How to Manually Add Non-Steam Mods on Your Palworld Server
Step-by-step guide to install UE4SS and manually add non-Steam mods to your Palworld server, with troubleshooting tips for stable play.
Catching legendary Pals and building the ultimate automated breeding farm in Palworld is an incredible experience, but sometimes the base game just is not enough. While the Steam Workshop has plenty of great options, some of the most powerful and game-changing modifications are found on third-party sites like Nexus Mods.
Installing these non-Steam mods requires a bit more hands-on work because they rely on a script injector called UE4SS to function properly on dedicated servers. If you are looking to push your PW server to the absolute limit with custom scripts and advanced tweaks, this guide will show you exactly how to get UE4SS and your manual mods installed safely!
Step - By - Step Guide
If you want to use a non-Steam mod downloaded from a third-party site, you will need to install UE4SS first so the server can inject the scripts properly.
Navigate to Actions > Shutdown to completely stop your server before modifying any files. Modifying active server files can easily corrupt your world save.
Open the File Manager on your server panel (or connect via FTP using a client like FileZilla).
Navigate to the following path:
/Pal/Binaries/Win64/.
Upload your extracted UE4SS files directly into this
Win64directory.
Inside the newly uploaded UE4SS folder structure, locate the Mods directory.
Upload your manually downloaded mod files directly into that Mods folder.
Navigate to Actions > Restart to boot your server back up with your manual mods active!
Troubleshooting and Tips
If your server crashes on startup or your new mods are not loading into the game, try running through these quick troubleshooting checks:
Client and Server Must Match: For the vast majority of mods, every single player connecting to your server must have the exact same mod installed on their local machine. If a guild member tries to join without the mod, they will usually receive a connection timeout or version mismatch error.
Double-check the Folder Path: A common mistake is placing script-based mods into the standard
~modspak folder instead of the UE4SSModsfolder. Always check the installation instructions provided by the mod author on the download page to ensure you are dropping the files in the right place.Keep UE4SS Updated: Palworld receives frequent updates. When a major patch drops, it can sometimes break UE4SS. If your server refuses to start after a game update, you may need to check the UE4SS GitHub page for a newer version or temporarily remove the tool until a fix is released.
Check dependencies: Some mods require other base mods to function. Always read the requirements section on the third-party site to ensure you are not missing any core files.
Conclusion
Taking the time to manually install UE4SS opens up a massive library of third-party creations for your Palworld community. By dropping the right files into your binaries folder, you give your server the ability to run complex scripts that completely transform how you play. Load up your favorite non-Steam mods, reboot the server, and get back to exploring the Palpagos Islands!
If you encounter any issues or have further questions, feel free to contact our support team for assistance!