsonat the package root. - Each package declares
IsServer: true. bGlobalEnableMod=trueis in the active[PalModSettings]section.- Every
ActiveModListvalue exactly matches a case-sensitivePackageName. - Dependencies and minimum server revisions are compatible.
- The server was restarted after staging or configuration changes.
InstallManifest.jsonand the expected runtime destination were checked.- Client requirements have been communicated to players.
- A rollback archive and copied-world test are available for future updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Palworld Workshop server mods work on Linux?
Pocketpair’s supported workflow is for the Windows edition of the dedicated server. Linux, Wine, Proton, and container setups are community experiments, not supported deployments, so use a disposable world and keep a tested Windows recovery path if you experiment.
Where does a Workshop package go?
Put each complete package in its own child folder under the server executable’s Mods/Workshop directory, with Info.json directly inside that child folder. You can use an absolute WorkshopRootDir or -workshopdir path instead.
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What name belongs in ActiveModList?
Use the exact, case-sensitive PackageName from the package’s root Info.json. Do not use the Workshop title, numeric Workshop ID, display ModName, or staging-folder name.
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Why is my mod copied to the server but not loading?
Check that bGlobalEnableMod=true is under [PalModSettings], the package is under the configured root, Info.json is at the package root, and the exact PackageName appears on an ActiveModList line. Then restart and inspect InstallManifest.json.
Do players need to install the same mod?
It depends on the package’s installation rules and author documentation. Some behavior is server-side, while client presentation or other features may require matching client files and versions.
How do I update or disable a mod safely?
Stop the server and preserve the old package, configuration, and world backup. Replace the package, then restart; a changed Version causes the old version to be uninstalled and the new one deployed. To disable one package, remove its exact name from ActiveModList and restart.
How can I test whether a mod caused a crash?
Remove the package from the active list and restart with the last known-good configuration. You can also launch with -NoMods to forcibly disable all mods, then restore a backup if the world was affected.
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No. Mod deployment and public-lobby configuration are separate. The documented Windows community-server launch form is PalServer.exe -publiclobby, and it is not required for a private modded server.
The Bottom Line
For the supported path, use a Windows Palworld dedicated server, stage complete server-compatible packages under one Workshop root, activate exact PackageName values with bGlobalEnableMod=true, and restart. Verify the managed manifest and runtime destination, test dependencies and client requirements, and keep backups because Pocketpair warns that mods can corrupt saves or crash the server.
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