Palworld Dedicated Server Mod Guide (1.0.5): Install and Sync Mods
Running Palworld mods on a dedicated server is different from modding your own game. The server and every player must run the same server-side mods at the same versions, or players cannot join. This guide covers the install paths for a dedicated server on patch 1.0.5, how to keep versions in sync, and the fixes for the failures server owners hit most.
Before you touch the server
Back up the server first: the world save and the server config. Stop the server before changing any mod, and restart it after. Never edit mod files while the server is running.
Know the two mod kinds. Client-only mods, like UI changes and model replacements, run on each player’s machine and the server never renders them. Server-side mods change gameplay for everyone. Only server-side mods belong on the server, and every player who joins needs the same ones at the same versions. A mod page or your server panel will usually label which kind a mod is; check before installing.
Workshop mods on a dedicated server
Many server panels now include Workshop support, which is the simplest path.
- In your server panel, find the Workshop Mods section under the game server settings.
- Browse the Palworld Workshop by name, author, category, or file ID and add the mods you want.
- Each mod in the active list should carry a “Runs on server” or “Client-side only” label. Only the first kind will run on the server.
- Set the load order with the panel controls. Load order matters when mods touch the same data.
- Save and restart. Mods download and update automatically on every start or restart.
On a manual setup without a panel, downloaded Workshop mods go under Mods/Workshop/<workshop-id>/, with the mod’s Info.json directly inside that folder, not inside another nested folder. Then open Mods/PalModSettings.ini, keep bGlobalEnableMod=True, leave WorkshopRootDir blank, and add one ActiveModList=<PackageName> line per mod, using the PackageName value from inside that mod’s Info.json. Save, then stop and start the server.
Pak and UE4SS mods on a server
Pak mods go in the server’s Pal/Content/Paks/~mods/ or LogicMods folder, exactly as the mod author specifies. The two folders are not interchangeable, and the wrong one usually means the mod silently does nothing.
UE4SS script mods need UE4SS installed on the server first, in Pal/Binaries/Win64/ue4ss/Mods/, and the same UE4SS setup on every player’s machine for script mods that run client-side too. Some hosts offer a one-click UE4SS install or a ModPack tool that syncs the same mod folder to players; use it if yours does, because manual syncing across many players is where version mismatches creep in.
Keeping every player in sync
Version matching is the whole job. When Palworld patches, or when any mod updates, the server and all players must move together. Tell your players before you update anything, and give them the exact mod list and versions. If a player cannot join after a change, the cause is almost always a version mismatch: one side updated and the other did not.
Test changes with one friend before rolling them out to the whole server. A mod that works fine alone can conflict with another mod in ways that only show up when both are loaded.
When the server will not start or players cannot join
Server fails to start: an incompatible or outdated mod is the likely cause. Remove the most recently added mod and try again, then add mods back one at a time.
Players cannot join: check version matching first, then check that every server-side mod is installed on the player’s machine too. A player missing one server mod, or running a different version of it, will be blocked.
Mods load but do nothing: check the folder. Pak mods in the wrong folder and script mods outside the UE4SS Mods directory both fail silently.
Server lags or crashes under mods: remove the most recent additions first, and check whether a mod touches world generation or AI, since those are the heaviest.
Frequently asked questions
Do all players need the mods installed? For server-side mods, yes, at matching versions. For client-only mods, no, each player decides.
Do Workshop mods update automatically on a server? On panels with Workshop support, yes, on every start or restart. On a manual setup, you update them yourself.
Can I mix Workshop, pak, and UE4SS mods? Yes, as long as each is installed by its own correct path and the versions match across server and players.
What happens when Palworld updates? Some mods break. Check each mod page for an update after every patch before restarting the server, and keep the pre-patch backup until you have confirmed the server runs clean.
Start with a small set of server-side quality-of-life mods, confirm every regular player can join, and only then grow the list. A stable short mod list beats a long broken one.