Palworld Server Settings Not Working? Fix PalWorldSettings.ini

If your Palworld server settings are not working, check for a WorldOption.sav file in the world's save folder first. When it exists, the server reads most world settings from it and ignores PalWorldSettings.ini, which is why your new capture rate or XP rate never shows up. The other causes are editing the wrong file, editing while the server is running, and a broken settings line. Here is how to check each one.

Quick fix

1. Stop the server.
2. Delete WorldOption.sav from Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/<world ID>/ (back it up first).
3. Edit Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/PalWorldSettings.ini on Windows or Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini on Linux, never DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini.
4. Keep the whole OptionSettings=(...) on one line with every comma and bracket intact.
5. Start the server and check the settings in game.

Cause 1: WorldOption.sav overrides your ini

WorldOption.sav stores world settings inside the save. You get one when:

• You moved a co-op or single player world to the server. Co-op worlds always carry one.
• You used an online settings generator that made a .sav file for you.

When the file exists, the server takes the world settings from it and skips the matching values in PalWorldSettings.ini. Since Palworld 1.0 it is treated as a legacy file, and the simplest fix is to remove it:

1. Stop the server.
2. Open Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/ and then the folder named after your world ID (a long string of letters and numbers).
3. Download or copy WorldOption.sav somewhere safe, then delete it from the server.
4. Put the settings you want in PalWorldSettings.ini.
5. Start the server.

Your world, Pals and players are not stored in WorldOption.sav, so deleting it does not touch your progress. It only removes the old settings.

One exception: BaseCampWorkerMaxNum, the number of Pals working at each base, is reported by many admins to only change through WorldOption.sav on dedicated servers. If you need more than the default of 15 workers per base and the ini value does nothing, you will need a WorldOption.sav made with that value.

Cause 2: Editing the wrong file

The server ships a file called DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini in its main folder. Editing it does nothing. Pocketpair's own docs say so. The file the server reads is:

If that file is missing or empty, copy the contents of DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini into it, then make your changes. The folder only exists after the server has started once.

Cause 3: The server was running while you edited

The server reads PalWorldSettings.ini at startup. If you edit it while the server runs, nothing changes until the next start, and some setups write the running values back on shutdown, undoing your edit. Always stop, edit, save, then start.

Cause 4: A broken settings line

Every setting lives on one long line:

[/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings]
OptionSettings=(Difficulty=None,DayTimeSpeedRate=1.000000,NightTimeSpeedRate=1.000000,ExpRate=2.000000,PalCaptureRate=1.500000,PalSpawnNumRate=1.000000,...)

One small mistake can make the server skip the whole line and use defaults for everything. Check for:

• Line breaks. The whole OptionSettings=(...) must stay on a single line. Some text editors wrap it when you paste.
• Missing commas or brackets. Every setting is separated by a comma, and the line ends with ).
• Missing quotes on text values. Text settings need quotes: ServerName="My Server", ServerPassword="secret", AdminPassword="admin123".
• Wrong words. DeathPenalty only accepts None, Item, ItemAndEquipment or All. True and false settings take True or False.
• Commas inside values. Do not use commas in the server name or passwords, since they split the line.

If you cannot spot the problem, copy a fresh line from DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini and change one value at a time.

Cause 5: Launch options override the file

Options on the server's launch line, such as -port=, -players= or -publiclobby, override the same values in the ini. If the player cap or port keeps coming back, look in your start script or shortcut. Some server panels also write the server name, passwords and player cap into the ini at every start from their own settings, so change those values where the panel keeps them.

Checking that it worked

Join the server and look at the numbers directly: open the world settings from the pause menu, or test a capture rate you can feel. /Info in chat shows the server name and version, which confirms you are on the server you think you are.

Changing settings on a GamezServers server

The steps are the same, from your browser:

1. Press Backup, then Stop in the control panel.
2. In the Files tab, open Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/<world ID>/ and delete WorldOption.sav if it is there.
3. Open Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini, edit and save.
4. Press Start.

The server name in the community list comes from the name on your dashboard.

FAQ

Why is my Palworld server ignoring PalWorldSettings.ini?

Usually a WorldOption.sav in the world folder. It overrides the ini. Stop the server, delete it, and start again.

Does deleting WorldOption.sav delete my world?

No. It only holds settings. Your world, bases, Pals and players are in other files. Keep a copy anyway.

Why did all my settings reset to default?

The OptionSettings line is broken, usually by a line break, a missing comma or bracket, or a missing quote. Fix the line and restart.

Can I change settings without restarting?

No. The server only reads PalWorldSettings.ini when it starts.

Skip the config hunting

Palworld settings are much easier when the file is one click away and a backup is ready before every change. See Palworld server hosting or follow the quick start guide.