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How to Make Your Palworld Server Private

Edit the active PalWorldSettings.ini, set ServerPassword, and launch without -publiclobby for a private direct-connect server. Xbox players require community listing, so use -publiclobby while keeping the password enabled.
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To make a Palworld dedicated server private, edit the active PalWorldSettings.ini, set a strong ServerPassword, and launch the server without -publiclobby. Give trusted players the server IP, port, and password. If Xbox or another console group must discover the server in the in-game list, use community-server mode with -publiclobby and keep the password enabled.

What “private” means in Palworld

Palworld has two relevant dedicated-server arrangements:

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Arrangement How players find it Best use Privacy behavior
Private dedicated server Players enter the server IP address and port in the server-list form Friends on supported PC clients Do not launch with -publiclobby; protect access with ServerPassword
Community server Players select the server from the in-game Community list Xbox access and other cases that require list discovery The server is listed publicly, so retain a strong password for friends-only access

Pocketpair describes a community server as a dedicated server registered on the game client’s server list. A server can therefore be listed publicly while still requiring a password. “Private” in this guide means that only people you authorize can log in; it does not always mean that the server is invisible.

What you need before configuring the server

  • A Palworld dedicated-server installation. On Windows Steam, install Palworld Dedicated Server from the Steam library. SteamCMD users can install app 2394010 with steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quit.
  • Permission to edit the server’s configuration directory.
  • A player password that is long, unique to this server, and shared only with intended players.
  • A separate administrator password if you will use administrative commands. Never reuse the player password for administration.
  • The server’s reachable IP address and listening port to give to direct-connect players.

The exact networking steps depend on where you run the machine and how your network is arranged. The Palworld settings described here control authentication and listing mode; they do not replace your network’s own access controls.

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Install the official dedicated-server tool

Windows Steam installation

  1. Open Steam and switch to the Library.
  2. Find and install Palworld Dedicated Server.
  3. Start it once, allow the initial files and folders to be created, then stop it before editing configuration.

SteamCMD installation

Run the official SteamCMD update command:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quit

The validate argument checks the downloaded installation. After installation, start the server once and stop it so the configuration directory exists.

Linux installation

Use the corresponding Linux dedicated-server installation and configuration directories. The launch script supplied with the server is ./PalServer.sh.

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Create and edit the active configuration file

Palworld does not read your changes from the template file. Start the server once, stop it, and copy DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini to the active file named PalWorldSettings.ini. Edit the copied active file.

Windows path

The documented Windows location is:

steamappscommonPalServerPalSavedConfigWindowsServerPalWorldSettings.ini

Linux path

On Linux, use the equivalent:

PalSavedConfigLinuxServerPalWorldSettings.ini

The exact leading installation directory depends on where you installed the server. The important distinction is the LinuxServer directory and the active filename PalWorldSettings.ini.

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Pocketpair explicitly warns that editing DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini will not affect the running server. If a setting appears to do nothing, checking this filename is the first diagnostic step.

Set a password that players must enter

Open PalWorldSettings.ini and locate the OptionSettings line. Set the ServerPassword value, for example:

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ServerPassword="a-long-unique-password"

ServerPassword is the login password for the server. Replace the example with your own value; do not publish it alongside the IP address in a public post.

Keep AdminPassword different. AdminPassword grants administrative privileges, whereas ServerPassword only authenticates a player. Sharing the administrator password with every friend gives those players more authority than they need.

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Change or rotate the password

  1. Stop the dedicated server cleanly.
  2. Edit ServerPassword in the active PalWorldSettings.ini.
  3. Save the file.
  4. Start the server again.
  5. Send the new password only to the people who should retain access.

Restarting after a configuration edit is essential. Players already connected may need to reconnect with the new credential.

Run a friends-only server without public listing

For the simplest private setup, launch the dedicated server normally and omit -publiclobby.

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Windows launch

PalServer.exe

Linux launch

./PalServer.sh

Do not add -publiclobby to either command. In this mode, the server is not registered in the in-game Community list. Friends connect by entering the server’s IP address and port in the server-list form, then supplying the password when prompted.

Send connection details privately. The minimum information a direct-connect player needs is:

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  • The correct reachable IP address.
  • The server’s listening port.
  • The current ServerPassword.

If the machine has more than one network address, make sure you give friends the address that is reachable from their location. Do not assume that a local-only address will work for players outside your home network.

When Xbox or console players need the Community list

Xbox players cannot connect by entering an IP address. The official Xbox instructions require community-server deployment, and the server overview identifies community listing as the way these clients discover a dedicated server.

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Community-server procedure

  1. Keep ServerPassword set in the active PalWorldSettings.ini.
  2. Launch the server with -publiclobby, or use Steam’s option to open and start it as a community server.
  3. Have players search for and select the server in the in-game Community list.
  4. Give the password only to your invited group.

This arrangement changes discoverability, not authentication. Anyone may be able to see the listing, but the password still limits who can log in. If your goal is friends-only access, never remove the password simply because the server is listed.

Xbox and Microsoft Store Windows clients

Pocketpair’s Xbox configuration path accepts Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Microsoft Store Windows clients. The same guide states that Steam cross-play is unavailable on that path. Choose this arrangement only when those clients are the group you need to support.

PlayStation 5

Pocketpair’s current “About server” information says PS5 cross-play is unavailable, while co-op cross-play is available. Platform support can change, so check the live Pocketpair documentation when planning a PS5 group rather than assuming that a configuration that works for Xbox will work for PS5.

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Settings that affect access, listing, and recovery

Setting Purpose How to use it for a private server
ServerPassword Password required to log in Set a strong value and keep it enabled in both direct-connect and community-server modes
AdminPassword Grants administrative privileges Use a different, more restricted value; do not distribute it as the player password
CrossplayPlatforms Controls which listed platforms may connect The current configuration table lists Steam, Xbox, PS5, and Mac as the default value; adjust only when your supported client group requires it
PublicIP Documents the public address for a community server Set it according to the community-server instructions when listing the server; it is not a replacement for the player password
PublicPort Documents the public port for a community server It does not change the server’s listening port
bIsUseBackupSaveData Enables world backups Useful protection for a private world; Pocketpair’s current guide lists the cadence below

Documented backup cadence

In Pocketpair’s current configuration guide (version 1.0.4), enabling bIsUseBackupSaveData is associated with these backup intervals:

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Interval Documented amount
30 seconds 5 save data
10 minutes 6 save data
1 hour 12 save data
1 day 7 save data

Those figures describe the documented setting, not a guarantee about every storage failure or recovery scenario. Keep the server’s storage healthy and verify that backups are actually being written before relying on them.

Choose the right privacy setup for your group

Your players Recommended mode What you distribute Main limitation
Steam or other PC players who can direct-connect Dedicated server without -publiclobby IP address, port, and password Players must enter the address manually
Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One players Community server with -publiclobby and a password Community-list selection and password The listing is discoverable by other users; Steam cross-play is unavailable on this path
Microsoft Store Windows clients Xbox configuration path and community listing Community-list selection and password Uses the Xbox-compatible path rather than Steam cross-play
PS5 players Check current Pocketpair platform support first Depends on the supported deployment Current server information says PS5 cross-play is unavailable

Troubleshoot a server that still appears open or rejects friends

The password is ignored

  • Confirm the edit was made in PalWorldSettings.ini, not DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini.
  • Check that ServerPassword is inside the active OptionSettings configuration and that the quotation marks and value are intact.
  • Stop and restart the dedicated server after saving the file.
  • Make sure players are using the new password if you recently rotated it.

Friends cannot connect directly

  • Verify that they are using the correct IP address and listening port.
  • Confirm that the server is running in direct-connect mode without -publiclobby.
  • Check that they are entering the details in the server-list form rather than looking only in the Community list.
  • If the address is reachable only inside your local network, provide an address that is reachable from the players’ networks and apply the necessary network configuration on your own equipment.

Xbox friends cannot find or join the server

  • Do not rely on direct IP entry; the official Xbox guide says Xbox users cannot connect that way.
  • Launch the server as a community server with -publiclobby.
  • Have players select it from the Community list and enter the enabled password.
  • Confirm that you are using the Xbox/Microsoft Store configuration path and accept its stated lack of Steam cross-play.

The server is listed but strangers are joining

  • Keep ServerPassword enabled; public listing alone is not a reason to remove it.
  • Rotate the password if it was shared beyond the intended group.
  • Distribute the replacement only through a private channel.
  • Check that you did not accidentally start a separate server instance with a different configuration file.

A setting reverts after an update or restart

  • Stop the server before editing and verify the active platform directory: WindowsServer on Windows or LinuxServer on Linux.
  • Confirm the file is still named PalWorldSettings.ini.
  • After an update, start the server once, stop it, and recheck that your active file still contains the intended values.

Recommended private-server checklist

  1. Install the official Palworld Dedicated Server or SteamCMD app 2394010.
  2. Start it once and stop it to create the configuration directory.
  3. Copy DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini to PalWorldSettings.ini.
  4. Edit the active file in the correct WindowsServer or LinuxServer directory.
  5. Set a long, unique ServerPassword.
  6. Set a separate AdminPassword.
  7. For PC direct connections, launch normally without -publiclobby.
  8. For Xbox or Microsoft Store Windows clients, launch as a community server with -publiclobby.
  9. Restart after every configuration change.
  10. Share only the connection details and password required by your invited players.
  11. Enable bIsUseBackupSaveData if you want the documented world-backup behavior, and verify that backups are being created.

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