To wipe Palworld server data, stop the server, back up the world, then remove or rename the world folder in Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/. On the next start the server generates a fresh world, and your PalWorldSettings.ini stays as it is. On TheGameHosting the whole job is Backups, Files and the Start button.
Groups wipe for many reasons: a new season with friends, a big patch, settings that turned the world too easy, or a save that keeps crashing. Before you delete anything, decide what kind of reset you really need, because some problems don’t need a wipe at all.
Full wipe, or just new settings?
| What you want | What to do | Players keep their progress? |
|---|---|---|
| Start over: new map, new characters | Full wipe: remove the world folder | No |
| Change rates, death penalty or difficulty | Edit PalWorldSettings.ini and restart | Yes |
| Fix lag after weeks of play | Restart the server, review bases and Pal count | Yes |
| Go back to a world from last week | Restore a backup instead of wiping | Back to that day |
If your goal is new rates, our PalWorldSettings.ini guide explains why some options don’t apply to an existing world (they are stored in WorldOption.sav) and how to handle it without wiping. If the server is slow, start with the Palworld lag fix guide.
Before you wipe a Palworld server
- Tell the group. Announce the date in your chat, and in game use
/Broadcast Wipe_tonight_at_9. The command is in Pocketpair’s command list. - Back up the old world. Even if nobody wants it now, someone will ask for a screenshot of their base later. See how to backup a Palworld server.
- Write down your settings. A wipe does not touch
Pal/Saved/Config, but a copy ofPalWorldSettings.inicosts nothing.
Wipe Palworld server data, step by step
- Save and stop. As admin, run
/Saveand then/Shutdown 60, or press Stop on the Console page of our panel. - Back up. In our panel, go to Backups → Create backup and name it “Before wipe”. On your own PC, copy the
Pal/Savedfolder somewhere safe. - Open the save folder. In Files, go to
Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/. You will see a folder with a long random name: that is the world. - Remove the world. Delete that folder, or rename it (for example add
-oldat the end) if you want to keep a copy on the server. A renamed folder still uses disk space. - Change settings now if you want. Open
Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini(orWindowsServer) and set the rates for the new world before it is created. - Start the server. It creates a new world folder, just like on its first start. Join, check that you spawn as a new character, and set your admin password again with
/AdminPassword.
Heads-up: a wipe removes every character, Pal, base and guild on that server, because all of them live inside the world folder. Players’ own co-op worlds on their PCs are not affected.
After the wipe, watch the Console page during the first start. Wait until the console shows the server is up before you tell the group to join, and have one person log in first to confirm everything is clean. If someone still sees their old base, they are probably connected to a different server address, so double-check the IP and port you shared.
If the old world comes back
The server loads the world named in DedicatedServerName inside Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini. If you renamed the old folder back by mistake, or restored a backup on top, that world loads again. Check that the old folder is really gone or renamed, then start once more.
If you want to undo the wipe, stop the server and restore the “Before wipe” copy from Backups. That is why the backup step is not optional.
Wipe night checklist
- Update the server first, so the new world starts on the latest version. Our update guide covers it.
- Set a fresh server password if you are changing who plays.
- Add a nightly task in Schedules that backs up and restarts the server, so the new world is protected from day one.
- Pick the location closest to the group with Location Changer, Dallas or Amsterdam, before the world grows.
Start your next Palworld season on TheGameHosting
On a Palworld server with TheGameHosting, a wipe takes a few clicks: Backups to keep the old world, Files to remove it, Console to start again. The server runs 24/7 without your PC on, on AMD 9950X/7950X3D CPUs with DDR5 and NVMe, with DDoS protection, and the same plan can switch to another game with the Game Changer. Palworld needs 8 GB of RAM or more, from $6.96 USD/month. Compare the server plans and use code FULL2026 for 15% off for life.
FAQ
How do I reset a Palworld server world?
Stop the server, back it up, then delete or rename the world folder in Pal/Saved/SaveGames/0/. The next start creates a new world.
Does wiping a Palworld server reset my settings?
No. PalWorldSettings.ini lives in Pal/Saved/Config, outside the world folder, so your rates stay unless you change them.
Can I wipe a Palworld server but keep characters?
Not with a normal wipe. Characters are stored inside the world folder, in Players, and they depend on that world. A full wipe means new characters.
Can I undo a Palworld wipe?
Only if you made a backup first. Stop the server and restore the copy from Backups in our panel, or put the old folder back in SaveGames/0.
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Written by TheGameHosting Team, the people who run our servers in Dallas and Amsterdam and answer your tickets.
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