How to Join a Friend's Palworld Server
Joining a friend's Palworld dedicated server takes just the server address and, sometimes, a password. This guide covers every way to connect, how crossplay works between Steam and Xbox/Game Pass, and what to do when a server will not show up.
Co-op vs a dedicated server
Palworld has two multiplayer modes. In-game co-op is hosted straight from a player's game, supports up to 4 players, and only runs while that host is online. A dedicated server is a separate always-on world that supports up to 32 players and stays up 24/7. The way you join differs slightly between them.
Join by IP address and port
The most reliable way to join a dedicated server is by its address. Ask the server owner for the IP and port — it looks like 203.0.113.10:8211, where 8211 is the default Palworld game port.
If you rented your server on Flux, you do not need a numeric IP: your server has a permanent address in the form yourserver.app.runonflux.io, and you connect using that address plus the game port — the same IP:Port field, just with a domain instead of raw numbers (for example palworld-yourname.app.runonflux.io:32871). You will find the full address, port included and ready to copy, on your dashboard.
- Launch Palworld and choose Join Multiplayer Game (Dedicated Server).
- At the bottom of the server list, enter the server address in the IP:Port field (for example 203.0.113.10:8211).
- Click Connect. If the server has a password, you will be prompted for it.
- Once you connect, the server is saved so you can rejoin it quickly next time.
Use the community server list
Public dedicated servers can also appear in the in-game Community Servers browser. You can search by the server name the owner set in PalWorldSettings.ini. For a busy public list, joining by direct IP is usually faster and more reliable than scrolling the browser.
Palworld crossplay: Steam and Xbox/Game Pass
Crossplay is the most common source of confusion. Palworld is available on Steam and on Xbox/Microsoft Store (including Game Pass), and the two versions do not always share the same multiplayer plumbing. Dedicated-server crossplay support has expanded over time, but there are important caveats:
- A dedicated server can be configured to allow crossplay, but the server owner must enable the appropriate crossplay/platform settings for it to accept players from another platform.
- The connection experience differs by platform: Steam players typically join by IP and port, while Xbox/Game Pass players may rely on the in-game server browser and invites.
- If crossplay is not enabled or the platforms are incompatible for a given server, players on different stores may not be able to see or join the same dedicated server.
If you are setting up a server for a mixed Steam and Xbox group, confirm crossplay is enabled in the server configuration first, then test with one player from each platform before inviting everyone.
My friend's server won't show up — troubleshooting
If you cannot see or connect to a server, work through these in order:
- Double-check the IP and port. The default game port is UDP 8211 — a wrong port is the most common mistake.
- Confirm the server is actually online and that the owner has forwarded UDP 8211 (self-hosted servers often miss this).
- Make sure both of you are on the same game version — a server on an older or newer build than your client will not accept the connection.
- Verify crossplay settings if you and the owner are on different platforms (Steam vs Xbox/Game Pass).
- Try joining by direct IP instead of the community browser, which can be slow to refresh.
Servers hosted on Flux have the game port open by default and stay online 24/7, which removes the two most common causes — a closed port and an offline host machine.