Move your Minecraft world from Aternos

Moving from Aternos takes three jobs: download the world, set this server to the same software and version, then import the zip in the World Import tab. Builds, player data and datapacks travel inside the world. Plugins, mods and settings need extra steps.

Before you start

1. Take a backup here. On your new server, open the Backups tab and click Create backup. How to create and restore backups covers restoring it.
2. Note what Aternos runs. Its server page shows the software and Minecraft version, as does the Software button. Write both down, with any modpack, plugins or mods.

Download your world from Aternos

Steps checked against Aternos's help pages in September 2026.

1. Ask your players to log off.
2. Log in at aternos.org and open the Worlds page.
3. Select your world and click Download. Aternos's help says to use your normal browser, not a download manager.
4. If Aternos runs Paper, Spigot or another Bukkit-based server, also download world_nether and world_the_end. Those servers save the Nether and the End as separate worlds.
5. On the Files page, download server.properties with the download button on its row. Plugin settings sit in plugins, one folder per plugin: download the files you changed the same way.

Match the software and version here

Do this before the import, because a reinstall can reset config files and a modpack install can replace the world.

1. Open the JAR Manager tab, under More in the panel menu.
2. Set Server software and Minecraft version to match Aternos. For Spigot or Bukkit, pick Paper, which runs their plugins. Change Minecraft server version or loader has the details.
3. Click Apply change, then Confirm & reinstall, and watch the Console until the reinstall finishes.
4. For a modpack, skip steps 2 and 3 and install the same pack from the Modpacks tab, which lists Modrinth packs only. See Install a Minecraft modpack on your server.

Merge the Nether and the End first

Only needed when Aternos ran a Bukkit-based server and this one runs Vanilla, Fabric, Forge or NeoForge, which keep both dimensions inside the main world folder. From Aternos's help:

1. Unzip all three downloads.
2. In the main world folder, delete DIM1 and DIM-1 if they exist.
3. Move world_the_end/DIM1 and world_nether/DIM-1 into the main world folder.
4. Zip the main world folder itself and import that zip.

Import the world

Upload your singleplayer Minecraft world has the full walkthrough, including SFTP for large zips. In short:

1. Stop the server. The import doesn't stop it for you.

2. Open World Import, under Content. Drop the zip on Drop your world .zip here and select it under Potential saves on your server.

3. Click Import selected world, then Import world. If you skipped the backup, click Back up now first.

   

4. On Paper or Purpur, leave the server stopped and carry on below. Otherwise, Start it and wait for Done (…s)! in the Console.

The import looks for level.dat at the top of the zip or one folder down. If the tab says Couldn't find a world (no level.dat) inside that zip., unzip it and zip the world folder itself.

Add the Nether and the End on Paper or Purpur

The import replaces only the world folder. If Aternos also ran a Bukkit-based server, add the Nether and the End yourself.

1. On your computer, unzip the world_nether and world_the_end downloads, then zip each folder itself.

2. In the File Manager, delete the world_nether and world_the_end folders this server generated. The panel asks you to type each name.

3. Click Upload files and upload both zips next to server.properties. The browser takes files up to 100 MB. For bigger ones, upload the unzipped folders over SFTP and skip step 4.

   

4. Click Extract here on each zip, then delete both zips.

5. Start the server and visit the Nether to check it.

Plugins, mods and settings

• Plugins - install each again from the Plugins tab, or upload its jar to plugins. See Install plugins on a Paper or Purpur server.
• Mods - install the same mods and versions from the Mods tab. See Install Fabric and Forge mods on your server.
• Plugin settings - start the server once so each plugin creates its folder, stop it, then upload your files into plugins/<PluginName> in the File Manager.
• Server settings - open the downloaded server.properties and set the same values in the Config Editor tab, such as Difficulty and PvP.
• Whitelist, operators and bans - add players again in the Players tab. See Minecraft whitelist: add players, set ops.

Send players the new address

Copy the address from the panel's left rail and share it. Join your Minecraft server (and fix errors) covers joining.

If the world doesn't load

Restoring your backup on the Backups tab undoes the import. Then match what you see:

• A fresh Nether or End on Paper - repeat the Paper steps above with the server stopped.
• No key dimensions in MapLike in the console - see No key dimensions in MapLike: fix level.dat.
• Missing modded blocks, or a crash naming a mod - install the mods Aternos had, at the same versions.

If nothing matches, ask for help with the first error lines from the Console, the software and version Aternos showed, and the zip's size.