---
title: "How to download your Minecraft world"
url: https://help.endercloud.in/docs/how-to-download-your-minecraft-world
category: "Minecraft Hosting"
type: Guide
tags: ["backups", "files", "minecraft", "world"]
keywords: "download world, export world, save world to pc, world backup, play server world in singleplayer, copy world, map download, mcworld, download minecraft world, download server world, download map, download world zip, get world from server, backup world to pc, world download kaise kare"
difficulty: beginner
time: "5 minutes"
updated: 2026-11-14
source: Endercloud Knowledge Base (official)
---

# How to download your Minecraft world

> Stop the server, compress the world folder in Files and download the zip. You can also download a backup or copy the folder with SFTP.

You can download your server's world at any time to keep a copy, play it in single-player or move it to another server. The easiest way is to compress the world folder in **Files** and download the zip.

## Which folders do I need?

The world folder has the name set in `level-name` (in **Properties**), which is `world` by default.

-   **Vanilla, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, and Paper on 26.1 or newer:** everything is inside the one `world` folder.
    
-   **Paper or Purpur on 1.21.11 or older, and Spigot:** also download `world_nether` and `world_the_end`. They hold the Nether and the End.
    
-   **Vanilla Bedrock:** the world is in `worlds/<world name>`.
    

## Method 1: Compress and download in Files

1.  Click **Stop**, or run `save-all` in the **Console** first if you cannot stop the server. Stopping gives the cleanest copy.
    
2.  Open **Files** and tick the world folder(s).
    
3.  Choose the option to archive / compress them. A new `.tar.gz` or `.zip` file appears in the folder.
    
4.  Click the archive and download it.
    
5.  Delete the archive from the server afterwards so it does not use your disk space.
    

## Method 2: Download a backup

Create a backup in **Backups** and download it. A backup contains the whole server (world, plugins and configs), so it is larger, but it is the best way to keep a complete copy. See [How to create and restore backups](/docs/how-to-create-and-restore-backups).

## Method 3: SFTP

For very big worlds, connect with FileZilla or WinSCP and drag the world folder to your computer. See [How to connect with SFTP](/docs/how-to-connect-to-your-server-with-sftp).

## Play the world in single-player

1.  Extract the archive on your computer. (Windows can open `.zip`; use 7-Zip for `.tar.gz`.)
    
2.  Copy the `world` folder into your `saves` folder (Windows: `%appdata%\.minecraft\saves`). You can rename it to anything.
    
3.  If you are on Paper 1.21.11 or older, single-player needs the Nether and End inside the world folder: copy `world_nether/DIM-1` into `world`, and `world_the_end/DIM1` into `world`.
    
4.  Open Minecraft with the **same or newer version** as the server. Modded worlds need the same mods installed.
    

For Bedrock, zip the contents of `worlds/<world name>` (so `level.dat` is at the top of the zip), rename the file to `.mcworld` and open it to import it into Minecraft.

> **Tip:**
> Keep a downloaded copy of important worlds. If a service expires and is deleted, its files and backups cannot be recovered. See [How billing, renewals, suspension and deletion work](/docs/how-billing-renewals-suspension-and-deletion-work).

## Frequently asked questions

**Q: Can I download the world while players are online?**

Yes, but run `save-all` first and expect that the last few seconds of changes may be missing. For a perfect copy, stop the server.

**Q: The download keeps failing**

Large files can time out in the browser, especially on mobile data. Use SFTP instead, which can resume interrupted transfers.