Palworld Server Settings Explained: PalWorldSettings.ini in 2026

Palworld server settings live in PalWorldSettings.ini at Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer on a Linux server. Stop the server, edit the single OptionSettings line without adding spaces or line breaks, then start it again. The settings most groups change first are capture rate, XP rate, day and night speed, egg hatching and the death penalty.

Palworld exposes more server-side tuning than most survival games, and almost all of it sits in one file with a format that punishes small mistakes. This guide covers where the file is, the format rules, the settings worth changing first, and what to check when a change will not stick.

Palworld server settings: the short version

• The live file is Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini. DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini is only a template.
• Stop the server before editing, then start it again.
• Everything sits on one line inside OptionSettings=(...): comma separated, no spaces, no line breaks.
• Rates are multipliers where 1.000000 is default and 2.000000 is double.
• Uploaded a world from co-op? Its WorldOption.sav overrides the ini until you remove it.

Where is PalWorldSettings.ini?

There are two files with similar names, and editing the wrong one is the most common first mistake.

DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini sits in the server root. Pocketpair's own docs say it plainly: editing it does not change your server. It is a template.

The live file on a Linux server is:

Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini

On Windows the folder is WindowsServer instead. On a fresh self-hosted install, Pocketpair's instructions are to copy the default file into that folder and edit the copy. On BruceNode the installer has already done that, so open the Files tab, go down that path, edit in the browser and save. Our free config generator can help you work out the common values in a simple form first.

How to edit Palworld server settings without breaking them

Open the file and you will find something that looks wrong but is not. All settings sit inside a single OptionSettings=(...) block on one line:

OptionSettings=(Difficulty=None,DayTimeSpeedRate=1.000000,NightTimeSpeedRate=1.000000,ExpRate=1.000000,...)

Three rules:

1. No spaces, not around the = and not after the commas.
2. No line breaks. It has to stay one long line, however hard it is to read.
3. Match the existing number format. The file writes decimals as 2.000000, so copy that style.

The failure is nasty because it is quiet. A broken line does not stop the server, it just runs on defaults, so it looks like the file is not being read at all. Download a copy of the file from the Files tab before your first edit. It takes five seconds and saves rebuilding the line by hand.

Stop the server before you edit

A running Palworld server can write its config back when it shuts down, replacing your edits with whatever it had in memory. So the order is always:

1. Stop the server from the Console tab.
2. Edit and save the file.
3. Start the server.

This catches experienced admins, because most games tolerate a live edit followed by a restart. Do it in this order once and it becomes habit.

The best Palworld server settings to change first

There are dozens of keys. These are the ones that actually change how a server feels:

PalCaptureRate is the one most private groups change first. Default 1.000000. Somewhere between 1.500000 and 2.000000 noticeably reduces grind without trivialising capture.

ExpRate does what you expect. A modest bump to around 1.500000 keeps progression moving for a group that plays a couple of evenings a week without erasing the mid game.

DayTimeSpeedRate and NightTimeSpeedRate are separate, which is the useful part. A higher value makes that part of the cycle pass faster, so a slightly lower day rate and a higher night rate give you more usable daylight.

PalEggDefaultHatchingTime is the time in hours to hatch a Huge Egg. The 1.0 default template sets it to 1.000000, but early access templates shipped with 72.000000, three real days, and an older config may still carry it. If eggs feel like a scheduling problem, check this first.

DeathPenalty controls what you drop: None (nothing), Item (all items except equipment), ItemAndEquipment (all items) or All (all items plus the Pals on your team). Item is the 1.0 default. None suits a casual group; All suits a server that wants risk to mean something.

bIsPvP switches PvP on, and bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage decides whether players can hurt each other. Decide before people build, not after.

BaseCampWorkerMaxNum sets how many Pals can work at each base (default 15, maximum 50). Pocketpair notes that raising it adds processing load, as does PalSpawnNumRate, so raise both in small steps and the server stays smooth.

Why are my Palworld server settings not working?

Most settings can change at any point and take effect on the next start. If one does not stick, it is almost always one of these:

1. Formatting. A space, a line break or a missing bracket in the OptionSettings line.
2. The server was running when you saved. Stop, edit, start.
3. A WorldOption.sav file. A world created in co-op or single player brings a WorldOption.sav in its save folder, Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/<world ID>/. While that file exists, gameplay settings come from it instead of the ini. Stop the server, download a copy of the world folder, delete WorldOption.sav and start again.
4. The value lives in the Startup tab. On BruceNode the server name, description, join password, admin password and max players come from the Startup tab and are written into the ini every time the server starts. Change them there, not in the file.

Your save lives under Pal/Saved/SaveGames, and downloading that folder from the Files tab before you experiment lets you try settings with confidence. New to running one? Start with how to make a Palworld server.

Hosting a Palworld server on BruceNode

• Plans from 4 GB: Duo (4 GB) is $8 a month for 2 to 4 players, Starter (8 GB, $15) is the popular pick for 4 to 8, Standard (12 GB, $22) suits 8 to 16, and Ultimate (16 GB, $30) handles up to 32. Pick the plan that fits, and our team can move you to a bigger one later.
• Settings ready from the first install: PalWorldSettings.ini is in the Files tab, and server name, passwords and player cap sit in the Startup tab.
• Admin password set at checkout (or generated for you), with RCON on for remote admin.
• Auto updates on every start, plus scheduled tasks, a live console and SFTP.
• NVMe storage and DDoS protection on every plan, from our Canada location.

We covered the budget side in what a Palworld server actually costs. When you are ready, start a Palworld server on BruceNode, use code BRUCE20 for 20% off your first month, and tune your world the way your group actually plays.

Palworld server settings FAQ

Where are Palworld server settings stored?

In Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini on Linux, or the WindowsServer folder on Windows. DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini is only a template.

Why do my Palworld server settings keep resetting?

Either the server was running when you saved, or an uploaded world has a WorldOption.sav that overrides the ini. Stop before editing, and remove WorldOption.sav.

What is a good capture rate for a Palworld server?

The default is 1.000000. Private groups usually land between 1.500000 and 2.000000, which cuts the grind without making capture trivial.

How do I make eggs hatch faster on a Palworld server?

Lower PalEggDefaultHatchingTime, the hours a Huge Egg takes to hatch. If your file still shows 72.000000, dropping it turns eggs back into a fun part of the loop.

How many players can a Palworld server hold?

Up to 32. On BruceNode you set the cap with Max Players in the Startup tab, with plans from Duo for 2 to 4 players up to Ultimate for a full 32.