How to Reset a Minecraft World on a Server (Keep Nether or End)
To reset a Minecraft server world, back it up, stop the server, delete the world folders, and start the server again. It generates a brand new world. Delete only world_nether or world_the_end to reset one dimension. Set level-seed in server.properties first if you want a specific seed.
What a reset does and does not remove
A reset deletes the map. It does not touch your server software, so the setup you spent time on survives. Here is the split.
| Item | Removed by a full reset? |
|---|---|
| Builds, chunks and terrain | Yes |
| Player inventories, stats, advancements | Yes (stored in the world folder) |
| Plugins and their configs | No |
server.properties | No |
whitelist.json, ops.json, banned-players.json | No |
| Data a plugin saves inside the world folder | Yes |
Anything you cannot lose should be saved first. Our guide to backing up a Minecraft server shows how, and it takes two minutes.
1. Back up the old world
A deleted world cannot be undone. Even if you are sure you want a fresh start, keep a copy. Players often ask for the old map later, and you may want to copy a build out of it.
- Make a named backup, for example *before reset*, or download the world as a zip.
- Check that the file really exists and is not empty.
- Optional: note the old seed with the
/seedcommand so you can reuse or avoid it.
2. Stop the server
Stop the server cleanly with the stop button or the stop command. This saves the world. Never delete a world while the server is running: the server keeps writing files and can recreate half of the old one.
3. Know which folders to delete
The folder names depend on your server software and version. The name of the main folder comes from level-name in server.properties, which is world by default. Our server.properties guide lists every setting.
| Server and version | Overworld | Nether | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper or Spigot, before 26.1 | world | world_nether | world_the_end |
| Vanilla or Fabric, before 26.1 | world | world/DIM-1 | world/DIM1 |
| Any server on 26.1 or newer | world/dimensions/minecraft/overworld | world/dimensions/minecraft/the_nether | world/dimensions/minecraft/the_end |
Minecraft moved every dimension into one dimensions folder in the 26.1 release, and Paper followed. If you are not sure which layout you have, open the world folder and look. If you see a dimensions folder, you are on the new layout.
4. Delete the world
Reset everything (new world)
- Delete the main world folder (
world). - On Paper and Spigot before 26.1, also delete
world_netherandworld_the_end. - Leave
plugins,server.propertiesand the other files alone.
On Tree Host, the Settings tab has a Reset worlds button in the Danger zone. It gives you a fresh world and keeps your plugins and configs. The server must be stopped first, and co-owners cannot use it. See the server guide for the other tabs.
Reset only the Nether or the End
Delete just that dimension's folder from the table above. The Overworld, player data and everything built there stay. This is the usual way to give players a new Nether when the old one is covered in tunnels, or a new Ender Dragon fight.
Two warnings. Ask players to leave that dimension before you stop the server. And Nether portals in the Overworld still point at the old coordinates, so the new Nether will have new terrain at those spots. Tell your players before you do it.
5. Pick a new seed (optional)
By default the server picks a random seed. To choose one, open server.properties and set level-seed, for example level-seed=-4172144997902289642. Save the file.
The seed is read only when a world is created. Changing it after a world exists changes nothing. That is why you set it after you delete the old world and before you start the server.
You can also change the world type with level-type. Leave the default for normal terrain.
6. Start the server and check
- Start the server. The first start takes longer because it generates the spawn area.
- Join and run
/seedto confirm the seed is the one you chose. - Check the spawn point and the world border if you use one.
- Give yourself back operator rights if you need them: see how to make yourself op.
If the console shows that the server created a world with a name you did not expect, level-name does not match the folder you deleted. Fix the name and repeat.
Reset a world on a schedule
Some servers reset the Nether or the End each season, or run a fresh survival map every few months. The steps stay the same: announce the date, make a backup, stop, delete, start. A new world is also a good time to pre-generate the map and to check performance. See how much RAM a Minecraft server needs if the new world lags.
Bedrock servers
A Bedrock Dedicated Server keeps its world in the worlds folder, named by level-name. To reset it, stop the server and delete that world folder. Set level-seed in server.properties before the next start. The rest works like the Java steps above.
Common problems after a reset
- The old world came back. The server was running while you deleted it, or you deleted the wrong folder. Stop it and check
level-name. - The new world is the same. You kept the same
level-seed. Clear it for a random seed. - Players are stuck or fall into the void. They logged out in a dimension you reset. Teleport them with
/tpto spawn. - A plugin is missing its data. It kept data in the world folder. Check its docs, then restore the plugin's folder from your backup.
- The server refuses to start. Read the console. If it says the world was saved by a newer version, see how to change the Minecraft version of your server.
Want to bring a map in instead of deleting one? Read how to upload your own world to a Minecraft server.
Tree Host servers have a Backups tab and a Reset worlds button, so a fresh start takes a few clicks and your plugins stay put.