HowTo:Rename Minecraft world in Paper

Renaming a Minecraft world on a Paper server isn’t as simple as renaming the world folder—plugins, config files, and settings may still reference the old name. Here’s what you should do before, during, and after renaming the world folder to ensure a smooth transition.

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📌 Before Renaming the World Folder

1️⃣ Stop the Server Properly

• Use /stop in the server console.
• Do NOT rename the world while the server is running, or you'll risk corruption.

2️⃣ Back Everything Up

• Create a full backup of your world/ folder.
• Also back up server.properties and relevant plugin configs (config.yml files).

3️⃣ Check Plugin Dependencies

• Some plugins reference the world name in their configs. Common ones include:
  • EssentialsX (world-home.yml, warps.yml)
  • Multiverse-Core (worlds.yml)
  • DynMap (folders in web/ directory)
  • WorldGuard (worlds/ directory inside its folder)
  • CoreProtect (config.yml, might store world data in DB)
  • LuckPerms (if world-based permissions are used)

4️⃣ Disable Auto-World Plugins (Optional)

• Some plugins (like Multiverse-Core) might auto-generate a world with the old name on restart. Temporarily disable them while renaming.

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🛠️ During Renaming Process

1️⃣ Rename the World Folder

• Go to the server’s root directory.
• Rename world/ (or your old world name) to your new desired name.

2️⃣ Update server.properties

• Open server.properties and update the level-name field to the new world name:

level-name=NewWorldName

3️⃣ Modify Plugin Configurations

• Open each plugin’s config file and replace instances of the old world name with the new one.
• Tip: Use a Find & Replace tool in a text editor to speed up the process.

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🚀 After Renaming the World Folder

1️⃣ Restart the Server

• Start the server and watch the console for errors.

2️⃣ Check for Missing World References

• Use these commands:
  • /mv list (for Multiverse-Core users, to confirm the world loaded)
  • /worldguard list (if using WorldGuard, to check region files still work)
  • /dynmap reload (for DynMap, to ensure the world is still mapped)

3️⃣ Verify Player Data & Teleports

• If players had homes, warps, or stored locations, test:
  • /home (EssentialsX)
  • /warp (EssentialsX)
  • /tp (to saved locations)

4️⃣ Fix Database Links (if needed)

• If plugins like CoreProtect, LuckPerms, or DynMap used MySQL, check that their databases did not store old world names as references.

5️⃣ Re-enable Any Disabled Plugins

• If you temporarily disabled Multiverse-Core or other auto-world-loading plugins, turn them back on.

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🔍 Bonus Tips

✅ Use a Test Server First – If possible, try renaming the world on a local test server before doing it live.

✅ Don't Forget Player Inventories – If world names were used in player data storage, players might lose inventory data.

✅ DynMap / BlueMap Users – If you use a mapping plugin, you may need to delete and regenerate the old map files to reflect the new name.

✅ Announce to Players – If the server is public, let players know if they need to update homes, warps, or stored locations.

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📝 TL;DR Checklist

✔ Stop server & back up world

✔ Rename world folder

✔ Update server.properties (level-name=NewWorldName)

✔ Modify plugin configs (worlds.yml, config.yml, etc.)

✔ Restart & check console for errors

✔ Verify homes, warps, region protections

✔ Fix MySQL databases if needed

✔ Re-enable any disabled plugins

✔ Test, test, test!

Mission Complete! 🎉 Your world is now running under its shiny new name! 🚀