If you’ve ever accidentally punched a Pal merchant, stole a stack of high-quality metal from a settlement chest, or let your aggressive Fire-type Pal run wild near civilian NPCs, you know how quickly a wanted level can ruin your Palworld run. Figuring out how to get rid of wanted level in Palworld is one of the most essential skill gaps new players run into in their first 10 hours of play, and even veteran players can get stuck with a 5-star rating they can’t shake if they don’t know the right tricks. I’ve had my fair share of unwanted wanted levels after testing chaotic Pal team comps near guarded outposts, so I’ve pulled together every tested method to clear your status fast, no hacks or mods required.
How to Get Rid of Wanted Level in Palworld: Fastest Legit Methods
The best method to clear your wanted level depends entirely on your star rating, current gear, and how much gold or time you’re willing to spend. All the methods below work on every platform, including PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, and won’t risk you getting banned for exploiting the game. I’ve tested each one dozens of times across different playthroughs, so you can pick the option that fits your current situation best.
If you pick the hiding method and you’re still in early game without a remote base, you can hide in the starting forest’s cave system near the beach, which is almost never patrolled by guards. Never try to run through a settlement with an active wanted level, because every guard in the area will aggro on you, and you might accidentally hit innocent Pals or NPCs that raise your rating even higher. If you pick the combat method, make sure you use single-target attacks instead of AOE moves to avoid hitting bystanders.
What Causes Wanted Levels in Palworld (and How to Avoid Them in the First Place)
A lot of players get wanted levels without even realizing what they did wrong, so it helps to know exactly what triggers the guard system. The most common accidental triggers include taking items from chests marked with a red lock in guarded settlements, attacking non-hostile NPCs or their Pals, letting your Pals use area of effect attacks near civilian areas, and even riding a flying Pal too low over a settlement if your Pal’s attack triggers automatically. You can also get a wanted level if you capture a Pal that belongs to an NPC, even if you didn’t mean to, so always check if a Pal has a little name tag above it before you throw a Pal sphere at it near settlements.
You can avoid 90% of accidental wanted levels by turning off your Pals’ auto-attack setting when you’re near populated areas. I learned this the hard way when my Blazamut used a fire breath attack while I was selling items at a merchant stand, and I ended up with a 3-star wanted level before I could even react. Also, make sure you check the color of any chest before you open it: red locked chests are considered stolen property, while blue or unmarked chests are free to loot. If you’re planning to raid a settlement on purpose, make sure you clear your inventory of rare items first so you don’t lose anything valuable if you get killed by guards.
Common Mistakes That Make Your Palworld Wanted Level Worse
A lot of players make simple mistakes that extend their wanted level or raise their star rating when they’re trying to clear it. The biggest mistake I see is attacking guards before you’re ready to fight the full patrol: even one punch to a guard will bump your rating up by at least one star, and you’ll have to deal with more reinforcements. Another common mistake is hiding in a base that’s within 500 meters of a settlement: guards will patrol up to that range, and if they spot you, your decay timer will reset entirely. I once tried to hide in my base right next to the starting settlement, and my timer reset three times before I realized guards were walking right past my front door.
If you’re hiding to clear your wanted level, open your map and make sure there are no settlement icons within the small circle around your player marker to ensure your timer counts down properly. You also don’t want to fast travel to a populated area while you have an active wanted level, as all guards at the fast travel point will immediately attack you as soon as you spawn. Another common mistake is summoning aggressive Pals while you’re near guards, because they will attack the guards immediately, even if you don’t give them an order. I once summoned my Jormuntide near a merchant to heal it, and it immediately attacked the guard next to me, so I ended up with a 2-star wanted level for no reason.
What to Do If You’re Stuck With a Max (5-Star) Wanted Level
5-star wanted levels are the most difficult to clear, because they spawn elite guard squads with high-level Pals that can take down even endgame players in seconds if they’re not prepared. If you don’t have a team of level 40+ Pals with strong defensive and offensive stats to fight the guards, your best bet is to fast travel to the farthest, most remote base you have, preferably one in the snowy or desert biome far from any major settlements. You’ll need to wait around 15 minutes for the full timer to run out, but you can pass the time crafting, harvesting resources, or breeding Pals while you wait.
If you do want to fight your way out, make sure you bring Pals with strong single-target attacks so you don’t accidentally hit civilian NPCs that might raise your rating even higher. Bring plenty of healing items and high-quality armor, because the elite guards deal heavy damage and will target you directly before they go after your Pals. Never try to pay a fine for a 5-star wanted level, because guards will attack you on sight before you even get the option to interact with them. I’ve tried this myself, and I lost a full set of legendary armor because the guard started shooting before the interaction menu popped up. If you don’t have a remote base to fast travel to, you can use a flying Pal to climb to the top of the highest mountain in the volcanic biome, where guards almost never patrol, and wait out the timer there. Just make sure you have enough food and healing items to survive the extreme heat while you wait.
Whether you triggered a wanted level by accident or you intentionally raided a settlement for rare loot, knowing how to get rid of wanted level in Palworld saves you from losing hard-earned gear, wasting time running from guards, or getting locked out of merchant access when you need to restock supplies. Test out the methods that fit your playstyle and current gear level, and remember to turn off auto-attack near settlements to avoid unwanted triggers in the first place. You’ll be back to exploring, catching Pals, and building your base in no time.