How to Create and Restore a Backup of your Minecraft Server
Creating regular backups is the single most important task for any server owner.
A backup is your safety net against world corruption, configuration mistakes, or any other unexpected issues. This guide will show you how to use the panel's built-in backup system and how to create a manual off-site backup for maximum security.
Method 1: Using the Panel's Backup System (Recommended)
This is the easiest and quickest way to create and restore a full server backup.
- Stop your server. While some backups can be taken live, stopping the server ensures that all files are saved in a consistent state.
- In your game panel, navigate to the "Backups" tab on the left sidebar.
- Click the blue "Create Backup" button.
- Give the backup a descriptive name so you can easily identify it later (e.g., "Pre-Update-Backup" or a date). Click "Start backup".
- Wait for the process to complete. The panel will create a full archive of your server files and list it under your available backups.
Restoring a Panel Backup
Restoring a backup will overwrite all of your current server files with the files from the backup archive.
- Stop your server.
- Go to the "Backups" tab.
- Find the backup you wish to restore from the list and click the "⋯" button next to it and click "Restore".
- A prompt will appear warning you that this will delete and replace your current files. Confirm the action to proceed.
Method 2: Manual Off-Site Backup (via FTP)
For ultimate security, we recommend periodically saving a backup to your own computer. This protects you in the rare case of a server-side hardware failure.
- Stop your server.
- Connect to your server using an FTP client like FileZilla or WinSCP. If you are unsure how, see our guide on how to connect via FTP.
- On your own computer, create a new folder to store the backup.
- In your FTP client, select all the files from your server (the remote site) and drag them into the new folder on your computer (the local site).
- Wait for the file transfer to complete.
Conclusion
Regular backups are not just a good idea; they are essential for protecting the time and effort you've invested in your server.
We recommend using the panel's system for frequent, daily backups, and taking a full manual backup to your own computer before any major changes or at least once a week.