How to Add Mods to a Palworld Server: Panel Steps

You can add mods to a rented Palworld server only when the provider exposes the required files and runs a compatible Windows dedicated-server build for the official Workshop route. Start with one server-ready package, make a restorable backup, upload it to the server’s documented root, then check that Palworld deployed it and your group can play. Panel names and file roots vary between providers, so the steps below use Pocketpair’s current file layout and tell you what to confirm before you touch the live world.

Check that the host supports your mod route#

For Palworld’s current official Workshop workflow, the server must use the Windows dedicated-server edition. Pocketpair’s server mod guide says server-side mods currently work only on that edition. A provider saying “mods supported” is not enough: it may mean another game, another loader, or a different server image.

Before you buy, ask the host these questions and keep the answers with the exact mod you plan to install:

For a wider buyer worksheet alongside these mod questions, use the provider checklist.

Before selecting a plan, also compare its operating system, file route, and update policy with your package list using this Palworld mod-hosting checklist.

If the answer is “Linux,” ask which executable actually runs. The official Workshop mod workflow is for Windows; a Linux label alone does not tell you whether the provider runs a Windows build through a compatibility layer or a native Linux build. Those are different setups, and their mod instructions are not interchangeable. Do not assume that SFTP makes an unsupported server image compatible.

The Palworld server mods map covers the broader types of mods and the separate client-side questions. This guide sticks to one job: adding a managed Workshop package through a rented server’s file access. If the host cannot confirm the image, folder and recovery route, wait before purchasing or uploading.

Back up the world, then stop the server#

Make a backup you can restore before adding files. A backup button is useful only if you know which world it covers and how to get the world back. If the host lets you download a copy, keep it somewhere outside the rented server too. Save the provider’s restore instructions before changing the live instance.

1. Identify the right server and world

   Open the provider’s panel using its own instructions. Confirm the game, server name and current world before creating a backup. If you have multiple instances, do not rely on a short nickname alone.

2. Create and verify a restorable backup

   Use the provider’s documented backup control. Check that the new backup appears with a recent time and read whether restoring it replaces the current world. If the provider exposes a download, save the copy locally. Ask support if you cannot tell whether settings and uploaded mod files are included.

3. Stop cleanly before uploading

   Use the panel’s stop action and wait until the server reports that it has stopped. Do not upload while Palworld is running: it may continue writing the world, and the provider’s file tool may show a partial or inconsistent state.

The exact button labels differ, so follow the provider’s directions rather than looking for a universal “Backup” or “Stop” button. If the server will not stop cleanly or the backup is still processing, pause and use the host’s support procedure. A copy that you cannot restore is not a rollback plan.

Check the package before uploading it#

Read the mod author’s current instructions and inspect the package’s Info.json before sending anything to the server. For the official managed workflow, the relevant InstallRule must set "IsServer": true; Pocketpair names that field as the test for whether a package is designed for server use. Find the exact PackageName in the same metadata. It is not necessarily the name of the downloaded archive or folder. For a separate manual loader install, use this UE4SS Palworld server guide and confirm the game build before copying files.

Write down the package name and check these details first:

• The author identifies the package as server-capable and lists any required dependencies.
• Its release notes cover the Palworld build that your provider is running.
• The instructions say whether players need client files, a particular Workshop subscription, or another step before joining.
• The download comes from the author’s stated source, and its license permits your intended use.

An IsServer flag is an eligibility signal, not a promise that the mod works with every Palworld patch, save, or platform. If metadata is missing or the author’s requirements conflict with the host’s policy, do not guess. Ask the author or provider about that specific package. The Palworld server rental walkthrough explains other provider checks, including which details to settle before checkout.

Upload the Workshop package to the server root#

Use the file manager or SFTP client named by your provider, and confirm its starting directory before you upload. The official default path is relative to the folder that contains PalServer.exe; a panel’s SFTP root may start somewhere else. Ask the host for the exact path if it is unclear. Do not create a guessed PalServer folder just because a tutorial uses that name.

With Pocketpair’s default directory, the layout looks like this:

PalServer.exe
Mods/
  PalModSettings.ini
  Workshop/
    <your-folder>/
      Info.json
      <package files>

Place the complete Workshop package inside its own folder under Mods/Workshop/, with Info.json directly inside that folder. The folder can have any name, but the metadata’s PackageName is the value Palworld uses when you enable it. If the provider offers a browser file manager, use it for a small upload only when it preserves the package’s directory structure. For a larger folder, use the documented SFTP route if one is available and allowed.

Before continuing, use the provider’s file view to check that Info.json is one level below your package folder and that the files were not left inside an extra nested archive directory. If the panel does not expose the server root, stop here and ask the host where the package belongs. Upload access without access to the required Windows server files will not install this mod.

Enable the package name and restart#

Enable the package through Mods/PalModSettings.ini, not a generic mods.txt file. Pocketpair’s current guide says the server generates PalModSettings.ini after its first start. If you cannot find it, follow the host’s instructions for the first launch, let the server finish starting, stop it again, and check the documented Mods folder.

In the [PalModSettings] section, use the exact package value from Info.json:

[PalModSettings]
bGlobalEnableMod=true
ActiveModList=YourPackageName

Replace YourPackageName with the package metadata value. Add one ActiveModList line per package; begin with one mod and its required dependencies so a failure has a smaller search area. Preserve any existing settings the provider or another mod needs. If the file already contains a global enable line or package list, edit those entries instead of adding conflicting duplicates.

Save the file, then start or restart the server using the host’s documented control. Palworld deploys the package on restart and creates a record at Mods/ManagedMods/<PackageName>/InstallManifest.json. Use the panel’s file view to confirm that record appears. If it does not, check the package name, file layout, "IsServer": true, dependencies and restart status before adding anything else.

Test with the players who will use the world#

An install manifest shows that Palworld deployed files; it does not prove that the mod behaves correctly in gameplay. Test one package on a separate copy or test server first. Join using the same client types your group will use, check the feature the mod is supposed to change, then leave and reconnect to see whether the world still loads.

Do not assume every player needs identical files, and do not assume they need none. That depends on the individual mod’s client requirements. Console players cannot install Windows client files described by PC-only mod instructions, so verify support for your actual group before adding a client-dependent package. A successful PC join alone does not prove a mod works for Xbox or PS5 friends.

If anything fails, keep the live world untouched and compare the test result with the author’s instructions and the provider’s logs. Add the next mod only after this one passes the checks. That makes it much easier to identify which package, dependency, or update introduced the problem.

Remove a broken package without wiping the world#

Stop the server before you change the package list. Remove the failing package’s exact PackageName from ActiveModList, then follow the author’s and provider’s instructions for removing its uploaded files. Pocketpair says a package can be disabled by removing its name from the active list; restart the server after the change. Keep the backup until the group confirms the world still loads and saves.

If the save will not load or the server remains broken, restore the known-good backup using the provider’s documented procedure. Check whether restore overwrites the current files and whether it returns the server to the earlier mod/config state. If those details are not clear, ask support before you restore. A game reinstall is not the same thing as restoring your world, settings and uploaded package files.

Palworld’s official 1.0 release notice advises checking mod updates and testing them individually around the major version change. Keep your update schedule under control, and repeat the backup and isolated test when the server or a mod changes. If the host cannot confirm a Windows dedicated-server image for the official Workshop route, these steps do not apply. Ask the provider about the exact executable and package before uploading; file access alone does not make a server compatible.