To make a Palworld dedicated server private, edit the active PalWorldSettings.ini, set a strong ServerPassword, restart the server, and launch it without -publiclobby. Give trusted players the server IP, port, and password. If Xbox or Microsoft Store Windows players need to join, use community-server mode with -publiclobby; the password still limits access even though the server appears in the in-game list.
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What “private” means in Palworld
A private Palworld dedicated server is controlled by the people who run it rather than being openly discoverable to every player. In the simplest arrangement, the server is not registered in Palworld’s community-server browser. Friends connect using the server’s address and port, then enter the password configured by the administrator.
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There are two different ways to achieve a friends-only experience:
- Direct-connect dedicated mode: Start the server normally, omit
-publiclobby, and distribute the address only to people you trust. This is the cleanest option for compatible PC clients. - Password-protected community mode: Add
-publiclobbyso the server appears in Palworld’s community list, but retain a strongServerPassword. This is required when Xbox or Microsoft Store Windows players need to find the server through the game.
“Private” therefore does not always mean “invisible.” A listed community server can still be restricted to your group when the login password remains enabled.
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Choose the right setup for your players
| Player group | Recommended mode | How players locate it | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam PC players | Dedicated server without -publiclobby |
Enter the server IP address and port in the server-list form | Players must receive the address, port, and password privately |
| Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One | Community-server mode with -publiclobby |
Select the server from the in-game Community list | Xbox players cannot connect by entering an IP address |
| Microsoft Store Windows players | Use the Xbox configuration path and community listing | Select the listed server in-game | Steam cross-play is unavailable on this Xbox/Microsoft Store path |
| PlayStation 5 | Check Pocketpair’s current platform documentation before configuring | Depends on the currently supported server feature | The current server overview says PS5 cross-play is unavailable, although co-op cross-play is available |
If everyone in your group can use direct connection, do not register the server publicly. If even one required player is on Xbox, use community mode and protect it with the password rather than trying to force an unsupported direct-IP workflow.
Install the official dedicated-server tool
Install the dedicated-server package before editing any settings. Windows Steam users can find Palworld Dedicated Server in the Steam library. If you administer a Windows or Linux machine with SteamCMD, install application ID 2394010 with:
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steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quitRun the command from the machine that will host the world. Let SteamCMD finish validation before attempting to edit files or launch the server. A partial download can leave you with missing scripts or a configuration directory that is created again on the first successful start.
Create the active configuration file
Palworld supplies a template named DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini, but the server does not read that template as its live configuration. Start the dedicated server once, allow it to initialize, and then stop it cleanly. This creates the target directory and any required world files.
- Open the dedicated-server installation directory after the first run.
- Locate
DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini. - Copy it to the active filename
PalWorldSettings.iniin the server’s configuration directory. - Edit
PalWorldSettings.ini, not the default template. - Save the file and restart the dedicated server for every configuration change.
Windows path
For a standard Windows Steam installation, the documented active path is:
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steamappscommonPalServerPalSavedConfigWindowsServerPalWorldSettings.iniLinux path
On Linux, use the corresponding LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini location under the server’s Pal/Saved/Config directory. The directory name changes with the platform; the required filename remains PalWorldSettings.ini.
Pocketpair explicitly warns that editing DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini will not affect the running server. If a setting appears to do nothing, checking which of these two files you changed should be your first diagnostic step.
Set a login password and keep administrator access separate
Open the OptionSettings entry in PalWorldSettings.ini and set ServerPassword to a long, unique value. A representative setting is:
ServerPassword="a-long-unique-password"ServerPassword is the password required to log in. Use a value that is not reused for your Steam, Microsoft, console, hosting, or operating-system accounts. Share it through a private channel rather than putting it in a public post or stream description.
Keep AdminPassword different. It grants administrative privileges and should never be handed out as the ordinary player password. Give administrative access only to people who need server-management commands, and change that credential independently if an administrator leaves the group.
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| Setting | Purpose | Recommended handling |
|---|---|---|
ServerPassword |
Required for normal player login | Use a unique, difficult-to-guess value and share it privately |
AdminPassword |
Used to obtain administrative privileges | Use a separate credential and restrict who receives it |
CrossplayPlatforms |
Controls which listed platforms may connect | Leave the documented default unless your player mix requires a deliberate change |
PublicIP |
Public address information for community-server registration | Configure only when operating as a community server |
PublicPort |
Port advertised for a community server | Remember that it does not change the server’s listening port |
Run a private dedicated server without public listing
After saving the active configuration, start the server normally. On Windows, launch PalServer.exe. On Linux, launch:
./PalServer.shDo not append -publiclobby. Without that flag, the server skips community-server registration and remains a direct-connect server. Keep the console window or service process running while players connect, and restart it whenever you alter PalWorldSettings.ini.
Direct-connect players use Palworld’s server-list form to enter the host’s IP address and listening port. Send those details only to your intended group, along with the ServerPassword. The game’s list entry is not a substitute for network reachability: the address must point to the machine running the server, and the selected port must be the one on which that server is listening.
Information to send friends
- The reachable server IP address or hostname.
- The actual listening port.
- The player login password, sent separately when practical.
- Any platform-specific instruction, such as using the Community list instead of the IP field.
Use community mode when Xbox access is required
A community server is still a dedicated server; the difference is that it registers itself in the in-game server list. Pocketpair’s community-server procedure allows a private server to skip that registration, but Xbox access changes the decision. The Xbox documentation says Xbox players cannot connect by entering an IP address, so they need the community listing.
- Keep the copied, active
PalWorldSettings.iniand itsServerPasswordin place. - Start the server with the
-publiclobbylaunch argument, or choose Steam’s option to open and start it as a community server. - Wait for the server to register and appear in the in-game Community list.
- Give your friends the exact server name and password; they should select the listing rather than attempting direct IP entry.
Listing the server does not make it unrestricted if the password remains active. It does, however, expose the name and listing to people browsing the community directory, so avoid using personal information in the server name.
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Xbox and Microsoft Store Windows scope
The documented Xbox configuration path accepts Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Microsoft Store Windows clients. Steam cross-play is unavailable on that path. If your group contains both Steam and Xbox players, confirm the currently supported cross-play combination and CrossplayPlatforms value before committing your world to that arrangement.
Understand cross-platform settings before changing them
CrossplayPlatforms determines which platforms may connect to a listed server. Pocketpair’s current configuration table shows Steam, Xbox, PS5, and Mac in the default value. Treat that default as a platform-compatibility control, not as a privacy control: it does not replace a password and it does not hide a community listing.
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Change the value only when you have a concrete platform requirement. An overly narrow value can make a friend’s client unable to join; an overly broad value does not grant access without the server’s other requirements. After changing it, save the active file and restart the server before testing.
PS5 status
Pocketpair’s current “About server” information states that PS5 cross-play is unavailable, while co-op cross-play is available. Because platform support can change, check the live documentation immediately before inviting PS5 players. Do not promise dedicated-server access based solely on the presence of PS5 in a configuration table.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep the world recoverable with server backups
The configuration option bIsUseBackupSaveData enables world backups. Pocketpair’s configuration guide lists the following cadence for version 1.0.4:
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| Interval | Backup amount documented |
|---|---|
| 30 seconds | 5 save data |
| 10 minutes | 6 save data |
| 1 hour | 12 save data |
| 1 day | 7 save data |
These figures describe the documented backup schedule, not a guarantee that every failure can be reversed. Keep the backup setting enabled if the world matters, and periodically verify that the server is creating usable files. Store an additional copy outside the live server machine if a hardware or filesystem failure would otherwise destroy both the world and its backups.
Verify that the server is actually private
Use a short test with one trusted player before inviting the whole group:
- Stop the server and inspect the active path to confirm the edited file is
PalWorldSettings.ini. - Check that
ServerPasswordis present and thatAdminPasswordis not being used as the player credential. - Start the server without
-publiclobbyif you selected direct mode. - Have the tester enter the correct IP and listening port, then provide the player password.
- For community mode, have the tester locate the exact listing and authenticate with the player password.
- Confirm that an incorrect password fails, then change the password if it was exposed during testing.
A direct-mode server should not require a community-list search. A community-mode server should be selected from that list, especially for Xbox users.
Troubleshoot the common failure points
The password has no effect
- Confirm that you edited
PalWorldSettings.ini, notDefaultPalWorldSettings.ini. - Check spelling, quotation marks, and the location of the setting inside
OptionSettings. - Stop and restart the dedicated server after saving; a running process will not reliably reread the file.
- Make sure players are entering the player password rather than the separate administrator credential.
Friends cannot find or reach a direct server
- Verify that they are using the current reachable IP address and the server’s listening port.
- Confirm that the server process is running on the machine associated with that address.
- Check whether the server was accidentally started with
-publiclobby; that changes how players should locate it. - Ask the player to retry after the restart has completed, rather than while the server is still initializing.
An Xbox player is trying to use an IP address
That is not the supported Xbox workflow described by Pocketpair. Start the server as a community server with -publiclobby and have the Xbox player select it from the Community list. Retain the password if access should remain limited.
The server is listed, but the intended platform cannot join
- Review
CrossplayPlatformsand the platform combination you are attempting. - For Xbox or Microsoft Store Windows, verify that you used the Xbox community-server path rather than a direct-connect-only setup.
- For PS5, check the current support statement because dedicated-server cross-play availability may differ from co-op cross-play.
- Restart after every configuration change and test again with one client before changing several settings at once.
A changed public port did not alter connectivity
PublicPort is documented for community-server advertisement and does not change the server’s listening port. Use the actual listening-port configuration and the address supplied to direct-connect players when diagnosing a connection problem.
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If you previously registered the world as a community server and now want direct-only access, stop the server, remove -publiclobby from the launch command or startup option, confirm the password remains set, and start it again. Tell players to discard the old listing and use the server IP and port. If you later need Xbox access, restore community mode and keep the same password or issue a new one deliberately.
A practical privacy checklist
- Official dedicated-server software is installed and has completed one initial run.
DefaultPalWorldSettings.iniwas copied to the activePalWorldSettings.inipath.ServerPasswordis long, unique, and known only to intended players.AdminPasswordis different and limited to administrators.- Direct mode starts without
-publiclobby; community mode uses it only when platform access requires listing. - Players have the correct IP, listening port, and connection method for their platform.
CrossplayPlatformsmatches the group’s actual platforms.bIsUseBackupSaveDatais enabled if the world needs recoverability.- The server was restarted after the final edit, and one trusted player completed a login test.
With those choices in place, a Steam-compatible group gets an unlisted, password-protected dedicated world, while Xbox players can use the required community listing without turning the server into an open public session.
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