---
title: "Palworld Server Settings: PalWorldSettings.ini Explained"
url: https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/palworld-server-settings/
lastmod: 2026-10-26
---

# Palworld Server Settings Explained: PalWorldSettings.ini Key by Key

Where PalWorldSettings.ini lives, what the rate, death and PvP keys do with their real defaults, and tested presets for a group of 4 to 8 friends.

By [Baurtock](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/author/baurtock/)
Updated Oct 26, 2026 · 9 min read

Read in[es](https://1up-servers.com/es/blog/configuracion-servidor-palworld/)[en](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/palworld-server-settings/)

**Your game server, free**Ready in 60 seconds, no card.[Create free server](https://1up-servers.com/en/signup/)

Palworld server settings live in one file, `PalWorldSettings.ini`, as a single `OptionSettings=(...)` line of about 120 keys. This reference explains where the file is, which keys change rates, death and PvP, what their real defaults are in v1.0.5, and gives tested presets for a group of four to eight friends.

If you have not set up the server yet, start with our [Palworld dedicated server guide](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/palworld-dedicated-server/). If you host with us, the most used keys are fields in the panel of your [Palworld server](https://1up-servers.com/en/palworld/), and the rest go in the file.

- **The file:** `Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini` (Windows: `WindowsServer`). Editing `DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini` changes nothing.
- **Rates are multipliers:** `1.000000` is normal, `2.000000` is double. `ExpRate`, `PalCaptureRate`, `WorkSpeedRate` and `PalSpawnNumRate` are the big four.
- **Death:** `DeathPenalty` takes `None`, `Item`, `ItemAndEquipment` or `All`.
- **PvP needs three flags:** `bIsPvP`, `bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage` and `bEnableDefenseOtherGuildPlayer`.
- **Changes apply on restart.** Stop the server, edit, start it again.

## 1. Where the file is

Pocketpair's [configuration page](https://docs.palworldgame.com/settings-and-operation/configuration) gives one path per install type, and notes that the folders only appear once the server has started for the first time:

| Install | Path of PalWorldSettings.ini |
| --- | --- |
| Windows, Steam client | `steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\` |
| Windows, SteamCMD | `steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\` |
| Linux, SteamCMD | `steamapps/common/PalServer/Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/` |

Next to the server program sits `DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini`. It is only a sample: its own first line says changes to it "will NOT be reflected on the server". The official procedure is to copy it over `PalWorldSettings.ini` and edit the copy.

The file has a header, `[/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings]`, and then everything sits on one line inside `OptionSettings=( ... )`, separated by commas. Three rules keep it readable for the server:

- Text values go in double quotes: `ServerName="Our Pals"`.
- Never break the line, and keep every comma and parenthesis: the whole list is one value.
- Edit with the server stopped, then start it, so the new values load with the world.

**On 1up.** The file is in **Files** → `Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini`. Our image builds it from the official default file the first time the server starts, and at every later start it rewrites only the keys the **Game** tab manages (listed in the table below). Every other key you change is kept across restarts. Stop the server, open the file with **Edit** in **Files**, save it and start the server again; or connect with the SFTP details on the Files page. On a server created before 5 October 2026, check that `CrossplayPlatforms` still reads `(Steam,Xbox,PS5,Mac)`; our guide to a [Palworld server not showing in the community list](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/palworld-server-not-showing-in-community-list/) explains how to repair it.

## 2. Settings table: the keys that matter

Defaults are the values in the `DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini` shipped in Pocketpair's official v1.0.5.102999 server image. The panel column shows the field that manages the key on 1up and its default there.

| ini key | What it does | Default (file) | 1up panel field (default) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `ServerName` | Name in the server list | `"Default Palworld Server"` | Server name (your server's name) |
| `ServerDescription` | Description | `""` | Description (empty) |
| `ServerPassword` | Password to join | `""` | Server password (empty) |
| `AdminPassword` | Password for in-game admin rights | `""` | Admin password |
| `ServerPlayerMaxNum` | Maximum players | `32` | Max players (16, up to 32) |
| `ExpRate` | EXP gain multiplier | `1.000000` | Experience (%) (100) |
| `PalCaptureRate` | Capture rate multiplier | `1.000000` | Pal capture rate (%) (100) |
| `DayTimeSpeedRate` / `NightTimeSpeedRate` | Speed of day and of night | `1.000000` each | Day and night speed (%) (100, sets both) |
| `DeathPenalty` | What you drop on death | `Item` | On death (Everything, Pals included) |
| `bIsPvP` | Turns on PvP mode | `False` | PvP (off) |
| `WorkSpeedRate` | How fast Pals work at bases | `1.000000` | file only |
| `PalSpawnNumRate` | Number of wild Pals; costs performance | `1.000000` | file only |
| `PalEggDefaultHatchingTime` | Hours to hatch a Huge Egg | `1.000000` | file only |
| `CollectionDropRate` | Yield from trees, rocks and gatherables | `1.000000` | file only |
| `EnemyDropItemRate` | Items dropped by enemies | `1.000000` | file only |
| `ItemWeightRate` | Item weight multiplier | `1.000000` | file only |
| `BaseCampWorkerMaxNum` | Pals per base (max 50; raises load) | `15` | file only |
| `BaseCampMaxNumInGuild` | Bases per guild (max 10) | `4` | file only |
| `GuildPlayerMaxNum` | Players per guild | `20` | file only |
| `bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage` | Players can hurt each other | `False` | PvP (off) |
| `bEnableDefenseOtherGuildPlayer` | Part of PvP mode | `False` | PvP (off) |
| `bCanPickupOtherGuildDeathPenaltyDrop` | Loot another guild's death drop | `False` | file only |
| `bHardcore` | No respawn after death | `False` | file only |
| `bPalLost` | Pals are lost for good on death | `False` | file only |
| `bEnableFastTravel` | Fast travel on or off | `True` | file only |

Our image also pins a few technical keys the panel needs (`PublicPort`, `RESTAPIEnabled`, `RESTAPIPort`, `RCONEnabled`, `LogFormatType`, `bIsUseBackupSaveData`), so leave those alone. The image also writes `Difficulty=None`, the official default: the key is in the default file but not in Pocketpair's parameter list, so the panel has no field for it; tune the multipliers instead.

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## 3. Rates: EXP, capture, spawn, work speed

Every rate is a decimal multiplier. In the file, `1.500000` means 150 %; in our panel you type the percentage, from 10 % to 2,000 %, and the image writes the decimal for you.

- **`ExpRate`** speeds up levelling for players and Pals. For a group that plays a few evenings a week, 1.5 to 2.0 gets everyone to mid-game before interest drops.
- **`PalCaptureRate`** raises the chance a sphere holds. Above about 2.0 the catching loop stops being a game; 1.2 to 1.5 takes the frustration out of rare Pals.
- **`WorkSpeedRate`** makes base Pals craft, mine and build faster. It is in the official default file, although Pocketpair's parameter table does not describe it. Raising it is the cleanest way to cut base waiting time without touching combat.
- **`PalSpawnNumRate`** is the one to treat with care: Pocketpair marks it "Impacts performance". More wild Pals means more work for the server's CPU and memory. Leave it at 1.0 unless your server has room to spare.
- **`DayTimeSpeedRate` and `NightTimeSpeedRate`** set how fast each half of the day passes. A common choice is a faster night (for example 2.0) so the group spends less time in the dark. On 1up the panel sets both to the same value at each start, so pick one pace there.
- **`PalEggDefaultHatchingTime`** is the hatch time, in hours, of a Huge Egg; other eggs still need their own incubation time. The v1.0.5 default is already one hour.
- **`CollectionDropRate` and `EnemyDropItemRate`** multiply what you gather and what enemies drop. Doubling gathering suits small groups that hate the grind but still want to explore for loot.

Our [Terraria server config guide](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/terraria-server-config/) follows the same approach for another game: change few keys, write down why, restart once.

## 4. Death and PvP

### DeathPenalty values

The configuration page defines four values:

| DeathPenalty | What you drop | 1up panel option |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `None` | Nothing | Nothing is lost |
| `Item` | All items except equipment | Inventory items |
| `ItemAndEquipment` | All items, equipment included | Items and equipment |
| `All` | All items and every Pal in your party | Everything, Pals included |

The game's file defaults to `Item`; new 1up servers start on `All`, so change **On death** in the panel if your group wants the softer rule. Three file keys make death harsher: `bHardcore=True` removes respawning, `bCharacterRecreateInHardcore` decides whether a dead player may make a new character, and `bPalLost=True` deletes Pals for good on death.

### PvP flags

Pocketpair's [PvP page](https://docs.palworldgame.com/settings-and-operation/pvp) calls PvP a trial feature, not covered by support, and says it needs **three** keys set to `True`:

```
bIsPvP=True,bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage=True,bEnableDefenseOtherGuildPlayer=True
```

With PvP active, players can hurt each other, base Pals attack trespassers, players can open chests owned by other guilds, bases must be built further apart and missions are disabled. The same page recommends extra keys for a fair PvP world, such as `bAllowEnhanceStat_Health=False` and `bAllowEnhanceStat_Attack=False`, fast travel only between bases (`bEnableFastTravelOnlyBaseCamp=True`), `bExistPlayerAfterLogout=True` so logging out does not save you from a fight, and `DeathPenalty=All` with `bCanPickupOtherGuildDeathPenaltyDrop=True` so loot changes hands.

**On 1up.** The **PvP** switch writes all three keys, `bIsPvP`, `bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage` and `bEnableDefenseOtherGuildPlayer`, so turn it on in the **Game** tab (section **Match**) and restart; editing them in the file does nothing, because the switch rewrites them at every start. The default file also carries `bEnableFriendlyFire=False`, which Pocketpair does not document; we leave it off.

## 5. Presets for 4 to 8 friends

Three starting points we use. Values are file decimals; for the panel fields, multiply by 100.

| Key | Default | Relaxed co-op | Weekend group | Hardcore challenge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `ExpRate` (panel) | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| `PalCaptureRate` (panel) | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
| `DeathPenalty` (panel) | Item | None | Item | All |
| `WorkSpeedRate` | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| `CollectionDropRate` | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| `EnemyDropItemRate` | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| `ItemWeightRate` | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| `PalSpawnNumRate` | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| `BaseCampWorkerMaxNum` | 15 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
| `bPalLost` | False | False | False | True |

Why these numbers:

- **Relaxed co-op** is for friends who log in once or twice a week. Double EXP and work speed keep progress moving between sessions, `None` on death means nobody quits after losing a run of loot, and half the item weight cuts the trips back to base.
- **Weekend group** stays close to the intended balance but trims the grind by half. `Item` keeps death meaningful without taking anyone's Pals.
- **Hardcore challenge** keeps vanilla rates and adds `All` plus `bPalLost`, so every fight matters. Agree on it before day one: switching to it mid-world feels like a punishment.
- **`PalSpawnNumRate` stays at 1.0** in all three because Pocketpair flags its performance cost, and **`BaseCampWorkerMaxNum`** only goes to 20 because the docs warn it raises processing load. Palworld already asks for a lot: the [requirements page](https://docs.palworldgame.com/getting-started/requirements) recommends 16 GB of memory and warns that 8 GB boots but risks out-of-memory crashes.

For 4 to 8 players, set **Max players** to your group size plus one or two. A password and a lower cap keep strangers out more simply than a ban list.

## 6. Applying changes safely

1. Stop the server.
2. Take a backup, or copy the `Saved` folder, before big changes.
3. Edit the panel fields, then the file, keeping the single line and its commas intact.
4. Start the server and check the values: on 1up, open **Console** and confirm the world loads; then log in and look at how fast EXP and capture feel.

If a value seems ignored, check the key name letter by letter against the default file and make sure you edited `PalWorldSettings.ini`, not the default file. If you are moving a co-op world over, our upcoming guide on moving a Palworld co-op save covers it. We used the same stop, back up, edit and start routine in our [Valheim dedicated server guide](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/valheim-dedicated-server/).

**Palworld 24/7 from Pro**

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[Run your Palworld world 24/7 from Pro](https://1up-servers.com/en/signup/?plan=pro&game=palworld)

Checked against Pocketpair's server documentation (version 1.0.4 of the docs) and the default file of the official server image. Tested on Palworld v1.0.5.102999, 2026-10-05.

**Change log**

- 2026-10-05: first version, for Palworld v1.0.5.102999.
- 2026-10-05: on 1up the PvP switch now sets all three PvP keys, the Difficulty field is gone, `.ini` files open in the browser editor; link to the community list guide.
- 2026-10-07: the panel's Settings tab is now called **Game**.
- 2026-10-26: Palworld runs 24/7 from Pro.

## Frequently asked questions

In Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer on Linux, or Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer on Windows, inside the PalServer folder. It appears after the first start. On 1up it is in Files under Saved/Config/LinuxServer.

About the author[Baurtock](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/author/baurtock/)Founder, developer and support

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[Palworld · 9 min**Palworld Co-op Save to Dedicated Server: Move Your World and Keep the Host (1.0)**](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/palworld-co-op-save-to-dedicated-server/)[Palworld · 6 min**Palworld 1.0 Server: What Changed and How to Update**](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/palworld-1-0-server-what-changes/)[Palworld · 7 min**Palworld Server Not Showing in the Community List: How to Fix It**](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/palworld-server-not-showing-in-community-list/)