How to Update a Paper Minecraft Server Safely

Direct answer

Update Paper by downloading a supported Paper server JAR, shutting the server down cleanly and replacing the startup JAR. A complete backup is necessary before any update, especially a Minecraft version change.

Recommended procedure

Record the exact Minecraft, Paper and Java versions and check plugin compatibility.
Stop the server and make a restorable backup of worlds, configurations, plugins and data.
Download the desired Paper build from the official downloads page and save its original build details.
Update or stage incompatible plugins using their maintainers’ instructions, then replace the Paper JAR while the server is stopped.
Make the startup command point to the new filename and start the server while watching startup logs and migration warnings.

Why this matters

Changing a server JAR can also trigger world data migration. Swapping back to an old JAR is not a safe downgrade plan for worlds already opened by a newer game version.

Practical example: Example: after updating Paper, a plugin may load successfully but fail when players open its menus. That is why a login test alone is insufficient. If a new Minecraft version changed stored world data, restore the pre-upgrade world with the pre-upgrade JAR during rollback; only switching the executable risks an incompatible world.

How to verify the result

Check the version reported on startup and that all required plugins load.
Join with a test account, load existing chunks, run core plugin actions and check errors.
If you must revert after an incompatible upgrade, restore the matching pre-upgrade backup, not just the old executable.

Version and compatibility notes

Never overwrite the JAR while the server is running.
Paper’s update guidance allows staged plugin updates but automatic unattended upgrades carry plugin compatibility risks.

Official references

These sources were checked for the current MSH revision. Version-sensitive details should always be confirmed against the project documentation for the release you run.

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