How to Upload a World to a Bedrock Server

Q: How do I upload a world to a Minecraft Bedrock server from my phone?

Export the world with Export World, save the .mcworld file, rename it to .zip, and upload it from your phone's browser in Files into a new folder inside worlds. Extract it there and set level-name.

Q: Where do I put the world on a Bedrock server?

In its own folder inside worlds, for example worlds/MyWorld/, with level.dat and db directly inside. Then set level-name=MyWorld in server.properties.

To upload world Bedrock server files, export your world as a .mcworld file, rename it to .zip, upload it into the worlds folder, extract it into a folder of its own and set level-name in server.properties to that folder's name. On TheGameHosting you do it all in Files from the browser, or over sFTP.

The same steps work for a world from a phone, a tablet or a Windows PC. The usual mistakes are extracting the files straight into worlds instead of a subfolder, and a level-name that does not match, which makes the server create a new world.

How a Bedrock server stores worlds

The Bedrock Dedicated Server keeps every world in the worlds folder, and level-name picks which one loads. The Minecraft Wiki describes level-name as the world name and its folder name in /worlds, with Bedrock level as the default.

Inside `worlds/<name>/`	What it is
`level.dat`	World settings: seed, game rules, spawn
`db/`	The terrain, entities and players
`levelname.txt`	The name the game shows
`world_icon.jpeg`	The world thumbnail

A .mcworld file is that world folder compressed as a zip with another extension. That is why renaming it to .zip is all you need to open it.

Export your world from the game

Windows: in Play, click the edit (pencil) icon on the world, scroll down and choose Export World. Windows saves it as a .mcworld file.
Android, iPhone and iPad: the same Export World button opens the share menu. Save the file to your files app or cloud storage so you can upload it from the browser.
Xbox, PlayStation and Switch: consoles do not give you access to world files. You need a copy of the world on a phone, tablet or Windows PC first.

Heads-up: a Bedrock world cannot be opened by a version older than the one that last saved it. Your Bedrock server has to be on the same version as your game, or newer. Players also need that same version to join.

How to upload world Bedrock server files in the panel

Back up the current world: open Backups and click Create backup.
Stop the server from the Console.
On your device, rename MyWorld.mcworld to MyWorld.zip.
In Files, open the worlds folder and create a new folder with a simple name, for example MyWorld.
Open that folder, click Upload and choose the zip.
Open the zip's menu (the three dots or right-click), choose Unarchive, and check that level.dat and db are now directly in worlds/MyWorld/.
Open server.properties in the main folder and set level-name to the exact folder name.
Start the server, wait for the Console to show it has started, and join.

Code

# server.properties
level-name=MyWorld

You can leave the old world folder where it is. The server only loads the one named in level-name, so going back is just changing that line.

Big worlds, add-ons and sharing the work

For a large world, upload the zip over sFTP with the address, port and username from Settings → SFTP Details and your panel password, then extract it in Files. Our SFTP guide shows the setup in FileZilla and WinSCP.

If your world uses behavior or resource packs, the server needs them too. Follow how to install add-ons on a Bedrock server. If a friend runs the server with you, add them in Users so they can upload from their own device without your password.

Common problems and fixes

The server made a new, empty world: level-name does not match the folder name, or the files ended up in worlds/MyWorld/MyWorld/. Move them up one level.
The files landed loose in worlds: you extracted without making a subfolder first. Create the folder and move level.dat, db and the rest into it.
“Outdated server” when joining: the player's game is newer than the server.
The world will not load: it was saved by a newer version than the server. Wait until the server runs that version.
Want to undo it: restore the backup from Backups, as in our guide to restore a Minecraft server world.

Moving a Java world instead? The formats are different, so it does not work here; read how to upload a world to a Minecraft server for Java Edition.

Keep your Bedrock world online with TheGameHosting

A Minecraft Bedrock server from TheGameHosting lets you upload your world in Files or over sFTP and keep one-click backups. Friends on phones, consoles and Windows join with the IP and port shown in the panel, with no ports to open and no need to keep your own device on. Bedrock needs just 1 GB of RAM; compare sizes on plans and pricing and use code FULL2026 for 15% off for life.

FAQ

Can you upload a Bedrock world to a Java server?

Not directly. Bedrock and Java save worlds in different formats, so a Java server cannot open a Bedrock world as it is.

How do I upload a world to a Minecraft Bedrock server from my phone?

Export the world with Export World, save the .mcworld file, rename it to .zip, and upload it from your phone's browser in Files into a new folder inside worlds. Extract it there and set level-name.

Where do I put the world on a Bedrock server?

In its own folder inside worlds, for example worlds/MyWorld/, with level.dat and db directly inside. Then set level-name=MyWorld in server.properties.

Can I upload a world from Xbox, PlayStation or Switch?

Consoles do not give access to world files, so you need the world on a phone, tablet or Windows PC first and export it from there.

Hosting for these games

Written by TheGameHosting Team, the people who run our servers in Dallas and Amsterdam and answer your tickets.

All posts