How to Upload and Import a Minecraft World to Your Server
You can bring an existing world to your server, whether it is your single-player save or a map download. It takes a few minutes if you follow the right order.
Find your world
A single-player Java world is a folder in the saves folder inside the .minecraft directory. The correct world folder contains level.dat. If you download a map, the folder with level.dat in it is the one you need, sometimes nested inside another folder.
Prepare the file
Compress the world folder into a zip. Check the zip opens and level.dat is at the top level of the world folder, not buried several folders deep.
Upload
- Stop the server from the Console tab.
- Open the Files tab.
- Delete or rename the current world folder, usually world, and for Paper or Spigot servers also world_nether and world_the_end if you want to replace the other dimensions. Keep a backup first.
- Upload your zip and extract it with the panel's unarchive option, or upload the folder directly.
- Make sure the folder name matches level-name in server.properties, for example level-name=MyWorld.
- Start the server.
Dimensions
Vanilla keeps the Nether and End inside the world folder in DIM-1 and DIM-0 style folders. Paper and Spigot store them in separate folders. If the Nether is missing after import, check where these are on your server type.
Common problems
- The server generates a new world: the folder name or level-name does not match, or level.dat is nested too deeply.
- Version errors: you cannot load a world from a newer Minecraft version on an older server. Update the server version first.
- Missing blocks or errors: modded worlds need the same mods on the server.
- Old data: delete leftover playerdata only if you understand the effects, since it holds inventories.
Tip
Take a download of the original world before changing anything.
Ask us on Discord if the world will not load.