Server backups and world recovery
Palworld worlds can corrupt after a crash, so a rotating backup schedule is not optional. Copy the save directory on a timer and keep several generations, not just the newest.
Updated for the current Palworld patch
- ✓What to back up
- ✓Schedule and retention
- ✓Restore procedure
- ✓Growth and pruning
What to back up
The entire save folder for the world, including player data. Copying a single file is how people restore a world with missing characters.
Schedule and retention
Snapshot at least hourly during active play and keep 24 hours plus a daily for a week. Corruption is often noticed a day late.
Restore procedure
Stop the server, move the broken save aside, copy a known-good snapshot into place, start the server and verify one player logs in before letting the group back on.
Growth and pruning
Save size grows with abandoned bases and stray items. Removing dead bases and unclaimed structures keeps both size and CPU load down.
Before every update
Take a manual snapshot before applying a game patch. It is the cheapest insurance against a migration bug.