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Freedom251 › Blog › co-op save migration

How to Move a Palworld Co‑Op World to a Dedicated Server

By Freedom251 Team · · 10 min read

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You can move a Windows/Steam Palworld co‑op world to a dedicated server by copying the complete world folder, pointing the server at that folder, and repairing the original host’s player identity. The normal source is %LocalAppData%PalSavedSaveGames<SteamID64><world-folder>; the destination is the server’s Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/ directory.

Do one final save, stop both game and server processes, and create at least two untouched backups before editing anything. World data, bases and guest characters usually transfer with the folder, but the co‑op host may see character creation until the placeholder host save is remapped to the account identity used by the dedicated server.

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What the migration actually transfers

Palworld does not provide an in-game “export to dedicated server” button. The move is a file-copy and configuration operation. A complete world folder contains the world state and player data that a server needs, including:

  • Level.sav, which contains the main world state.
  • LevelMeta.sav, which stores world metadata.
  • The Players directory, which contains individual character saves.
  • Other companion files created by the same world.

Copying only Level.sav can produce an incomplete world or lose player progress. Copy the entire folder, preserving its internal structure and filenames.

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Guest characters normally keep their player saves because their identities are already represented in the world. The original co‑op host is different: co‑op commonly stores that character under a placeholder identity, while a dedicated server expects the account’s actual identity. That mismatch is why a transferred world can contain the correct bases, Pals and guest characters while the former host is sent to character creation.

Requirements and precautions before you copy anything

Use compatible game and server versions

The game client, dedicated server and save format must be compatible. Palworld updates can change save behavior, identity handling, server settings and converter compatibility. Update or pin the client and server deliberately rather than allowing one to run a different build during migration.

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Make two independent backups

  1. Launch the co‑op world once and wait for an ordinary save to complete.
  2. Exit Palworld normally. Confirm that the game process has closed before touching the files.
  3. Locate the complete world folder and copy it to one backup location.
  4. Copy the same folder to a second, separate location such as another drive or an offline archive.

Never perform identity repair or settings changes on your only copy. Keep the originals until the former host and at least one guest have joined successfully and all validation checks pass.

Record the settings you want to keep

Write down the co‑op world’s important settings before migration. The file WorldOption.sav can preserve old world options. If you want the dedicated server configuration to replace those options, you can remove that file from the imported copy after backing it up. If you want the old settings, leave it in place and configure the server accordingly.

Steam and Windows co‑op migration: step by step

1. Find the correct world folder

On the Windows PC that hosted the co‑op game, open:

%LocalAppData%PalSavedSaveGames<SteamID64>

Each subfolder represents a world. To identify the campaign you intend to move, compare the in-game world name with the folders or sort them by the modification time of Level.sav. The most recently modified save is usually the world from the final session, but verify the name rather than relying only on a timestamp.

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2. Prepare the dedicated server directory

Start the dedicated server once with no imported save so it creates its normal directory tree. Stop the server completely before replacing or adding files. The destination for the world is:

Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/

The exact location of the Pal directory depends on how the server was installed, but the relative structure must remain Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/.

3. Copy the complete folder

Copy the entire selected world folder into Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/. The result should look like:

Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/<world-folder>/Level.sav

Inside that same folder you should also see LevelMeta.sav, Players and the other companion files. Do not place the files one level too high, and do not create an extra nested copy such as 0/<world-folder>/<world-folder>/Level.sav.

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4. Set the server’s world name exactly

In the dedicated server settings, set:

DedicatedServerName=<copied-world-folder-name>

The value must match the copied folder name character for character, including capitalization and any numbers. A mismatch causes the server to start a new, empty world even though the imported files are present.

5. Decide which world settings should win

If the server should use its current configuration instead of the co‑op world’s saved options, stop the server, make another backup of the imported folder, and remove WorldOption.sav from the imported copy. Retain that file in a backup so you can restore the original settings. If the co‑op settings should remain authoritative, leave the file in place.

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6. Handle the host identity before inviting everyone

Use a maintained save-fix or identity-remapping workflow that matches your current Palworld version. The goal is to map the placeholder player record used by the co‑op host to the host’s real dedicated-server account ID. Do not edit player identifiers casually or use an unmaintained converter against the only copy.

Guests generally retain their own player saves, but still keep the backup until each guest confirms that inventory, guild membership and location are correct.

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7. Start and test with a small group

Start the dedicated server and join first with the former host. Then invite one guest for a controlled check. Verify the items below before announcing the server to the full group:

  • The former host loads into the existing character instead of character creation.
  • Inventory, equipment, technology progress and map exploration are present.
  • Guild membership and permissions are correct.
  • Bases, structures, storage and assigned Pals remain in place.
  • Guest characters load with their own inventories and progression.
  • World settings match the configuration you selected.

8. Retire the co‑op copy only after validation

Do not delete the original co‑op save immediately. Keep both backups until the migration has survived several sessions, including a server restart. If a later repair is needed, stop the server and work from a fresh copy rather than repeatedly modifying the live save.

Repairing the former host’s character

The host-character issue is the most important difference between a normal file copy and a successful migration. In a co‑op session, the host can be represented by a temporary or placeholder identity. A dedicated server identifies players through their normal account identity. When those records do not match, the server sees no valid character for the host and opens character creation, even though the world itself is intact.

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What a safe repair workflow looks like

  1. Stop the dedicated server and duplicate the imported world folder.
  2. Check the save-fix utility’s maintenance date, release notes and compatibility with your current Palworld build.
  3. Use the utility or documented manual method to identify the placeholder host record and the host’s dedicated-server account ID.
  4. Remap only the host record, leaving guest player files unchanged.
  5. Save the repaired world as a new working copy.
  6. Start the server and test with the former host before allowing other players to make changes.

Because save structures can change between updates, a procedure that worked for an older release may damage a newer save. Keep the unmodified backup until the repaired character has joined, moved items, accessed bases and completed a server restart successfully.

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Moving a PC Game Pass or Xbox-app world

PC Game Pass and Xbox-app saves are not normally presented as the Steam-style folder described above. They are stored in the Windows Gaming Services (WGS) area:

%LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesPocketpairInc.Palworld_ad4psfrxyesvtSystemAppDatawgs

The WGS container must be extracted and converted with a maintained converter before a dedicated server can use it. The conversion should produce a normal world folder containing Level.sav, LevelMeta.sav and Players.

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Game Pass conversion sequence

  1. Close Palworld and the Xbox app, then back up the complete WGS data.
  2. Check the converter’s maintenance date, release notes, licensing and compatibility with the current Palworld version.
  3. Extract and convert the WGS save into a normal world-folder structure.
  4. Confirm that the converted folder contains the expected save files and Players directory.
  5. Copy that complete folder to the server’s Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/ directory.
  6. Set DedicatedServerName to the converted folder name exactly.
  7. Apply the WorldOption.sav decision and host-identity repair described for Steam saves.
  8. Validate with the former host and one guest before deleting any source data.

Converter maintenance changes faster than the underlying migration pattern. Treat compatibility as a requirement to verify for each game update, not as a permanent guarantee.

Console-hosted worlds and Xbox connections

A world hosted directly on an Xbox or PlayStation console is not exposed through a player-accessible filesystem for manual copying. You cannot follow the Windows path for a console-hosted save because the save is not available as an ordinary folder. You need a supported PC-readable export or must first move the world to a PC-hosted environment.

This is different from a PC-hosted world that console players joined. In that case, the readable save belongs to the PC host, so the PC host’s files are the ones to migrate.

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“On Xbox, you cannot connect by entering an IP address.” — Palworld Official Documentation, “Setting Up Dedicated Servers for Xbox,” versioned documentation path 0.3.12.0.

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When that Xbox configuration applies, Xbox players should use the community-server list rather than entering a server IP manually. Confirm the current server visibility and cross-play requirements for the game build you are running.

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How to confirm the imported world is really loaded

An empty world is usually a path or naming problem, not evidence that the save is unrecoverable. Before changing the save, stop the server and check:

  • The world folder is directly under Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/.
  • Level.sav and LevelMeta.sav are inside that folder, not in an additional nested directory.
  • The Players directory was copied.
  • DedicatedServerName exactly matches the folder name.
  • The server and client are on compatible versions.
  • The server process was fully stopped while files were copied.

After correcting a path or name, restart the server and check the same world before performing identity edits.

Troubleshooting common failures

Symptom Likely cause Recovery
Server starts a new, empty world The folder is in the wrong directory, is nested too deeply, or the configured name does not match. Stop the server; place the complete folder directly in Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/; set DedicatedServerName to the exact folder name.
Former host sees character creation The co‑op placeholder identity was not remapped. Restore the original backup and perform a version-compatible host identity repair before testing again.
Guest loses inventory or progression The Players directory or companion files were omitted, or the wrong world was copied. Stop the server and restore the complete world folder from the verified backup.
Game Pass files cannot be opened as normal saves Raw WGS data was copied without extraction and conversion. Use a maintained WGS converter to produce normal .sav files, then repeat the server import.
Old co‑op settings override server settings WorldOption.sav is still present in the imported copy. Back up the file, remove it from the working copy if the server configuration should take precedence, and restart.
Xbox player cannot connect with an IP address Xbox joining does not support direct IP entry in the documented configuration. Use the community-server list and verify the server is discoverable.

Self-hosting or a managed dedicated server?

The save migration itself is the same concept either way: the provider must let you upload the complete world folder and edit the server’s world-name setting. The practical choice depends on control, maintenance and player-platform needs.

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Decision point Self-hosting Managed hosting
File access You control the filesystem and can copy or restore folders directly. Confirm that full save-folder upload and download are allowed, not just individual file editing.
Version control You choose when the server updates and can align it with the clients. Check whether the provider supports version selection, rollback or controlled updates.
Backups You must schedule, test and store snapshots yourself. Look for automated snapshots that can also be downloaded for independent recovery.
Identity repair You perform the host remap and troubleshoot save tools yourself. Ask whether support can assist with a host-character migration issue.
Platform access You configure network exposure and cross-play requirements. Verify support for the Steam, Game Pass and Xbox players in your group.
Cost and effort No hosting subscription, but you provide hardware, uptime, bandwidth, security and maintenance. Recurring cost in exchange for a managed machine, monitoring and support; terms vary by provider and region.

Before choosing a service, verify its current Palworld version support, save-upload workflow, backup retention, geographic location and cancellation or download policy. A provider that cannot accept the complete world folder is unsuitable for this migration.

Maintenance after the move

Back up before every update

Take a copy of the complete live world folder before updating the game or server. Include Players, Level.sav, LevelMeta.sav, WorldOption.sav when present, and all other files in the world directory. A backup that omits player files cannot restore a complete migration.

Keep client and server versions aligned

When Palworld updates, check whether the dedicated server build, client build and any save-fix or conversion utility support the same release. Do not overwrite a known-good backup until the updated server has loaded the world and the players have verified their characters.

Document the working configuration

Record the exact world-folder name, the value of DedicatedServerName, whether WorldOption.sav is retained, the backup locations and the identity-repair method used. This turns a future rollback into a repeatable procedure rather than guesswork.

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