Choose the installation route first
Palworld 1.0 supports Paks through the official mod loader on the Windows Steam client. A Workshop package includes Info.json and an install rule so the game knows where to deploy its files. Use that route when the author publishes it; use a manual legacy path only when the mod page explicitly documents one.
Install a Workshop pak
Subscribe on Steam Workshop, start Palworld, then open Options → Mod Management and enable the package. At startup the official loader reads the package's Info.json and installs Paks into Pal\Content\Paks\~WorkshopMods. Restart after enabling, disabling or updating a package so the deployed files match the active list.
Use the legacy folder only when required
Older manual downloads may instruct you to place a .pak in Palworld\Pal\Content\Paks\~mods. Back up the save, extract the archive completely and keep the download outside the game folder so you can restore it later. Do not move files between Paks folders at random: the Workshop and legacy paths are different delivery systems.
Verify one change at a time
Confirm the mod appears in Mod Management when it uses the official loader, then test the exact feature it changes on a backed-up save. If it fails, disable every other mod, check the author's supported game revision and make sure the archive is not still zipped. Two Paks that replace the same asset can conflict, so re-enable packages one by one.