Set up a Palworld dedicated server on Windows (step by step)

A Windows Palworld dedicated server runs separately from the game you play, but installing it does not make your home PC reachable from the internet. You also need the right settings file, a Windows Firewall rule for the network you trust, and a router rule if friends will connect from elsewhere. This walkthrough sets up the server, proves the local path first, and then gives you a careful way to test remote access. It uses Pocketpair’s documented default port and distinguishes those steps from a successful connection test.

Check the Windows PC and network first#

Pocketpair lists Windows 64-bit support, recommends at least a 4-core CPU and 16 GB of memory, and recommends more than 32 GB for larger servers. It says an 8 GB machine may boot but faces more risk of an out-of-memory crash. Those are the game’s published requirements, not a promise that every group or background workload will fit. Running the game client and server on one PC adds load.

You also need router administrator access if players outside your home will join. A work, school, apartment, or mobile connection may not give you control of the upstream router or a public IPv4 address. In that case you can still run a LAN world, but router forwarding may not be available to you.

If you already have a world, make a separate copy of its saved data and configuration before changing installation files. A fresh dedicated server starts a separate world; Steam does not automatically convert your co-op save. See the Palworld save migration guide before moving an existing group world.

Install the dedicated server with Steam#

The graphical route is easiest to follow on a Windows desktop. Pocketpair also documents SteamCMD for people who prefer a command line; the SteamCMD reference covers the anonymous app command and a repeatable update wrapper. Both routes install the server software, and neither supplies a remote machine or router setup.

1. Show Steam tools

   Open Steam’s Library, open the filter menu, and enable Tools. Search for Palworld Dedicated Server. It is a separate library entry from the Palworld game client.

2. Install the server entry

   Select Palworld Dedicated Server and install it. If Steam asks where, note the library location. Use Manage → Browse local files on this server entry to open the exact installation later; the folder may be on a different drive from your game.

For SteamCMD, Pocketpair lists the dedicated-server App ID as 2394010. Run this from a command prompt where steamcmd is available:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quit

The Windows launcher is PalServer.exe in the installed server directory. Keep track of which copy you start if you have more than one installation; editing a second copy’s settings is a common source of changes that seem to have no effect.

Start once and create the active settings file#

Start PalServer.exe once and give it time to create its saved-data folders. Stop it before editing configuration. For a new installation, copy DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini into this active path beneath the same server folder:

Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\PalWorldSettings.ini

Edit PalWorldSettings.ini, not the default template. Pocketpair notes that editing only DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini does not change the running world. If the active file already exists, back it up and preserve its existing options instead of replacing the full file with an old snippet. For the values in the shipped template and the limits Pocketpair currently documents, use the Palworld server config reference.

The options line contains values such as ServerName, ServerPassword, AdminPassword, and ServerPlayerMaxNum. Keep the complete OptionSettings=(...) structure intact, use a distinct admin password, and do not share it with players. Restart the server after an edit, then check the name and password behavior from the game. For a field-by-field explanation, use the Palworld server settings guide.

Allow the server through Windows Firewall#

Windows may ask whether to allow PalServer.exe the first time it runs. Only allow a program you recognize, and choose the network profile that matches your trusted home connection. Microsoft generally recommends allowing a specific app when that is suitable rather than opening a port broadly.

If you dismissed the prompt, open Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Allow an app through firewall → Change settings. Find or add the PalServer.exe from the installation you actually start. Select Private only when Windows identifies your trusted home network as Private. Do not enable Public access just to make a test pass; if the right profile is unclear, check the current network profile before changing it.

The firewall and router do different jobs. The Windows rule lets traffic reach the PC; a router forwarding rule directs traffic from the internet to that PC. Avoid adding extra rules for ports you have not confirmed the server needs.

Find the PC’s local IPv4 address#

On the server PC, open Settings → Network & internet, select the active Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, and find IPv4 address in its properties. You can also run ipconfig in Command Prompt and read the IPv4 address under the adapter currently connected to your home network. It usually looks like a private address such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x.

That local address is what another device on the same home network uses and what the router’s forwarding rule must target. It is not your public internet address. If your router assigns addresses automatically, consider reserving the PC’s address in the router so the forwarding destination does not change after a restart.

Forward UDP 8211 on the home router#

Pocketpair documents UDP 8211 as the default game port. Router menus vary, but look for Port Forwarding, Virtual Server, or a similar section. Create one rule for UDP 8211 and point it at the server PC’s current local IPv4 address. Do not choose TCP or add 27015 simply because a generic guide lists it; this article’s default setup uses the documented UDP port.

If you intentionally set a different listening port with the server’s -port argument, use that same chosen port in the Windows and router rules and in the address players enter. Pocketpair’s -publicip and -publicport arguments affect community-server advertisement; -publicport does not change the listening port.

Test a LAN connection before inviting friends#

Start the dedicated server and leave it running. On another PC connected to the same home network, open Palworld, choose Join Multiplayer Game, and enter the server PC’s local IPv4 address followed by :8211, for example 192.168.1.25:8211. Replace the sample with the address you found. Pocketpair’s connection guide describes the IP-and-port field.

If LAN join fails, check the server process, active settings path, name/password, local IPv4, firewall profile, and UDP 8211 rule before changing router settings. A server window by itself proves only that the program started. A successful LAN join checks more of the local path, but it still does not prove that outside players can reach your home.

Test from a different network and troubleshoot#

Give a friend outside your home network your public IPv4 address and :8211, and ask them to test while the server is running. Do not use your own public address from the same Wi-Fi as the only test: some routers lack NAT loopback, so that route may fail even when an outside connection works. If the external test fails, check these items in order:

1. Confirm the server is still running and listening on the port you chose.
2. Confirm the router rule uses UDP, the same port, and the host PC’s current local IPv4.
3. Confirm Windows Firewall allows the actual server executable on the active trusted profile.
4. Confirm the public address is reachable and that the ISP or upstream router is not blocking inbound traffic.
5. Have the friend retry after each one change, so you know which layer affected the result.

If the server appears only in a community listing, that is a separate discovery route and does not prove that a direct-IP connection works. For a comparison of installation methods and where each server can run, see the Palworld dedicated-server options guide. The Palworld Dedicated Server tool guide covers Steam’s files and update flow; the broader Palworld hosting walkthrough covers the full set of hosting routes.

If keeping a home PC on or configuring a router is the part you would rather avoid, managed Palworld hosting moves the server off your home network and provides an integrated panel for settings and players, with three free backup slots. Keep a separate copy of any world you care about whichever route you choose.

FAQ#

Does Palworld use TCP or UDP 8211?

Pocketpair documents UDP 8211 as the default game port. Follow the port and protocol shown in the official documentation for your configuration; a generic TCP check does not establish that the game route is open.

Why does the server not appear in the server list?

Use the direct IP-and-port field for a direct dedicated-server connection. Community listing is a separate route; a process running on your PC does not guarantee that it is listed or reachable from outside.

Can I play Palworld on the same PC that runs the server?

The server and game are separate programs, but they share the computer’s CPU, memory, and storage. Pocketpair’s requirements warn that memory pressure can cause crashes, so check resources for both workloads rather than assuming a successful server startup proves the machine is enough for a full session.

What if my internet provider uses carrier-grade NAT?

If your router does not receive a reachable public address, a port-forwarding rule on that router may not be enough. Ask your provider whether it offers a public IPv4 address or another supported inbound connection option.