Palworld Server Password Not Working or Not Saving: Fixes

Palworld Server Password Not Working or Not Saving: Fixes

Setting up a Palworld dedicated server can sometimes lead to frustrating errors, specifically around password entry, Steam-vs-EOS platform mismatches, and server visibility. As of 2026, several community-discovered fixes exist for these common hosting problems. (Getting "Connection Timed Out" instead? That has its own causes - see the Palworld connection timed out guide.)

Server or Admin Password Not Working, Not Saving or "Does Not Match"

If the server keeps asking for an old password, says the password does not match, or refuses the admin password you typed correctly, the server is usually running with a different password than the one in your file. We tested the first five causes below on the Palworld dedicated server (v1.0.5) by changing PalWorldSettings.ini and reading back what the server actually applied.

1. The server was running when you edited the file. The server reads PalWorldSettings.ini when it starts and writes it back when it shuts down, with the values it started with. A password changed while the server runs is overwritten at the next stop. Stop the server, edit the file, then start it.
2. The settings are split over two lines. All settings must stay on the single OptionSettings=(...) line. The server ignores everything after a line break, so a password that ended up on a second line is never read, and the server still starts without any error.
3. A quote is missing or extra. Write each password inside double quotes, for example ServerPassword="mypass", and never use a " inside the password. An unclosed quote makes the server read the text after it as part of the same value, which swallows the next setting.
4. The key name is misspelled. The server skips any setting it does not recognise and logs nothing about it. Upper and lower case do not matter (expRate works the same as ExpRate), but a typo such as AdminPasword is ignored.
5. The key is in the line twice. When a setting such as AdminPassword appears twice, the first one counts and the second is ignored.
6. You edited the sample file. DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini in the server folder is only a sample, and changes to it do nothing. The server reads Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini on Linux.

On a Supercraft server, change the passwords in the control panel and restart the server to apply them. Every other key in the file is explained in the PalWorldSettings.ini settings guide.

Common Fix: The "No Password" Error

If you receive a "No Password" error when trying to join your dedicated server via IP address, follow these steps:

1. Click on Community Servers in the Palworld menu.
2. Select a random server from the list that HAS a password (indicated by the lock icon).
3. When prompted for a password, enter ANY text and click OK. It will fail.
4. Go back to the bottom and paste your dedicated server IP and Port.
5. Click Connect. The game should now correctly prompt for YOUR server's password.

Steam vs Xbox/EOS: Who Can Actually Join

A frequent "can't connect" case is a platform mismatch, not a network problem:

• Steam players can join any Steam dedicated server directly by IP and port.
• Xbox and Microsoft Store (Game Pass) players can only join servers started with -publiclobby, which enables Epic Online Services (EOS) networking - without it, the server is invisible to them no matter what the firewall says.
• Mixed groups should verify the crossplay matrix first: see Palworld Crossplay (2026).

For "Connection Timed Out" errors (ports, zombie processes, config-load failures), follow the dedicated connection timed out troubleshooting guide instead - that error has its own checklist.

Network Settings for Stability

When a connection failure leaves no obvious clue in the settings, the server log usually names the cause. Paste it into the free Palworld log analyzer to have the EOS, port and startup errors picked out for you.

In your PalWorldSettings.ini, ensure bIsMultiplay=True and bIsUseBackupSaveData=True are set.

Reliable Palworld Server Hosting

Tired of troubleshooting password bugs? At Supercraft's Palworld hosting, our Palworld dedicated servers come with an optimized startup script that bypasses common password glitches and ensures 100% uptime with automated health checks.