Import an Existing Minecraft World
Upload your single-player or previous server world to your Lodgichost server.
By Lodgichost Team · Last updated: August 19, 2026
Moving an existing single-player or old-server world to Lodgichost lets you keep every build, farm, and memory without starting over. The process is reliable as long as you follow the order in this guide: locate the correct world folder, compress it, upload it, and point server.properties at it before you restart. Skipping any one of these four steps is the cause of almost every failed import. In our testing, the single most common mistake is compressing the parent folder instead of the world folder itself — the archive ends up one level too high, the folder name no longer matches level-name, and the server quietly generates a fresh world while your real one sits untouched in the panel. Taking thirty seconds to confirm the folder name after extraction prevents more support tickets than any other single check.
Single-Player vs Server Worlds: What Changes
A single-player world is a single folder under .minecraft/saves, while a server world lives in the server's root directory alongside files like server.properties and level.dat. The folder structure inside the world is the same in both cases, so the same ZIP works for either. The one thing you must get right is the folder name — it has to match the level-name value in server.properties, because that is what the server looks for when it starts.
Step 1: Locate Your World Files
On your single-player world, open the .minecraft folder (Windows: %appdata%/.minecraft, macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft) and navigate to the saves folder. Your world is stored in a folder named after your world — in our testing, a world called "server-lobby" lives at %appdata%/.minecraft/saves/server-lobby, so the folder name you see in-game is almost always the folder name on disk.
world-name/ region/ # .mca files — chunk data playerdata/ # .dat files — player inventories and positions advancements/ # .json files — player advancements stats/ # .json files — player statistics data/ # world metadata (scoreboard, maps, etc.) level.dat # world settings, seed, time, weather
For a server world, connect via SFTP to your old server and download the world folder from the server root directory.
If your old server runs a modpack, the world folder sometimes has a different name than your level-name setting (for example a modpack can use a default folder called "world" even though your map is called "survival"). Write the folder name down before you upload — it is the value you must mirror in server.properties later.
Step 2: Compress Your World
Create a ZIP archive of your world folder. This makes uploading faster and ensures file integrity. Name the archive something simple like world.zip.
Step 3: Upload via Portal
In the Lodgichost portal, navigate to your server's file manager. Upload the ZIP file and extract it. Make sure the extracted folder name matches the level-name setting in your server.properties.
/home/minecraft/ server.jar world/ # your imported world folder plugins/ server.properties
Step 4: Update server.properties
Edit the server.properties file and change level-name to match your world folder name:
level-name=MyServerWorld
Save the file and restart your server. Your imported world should now load automatically.
Watch the console output on startup. A clean import prints the folder name in the world-loading line. If it prints "Preparing to generate a new world" instead, the server could not find your folder — re-check the extraction path and the exact spelling of level-name, including uppercase and lowercase letters.
Troubleshooting
- World not loading: Verify the level-name in server.properties matches the folder name exactly.
- Missing chunks or terrain: The world may have been corrupted during upload — try re-uploading the ZIP file.
- Player positions incorrect: Delete the playerdata folder on the server to reset player positions.
- World border too small: Increase max-world-size in server.properties to match your original world size.
- Spawn mismatch between server and single-player: Both are stored in level.dat, so check the spawnx, spawny, and spawnz values in server.properties; the server overrides the single-player spawn with whatever is listed there.
Post-Import Checklist
- Verify all world regions loaded correctly by teleporting to key locations.
- Check that player inventories and ender chest contents transferred properly.
- Confirm that redstone contraptions, farms, and machines work as expected.
- Update your backup schedule to protect the imported world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to convert my world for a different Minecraft version?
No. Worlds are forward-compatible, so a world saved in an older version loads in a newer one automatically. If you import into an older version than the world was saved in, it may fail to load or lose content.
Can I import a Bedrock/console world to Java?
No directly. Bedrock and Java store worlds in different formats. Use a conversion tool to convert the world offline first, then follow the import steps here.
Why is my world generating new terrain at the edges?
That is normal. Explanations: un-generated chunks are created with whichever world generator is active now. If your world was created in an older version, you may also see a visible chunk border at the transition line.
My imported world has the wrong spawn or player positions.
The server calculates spawn from level.dat. If positions are wrong, delete the playerdata folder on the server (this resets player positions but keeps inventories and buildings) or set a new spawn with WorldEdit.
How large can my imported world be?
Up to the max-world-size (world border) limit in server.properties. If your old world used a bigger border, raise this value before restarting so exterior chunks remain accessible.
Related Guides
- Custom Seeds and World Generators — generate new worlds with custom seeds
- Importing WorldEdit Schematics — add pre-built structures to your world
- Automated Backups and Restores — back up your imported world