Fix common Palworld server errors

Most Palworld server problems are a missing port, a version mismatch, the community list, or a settings file that got broken. Start with the quick checks, then find your problem below.

Quick checks

1. Is the server running? Look at Overview. A stopped server doesn’t wake when someone joins. Press Start.
2. Did you type the port? The address must look like palbox.play.wilderack.com:27411.
3. Is everyone on the newest Palworld? Update the game on every platform.
4. What does the Console say? Open Console. If the crash helper card shows a hint, start there.

Problems joining

The game can’t reach the server

You connect and it times out, or the game says it can’t reach the server.

Why: usually the address or port. Your server’s port is picked for it and is not Palworld’s default, 8211.

Fix:

1. Copy the address from the address card on Overview with the copy button.
2. In Palworld, choose Join Multiplayer Game and paste the full address, port included, into the box under the server list.
3. Check that Overview says Running or Sleeping, not Stopped.
4. If it was asleep, wait a few seconds and connect again. The first try can time out while it wakes.

Xbox or PS5 players can’t find the server

Why: consoles can’t type an address. They only see servers in the Community Servers list, and your server isn’t there.

Fix:

1. Turn crossplay on in Settings, which lists the server as a community server. Restart the server.
2. Check CrossplayPlatforms in PalWorldSettings.ini includes their platform, like (Steam,Xbox,PS5,Mac).
3. Make sure the server is awake. A sleeping server drops out of the list. Open the wake link play.wilderack.com/w/palbox first, or keep the server awake under Settings > Sleep.
4. Give it a few minutes after it starts. The list can be slow to show new servers.
5. Search for the exact ServerName.

The crossplay guide covers the whole setup.

The server is on a different version

Why: players and server must run the same Palworld version. After an update, one side is often a bit behind. Consoles and Steam can update at slightly different times.

Fix:

• Update the game on every player’s platform.
• Your server updates itself by default. If you pinned a version under Settings > Game version, switch back to automatic updates.
• Right after a big update, restart the server from Overview so it picks up the new build.

The password doesn’t work

Why: the password players type must match ServerPassword exactly, including capitals. A new password only counts after a restart.

Fix: check the password in Settings, restart the server, and send it again. Remember the server password and the admin password are different things.

Server and world problems

Settings don’t change after a restart

Why, in order of how often we see it:

1. The line broke. Everything in PalWorldSettings.ini must stay on one OptionSettings=(...) line. A line break, a missing comma or a missing bracket makes the server ignore the lot.
2. The wrong file. Editing DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini does nothing. The server reads Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini.
3. A WorldOption.sav file. Some worlds, often ones brought from single player or co-op, have a WorldOption.sav in their world folder. It overrides PalWorldSettings.ini.
4. No restart. Settings only load when the server starts.

Fix: use Settings where you can, because it keeps the line intact. If you edited by hand, open the file and check it’s one line. Delete WorldOption.sav in Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/<world id>/ if you want the ini to win. Then restart.

Admin commands don’t work

Why: /AdminPassword hasn’t been typed since you joined, the password is wrong, or no admin password is set.

Fix:

1. Set an admin password under Settings > Players and restart.
2. In game, press Enter and type /AdminPassword yourpassword, with a space before the password.
3. Do it again each time you join.

For kicks and bans, use the ID from /ShowPlayers, not the player’s name.

Your character is gone after moving a world

Why: in co-op, the host’s character is saved under a fixed ID. A dedicated server gives that player a new ID, so the host starts again. Everyone else keeps their character. This still happens on Palworld 1.0.

Fix: the world itself is fine. The backups guide shows how to move the old character to the new ID with a community save tool. Back up first.

The world is brand new after an upload

Why: the server loads the world named in DedicatedServerName, and your upload has a different folder name.

Fix: stop the server. In Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini, set DedicatedServerName to your world folder’s name. Start it again.

The server crashes after running for a day or two

Why: Palworld’s memory use grows the longer it runs. Once it fills your plan, the server crashes.

Fix:

1. Keep the daily restart in Schedules. Every new Palworld server has one at 05:00.
2. If it still crashes, add a second restart 12 hours later.
3. Check the RAM graph on Overview. If it fills up within a few hours, move to a bigger plan, or lower BaseCampWorkerMaxNum and PalSpawnNumRate. The performance guide has more.

Mods don’t load

Why: Pocketpair says server-side mods currently work only on the Windows version of the dedicated server. Wilderack runs the Linux version.

Fix: remove the mod files, so they don’t cause trouble later. The mods guide explains what you can change with settings instead.

The world is damaged after a crash

Why: a crash in the middle of a save can damage the world files.

Fix:

1. Open Backups and restore the latest safe copy from before the crash.
2. If that copy is also damaged, try the one before it.
3. Palworld keeps its own backups in the world’s backup folder too, when bIsUseBackupSaveData is on.

Still stuck?

Write to us at support@wilderack.com, or ask for help from the panel. You can attach your server’s status and recent console lines, so we see what you see. Real people answer.