Update a Palworld serverKeep versions in sync without losing your save

Published on August 9, 2026 · last updated on October 21, 2026

Why the update is urgent

Steam updates Palworld automatically at startup. Your server does not - it stays on the version it was last started with.

As soon as the versions drift apart, joining fails. For the players, that looks like a connection problem, but it is not one - see Connection problems.

The practical consequence: after every larger Palworld update, you should be the first to test whether you can still get onto your server. If not, the update is due.

Automatic or by hand?

How the update is triggered depends on where the server runs. With us, we install new Palworld versions automatically - you do not have to operate SteamCMD yourself. On a server you run yourself, on the other hand, you trigger the process before you start again.

The difference is smaller than it sounds, because in both cases the real work lies around it:

• Back up first. Backups are self-service - you fetch the save folder via WebFTP or SFTP.
• Inform your players. Every update means a restart, and it always comes at a bad time for a running session.
• Check afterwards. Nobody checks for you whether your own values are still set.

Automatic also does not mean in the same second. Between the release of a new client version and the server catching up, there is a time window in which joining can fail. On a patch day, that is normal and not a defect - patience is the right first measure there, not changing settings.

The right order

1. Inform the players and stop the server during a quiet phase.
2. Back up. Download the save and PalWorldSettings.ini via WebFTP or SFTP - backups are self-service.
3. Trigger the update and let it run through.
4. Start the server and watch the console.
5. Connect yourself and check whether the save is complete.
6. Check the settings - more on that below.

Step 2 is the most important one. An update that damages the save is rare - but without a backup, it is final. Especially in Palworld, where the world with its bases and Pals ties up a lot of playing time, the minute is worth it.

What to check after the update

In the past, Palworld updates have extended the configuration file several times. Two things should be checked afterwards:

• Are your values still set? Spot-check a few settings you had adjusted - XP rates or the number of slots, for example.
• Are there new parameters? New options initially run on their default value. If you want them different, add them.

If settings no longer take effect after the update, the order is almost always to blame: edited while the server was running and overwritten when it shut down. The file is explained in detail in PalWorldSettings.ini explained.

Also check: ServerPassword and AdminPassword, see Whitelist & server password.

Telling a version mismatch from other causes

A server that is merely lagging behind looks like a broken server to the group - but runs completely normally. Four characteristics separate the cases before you start changing the configuration:

• Everyone at the same time, from one moment to the next. Everything worked yesterday, today nobody gets in, but the server is running. That points to the version.
• Linked in time to an update. If the outage coincides with a freshly downloaded client, the matter is practically settled.
• Gradual instead of sudden. If the stutter increases over hours and a restart reliably fixes it, it is the memory leak - guideline values in How much RAM does a Palworld server need?.
• Only one person affected. If a single player cannot get in while the rest are playing, their client is lagging behind - for example because Steam downloads are paused.

For the counter-check, connect directly via the fixed server address made up of IP and port instead of searching the community list: it reacts with a delay and is no sign of life after a restart anyway. The ways for each platform are in Join a server.

Mods after the update

If you have installed mods via FTP, every update brings an additional construction site: server-side extensions are tied to a game version and, in our experience, are the first to fail. If the server does not start cleanly after the update or behaves strangely, take the mods out for a test run. If it runs without them, you know where to keep looking - and do not have to dig through half of the configuration.

The second point concerns the group: all players need the same mod state. Half a group with outdated files produces exactly the same picture as a version mismatch of the server, except that this time the server is not the problem.

Saves and larger updates

Normal updates leave the save untouched - the world keeps running. With larger content updates, however, it is worth reading the developer's announcement:

• New areas of the world often only appear in regions that have not been explored yet.
• Some changes to world generation only affect new worlds.
• In rare cases, the developer itself recommends restarting the world.

If you want to start a new world but keep the old one, back it up completely beforehand - then it can be restored at any time, see Transfer a world to the server.

An update is also a good occasion to check your scheduled restart rhythm: because of the known memory leak, regular restarts are part of running a Palworld server anyway.

Frequently asked questions