How to Transfer a Palworld Co-op Save to a Dedicated Server

To transfer a Palworld co-op save to a dedicated server, copy your world folder into the server's Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/ folder, point the server at it, and delete WorldOption.sav. Your world, bases and guest players carry over. The catch is the original host: their character is stored under a special ID, so they either start a new character or use a community fix tool to move it. This guide covers every step.

Before you start

• Back up the save twice. Copy the world folder to two places before touching anything.
• Update everything. The game and the server must run the same Palworld version.
• Start the server once, then stop it. This creates the folders you need.
• Load the co-op world one last time and let it save, so the newest progress is on disk.

Step 1: Find your co-op world

On the host's Windows PC, press Windows + R, paste this and press Enter:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Pal\Saved\SaveGames

You will see a folder named after your Steam ID. Inside are one or more folders with long names made of letters and numbers. Each one is a world. To tell which is which, open them and look at the last modified date of Level.sav, or check the world name shown in game.

A world folder contains files like:

Step 2: Copy the world to the server

1. Stop the server.
2. Open the server's Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/ folder. The server already made its own world folder there on first start.
3. Copy your whole co-op world folder into SaveGames/0/.

Step 3: Point the server at your world

Open the server's GameUserSettings.ini:

• Windows: Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\GameUserSettings.ini
• Linux: Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini

Find the DedicatedServerName line and set it to your world folder's exact name:

[/Script/Pal.PalGameLocalSettings]
DedicatedServerName=8F2A6B1C4D3E5F607182930A1B2C3D4E

Use your own folder name, copied exactly. An alternative is to copy the contents of your co-op world folder into the server's existing world folder, replacing its files, and leave DedicatedServerName alone.

Step 4: Delete WorldOption.sav

Co-op worlds carry a WorldOption.sav that overrides the server's PalWorldSettings.ini. Leave it in and your server settings, such as rates and passwords, will seem to do nothing. Move it out of the world folder (keep a copy), then set your rates in PalWorldSettings.ini. More in Palworld server settings not working.

Step 5: Start the server and test with a guest

Start the server and have one of your co-op guests join first. Guests keep their characters, levels, Pals and inventory, because their player files already use their own IDs.

Step 6: Fix the host character

In co-op, the host's character is always saved as 00000000000000000000000000000001.sav in the Players folder. On a dedicated server, every account gets its own ID, including the old host, so the server does not recognise that file as theirs. When the host joins, the game asks them to make a new character.

You have three options:

Option 1: Start a new character. The simplest route. The host rejoins, makes a new character, and a guildmate can hand over items. The world and bases are still there.

Option 2: Move the character with a fix tool. Community tools such as xNul's palworld-host-save-fix remap the old host file to the host's new ID. The general process:

1. With the world on the server, the host joins and creates a new character, then leaves.
2. Stop the server. In Players/, a new .sav file has appeared. Its name is the host's new ID.
3. Copy the whole world folder to your PC and make another backup.
4. Run the tool with the new ID and the old ID 00000000000000000000000000000001.
5. Copy the fixed world folder back to the server and start it.

These tools are community made and marked experimental, and big Palworld patches can break them until they are updated. Always run them on a copy, and check that the tool supports your game version.

Option 3: Carry Pals with the Global Palbox. Export your favourite Pals to the Global Palbox in the old world, then import them on the server if it allows it. This keeps Pals only, not bases, items, technology or level.

Common problems

• The server loads a brand new world. DedicatedServerName does not match the folder name exactly, or the folder is not directly inside SaveGames/0/.
• Settings are ignored after the move. WorldOption.sav is still in the world folder.
• Version mismatch when joining. Update the server and every player's game to the same version.
• Pals missing from bases after moving the host. Some fix tools lose track of which guild owns base Pals. Restore your backup and check the tool's notes for your version.
• Linux server will not load the files. The copied files may belong to the wrong user. Make sure the server's user owns them.

Moving your world to a GamezServers server

On a hosted server it works the same, from your browser:

1. Press Backup, then Stop in the control panel.
2. Upload your world folder to Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/ in the Files tab. For big worlds, use the SFTP login from Settings with FileZilla or WinSCP.
3. Set DedicatedServerName in Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini, and delete WorldOption.sav.
4. Press Start and have a guest join first.

Your old co-op world then stays online around the clock, and nobody has to wait for the host to be on.

FAQ

Can I move my Palworld co-op world to a dedicated server?

Yes. Copy the world folder to Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/, set DedicatedServerName to its name and delete WorldOption.sav.

Why do I have to make a new character as the host?

The co-op host is saved under a fixed ID that dedicated servers do not use. Start fresh or use a community host save fix tool to move the character.

Do guests keep their characters?

Yes. Guest characters already use their own IDs, so they carry over without changes.

Where are Palworld co-op saves stored?

On Windows, in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Pal\Saved\SaveGames\<Steam ID>\<world ID>.

An always on home for your world

Moving to a dedicated server means your base Pals keep working and friends can play whenever they like. See Palworld server hosting or the quick start guide.