Can I keep my old world when changing version, software, plan, or region?
On this page
In almost every case, yes — your world stays with the server through version changes, software swaps, plan changes, and region moves. The one exception is a reinstall. Here's how each change treats your world.
What happens to your world, change by change
- Version/software change: your world is kept — files the new software replaces are moved to a
_previousfolder (watch out for downgrade corruption). - Plan upgrade/downgrade: files are untouched (keep an eye on disk space when downgrading).
- Region change: the transfer copies your world across; only the IP changes.
- Reinstall: this is the exception — see the reinstall article; back up first.
Best practice before any big change
- Stop the server.
- Make a backup with Back up now on the Backups page, or download a copy of your world via Files (Archive to
.zip) or SFTP. - Make your change (version, software, plan, or region).
- Confirm the world loaded correctly in the Console.
Tip: Always take a backup before any big change, regardless of which one it is — it costs a few minutes and saves a lot of worry.
Frequently asked questions
Will changing region lose my world? No — the region transfer copies your world to the new location. Your connection IP changes, so update anyone who connects by IP.
Does downgrading a plan delete files? No, files are untouched, but a smaller plan has less disk — make sure your world fits before downgrading.
Why is reinstall different? A reinstall can rebuild the server files, so it's the one case where your world may not survive. Back up first and read the reinstall article.
More in World & Map Management
- How do I upload my own world or map?
- How do I reset or delete the world and generate a new one?
- How do I set or change the seed for a new world?
- How do I create a flat (superflat) world?
- How do I reset only the Nether or only the End?
- How do I download or save my world to my computer?