Palworld Server Settings Not Applying: Edit the Active INI

Match this symptom

The server starts normally, but its name, player limit, password or gameplay values remain unchanged after editing an INI.

The answer first

Stop the server, copy the SaveGames tree and both INI files, then edit Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/PalWorldSettings.ini—not DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini. Prove the path with one harmless value before changing the full OptionSettings tuple.

Gone Wrong Servers expert settings screen used to review a Palworld configuration safely — Representative Gone Wrong Servers screen. Router and game screens vary by version; follow the written checks rather than matching button placement.

Protect the state before touching configuration

A settings problem is not a reason to risk the only world. Use Palworld's documented /Save and /Shutdown maintenance path, confirm the process has ended, and copy the complete SaveGames directory plus the current active and reference INIs outside the installation folder.

Keep the broken INI too. Its exact punctuation and encoding are evidence; replacing it immediately makes the original cause harder to find.

1Warn connected players and run /Save.
2Run /Shutdown with a countdown, then verify PalServer.exe is no longer running.
3Copy Pal/Saved/SaveGames and Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/PalWorldSettings.ini to a dated recovery folder.

Confirm which INI Palworld actually reads

Pocketpair ships DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini in the installation root as a reference. The active Windows dedicated-server file is Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/PalWorldSettings.ini. Editing only the reference file does not configure the running world.

If the active destination does not exist after the first run, create its directory and copy the complete official reference content into it while the server is stopped.

Reference: <server-root>/DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini
Active Windows file: <server-root>/Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/PalWorldSettings.ini
Active section: [/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings]

Validate the one-line OptionSettings value

Most values sit inside one OptionSettings=(...) structure. A missing comma, unmatched quote, duplicated key or smart quote introduced by a rich-text editor can invalidate the intended values. Compare the entire line with Pocketpair's current configuration reference instead of repairing only the visible field.

Do not paste secrets into a public validator. Make the syntax check locally, and rotate a join or administrator password if it appeared in screenshots or support logs.

1Restore a known-good copy if the tuple is visibly damaged.
2Change only ServerName to a distinctive test value.
3Start, verify the new name, stop cleanly, and only then apply the remaining edits in small batches.

Separate launch arguments from INI settings

The launch line can set the listener, player limit and Community Server behavior. PublicPort is an advertisement value and does not replace the listener selected by -port=. A working INI cannot correct an inaccurate launch argument or a service wrapper that starts a different installation directory.

Record the exact executable path, working directory and arguments shown by the service. After correction, complete a save/restart cycle and confirm the same world before reopening access.

Use PalServer.exe from the intended installation root for the documented manual flow.
Use -port=<value> for the UDP player listener.
Use -publiclobby only when a Community Server listing is intended.