Adding UE4SS mods to a Palworld server can give your multiplayer world new features, automation, balance changes, admin tools, or deeper gameplay tweaks. It also adds risk. A broken UE4SS install, outdated mod, wrong folder path, or client-only mod can stop the server from starting, cause crashes, or affect save data.

This guide is specifically for UE4SS mods. It is not a general .pak mod guide, Steam Workshop guide, PalSchema guide, or official PalModSettings.ini guide. Standard UE4SS mods use the server’s Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods folder when UE4SS is installed with the current layout.

What You Need Before Installing UE4SS Mods

Before installing UE4SS mods on a Palworld server, you need a Windows dedicated Palworld server or a hosting setup that supports UE4SS. Native Linux servers should not be treated as UE4SS-ready unless the host, mod author, and current documentation clearly say that setup works.

You also need the UE4SS modding framework installed on the server. This is required because UE4SS mods do not load by themselves. The UE4SS framework acts as the loader that lets Lua mods, C++ mods, and other UE4SS-based Palworld mods run.

On Pine Hosting Palworld servers, the UE4SS modding framework is preinstalled. That means you can skip the manual UE4SS framework setup and upload UE4SS mods directly to the correct ue4ss\Mods folder.

On a self-hosted Palworld server, you usually need to install the UE4SS modding framework manually before adding any UE4SS mods.

You also need administrator access to the server machine or hosting panel, access to server files through File Manager or SFTP, an archive tool such as 7-Zip, and a UE4SS-compatible mod downloaded from a trusted source such as Nexus Mods, CurseForge, Thunderstore, or the mod author’s official page.

Players should disconnect before you start. Stop the server before copying, deleting, or editing mod files.

Make a backup of your world first. For a SteamCMD server installed in the example path used here, copy this folder:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Saved

Save it somewhere outside the live server folder, such as:

D:\PalworldBackups\Saved-before-ue4ss-mods-2026-06-26

If your server uses a different install location, find the folder that contains PalServer.exe, then open Pal\Saved.

Back up that entire Saved folder before continuing.

Understand What UE4SS Does

UE4SS stands for Unreal Engine 4/5 Scripting System. It is a modding framework used by many Unreal Engine games. For Palworld, UE4SS is commonly required by Lua mods, C++ mods, admin tools, script-based mods, and some advanced gameplay mods.

UE4SS itself is not usually the gameplay mod. It is the framework that allows UE4SS mods to run. Installing a UE4SS mod without the UE4SS modding framework installed on the server is one of the most common reasons the mod does nothing.

Current UE4SS installs usually place the proxy DLL in the game or server Win64 folder, while UE4SS files, settings, and mods live inside a ue4ss subfolder.

For a Palworld dedicated server, the important self-hosted path usually looks like this:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64

After the UE4SS modding framework is installed correctly, you should see a layout similar to this:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\dwmapi.dllC:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\UE4SS.dllC:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\UE4SS-settings.iniC:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods

Your UE4SS mods go in:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods

Do not put normal UE4SS mods in:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Mods\Workshop

Do not enable normal UE4SS mods through:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Mods\PalModSettings.ini

Those paths are for Palworld’s official server mod system and Workshop-style packages, not the standard manual UE4SS mod setup.

Check Whether The Mod Is Actually A UE4SS Server Mod

Open the mod page before downloading anything. Read the description, requirements, install instructions, comments, and update notes.

Confirm that the mod requires UE4SS, RE-UE4SS, or a Palworld-compatible UE4SS build.

The mod should support your current Palworld version. It should also support dedicated servers if you are installing it on the server. If the mod is client-only, it belongs on each player’s PC instead of only on the server.

Some UE4SS mods must be installed on both the server and every player’s client. Some are server-only. Some are client-only. Do not guess. Follow the mod author’s instructions.

If the downloaded archive only contains .pak files, it may not be a UE4SS mod. If it contains folders such as Scripts, dlls, enabled.txt, or instructions to edit mods.txt, it is more likely to be a UE4SS mod.

Download UE4SS For A Self-Hosted Server

Dedicated hosting may already include the UE4SS modding framework, but self-hosting usually requires a manual UE4SS setup.

For a self-hosted Windows server, download UE4SS only from a trusted source. Use a Palworld-compatible UE4SS build when the mod author or Palworld modding documentation recommends one.

Download the archive to a safe folder outside your server, such as:

D:\PalworldModDownloads\UE4SS

Extract the archive before uploading or copying files. Do not copy the compressed .zip, .7z, or .rar directly into the server folder.

A correct UE4SS package should usually include:

dwmapi.dllue4ss\

Inside the ue4ss folder, you should usually see files and folders such as:

UE4SS.dllUE4SS-settings.iniMods

If your chosen UE4SS setup requires MemberVariableLayout.ini, place MemberVariableLayout.ini inside the ue4ss folder exactly as instructed by the Palworld UE4SS setup guide you are following.

Install UE4SS On A Self-Hosted Palworld Server

Stop the Palworld server first.

Open your server root folder. In this guide, the example server root is:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer

From there, open:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64

Copy dwmapi.dll into the Win64 folder.

Copy the entire ue4ss folder into the same Win64 folder.

A correct self-hosted layout looks like this:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\dwmapi.dllC:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\UE4SS.dllC:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\UE4SS-settings.iniC:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods

If you previously installed an older UE4SS version, remove old loader files before using the new layout. Older installs may use files such as xinput1_3.dll. Mixing old and new UE4SS loader layouts can cause crashes or prevent UE4SS from loading correctly.

Start the server once with the UE4SS modding framework installed but no new gameplay mods added. Then stop it again. This confirms the framework can load before you add extra UE4SS mods.

Configure UE4SS For Palworld

Open:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\UE4SS-settings.ini

For normal Palworld server use, these settings are commonly recommended:

bUseUObjectArrayCache=falseGuiConsoleEnabled=0GuiConsoleVisible=0

The bUseUObjectArrayCache=false setting can help avoid Palworld performance issues. The GuiConsoleEnabled=0 and GuiConsoleVisible=0 settings are better for normal server use because the UE4SS GUI console is mainly useful for mod development.

Save UE4SS-settings.ini and close the editor.

Download A UE4SS Mod From A Trusted Modding Page

Download the UE4SS mod from a trusted page such as Nexus Mods, CurseForge, Thunderstore, or the mod author’s own official page.

Use a download folder such as:

D:\PalworldModDownloads

Extract the archive into its own folder before touching the live server.

For example:

D:\PalworldModDownloads\MyUE4SSMod

Inspect the extracted files. A UE4SS Lua mod often has a structure like:

MyUE4SSMod\Scripts\main.lua

A UE4SS C++ mod may have a structure like:

MyUE4SSMod\dlls\main.dll

Always follow the mod author’s folder structure. Do not rename folders unless the mod page tells you to.

Copy The UE4SS Mod To The Server

Stop the Palworld server.

Open the UE4SS mods folder:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods

Copy the extracted mod folder into that folder.

A correct Lua mod layout may look like this:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods\MyUE4SSMod\Scripts\main.lua

A correct C++ mod layout may look like this:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods\MyCppMod\dlls\main.dll

Avoid putting the mod one folder too deep. This mistake often happens after extracting archives.

Wrong:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods\MyUE4SSMod-1.2.0\MyUE4SSMod\Scripts\main.lua

Usually correct:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods\MyUE4SSMod\Scripts\main.lua

The folder name matters because UE4SS may use that folder name when reading mods.txt.

Enable The UE4SS Mod

Open:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods\mods.txt

If the mod author says to enable the mod through mods.txt, add a new line using the exact mod folder name:

MyUE4SSMod : 1

For example:

CheatManagerEnablerMod : 1ConsoleCommandsMod : 1MyUE4SSMod : 1; Built-in keybinds, do not move up!Keybinds : 1

Do not place your new mod line above everything else if the file already contains built-in UE4SS entries. Keep the file readable and preserve existing entries.

If the mod author says to use enabled.txt, make sure the mod folder contains:

enabled.txt

For example:

C:\steamcmd\steamapps\common\PalServer\Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods\MyUE4SSMod\enabled.txt

If the mod already includes enabled.txt, you usually do not need to create another one.

Save mods.txt, close the editor, and restart the server.

Verify The UE4SS Mod Loaded

After restart, check the server console and UE4SS log output for errors. If UE4SS creates or updates a log file, check inside the ue4ss folder.

Look for obvious problems such as:

failed to loadmissing dependencyscript errorcould not findoutdatedcrash

Join with one test account before inviting everyone back. Confirm that the server starts, players can connect, the mod’s feature actually works, and the server remains stable for several minutes.

Only add the next UE4SS mod after the first one works. Installing several mods at once makes troubleshooting much harder.

How To Install UE4SS Mods With Dedicated Palworld Server Hosting

Manual self-hosting requires more setup. You have to download the UE4SS modding framework, choose the correct Palworld-compatible build, place dwmapi.dll in the correct Win64 folder, upload the ue4ss folder, configure UE4SS-settings.ini, check the mod folder structure, edit mods.txt, restart, and troubleshoot logs yourself.

Dedicated Palworld server hosting can make the UE4SS workflow cleaner because the server files, restarts, console output, backups, schedules, and support tools are handled from a panel instead of a home PC.

With Pine Hosting, the UE4SS modding framework is preinstalled for Palworld servers, so you do not need to manually upload the UE4SS loader before adding UE4SS mods. Instead, the workflow is simpler: log in to the panel, select your Palworld server, stop the server, open File Manager, and upload the extracted UE4SS mod folder to the same path used by a normal dedicated server:

Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods

After uploading the mod folder, edit mods.txt if the mod requires it, start the server again, and watch the console for errors.

The important part is that the panel does not change the UE4SS mod path. You still use the normal dedicated server path. The difference is that the UE4SS modding framework is already installed, and the panel gives you easier access to file management, restarts, logs, backups, schedules, and support.

Common UE4SS Mod Mistakes

The most common mistake is installing a UE4SS mod without having the UE4SS modding framework installed on the server first. UE4SS mods require the framework to load. On Pine Hosting Palworld servers, UE4SS is preinstalled. On self-hosted servers, you usually need to install it manually.

Another common mistake is using a Linux server and expecting UE4SS to work like a normal .pak mod. UE4SS depends on the Windows server environment unless your host clearly provides a supported compatibility setup.

Another common mistake is uploading the archive instead of extracting it. The server cannot use:

MyUE4SSMod.zip

You need the extracted folder.

A third common mistake is uploading the mod to the wrong folder. For standard UE4SS mods, use:

Pal\Binaries\Win64\ue4ss\Mods

Do not use:

Mods\WorkshopPal\Content\Paks\~modsPal\Content\Paks\LogicMods

unless the mod author specifically says the mod is not a normal UE4SS mod and gives those instructions.

A fourth mistake is forgetting to enable the mod. If the mod requires a mods.txt entry, the line must match the mod folder name:

MyUE4SSMod : 1

Finally, do not assume every UE4SS mod belongs only on the server. Some mods must be installed on each player’s PC. Always check the mod page before telling players the server install is enough.

Give Your UE4SS-Modded Palworld Server A Better Home

For a modded world that needs UE4SS support, file access, backups, logs, and quick restarts, start with Pine Hosting’s Palworld server hosting before asking players to rely on a home PC.

You still need to choose safe mods, keep backups, follow the mod author’s instructions, and test updates carefully. But hosting gives you a cleaner place to do that work. Preinstalled UE4SS, File Manager access, console output, scheduled restarts, backup tools, and support all matter when one mod update can decide whether the server opens smoothly or stays offline.