Running a Palworld dedicated server is a lot smoother once you can manage it without joining the game. Palworld ships with two ways to do exactly that: the classic RCON protocol and a modern REST API. Both let you list players, broadcast messages, save and shut down the server remotely — perfect for scripts, web panels and scheduled tasks. This guide covers how to enable and connect each one. For the actual list of admin commands, see "Palworld Commands for Server Administrators."

 

RCON vs. the REST API: which should you use?

 

Both expose the same admin actions; they just speak different languages.

 

• RCON is the long-standing game-server standard. Almost every server-admin tool, Discord bot and panel supports it out of the box, so it's the easiest to plug into existing tooling.
• REST API is Palworld's newer, HTTP-based interface. It returns clean JSON and is ideal if you're writing your own automation, dashboards or scripts with curl, Python or Node.

 

    You can enable both at once — they don't conflict. If you just want to fire commands from an existing admin app, start with RCON. If you're building custom automation, the REST API is friendlier.

 

Before you edit: stop the server

 

    Every setting below lives in PalWorldSettings.ini, under the [/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings] line as part of the long OptionSettings=(...) string.

 

• Always stop the server before editing the .ini. Palworld rewrites this file on shutdown, so any change you make while it's running gets overwritten on the next restart.
• Edit the value inside the OptionSettings=(...) parentheses, keep the comma-separated format intact, then save and start the server.
• For a full walkthrough of every option in this file, see palworld-best-server-settings-1.0..

 

    The one setting both methods depend on is AdminPassword — it's the credential RCON and the REST API authenticate with, so set a strong one first.

 

Enabling RCON

 

To turn on RCON, set these three values in OptionSettings:

 

• AdminPassword="your-strong-password" — used as the RCON password.
• RCONEnabled=True — switches the protocol on.
• RCONPort=25575 — the TCP port RCON listens on (25575 is the common default; pick any free port).

 

Save the file and start the server. RCON is now listening on that port.

 

 

Connecting an RCON client

 

Any RCON client works — standalone tools, Discord bots, or a hosting control panel. To connect, you need:

 

• Host/IP of your server.
• Port = the RCONPort you set.
• Password = your AdminPassword.

 

    Once connected, you issue the same admin commands you'd type in chat — for example ShowPlayers, Broadcast <msg>, Save, KickPlayer, BanPlayer and Shutdown <seconds> <message> — but remotely, and without needing to be in-game or send /AdminPassword in chat first. For what each command does, refer to "Palworld Commands for Server Administrators."

 

Enabling and using the REST API

 

    The REST API uses the same admin password but exposes HTTP endpoints instead. In OptionSettings, set:

 

• AdminPassword="your-strong-password"
• RESTAPIEnabled=True
• RESTAPIPort=8212 (default; pick any free port).

 

    Restart the server and it will serve HTTP endpoints for common tasks: listing online players, announcing a message, saving the world and shutting down the server. Requests authenticate with the admin password, and responses come back as JSON — easy to wire into a script that, say, posts the current player list to Discord or triggers a graceful save before a backup.

 

Security: lock it down

 

Remote management is powerful, so treat it carefully.

 

• Use a strong, unique AdminPassword. It's the only thing standing between the internet and full control of your server.
• Don't expose RCON/REST ports publicly unless you need to. Keep them off the public internet, or restrict access with a firewall to trusted IPs only. These ports are separate from the game's default 8211/UDP that players connect on.
• Change the default ports if you can, and never reuse the admin password elsewhere.

 

    A misconfigured open port with a weak password is one of the most common ways servers get hijacked — a few minutes of hardening here is well worth it.

 

On a gamever Palworld server

 

    On a gamever server, RCON and the REST API are easy to enable from the control panel, with the admin password and ports managed for you — no manual .ini editing or restart-timing required. Combined with one-click backups, you can safely script saves and graceful shutdowns around your maintenance windows. Planning for the 1.0 launch wave? Remote management makes it far easier to keep an eye on a busy server.

 

Conclusion

 

    RCON and the REST API turn Palworld server administration from a chore into something you can automate and run from anywhere. Enable the one that fits your tooling, set a strong AdminPassword, keep the ports locked down, and you've got reliable remote control over your world.

 

    Rent your Palworld server at gamever.io — instant setup, one-click backups and updates, online 24/7. Free trial, promo code WELCOME.