Dedicated Server Back Up and Transfer to a New Dedicated Server v3

This guide will teach you where the default save locations are on Windows, and how to backup those save files and transfer your server progress and settings from your own hosted dedicated server to another dedicated server. Basically, if you started a dedicated server on your PC with PalworldServer and want to transfer it to a Linux Server or vice versa, this is the guide for you.

Who/What This Guide Is For

This guide will teach you the file locations of your saves if you've started up a dedicated server via the Palworld Dedicated Server app on Steam, and would like to either back that information up, or move it to a different location such as going from a Windows server to a Linux server or vice versa.

THIS GUIDE WILL NOT HELP YOU TRY TO TRANSFER FROM A 4 PLAYER MULTIPLAYER WORLD TO A DEDICATED SERVER. IT IS POSSIBLE BUT IS FAR MORE COMPLICATED, THAT ISN'T WHAT THIS GUIDE IS ABOUT.

If you've installed via SteamCMD ever, you may have issues and have to use -NoSteam settings on the server you're moving to. If this is you, see the comments for others suggestions on how to handle this.

Where and How

Install, start, then stop the server at the new location first and foremost to have it create all the needed files.

Then on the server you want to backup/transfer, right-click the Palworld Dedicated Server in Steam then go to Manage, then Browse Local Files.

PalServer\Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer

GameUserSettings.ini - DO NOT TRANSFER THIS FILE BETWEEN SERVERS
Open this file on your currently running server and copy the DedicatedServerName, which should be a bunch of numbers and letters.

On your new server locate the GameUserSettings.ini file and open it and update DedicatedServerName to match that of your original server. Again, do not transfer this file as it will cause problems if you do.

(Tip for those on Unraid / Linux Docker environment without an easy way to edit these files, simply download the file to your Windows machine, edit it, then reupload it.)

PalWorldSettings.ini

This file is important if you want to tweak any of the default settings for the actual game such as making health regen quicker, faster crafting, faster eggs, faster working, difficulty etc. If you have never touched this, then you don't really have to worry about it. If you have ever edited it, then you'll want to copy it over to your new server.

PalServer\Pal\Saved\SaveGames\0

You will find a folder in here that is named the DedicatedServerName as found in GameUserSettings.ini. You must copy this folder to the same location on the new server keeping the folder name the same.

Once everything has been moved over, stop and restart the server for settings to take effect and you're done.

Be sure you've port forwarded the correct IP on your router if you're hosting this over the internet, but otherwise you should be good. I did this going from Windows Palworld Dedicated Server app -> Linux (Unraid ich777 Palwrorld docker with EpicApp=PalServer removed as i don't want my server to be public) and it was pretty easy, I'm sure you could do it in reverse.

Note: The .ini files mentioned above are in the same locations on Windows / Linux, the only difference being the name of the folder they are in, with the latter being LinuxServer instead of WindowsServer, so edit or copy the appropriate files accordingly.

Still Getting Asked to Create a New Character?

If you're still getting asked to create a new character after double checking that you've followed the guide, then please see the comments for possible solutions.

It seems like a lot of people need to use the -NoSteam command for whatever reason, but from what I gather it's when installing manually via SteamCMD.

This could also possibly be related in some fashion to using the EpicApp=PalServer config, which I don't use as I do not want my server to be public, but only used by friends.

Please Rate and Thumbs Up This Guide If It Helped You

Or if you're feeling generous daddy, here is my extremely large Steam Wishlist.

[Aireze]

Thank you moved my server from g-portal to my own device.

[Walk'N]

A big thank-you. I successfully transferred backup from Nitrado to G-portal. And it's work.

[Jed]

It really sounds like people are trying to have Steam logged in on two different platforms and that's causing the issue? You can't be logged in at two places at once, really.

[Flow]

I managed to fix my issue going from windows dedicated server using steam client to new (windows) server using steamcmd. On the new server, I had to install the Steam client and sign-in. Then I removed -nosteam from the argument list. Now my player IDs are working correctly

[Senka Wolf]

Thanks for the guide, helped me move my save from one Linux server to another.

[Coke Cola On Acid]

Hi, thanks for this guide. I do have a problem where its generating new player IDs even though i moved the entire save file over (the one inside the 0 file) and have only edited the dedicatedServerName line inside the file. I'm not sure why it's still not working, I've also added the -nosteam line. I'm going from skynode(linux) to steam dedicated sever

[sat__05]

new character screen after following these steps. windows dedicated to windows dedicated. please help..

[iShuckle]

@Kotaro_of_GeGeGe hey can u please help here? when you say "By using the -nosteam option" what exaclty did u do? i don't know where to find to activate this option

[iShuckle]

@Kotaro_of_GeGeGe hey can u please help here?

[Jed]

@Bara Allen, if you're talking about a dedicated server you yourself don't have access to the file system of, sorry about your luck.