Palworld stores the world data of a Dedicated Server in a specific save folder and requires a matching configuration entry to load it correctly. In this guide, you'll learn how to upload an existing save to your ZAP-Hosting Palworld game server and configure the server to start with the correct world data.
Unsupported Save Sources You cannot directly transfer Xbox console or PS5 cloud saves to a Dedicated Palworld game server. Only saves from a PC installation or an existing Dedicated Server can be migrated using this method.
Before you start, make sure you have the following:
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Existing Palworld Save | A save folder from a PC installation or another Dedicated Server |
| Access to your ZAP-Hosting game server | You need access to the web interface, including the file manager and the Configuration tab |
| Server stopped | The Palworld server should be stopped before replacing the save data |
| Name of the save folder | You need the exact folder name of your uploaded save, e.g., [your_savefolder_id] |
Accessing Configuration Files At ZAP-Hosting, you can access the relevant Palworld configuration files via the game server management in the Configuration tab. You don't necessarily have to edit the file directly in the file manager unless you want to manually verify the path.
To have the server load your uploaded world, you need to edit GameUserSettings.ini.
In the ZAP-Hosting game server management:
- Open your Palworld server.
- Open the Configuration tab (raw text view).
- Open
GameUserSettings.ini.
Depending on the server environment, the underlying file path is usually one of the following:
| Possible Path | Notes |
|---|---|
Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini | Common for Linux-based Palworld server installations |
Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/GameUserSettings.ini | May occur on Windows-based installations |
Path Differences
Palworld server installations use either LinuxServer or WindowsServer in the config path depending on the platform. When editing via the Configuration tab, the correct file is already shown; just ensure you are editing GameUserSettings.ini.
If your save already comes from another hosting provider, you can migrate it directly.
At your previous provider, locate the existing save folder and download it from:
Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/
Copy the entire folder with the random alphanumeric name, e.g.:
[your_savefolder_id]
Before uploading the new save, stop your Palworld server in the ZapX customer account.
Avoid Save Conflicts Do not replace save files while the server is running. This can lead to incomplete uploads, overwritten data, or a corrupted save.
Open your game server's file manager and navigate to:
Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/
Delete the default save folder automatically created by the server, then upload your existing save folder to the same location.
After uploading, the structure should look like this:
Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/[your_savefolder_id]/
Now open GameUserSettings.ini via the Configuration tab and find the entry DedicatedServerName.
Set it to the exact name of your uploaded save folder:
DedicatedServerName=[your_savefolder_id]
| Config Entry | Required Value |
|---|---|
DedicatedServerName | The exact folder name inside Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/ |
Exact Match Required
DedicatedServerName must exactly match the uploaded folder name, including all letters and numbers. If the value is incorrect, the server may start a different world or appear to load without progress.
After saving the configuration, restart your Palworld server.
Usually, no additional console commands are needed after the upload. A full server restart is enough to load the new save.
The most important manual step is correctly editing GameUserSettings.ini.
| File | Location in ZAP Interface | Entry to Change | Example Value |
|---|---|---|---|
GameUserSettings.ini | Configuration tab | DedicatedServerName | DedicatedServerName=84B5E2264EC387DEDB43179D666031A1 |
If your uploaded save folder is named 84B5E2264EC387DEDB43179D666031A1, the entry should look like this:
DedicatedServerName=84B5E2264EC387DEDB43179D666031A1
Do not add extra quotation marks unless they are already part of your current configuration syntax.
After the server starts, connect and check if your world data has loaded correctly.
You should verify the following:
| Check | Expected Result |
|---|---|
| World loads | The existing map and structures are present |
| Player data | Transferred player data is available where relevant |
| Save folder matches | DedicatedServerName exactly matches the uploaded folder |
| Outdated file removed | WorldOption.sav is no longer present if it caused issues |
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