How to Back Up and Restore a Palworld Server

Keep a complete copy of your Palworld save, restore a world, and check that your players and progress are ready to use.

Reference review: September 9, 2026. Check the linked documentation for later game updates.

A backup is useful when you can restore it and join the recovered world. Before an update, mod change, or move, keep a separate copy of the world and record which server version created it.

World saves and backups serve different purposes

Saving writes your current progress. A backup keeps an earlier copy you can return to. Pocketpair provides an automatic world-backup setting, while hosting plans may also include panel-managed backups. Check the location, schedule, and retention of the backups you use; do not assume every copy is stored separately from the running server.

Pocketpair documents bIsUseBackupSaveData in its configuration reference. The server creates a backup directory when it is enabled. Your hosting panel's backup allocation is a separate part of your plan.

Make a manual backup

Tell your group you are making a backup and ask players to log out.
Save through the server controls, then stop the server cleanly and wait for it to finish.
Use your host's backup/export controls or download the complete active world folder. Keep player data together with the world files.
Copy relevant settings and record the date, game build, and installed mods alongside the backup.
Store a copy somewhere you can access even if the original server is unavailable.

If administering in game, Pocketpair documents /Save and a timed /Shutdown after authentication with the admin password. Follow its command guide. Avoid a forced exit when you can shut down normally.

Restore a complete world

Choose a backup from before the problem and note how much newer progress will be rolled back.
Stop the destination server. Make a separate copy of its current world, even if that world has a problem.
Use the host's restore function, or restore a complete matching world/player snapshot into the active save location. Confirm the destination directory before replacing files.
Use a compatible game version and check any required mods. Do not mix unrelated player files and world snapshots.
Start the server, check its console, and join to verify the expected world and character.

Check recovery before you need it

When possible, try a restore on a separate test server first. Keep the original backup until you have confirmed the recovered world works.

What to check after restoring

Inspect your character, inventory, Pals, bases, and guild access. Ask another player to check their character too. Make a small change, save, restart cleanly, and reconnect to confirm the change persists.

If you see an empty world or a new-character prompt, stop before creating new progress. Confirm the active world folder, the snapshot you restored, and whether the save originally came from co-op. The transfer guide explains the extra character check for co-op worlds. Contact support with the version and error rather than repeatedly overwriting files.