Palworld Save File Locations
Where your world data, player data, and configuration files live on the server.
Server Save Directory
On a Palworld dedicated server, world data is stored in: Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/[WorldGUID]/
The [WorldGUID] is an alphanumeric string generated when the world is first created. Each world has its own folder. If you've reset the world, there may be multiple folders - the active one is the most recently modified.
On GameGrid, open the Files tab in your server panel and navigate to Pal → Saved → SaveGames → 0 → [WorldGUID].
Key Files
Level.sav - The main world data file. Contains all placed structures, spawned Pals, world state, and base camp data. This is the most important file for backups.
WorldOption.sav - a snapshot of certain gameplay settings taken when the world was created. Where it holds a value, the game reads it instead of PalWorldSettings.ini; the setting GameGrid tracks as shadowed is Workers per Base. Not every server has one. See the WorldOption.sav guide.
Players/ - A subfolder containing individual player save files. Each player has their own .sav file with their character data, inventory, level, and Pals.
backup/ - The server's internal rolling backup folder. Palworld keeps a few recent backups here automatically, but don't rely on this as your only backup strategy.
Configuration Files
Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/PalWorldSettings.ini - Primary server settings file. Contains server name, password, admin password, player limits, and gameplay rates.
Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/Engine.ini - Engine configuration. The platform appends a [Core.Log] section to it on start if one is missing, and otherwise leaves it alone, so your own sections survive. The query port is set by a launch flag rather than here.
The platform also rewrites parts of PalWorldSettings.ini on every start: the REST API is force-enabled on your allocated port + 2, and the public IP is set to the host's current one so a moved server does not advertise a stale address. Hand edits to those particular values will not survive a start.
Pal/Binaries/Win64/PalDefender/ - PalDefender's configuration, ban list, whitelist and the economy token. Also included in backups.
On GameGrid you change settings through the Settings tab, which writes the OptionSettings line correctly - you do not need to edit these files directly.
How GameGrid Backups Work
GameGrid takes an automatic backup daily, and another immediately before every update and every reinstall. They cover Pal/Saved, your .pak mods and the UE4SS stack, and they are archived off the host, encrypted and checksummed.
Automatic backups are retained as the last 7 backups or 7 days, whichever comes first, and do not count against your storage quota.
You can create your own at any time with "Create Backup Now" on the Backups tab. Manual backups count against a 30 GB quota, can be labelled and noted, and can be deleted whenever you like. Take one before any update, world reset or major configuration change.
To restore, open the Backups tab and click "Restore" on a backup in the "verified" state. The panel stops the server, applies the backup and starts it again; you do not stop it yourself.
Never edit or delete save files while the server is running - this can corrupt the world. Always stop the server first.