If your Palworld server settings keep reverting, it's almost always one of six things: you edited the file while the server was running, you edited the wrong file, a newline broke the settings line, a named difficulty is overriding your rates, a leftover WorldOption.sav is overriding the whole ini, or file permissions blocked the write. This is the complete checklist — the one nobody puts in a single place — so you can stop going in circles.
1. You edited while the server was running
This is the big one. A running Palworld server holds the config in memory and rewrites PalWorldSettings.ini on shutdown, wiping whatever you typed. Always stop the server first, then edit, then start it. If you edit live, your changes vanish the next time it restarts.
2. You edited the wrong file
There are two similarly-named files. DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini is a template the game copies from; editing it does nothing to a world that already exists. The live file you want is:
Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini
(On a Windows server it's the WindowsServer folder instead of LinuxServer.) If PalWorldSettings.ini doesn't exist yet, start the server once — it generates one from the default — then stop and edit that.
3. A newline broke the settings line
Every option lives on one line inside a single OptionSettings=(...) block. Paste a preset that wrapped across lines in your text editor and the parse breaks — usually everything after the newline is ignored. Keep it as one unbroken line:
[/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings] OptionSettings=(Difficulty=None,ExpRate=2.000000,PalCaptureRate=1.500000,DeathPenalty=None,ServerPlayerMaxNum=32)
4. A named difficulty is overriding your rates
If you set ExpRate or PalCaptureRate and they seem ignored, check Difficulty. A named difficulty (Casual, Normal, Hard) applies its own preset values and overrides your individual rates. To make your custom numbers stick, set Difficulty=None.
5. A leftover WorldOption.sav is overriding the ini
This one specifically bites people who migrated a world from co-op. If WorldOption.sav is present in the world's save folder, it overrides PalWorldSettings.ini entirely — so no matter what you edit, the imported world keeps its old settings. Delete WorldOption.sav from the world folder (with the server stopped), then set your rates in the ini. This is covered in the co-op migration guide too, because it's where it most often shows up.
6. File permissions or a read-only file
If none of the above applies, the server may not be able to write the file back — a read-only flag, wrong ownership, or editing over a half-broken SFTP session. Make sure the file is writable by the server process and that you saved as plain text (not .ini.txt).
The quick checklist
| Check | Fix |
|---|---|
| Server running while editing | Stop it first |
Edited DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini | Edit PalWorldSettings.ini instead |
| Settings wrapped onto multiple lines | Put it all on one line |
Difficulty set to a named preset | Set Difficulty=None |
WorldOption.sav present (migrated world) | Delete it |
| File read-only / bad permissions | Make it writable, save as plain text |
How do I avoid this entirely?
The whole problem is that you're hand-editing a fussy single-line file that the server can overwrite. A managed panel removes every failure mode above: you change values in a UI, and a config parser writes a valid file at restart — no running-server conflict, no wrong-file mistakes, no newline breakage.
On our Palworld hosting you set gameplay with sliders and toggles (plus one-click Casual/Balanced/Hardcore/PvP presets), so "settings won't save" simply can't happen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my Palworld server settings reset every restart?
Because you're editing while the server is running. It rewrites the config on shutdown and overwrites your changes. Stop the server, edit PalWorldSettings.ini, then start it.
I changed ExpRate but nothing happened — why?
A named Difficulty (Casual/Normal/Hard) overrides individual rates like ExpRate. Set Difficulty=None so your custom values apply.
Do I edit PalWorldSettings.ini or DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini?
PalWorldSettings.ini (in the LinuxServer/WindowsServer config folder). The Default file is only a template the game copies from. See the full config guide.
My migrated world ignores the ini — what's wrong?
A WorldOption.sav came across with the world and it overrides the ini. Delete it from the world's save folder with the server stopped, then set your rates in PalWorldSettings.ini.
Does the settings file need to be on one line?
Yes. Everything inside OptionSettings=(...) must be a single unbroken line. A newline in the middle breaks the parse and options after it are ignored.
Tired of fighting a text file? Configure a Palworld server and set everything from a panel — all 32 slots, presets built in.
