How to Change Your Minecraft Server Version
How to Change Your Minecraft Server Version
You can change your Minecraft server's version or switch between server software types directly from the control panel.
Changing the Minecraft Version
- Stop your server
- Go to the Startup tab in the panel
- Find the Minecraft Version variable
- Enter the version you want (e.g.
1.21.4,1.20.4,latest) - Click Save
- Go back to the Console tab and click Reinstall Server
The server will download the new version and restart.
Back up your world first. Downgrading Minecraft versions can corrupt world data. Upgrading is generally safe, but always keep a backup.
Switching Server Software
Your server software determines what features are available:
| Software | Type | Plugins | Mods | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanilla | Official Mojang | No | No | Baseline |
| Paper | Fork of Spigot | Yes | No | Optimized |
| Purpur | Fork of Paper | Yes | No | Most optimized |
| Forge | Mod loader | Limited | Yes | Depends on mods |
| Fabric | Mod loader | Limited | Yes | Lightweight |
To switch server software:
- Stop your server
- Go to the Startup tab
- Change the Server Jar File or Server Software variable to your desired type
- Update the Minecraft Version if needed — not all software supports all versions
- Click Save and Reinstall Server
Switching between plugin servers (Paper/Spigot) and mod servers (Forge/Fabric) is not seamless. Plugins are not compatible with mod loaders, and vice versa. You'll need to remove plugins from
plugins/or mods frommods/when switching.
Creating a Backup Before Switching
- Go to the Backups tab in the panel
- Click Create Backup
- Wait for the backup to complete before making changes
If something goes wrong, you can restore from this backup.
Common Issues
Server fails to start after version change Check the console for errors. The most common cause is incompatible plugins or mods. Remove them and try again.
World won't load after upgrading Some major version jumps (e.g. 1.12 → 1.18) change world format significantly. The server may need to convert chunks, which can take time on large worlds. Check the console for progress.
"Outdated server" error when connecting Your Minecraft client version doesn't match the server version. Update your client, or change the server to match your client version.