How to Convert a Co-op Save to a Dedicated Palworld Server
Moving a co-op or singleplayer Palworld save to a dedicated server requires an extra step — the host's character gets detached and needs to be remapped with a community tool.
The Problem
When you take a co-op or singleplayer save and move it to a dedicated server, most of the world transfers fine — but the host player's character does not. The host shows up as a brand new character on first login. Their Pals, items, base progress, and XP appear to be gone.
This happens because co-op saves tie the host's character to a local UUID. Dedicated servers generate a new UUID for every player on first connection, and those UUIDs don't match.
This is different from uploading a save that was already created on a dedicated server — that process works fine without any extra steps. See How to Upload a World Save if that's your situation.
What You Need
- Your co-op save files (the
Level.savand thePlayers/folder) - The community tool palworld-host-save-fix by xNul: https://github.com/xNul/palworld-host-save-fix
- Python 3 installed on your local machine to run the tool
- A backup of your save files before you touch anything
Step-by-Step
Step 1 — Back up your saves
Before doing anything else, copy your entire save folder somewhere safe. This process is reversible only if you have a backup.
Step 2 — Upload the save to your server
Copy the Level.sav and the Players/ folder into:
Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/{YourWorldName}/
If you're not sure of the world folder name, check Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini for the DedicatedServerName value — that's the folder name.
Step 3 — Start the server and log in as the host
Start the server with the uploaded save. Connect with the same Steam account that was the co-op host. The server will generate a new player UUID for that account and create a fresh character. This is expected — don't panic.
Step 4 — Stop the server
Shut the server down cleanly. You now have two things in Players/:
- The old host character file (from the co-op save)
- The new blank character file (just generated by the server for your account)
Step 5 — Run palworld-host-save-fix
Follow the tool's README on GitHub for exact usage. The short version:
python fix_host_save.py <save_folder> <old_uuid> <new_uuid>
You'll need to identify the old UUID (from the co-op save filename in Players/) and the new UUID (from the file the server just created for you). The tool remaps the old character data to your new server UUID.
Step 6 — Replace the player save and restart
After the tool runs, it outputs a corrected player save file. Place it in the Players/ folder, overwriting the blank one the server created. Start the server and log in — your character, Pals, and progress should be there.
Non-Host Players
Non-host players from the co-op session transfer correctly without any tools. Their save files use their own SteamID-derived UUIDs, which carry over to the dedicated server automatically.
Backup Warning
Say it again: always back up before running any save conversion tool. If something goes wrong and you don't have a backup, the character data is gone permanently.