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Manage worlds

A world holds your terrain, builds and player progress. The Worlds page lists the worlds on your server and lets you back them up or delete them. Uploading and downloading whole worlds is done through Files.

The Worlds page​

Open Worlds in the MINECRAFT group. Each world on the server is listed with its size. A Java server normally has world (the Overworld), world_nether and world_the_end. Other worlds, for example ones created by plugins like Multiverse, are listed too.

Each world has two buttons:

  • Back up: saves a copy of that world.
  • Delete: removes the world. A Delete world? confirmation asks you to confirm first.
note

If you invited someone as a user, they need file permission to manage worlds. Without it they see a File access required message. Set permissions under Users in Settings.

Back up a world​

Click Back up next to the world. For a full restore point of the whole server, or to download or restore a copy, use Backups. You can also automate backups with Schedules.

Always back up before deleting a world, changing version or changing world settings.

Upload a world​

Use this to move a world from your own PC, a singleplayer game or another server.

  1. Prepare the world folder. Its name does not matter at this point, but it must contain the level.dat file directly inside. Compress it as a .zip if you want a faster upload.
  2. Stop the server from the Console.
  3. Open Files. Upload the folder (or the .zip) into /home/container, the main folder. Large worlds upload more reliably over SFTP; the connection details are in the SFTP box at the top of the Files page.
  4. If you uploaded a .zip, open its menu (the "..." button or right-click) and choose unarchive (extract).
  5. Open Properties and set World Name to the exact name of the folder (this is the level-name setting).
  6. Start the server.

If the World Name does not match any folder, the server creates a brand new world with that name. Check the spelling, including capitals.

tip

Bedrock and Java worlds are not interchangeable. A Java world only works on Java servers and a Bedrock world only on Bedrock servers. Use a conversion tool if you need to change edition, and keep a backup of the original.

Download a world​

To keep a copy on your own computer:

  • From Backups: create or choose a backup and click Download.
  • From Files: open the "..." menu on the world folder, choose archive (compress) and then download the resulting file. You can also copy the folder over SFTP.

Stop the server first if you copy files directly, so the world is not changing while you download it.

Reset the world​

To start again with a new world:

danger

This deletes everything built in the world. Back up first.

  1. Back up the world (see above).
  2. Stop the server.
  3. On Worlds, click Delete for world, world_nether and world_the_end, and confirm each Delete world? prompt.
  4. Optional: in Properties, set a new World Seed, or choose a World Type such as Flat. Leave the seed empty for a random world.
  5. Start the server. It generates a new world.

To reset only the Nether or the End, delete only that dimension and start the server again. The End gets a new Ender Dragon.

Use another world without deleting yours​

Change World Name in Properties to a different name, then restart. If the folder exists, the server loads it. If not, it creates a new world with that name. Your old world stays on disk.

Common problems​

  • The server crashes after uploading a world. The world may be from a newer Minecraft version than your server. Check Versions.
  • The world looks empty or different. World Name points to the wrong folder.
  • Players spawn in the wrong place. Run setworldspawn in the Console from where you want the spawn.
  • Lag when exploring. Pre-generate the world; see Optimization.