Uploading a custom world allows you to use your single-player creations, downloaded adventure maps, or pre-built worlds on your multiplayer server.

Prepare Your World for Upload

Get your world files ready for server use:

Locate Your World Files:

Windows: %appdata%\\.minecraft\\saves\\
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/saves/
Linux: ~/.minecraft/saves/

Essential World Files:

level.dat: World settings and player data
level.dat_old: Backup of level.dat
region/: Overworld chunk data
DIM-1/: Nether dimension data
DIM1/: End dimension data
playerdata/: Individual player inventories
data/: Maps, structure data, scoreboard

Make a backup of your world before uploading. Server conversions can sometimes cause data loss.

Check World Compatibility

Ensure your world is compatible with the server:

Version Compatibility:

World version must match or be older than server version
Newer worlds cannot be used on older servers
Check version in level.dat using NBT editor
Server will attempt to upgrade older worlds automatically

Modded World Considerations:

Server must have same mods installed
Mod versions should match exactly
Missing mods will delete modded blocks/items
Consider using same modpack on server

Compress World Files

Create an archive for easier upload:

Creating a ZIP Archive:

Select all world files and folders
Right-click and choose "Compress" or "Send to ZIP"
Name the archive (e.g., "myworld.zip")
Verify all files are included in archive

Command Line Compression:

# Windows (PowerShell)
Compress-Archive -Path "WorldName\*" -DestinationPath "WorldName.zip"

# macOS/Linux
zip -r WorldName.zip WorldName/
# or
tar -czf WorldName.tar.gz WorldName/

Upload Using File Manager

Transfer files through web-based file manager:

Access server panel: Login to your hosting control panel
Stop the server: Ensure server is offline
Navigate to server root: Find main server directory
Delete/rename old world: Backup existing world folder
Upload archive: Use upload button in file manager
Extract files: Unzip archive in server directory
Rename to "world": Ensure folder is named correctly

Most hosting panels have a 100MB upload limit. For larger worlds, use FTP or SFTP instead.

Upload Using FTP/SFTP

Transfer large worlds via FTP client:

FTP Client Setup:

Download FTP client (FileZilla, WinSCP, Cyberduck)
Get FTP credentials from hosting panel
Connect using provided host, username, password
Navigate to server root directory

Upload Process:

Delete or rename existing "world" folder
Upload your world folder directly
Ensure folder is named "world"
Verify all files transferred successfully
Check file permissions (755 for folders, 644 for files)

FileZilla connection example:

Host: sftp://server.example.com
Username: minecraft
Password: ********
Port: 22 (SFTP) or 21 (FTP)

Configure Server Properties

Update server settings for your custom world:

Essential server.properties Settings:

# World folder name
level-name=world

# World seed (leave blank for uploaded worlds)
level-seed=

# Default gamemode
gamemode=survival

# Difficulty setting
difficulty=normal

# Spawn protection radius
spawn-protection=16

# Level type (for new chunks)
level-type=minecraft\:normal

Dimension Folders:

Overworld: Main "world" folder
Nether: world/DIM-1/ → world_nether/
End: world/DIM1/ → world_the_end/

Handle Multiple Dimensions

Properly set up Nether and End dimensions:

Single-Player to Server Structure:

# Single-player structure:
WorldName/
├── region/
├── DIM-1/
│   └── region/
├── DIM1/
│   └── region/
└── level.dat

# Server structure:
world/
├── region/
└── level.dat
world_nether/
└── region/
world_the_end/
└── region/

Conversion Steps:

Rename main world folder to "world"
Move DIM-1 contents to "world_nether"
Move DIM1 contents to "world_the_end"
Delete empty DIM folders

Verify and Test World

Ensure your world uploaded correctly:

Start the server: Watch console for errors
Check spawn location: Verify you spawn in correct area
Test all dimensions: Enter Nether and End portals
Verify structures: Check that builds are intact
Test functionality: Redstone, command blocks, etc.
Check player data: Inventories and locations

Common console messages:

[Server thread/INFO]: Preparing level "world"
[Server thread/INFO]: Preparing start region for dimension overworld
[Server thread/INFO]: Preparing spawn area: 0%
[Server thread/INFO]: Done! For help, type "help"

Troubleshoot Upload Issues

Fix common problems with world uploads:

Common Issues and Solutions:

World not loading: Check folder name is "world"
Spawn in wrong location: Delete playerdata folder
Missing chunks: Verify all region files uploaded
Corrupted world: Re-upload from fresh backup
Version mismatch: Update server to match world
Permission denied: Fix file/folder permissions

Reset World Settings:

# Reset spawn point
/setworldspawn

# Set spawn for all players
/gamerule spawnRadius 0

# Force chunk reload
/forceload add ~ ~

Your custom world is now live on your server! Players can explore your creations and continue building in multiplayer.

How to Upload a Custom World to Your Server