- Back up the whole server folder if you can. If not, at least the world folders,
pluginsormods,configand the JSON player lists. - For a clean copy while running:
save-off,save-all flush, copy, thensave-on. - Automate it daily, keep several, and keep one copy somewhere other than the server.
- Test a restore once so you know it works.
What to back up
| Folder or file | What it holds |
|---|---|
world/ | The Overworld. On Vanilla and Fabric/Forge it also holds the Nether (DIM-1) and End (DIM1). |
world_nether/, world_the_end/ | The Nether and End on Paper, Spigot and Purpur. |
plugins/ | Plugins and their data: claims, homes, economy balances, CoreProtect logs. |
mods/, config/ | Mods and their settings on modded servers. |
server.properties, bukkit.yml, spigot.yml, config/paper-*.yml | Server settings. |
whitelist.json, ops.json, banned-players.json, banned-ips.json | Who can join and who's in charge. |
You can skip logs/, crash-reports/, cache/ and libraries/; they're regenerated. If your world folder has a different name, check level-name in server.properties.
Getting a clean backup while the server runs
Copying world files while the server is writing to them can give you a corrupted copy. Either stop the server first, or pause saving:
save-off
save-all flush
# copy or zip the folders now
save-onsave-off stops the server writing chunks to disk, save-all flush writes everything that's in memory and waits until it's done, and save-on turns autosave back on afterwards. Backup plugins and good hosts do this for you.
Ways to take backups
On your own computer
Stop the server and zip the folder, or script it: run the commands above through RCON or your console tool, then compress the folders with a date in the filename. Schedule it with Task Scheduler on Windows or cron on Linux.
With a plugin or mod
Backup plugins and mods (for example on Modrinth) can take scheduled, compressed backups from inside the server and handle saving for you. Make sure they store backups somewhere with enough free space.
On NS5
Open the Backups tab. Click to create a backup any time, or turn on a schedule to take them automatically every few hours. Lock important backups (before an update, the end of a season) so they're never rotated out, and download any backup as an archive to keep your own copy. Each server has a backup limit, and the oldest unlocked automatic backup is replaced when you reach it.
How many, how often, where
- Frequency: daily for most servers; every few hours for busy ones.
- Retention: keep at least several days. Griefing is often noticed a few days later.
- Before risky changes: always back up before updating Minecraft, plugins, mods or modpacks.
- Off-site: download a copy now and then. If the only backups are on the same machine as the server, they're not much protection against the machine itself failing.
Restoring a backup
- Stop the server. Never restore into a running server.
- Back up the current state too, in case you need something from it.
- Replace the folders with the ones from the backup. Delete the current world folder first rather than copying over it, so no newer region files are left mixed in.
- Start the server and check the console, then log in and look around.
On NS5, choose Restore on a backup in the Backups tab and it's done in one click.
/co rollback u:Name t:2d r:50.Common questions
Where is the Minecraft world saved on a server?
In the folder named by level-name in server.properties, which is world by default. Paper and Spigot keep the Nether and End in separate world_nether and world_the_end folders.
Can I back up a server without stopping it?
Yes. Run save-off, then save-all flush, copy the files, and run save-on. Backup plugins and most hosts automate this.
How do I download my world from a server?
Take a backup and download it, or connect with SFTP and download the world folders. On NS5 you can download any backup from the Backups tab.
Minecraft Java servers from $3.70/month on AMD EPYC with dedicated RAM. One-click Paper, Fabric, Forge and Modrinth modpacks, backups and SFTP included. Try one free for 48 hours, no card needed.