How to Migrate a Minecraft Server to a New Host
Switching hosts doesn't have to mean starting your world over. Here's exactly what to export, how to avoid the mistakes that corrupt a migrated save, and how to verify it worked before you cancel the old plan.
TL;DR
- Back up on the old host first, before touching anything
- Export the world folder, plus mods/plugins/configs
- Set up the new server on the exact same modpack/version
- Upload your world before the first real boot
- Verify everything works before canceling the old host
Step by step
1.Back up before you touch anything
Before any migration attempt, take a full backup of your current server on the old host and keep it somewhere safe, separate from both hosts. If anything goes wrong mid-move, this is what saves you from starting over.
2.Export the world folder
Open your current host's file manager and download the world save as a .zip — for vanilla/Paper that's usually a single world/ folder (plus world_nether/ and world_the_end/ if they're separate), for some modpacks the structure differs slightly. Check the file count after download matches what the host shows, not just that the zip 'completed.'
3.Export mods, plugins and configs
For a modded server: the mods/ and config/ folders. For a plugin server: plugins/ and any per-plugin config subfolders. These aren't optional extras — a world built around specific mod configs can behave differently (or break) if the new server runs default settings instead.
4.Set up the matching environment on the new host
Create the new server with the exact same modpack/version, or the same server software (Paper/Spigot/etc.) at the same Minecraft version. Don't start it yet — starting with the default/empty world first just means you'll overwrite it in the next step anyway.
5.Upload your world into the new server
Replace the freshly-generated world folder with your exported one before the first real boot. Upload mods/plugins/configs the same way if you didn't use an automated migration tool that detects them for you.
6.Boot it and verify before canceling the old host
Start the new server and actually check it — log in, confirm builds and inventories are intact, check that mods/plugins loaded without errors in the console. Only cancel or let the old host's billing lapse after you've confirmed the new one works, not before.
FAQ
Will I lose my world if I switch hosts?+
Not if you export it correctly first. The world/ folder (or world, world_nether, world_the_end for vanilla multi-dimension saves) contains every block, structure and player's inventory data. As long as you download a complete, uncorrupted copy before canceling your old plan, nothing is lost in the move itself.
What exactly do I need to download from my old host?+
At minimum: the world save folder(s). For a modded server, also the mods/ folder, config/ folder, and server.properties if you've customized it. For a plugin server, plugins/ and its subfolders (each plugin's own config). Skip the server jar itself — your new host provides that.
Does my modpack need to match exactly on the new host?+
Yes — same modpack, same version. A world generated under one mod's block IDs can corrupt or lose data if loaded with a different modpack or even a different version of the same pack. If your old host can tell you the exact modpack name and version, bring that information with you; if not, the mods/ folder itself is the source of truth.
How long does a migration actually take?+
The transfer itself is usually minutes — it's mostly upload speed for a zipped world folder, which for a typical survival world is a few hundred MB to a few GB. The bigger variable is how long your old host takes to let you export the world in the first place (some require a support ticket for big modpack servers).
What breaks most often during a migration?+
Three things: an incomplete upload (always verify the zip's file count/size matches what you downloaded), mismatched Minecraft or modpack versions between old and new host, and forgetting server-side-only mods/configs that don't travel with the world file itself. Re-reading your old server's actual mod list rather than trusting memory avoids most of this.
Or skip most of these steps entirely
CoalHost's migration tool detects your modpack automatically from the mods folder's Modrinth hashes and pre-fills the setup — upload your world, confirm the pack, done. See an example of what it recognizes on our Prominence II page.
Try the migration tool →