How to Switch Between Modpacks on Your Minecraft Server

Switch to a different modpack on your Minecraft server without losing your current world by archiving your server files before installing the new one.

Step 1 — Archive Your Current Server

1. Stop your server
2. Open File Manager in the Game Control Panel
3. Select all files and folders in the root directory
4. Click Compress — this creates a .tar.gz archive in your root directory
5. Optionally, download the archive to your computer as an extra local backup

Step 2 — Install the New Modpack

1. In the File Manager, delete all files and folders in the root directory except the archive you just created
2. Navigate to Tools → Modpack Manager
3. Search for and select the new modpack, then click Install
4. Do not select Format Server — your directory is already clear
5. Once the installation finishes, start your server
6. Connect using the matching client modpack to verify everything works

Step 3 — Switch Back to Your Previous Modpack

When you’re ready to return to your original modpack:

1. Stop your server
2. Open the File Manager and delete all current modpack files — everything except the archive from Step 1
3. Select the archive and click Decompress
4. Start your server — it will load your previous modpack and world exactly as you left it

Automatic Backups

WinterNode automatically backs up your server every 12 hours, at approximately 2–3 AM and 2–3 PM Central Time. If you accidentally installed a new modpack using Format Server and lost your files, contact support through Discord or a support ticket — we can restore from a recent automatic snapshot as long as the data loss happened within the backup window.

Running Two Modpacks at the Same Time

A single server can only host one active modpack. If you and your friends want to play two different modpacks concurrently without switching back and forth, the only option is a second server running the other modpack.