# How to Back Up and Restore Your Palworld Server (Save Migration) (/docs/palworld/backup-restore) import { Step, Steps } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/steps'; import { Tab, Tabs } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/tabs'; Palworld saves are sensitive to corruption — especially in early access — and the migration process is full of gotchas. This page covers backing up your server, restoring from a panel backup, and the **DedicatedServerName trick** that lets you move a save between hosts without losing player progress. Where Saves Live [#where-saves-live] Palworld stores everything important in two places: ``` Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0// Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/ ``` | Path | What's In It | | ----------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `SaveGames/0//` | The actual world: bases, players, Pals, world state | | `Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini` | Server settings | | `Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini` | Contains the `DedicatedServerName` GUID — **critical for migration** | The `` is a randomly-generated GUID like `D4F8A3E9C73B4A2BABC123456789ABCD`. It's how Palworld links the save folder to the running server instance. Method 1: Panel Backup (Easiest) [#method-1-panel-backup-easiest] Stop your server from **Console** in the [XGamingServer Panel](https://panel.xgamingserver.com). Open the **Backups** tab and click **Create Backup**. Name it something meaningful (e.g. `pre-update-2026-04`) and confirm. The panel backup captures the entire server directory — saves, configs, and the DedicatedServerName link. To restore: **Backups** → **...** → **Restore**. Method 2: Manual Download [#method-2-manual-download] For full portability (e.g. moving to a different host) you need both folders. Stop the server. In **Files**, navigate to: ``` Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/ ``` Inside you'll see one folder named with a long GUID — that's your world. Right-click → **Compress** to zip it, then **Download**. Also download: ``` Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini ``` Keep all three files together — losing any one of them makes restoration much harder. How Often to Back Up [#how-often-to-back-up] | Trigger | Why | | ------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | | Before any game update | Updates have wiped saves more than once in EA | | Before changing major settings | Some settings can corrupt the world if changed live | | Daily on a schedule | General hygiene | | Before installing/removing mods | Mods can corrupt saves on rollback | | After a major build session | Protect player progress | The `bIsUseBackupSaveData=True` setting in `PalWorldSettings.ini` (default on) makes the server keep an internal rolling backup, but this is **not a substitute** for panel backups — internal backups live in the same volume and don't survive a disk failure. Migration: Moving a Save to a New Host [#migration-moving-a-save-to-a-new-host] This is the part that trips everyone up. **Don't just copy the SaveGames folder** — Palworld won't find it because the new host generated a different `DedicatedServerName`. The DedicatedServerName Trick [#the-dedicatedservername-trick] On your **old server**, open `Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini` and find the line: ```ini DedicatedServerName=D4F8A3E9C73B4A2BABC123456789ABCD ``` Copy that GUID value. Stop the new XGamingServer Palworld server. Open its `GameUserSettings.ini` and replace its `DedicatedServerName=` value with the GUID you copied. Upload your old `SaveGames/0//` folder to the new server's `Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/`. The folder name **must match** the GUID you put in `GameUserSettings.ini`. (Optional) Upload your old `PalWorldSettings.ini` if you want to keep your old settings. Start the server. Players see their old characters, bases, and Pals. > **Critical:** Do NOT copy `GameUserSettings.ini` directly between hosts. The new host has its own GUID; you only copy the `DedicatedServerName=` line. Copying the whole file can break authentication. Migration: Co-op to Dedicated (Player Save Fix) [#migration-co-op-to-dedicated-player-save-fix] If you're moving a co-op save (single-player hosted) to a dedicated server, the world transfers fine but **player characters get reset** because their identity is tied to the host's Steam ID. This is a separate problem with its own solution — see [Character Save Fix](/docs/palworld/character-save-fix). Restoring After a Crash [#restoring-after-a-crash] If your save is corrupted or the world refuses to load: Stop the server immediately. Don't let it write more bad state. Check `Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0//Players/` and `Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0//SaveData/`. If `bIsUseBackupSaveData=True`, the server has a `.sav.bak` of each file alongside the original. Restore the most recent panel backup (Method 1 above). This is what panel backups exist for. If the panel backup is too old, manually copy `.sav.bak` files over the `.sav` files in the save folder. Start the server. If it still crashes, restore from an even older backup. Palworld save corruption is sometimes hours-deep. Related Guides [#related-guides] * [Character Save Fix](/docs/palworld/character-save-fix) * [World Saves](/docs/palworld/world-saves) * [Memory Leak Fix](/docs/palworld/memory-leak-fix) * [Server Settings](/docs/palworld/server-settings) * [Wipe & Reset](/docs/palworld/wipe-reset)