PACKYARDStart your server

How to move your Realms world to your own server (Java Edition)

Last checked:

Realms is an easy way to play with friends. Some groups want more control over their server, like adding plugins or running modpacks. This guide shows how to download your Realms world and move it to your own server without losing your builds. Still deciding? See Minecraft Realms vs server hosting: cost and limits.

Start a Minecraft server

Step 1: Download your world from Realms

  1. Open Minecraft Java Edition and click Minecraft Realms.
  2. Click Configure on your Realm, then World Backups, then Download Latest.
  3. When asked, click Yes. The world is saved to your Singleplayer list.
  4. In Singleplayer, select the world, click Edit → Open World Folder. Zip that folder (right-click → Compress / Send to → Compressed folder).

Step 2: Start a server on Packyard

  1. Go to Start a Minecraft server. Paper (vanilla with plugin support) at 3 GB is preselected, which suits a few friends.
  2. Pay, and your server is set up automatically. Your welcome email has your panel login and your permanent address: yourserver.play.packyard.ca.

On the order page, pick the Minecraft version your Realm was on, or a newer one. Going back to an older version can stop the server from starting.

Step 3: Upload the world

  1. In the panel, stop the server and make a backup (Backups → New backup).
  2. Open Files → Upload and upload your zip. Right-click it → Unarchive.
  3. Rename or delete the old world folder, then rename your uploaded folder to world.
  4. Start the server and join.

Big world? The web file manager takes small files. For a large world, upload the folder over SFTP instead (FileZilla or WinSCP, with the SFTP details from your panel), then carry on from the rename step.

Step 4: Send your friends the new address

Your address is yourserver.play.packyard.ca, with no port number. Friends join through Multiplayer → Add Server, not the Realms menu. The address stays the same, even when we move your server to new hardware (here's how permanent addresses work).

Price

$1.50 per GB of RAM per month, $5 minimum (up to 3 GB). A 3 GB server is $5 a month. USD, plus applicable taxes. First-payment refund if something on our side doesn't work. Available in the US and Canada (outside Quebec).

FAQ

Will my builds and inventories come over?

Yes. They're stored in the world folder, so the whole world moves with the zip. Make a backup on the new server first so you can undo the upload.

Can I add plugins or mods?

Paper servers take plugins: install free ones from Hangar in one click in the panel. For mods, pick Fabric, NeoForge or Forge, or a modpack, on the order page.

Can Bedrock players join?

No. Packyard is Java Edition only. This guide is for Java Realms.

Do my friends need to be invited?

No invites like Realms. Anyone with the address can try to join, so turn on the whitelist in the server settings if you want only your friends. Want a friend to help run it? Add them as a sub-user in the panel (your server → Users → New subuser): they get their own login for the console and files, but not your billing.

Start a Minecraft server

Also see: Move from Aternos, How to make a Minecraft server, Minecraft hosting. Back to Packyard home.

Minecraft and Minecraft Realms are trademarks of Mojang/Microsoft. Packyard is not affiliated with Mojang or Microsoft.