Versions and software
Switch your Minecraft version or server software safely, and let older players join.
DraftThis page is a first draft and may change.
Every server runs a modern version of Paper (examples here use Paper 26.2). You can switch version or software in Settings, under Version and software.
Software you can pick
- Paper: the default.
- Purpur: Paper with extra options.
- Vanilla: the plain game, no plugins.
Fabric, Forge and NeoForge are not available yet. Modded servers, and one-click modpack servers, come later.
Switch safely
- Pick the software and the Minecraft version. The newest is marked latest.
- Press Check what would break. The panel lists any plugins that may not work after the switch, with what to do about each. Nothing has changed yet.
- If something would break, tick Switch anyway; I can roll back from the snapshot.
- Press Switch to. We take a snapshot first, then switch.
If the switch goes badly, roll back to the snapshot. See Backups and restores.
New Minecraft versions
A new Minecraft version is offered once Paper is stable on it. You stay on the old version until our plugins and menus are updated for the new one. The panel shows which premade setups work with which version.
Small updates
When a new build of the same version comes out (bug and security fixes), it is applied automatically the next time your server wakes up, after a snapshot. A new Minecraft version is always your choice.
Older players
You can let players on older versions join, as far back as 1.8. Turn it on under Versions, Older versions. Older players join through our proxy, which translates for them, so there is nothing to install on your server. They get chest menus in the hub, not the fancier menus.
With older versions off, a player on an older version who tries to join reads a plain line such as "This server needs 26.2 or newer" instead of an error. The server list also marks your server as needing another version for them. Players on newer versions can usually join too. When a server can't take a newer version, those players read a plain line such as "This server needs 26.2 or older".
For a 1.8 combat feel, PvP setups can switch on 1.8-style combat. See Premade setups. Players on very old versions get fewer features, and we cannot test every version.
Bedrock
Players on Bedrock Edition (phones, consoles, Windows) can join too. See Bedrock crossplay.