How to Install Mod Collections on a Palworld Server (Windows Dedicated Server Guide)

You can install a Palworld mod collection on a dedicated Windows server with Pocketpair’s built-in Workshop loader. Start the server once, place each collection package so its Info.json is in the expected location, enable the loader, add every package’s PackageName to ActiveModList, and restart. The server applies the collection during that restart.

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This procedure is currently for the Windows dedicated-server edition. Only packages designed for server installation will load, and some packages also require matching files on every player’s client. Back up the world before changing anything: Pocketpair warns, “Use mods at your own risk. They may cause save-data corruption or crashes.”

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What you need before installing a collection

The official server-side mod workflow has a narrow compatibility boundary. It applies to a Palworld dedicated server running the Windows edition, not every Palworld multiplayer setup. A package made only for a player’s game, a client-only visual tweak, or a mod built for a different loader will not become a server mod merely because its files are copied into the server directory.

• A Windows Palworld dedicated server: Pocketpair’s documented server loader currently supports the Windows dedicated-server edition.
• File access and restart control: you must be able to edit the server’s Mods directory and restart the process. A managed host must expose those functions for this method to be practical.
• A complete backup: stop the server and preserve the world save and the current package set before making changes. Keep the backup outside the live server directory so an update or failed deployment cannot overwrite it.
• Server-compatible packages: inspect each package’s Info.json. Its InstallRule section must include "IsServer": true for the package to be intended for server installation.
• Dependency packages: install every prerequisite named by the collection author. A collection can contain several packages, but its dependencies are still evaluated package by package.

Do not treat a collection archive as a single opaque file. The loader reads each package’s metadata and installation rules, so one incorrect package, missing dependency, or client-only component can prevent the expected result even when the other packages are valid.

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How Palworld identifies a mod package

Palworld’s official loader uses Workshop-style packages. The important files and names are not interchangeable:

The most common activation mistake is using the Workshop folder name instead of the PackageName stored in Info.json. Those strings can be different. Open the file with a text editor and copy the value exactly, including capitalization and punctuation.

Install a collection manually on a Windows dedicated server

1. Back up the save and stop the server

Stop the dedicated-server process cleanly before copying files or editing configuration. Make a known-good backup of the world save, and record the package versions and configuration currently in use. A backup is especially important when the collection changes an existing world rather than being tested on a new one.

Do not copy files while the server is writing a save. A live copy can capture an incomplete state and leave you with neither a reliable rollback nor a reliable new installation.

2. Start the dedicated server once

Run the server one time before configuring mods. The first run creates the loader configuration file:

Mods/PalModSettings.ini

Stop the server after that first launch if you need to edit files before enabling the collection. If the file does not appear, confirm that you launched the dedicated-server executable and that the process has permission to write to its installation directory.

3. Create the Workshop package directory

By default, the Workshop directory is beside PalServer.exe. Create the following structure:

Mods/Workshop/[any folder name]/Info.json

For a collection with two packages, the layout could look like this:

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PalServer.exe
Mods/
  PalModSettings.ini
  Workshop/
    CollectionCore/
      Info.json
      ...package files...
    CollectionFarming/
      Info.json
      ...package files...

[any folder name] is a placeholder for a folder name you choose. It might be the package’s Workshop ID, an author-provided name, or a descriptive label. The loader’s requirement is that each package’s Info.json is directly inside its own folder. Do not add another nested directory such as Workshop/CollectionCore/CollectionCore/Info.json unless the package’s instructions explicitly require a different layout.

Extract the collection packages rather than leaving them inside a ZIP archive. Preserve the files and subdirectories expected by the package. If an archive contains several separate packages, give each package its own folder and check each one for its own Info.json.

4. Confirm server compatibility and dependencies

Open every package’s Info.json. Check the InstallRule section for "IsServer": true. If that flag is absent, the package is not designed to run through the dedicated-server loader. Remove it from the server collection instead of trying to force it into the configuration.

Read the package author’s dependency list before activation. Install prerequisite packages in the same Workshop directory when they are required, and include their own PackageName values in the active list if the author instructs you to do so. A dependency can be valid on its own while the collection still fails because a required companion package is missing.

5. Enable the loader globally

Open Mods/PalModSettings.ini in a plain-text editor. Under the [PalModSettings] section, set:

bGlobalEnableMod=true

Use the exact key and value. A typo, a value of false, or placing the setting outside the expected section can leave the server running while silently leaving the collection inactive.

6. Add every package to ActiveModList

Add one line for each package, using the PackageName value from that package’s Info.json:

ActiveModList=GamingCattiva
ActiveModList=FarmingQuivern

Do not substitute the directory names. If your folders are called CollectionCore and CollectionFarming but their metadata contains different package names, the metadata values are the ones that belong in the configuration.

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Keep one package per line. When troubleshooting, this format also lets you remove one entry without dismantling the entire collection. Save the file as plain text and make sure the editor has not added a second extension such as PalModSettings.ini.txt.

7. Restart to deploy the collection

Start the dedicated server again. Deployment occurs on restart; copying the files and saving the INI does not apply the collection to a running process. During deployment, the loader creates a managed record for each installed package at:

Mods/ManagedMods/<PackageName>/InstallManifest.json

The loader uses the package’s InstallRules from Info.json to place the required files. Do not edit the generated manifest to activate a package. Change the Workshop package or the server configuration, then restart so the loader can regenerate the managed state.

8. Verify before inviting players

Watch the deployment output and server logs while the process starts. For each package, verify that:

• the package is discovered under the configured Workshop directory;
• its PackageName is accepted and appears in deployment output;
• the server reaches a normal ready state without a crash or repeated error;
• an InstallManifest.json exists under the corresponding ManagedMods directory; and
• the package’s client requirement is understood before players connect.

Test first with an administrator or a small group. A server that starts successfully can still produce missing features or inconsistent behavior when a package expects client files that players have not installed.

Move the Workshop directory

You can keep the default directory beside PalServer.exe, or relocate it when the server volume, permissions, or deployment process makes another location preferable. Pocketpair documents two equivalent methods.

Set WorkshopRootDir in the INI

Under [PalModSettings] in Mods/PalModSettings.ini, add an absolute path:

WorkshopRootDir=D:PalworldModsWorkshop

Use the path syntax accepted by your Windows configuration and ensure the service account can read and write the directory. Place compatible packages beneath that directory using the same structure:

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D:PalworldModsWorkshop[any folder name]Info.json

Use the launch argument

Alternatively, start the server with:

-workshopdir="D:PalworldModsWorkshop"

Use one method consistently. After changing the location, restart and verify in the startup output that the server is scanning the intended directory. Packages left in the old directory will not be loaded if the server has been pointed elsewhere.

Do players need to install the mods too?

There is no single client rule for an entire collection. Determine the requirement package by package and follow the author’s stated installation instructions.

• Server-only package: the server installs and runs it; players normally do not need a companion file.
• Client-only package: it is not a server package and will not work through the dedicated-server loader. Install it on players’ games only when the author supports that arrangement.
• Server-and-client package: the server deploys its server component, while every player may need matching client files. A player without them can see missing effects, errors, or behavior that differs from other players.

The presence of "IsServer": true confirms that a package is eligible for server installation; it does not prove that the package is server-only. Check the author’s documentation for a client companion, required load order, or matching version. Do not distribute a client archive to players unless its author permits that use and explains where it belongs.

Update, disable, and remove packages safely

Updating a package

When a package’s Version in Info.json changes, restart the server. The loader removes the old version and deploys the new one during that restart. Back up the save and retain the prior package files until the new version has passed a start-up and gameplay check.

If the collection contains several updates, apply them in a controlled order rather than replacing every package at once. Record which version changed so a failure can be tied to a specific package.

Disable one package

Remove that package’s PackageName line from ActiveModList, save the INI, and restart. Keep its Workshop folder if you expect to re-enable it; leaving the package staged but inactive makes rollback faster.

Remove a package completely

First remove its PackageName from ActiveModList and restart. If you no longer need the files, delete the package folder under Mods/Workshop after the package is inactive, then restart again if your deployment needs to reconcile the removal. Preserve a backup before removing a package that has changed world data.

Disable all mods for emergency recovery

Launch the server with:

-NoMods

This is Pocketpair’s documented emergency isolation switch. Use it when an update causes a crash, prevents the server from reaching a ready state, or makes it impossible to identify the failing package through normal configuration edits. Once the server is stable, restore the known-good package set and reintroduce changes one at a time.

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Troubleshoot a collection that does not load

The server starts, but no mod appears

1. Open Mods/PalModSettings.ini and confirm bGlobalEnableMod=true.
2. Open the package’s Info.json and copy its exact PackageName.
3. Compare that value with the corresponding ActiveModList= line. Folder names are not valid substitutes.
4. Confirm that Info.json is directly under the package folder and that the server is scanning the intended Workshop directory.
5. Check InstallRule for "IsServer": true and inspect the startup output for a dependency or metadata error.

Adding one package breaks the collection

Remove the newest ActiveModList entry and restart. If the server recovers, the last package or one of its dependencies is the immediate suspect. Add packages back in small groups, checking logs after each restart. This binary-style isolation is faster and safer than repeatedly reinstalling the entire collection.

An update causes a crash

Start with -NoMods to isolate the server from the collection. If the server then starts, stop it, restore the last known-good world and package backup if necessary, and verify the changed package’s version and dependencies. Reintroduce the updated package only after confirming that its server support and required companions still match the rest of the collection.

Players report different behavior

Classify the affected package as server-only, client-only, or server-and-client. Confirm that every player who needs a companion file has the same required version and installation. If only some players are affected, compare their client files rather than changing the server configuration first.

The server will not deploy after moving Workshop files

Check the absolute path in WorkshopRootDir or the -workshopdir argument, then verify permissions for the account running the server. Ensure the package folders and their Info.json files are beneath the new root, not one directory deeper than intended. Remove conflicting old launch arguments and restart so the server performs a fresh scan.

Choose a management method

Manual installation is the reference workflow because it exposes the official package structure and configuration. Other tools can reduce repetitive file work, but they do not remove the need to verify server compatibility, dependencies, backups, and client requirements.

Third-party launchers and organizer plugins are optional administration layers, not replacements for package validation. A tool can download a package successfully while the package remains client-only, missing a dependency, or incompatible with the current server build.

Operational practices that prevent avoidable outages

• Keep a change log: record the date, package name, version, dependency changes, and the exact configuration lines you edited.
• Test on a copy of the world: deploy a new collection to a duplicated save before exposing an established community world to it.
• Change one variable at a time: update one package or dependency group, restart, and inspect logs before making the next change.
• Keep the previous package set: retain the old Workshop folders until the new deployment has been verified.
• Protect the configuration: back up PalModSettings.ini along with the world and package files.
• Plan the emergency command: know how your service starts with -NoMods before a crash occurs.
• Communicate client requirements: tell players which packages require matching client files and which versions they must use.

The practical decision is straightforward: use the official Workshop structure whenever the collection supplies server packages with valid Info.json metadata. Add a launcher, organizer plugin, or managed host only to reduce administration, and retain direct control of backups, logs, package versions, and emergency isolation.

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