Change Your Minecraft Server Version or Type

To change the version of your Minecraft server, open Settings > Version & installer, click Choose another version, pick the version and apply the change. To switch the server type, for example from Paper to Fabric or Forge, choose another installer in the same screen. Your world is kept, but make a backup first because older versions can break worlds from newer ones.

Version or type: what is the difference?

• Version is the Minecraft release your players need to join, such as 1.21.4. Changing it keeps the same server software.
• Type (the installer) is the software that runs Minecraft: Vanilla, Paper, Spigot, Purpur, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, Quilt and others. The type decides whether your server loads plugins or mods.

The panel only offers installers for the same game, so you can switch between Minecraft types but not to a different game. Each installer card shows what it can load: plugins, mods, datapacks or resource packs.

Before you change anything

1. Make a backup. Go to the Backups tab and create one. If anything goes wrong you can return with one click. Read how backups work.
2. Check your plugins and mods. Plugins only work on plugin software like Paper, and mods only work on mod loaders like Fabric or Forge. If you switch from one family to the other, the old files stay in their folder doing nothing.
3. Check that they exist for the new version. Many plugins and mods lag behind a new Minecraft release.
4. Warn your players. They need the same client version, unless you add a compatibility plugin such as ViaVersion.

If your plan includes Test copy (in Settings), you can try an update on a temporary clone first. It may not be available for every plan.

Change the Minecraft version

1. Sign in to the SolumeCore panel, open your server and go to Settings.
2. Open Version & installer. The top card shows your current installer and version, for example "Paper 1.21.4", and the tags for what it loads.
3. In the Minecraft version card, click Choose another version.
4. In the Version step, search for a version in the Minecraft version field (start typing, like 1.20). Only stable releases are listed. Turn on Show snapshots and pre-releases only if you accept that they can break worlds.
5. In the Review step, you see the change as "from > to". The panel warns you if you are going back to an older version, or if you have plugins or mods the installer will not load.
6. Leave Reinstall now on to apply it immediately. The panel recreates the server files with the new version. Your world and plugins are normally kept, but anything you added on top of the installer's files can be lost, so keep that backup. If you turn it off, the version is saved and applies the next time the server is reinstalled.
7. Click Apply change and follow the progress in the Console tab.
8. When the installation ends, start the server.

Change the server type

1. In Settings > Version & installer, scroll to Other installers. They are grouped as Game servers, Proxies (networks) and Other.
2. Click the card you want (for example Fabric). Each card explains what it is good for:
   • Paper is the usual choice for plugins: fast and compatible with Spigot plugins.
   • Purpur is Paper with more gameplay options. Pufferfish targets busy servers.
   • Fabric is a light mod loader where the performance mods live. Forge and NeoForge run most big modpacks. Quilt loads most Fabric mods too.
   • Vanilla is Mojang's server with no plugins or mods.
   • Velocity and BungeeCord are proxies that join several servers under one address. They have no world.
3. In the Version step, set the installer's options, such as the Minecraft version. Latest stable is the default.
4. In the Review step, read the warnings. If you have 14 mods and the new installer does not load mods, the panel tells you.
5. Leave Reinstall now on and click Apply change.

The list only shows installers that exist for your server. You can also reach the wizard from the Change version button at the top of the page.

After the change

• Check Java. New Minecraft versions need newer Java. The Java card next to the version tells you if it fits. Read how to change the Java version.
• Reinstall plugins or mods that no longer match. See how to install plugins and mods.
• Accept the EULA if asked. If the server stops and asks you to accept the Minecraft EULA when it starts, the panel shows a dialog. Accept it to continue.
• Check your world. Join and make sure your builds are there. If something looks wrong, restore the backup you made.

Troubleshooting

• The server will not start after the change. Open the Console tab and read the last lines. A Java that is too old or too new is the most common cause. See what to do when a Minecraft server will not start.
• The button is disabled. Only the owner, or a person with the right permissions, can change the installer or reinstall. A server that is suspended or still installing is locked.
• Players see "Outdated server" or "Outdated client". They are on a different version. Tell them the exact version, or use a compatibility plugin.
• I do not see the version I want. The list depends on the installer. Some installers fix their version and cannot be changed from the panel.

FAQ

How do I update my Minecraft server to the latest version?

Open Settings > Version & installer, choose Choose another version, pick the newest stable version and apply it with Reinstall now. Back up first.

Will I lose my world if I change the version?

It is normally kept, since the world folder is not touched. But a world opened in a newer version may not load in an older one, so back up before going down.

How do I change from Paper to Fabric or Forge?

Pick the new installer in Other installers. Remember that plugins stop working on mod loaders, and mods stop working on Paper.

Can I change to a different game?

No. The panel only offers installers for the game you bought. To use another game, choose a plan for it.

Related articles

• Change the Java version of your Minecraft server
• Install plugins and mods on your Minecraft server
• Back up and restore your game server
• Reinstall or reset your game server

Ready for a new modpack or a bigger server? Compare our Minecraft server plans.