How to Update Your Minecraft Server to a New Version

By regularly updating your Minecraft server software, you benefit from the latest bug fixes, security updates, performance improvements and features. You can install both a newer build for your current Minecraft version and an entirely new Minecraft version. In this guide, we explain how to safely update your Minecraft server at ConsulHosting without deleting your world or settings.

Note Always create a full backup first. Once a world has been opened in a newer Minecraft version, it usually cannot be used safely with an older version. Do you want to roll back the update? Restore the backup you created before updating.

Easily Updating Your Minecraft Server

1. Log in to the game panel and go to your Minecraft server.
2. Stop the Minecraft server if it is still running.
3. Open the Backups page and create a full backup of the server files, or create a full backup manually.
4. Wait until the backup has been created completely.
5. Open the Software page under Management.
6. Click the server software you are currently using, such as Paper, Purpur, Fabric or Forge.
7. Select the Minecraft version you want to install.
8. If this option is shown, select the required build of the server software. If you are unsure, use the latest stable build.

Note Do not enable Wipe Server Files. Enabling this option removes your world, plugins, mods, settings and other server files.

9. Click the Install button and wait until the installation has been completed.
10. If you are installing a new Minecraft version, check whether the server is using the correct Java version.
11. Start the Minecraft server using the green start button.
12. Check the console for error messages and wait until the server has started completely.
13. Join the server and check whether the world, plugins, mods and settings are working correctly.

Note The installation only updates the server software. Installed plugins, mods and datapacks are not updated automatically. Check beforehand whether they are compatible with the new Minecraft version and update them where necessary.

Tip Are you using a complete modpack? Preferably follow the update instructions provided by the modpack developer. In addition to new mods, a modpack update may include modified configuration files, scripts and dependencies.

Tip Do you want to switch to different server software or install an older Minecraft version? Follow our guide on changing your Minecraft server version.

Manually Updating Your Minecraft Server

Is the required update unavailable on the Software page? Server software that uses a single executable .jar file can also be updated manually by replacing server.jar.

Downloading a New Server File

1. Download the required Minecraft version and build from the official website of the server software or from MinecraftVersion.net.
2. Make sure the downloaded file has the .jar file extension.
3. Rename the file on your computer to server.jar.

Replacing the Server File

4. Log in to the game panel and go to your Minecraft server.
5. Stop the Minecraft server if it is still running.
6. Create a full backup and wait until it has been completed.
7. Open the Files page.
8. Click the three dots next to the existing server.jar file and select Rename.
9. Rename the file to server.jar.old.
10. Click Upload, select Upload Files and upload the new server.jar file.
11. Open the Settings page and make sure the SERVER JAR FILE value is set to server.jar.
12. Check whether the configured Java version is compatible with the new Minecraft version.
13. Start the Minecraft server using the green start button.
14. Check the console for error messages and then test the world, plugins and other settings.

Does the server work correctly after the update? You can then delete server.jar.old.

Note The server.jar.old file is not a full backup. Has the new Minecraft version already updated the world files and do you want to return to the previous version? Restore the full backup instead of only putting the old JAR file back.