Import a save or map to your Palworld server

You've already spent dozens of hours solo building your base, filling your Palbox and turning a nice beach into a frankly questionable industrial zone, but you'd like to level up?

At nitroserv, we thought of you: we developed an exclusive tool to let you import your Palworld save to your nitroserv server. Switch from a solo or P2P save to an adventure with your friends, available 24/7, while keeping all your progression!

On Palworld, people often talk about "importing a map", but the game actually saves an entire world: explored terrain, bases, chests, guilds, Pals and characters.

Quick Summary

To import your Palworld save:

1. open your server from the nitroserv Manager ;
2. start your server and leave it on ;
3. click on the Map Import tab ;
4. Click on "Choose a zip" if you have an already archived export, or "Choose a folder" to directly select your Steam save folder ;
5. let the tool analyze your save ;
6. connect to the server to create characters to associate ;
7. associate old characters with new ones ;
8. launch the conversion ;
9. reconnect once the server has restarted.

Keep in mind:

1. For a standard Steam save on Windows, the folder to open is %LOCALAPPDATA%\Pal\Saved\SaveGames\
2. Keep your server on during character preparation and association. The tool will then handle stopping it, importing the save, and restarting it automatically.
3. We designed our Palworld import tool to retrieve your world, bases, chests, Pals of course, guilds, characters, and progression linked to your save. It can import a Palworld save whether it comes from a solo Steam game, coop/P2P, an old dedicated server, or even another host!
4. After import, remember to check your server configuration from the nitroserv Manager: server name, password, crossplay, XP rate, incubation, PvP, difficulty, etc.

Regarding consoles

Console saves cannot currently be imported directly to a Palworld dedicated server. On Xbox and PS5, saves are managed by the console and cloud, but world files are not accessible like on PC.

To import a save, you must start from a PC save, ideally Steam, or possibly PC Game Pass / Microsoft Store in some cases.

Step 1: Open Map Import

From the nitroserv Manager :

1. open your Palworld server ;
2. start it if it's not already running, and leave it on
3. open the Map Import tab.

You'll arrive at the Palworld dedicated import tool :

Step 2: Choose your ZIP or save folder

Two options are available:

If you want to import a standard Steam save

If your save comes from Steam on Windows, click on Choose a folder instead.

In the window that opens, paste this path: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Pal\Saved\SaveGames\

You'll then see one or more folders, corresponding to Steam IDs.

Select the folder for your SteamID by clicking on it once, then click Import.

Important: don't go into the folder itself. For a standard Steam save, the tool expects the complete SteamID folder and handles the rest.

If you already have a ZIP archive

If your save is already compressed:

1. click on Choose a zip ;
2. select your .zip file ;
3. click on Open
   

This method is useful if your save comes from an old server, another host, or if you've already prepared it manually.

Step 3: Let the tool analyze the save

Once the folder or ZIP is selected, the tool analyzes your save: it verifies that necessary files are present, then prepares the import. Next step: associating characters!

Step 4: Connect to the server

When the analysis is complete, the tool asks you to associate characters from your old save with characters created on your nitroserv server.

To do this, you need to connect to the server in-game. If you don't know how to join your Palworld server, we've prepared a dedicated guide:

Join your Palworld server on PC or console

Once connected, Palworld will have you create a new character on the server.

Don't worry: this character mainly serves to link with the one from your old save.

Why do you need to associate characters?

When you switch from a solo or coop save to a dedicated server, Palworld doesn't always recognize players in exactly the same way.

To avoid losing your character, the nitroserv tool asks you to connect to the server during import.

It detects the new character created on the server, then lets you associate it with the character from your old save.

In short: you tell the tool "this new player on the server is the old player from my save".

This association is what allows you to properly recover the character's progression.

Step 5: Detect and associate characters

Once connected to the server:

1. go back to the import tool in the nitroserv Manager ;
2. click on Detect server characters ;
   
3. associate the different characters from the save you're importing with the new ones you and your friends just created on the server.

In this case, since CarryLafranc was the only character in the save we imported, the choice was pretty quick! If you import a coop save though, take time to verify that each player is linked to the right character.

Warning! Stay connected to your server throughout the process: if you disconnect before launching the import, your character won't be associated.

Step 6: Launch the conversion

Once characters are associated, click on Launch conversion.

The tool then displays a confirmation before starting the import:

The tool will then prepare the save, convert data if necessary, import your world to the server, associate characters, and finally restart the server automatically.

You don't need to stop the server manually: the tool handles it!

Step 7: Reconnect after restart

Once conversion is complete, the tool notifies you immediately:

Since the server was restarted automatically, you'll have been disconnected from the game: that's normal, you just need to reconnect to your server to find your imported world.

Also remember to let your friends know, so they don't stay waiting at a login screen like abandoned Pals ☝️🤓

After import: points to check

Once connected, quickly verify that everything is in place:

• the loaded world is the right one ;
• bases are present ;
• chests are still there ;
• guilds are correct ;
• characters have recovered their progression ;
• Pals are available ;
• important server settings still suit you.

Thanks to our regular backups, we always keep backups of previous states of your server. If there's an issue, we can go back.

Some known points after import

Pals stored in base

If some Pals stored in base don't attach correctly, remove them and pick them up again once in-game. This usually allows them to attach properly to the server.

Viewing Cage

If you used a Viewing Cage in your old save, remove it. It's not supported on dedicated servers and can cause issues after import.

A player still sees the character creation screen

If a player still sees the character creation screen after import, their character probably wasn't associated correctly. In this case, verify that the correct Steam profile or player ID was associated with the right character, then relaunch the import for that player if necessary.

Will my old server configuration also be imported?

The tool mainly imports the world, characters, Pals and progression.

After import, remember to check your server settings from the nitroserv Manager, especially XP rate, difficulty, death penalty, incubation time, multipliers, guild rules, PvP, crossplay, password or server name.

If you're migrating from another dedicated server, you can manually reapply its settings from our configuration interface.

Common issues

The tool can't find my save

Verify that you've selected the correct folder.

For a standard Steam save on Windows, open:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Pal\Saved\SaveGames\

Then select the folder corresponding to your SteamID.

Don't select an empty folder, a parent folder that's too large, or a subfolder that doesn't contain the entire expected save.

Analysis fails

If analysis fails, verify that your save contains the necessary files (and not, by any chance, scans of your ID documents 👀)

A Palworld save generally contains files like:

Level.sav
LevelMeta.sav
Players/

If you're using a ZIP, also verify that the archive doesn't add an unnecessary folder above the save.

I don't see my character in the association

Connect to the server in-game, then click on Detect server characters in the tool.

Stay connected during association.

If you disconnect before launching the import, the tool may not associate your character correctly.

My old world doesn't appear after import

Verify that you imported the correct folder or ZIP.

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Need help?

If your old world doesn't load, if a character lost its progression or your server doesn't restart after import, we're available on our Discord or via our Twitter account !

You can also contact us directly via ticket from your manager.