Skip to content
Game panel My CakeHosting
Minecraft

Install mods and modpacks on your server

Published on 3 October 2026

To install a modpack on your server, open Modpacks in the game panel, pick the pack and its version, and the panel installs everything, including the right mod loader. Separate mods go in under Mods. Your friends then need the same mods in the same versions.

Fabric or NeoForge: what do you need?

Mods run on a mod loader, usually Fabric or NeoForge. Your server starts on Paper, which runs plugins, not mods. For a modpack, the game panel sorts out the loader for you. For separate mods, choose the loader under Versions first, as in Change your server version. Each mod’s page lists the loader and Minecraft version it needs.

How do you install a modpack?

  1. Stop your server and make a backup under Backups. Otherwise the game panel stops the server the hard way.
  2. Go to Modpacks, under the Minecraft heading.
  3. Pick a source under Provider, such as Modrinth, CurseForge or Feed The Beast, and search for your modpack.
  4. Click the download icon next to the pack and choose the Modpack version your friends play.
  5. Leave Delete files off to keep your world. Turn it on for a clean start: the game panel then wipes all your files first.
  6. Click Install modpack. You can follow the installation in the console.
  7. Start your server once the installation has finished. The first start takes longer while the world and mods are set up.

Note: an installation replaces the mods and libraries folders. Any mods you added yourself need to go back in afterwards.

How do you add separate mods?

  1. Make sure your server runs Fabric or NeoForge.
  2. Go to Mods, under the Minecraft heading. Provider is set to Modrinth.
  3. Choose your loader under Mod loader and your version under Minecraft version, then search for the mod.
  4. Click the download icon, pick the mod version and confirm with Install mod. The mod lands in the mods folder.
  5. Restart your server. Installed Mods shows what’s on it and lets you update or remove mods.

Got a mod from another website? Upload it to the mods folder yourself, through File managers or SFTP. Many Fabric mods also need the Fabric API mod.

How do your friends play the same pack?

Everyone installs the same modpack in the same version, for example with the CurseForge or Modrinth app. Mods that change the game, such as new blocks, are needed by everyone. Mods that only improve what you see, such as shaders or a minimap, belong with the players and not on the server.

What if your server won’t start?

  • Find the first error. Scroll the console to the first line with ERROR or Exception. The mod’s name is often right there.
  • A client-only mod. Mods like Sodium or a minimap can crash a server. Take them out of mods.
  • A missing dependency. The message names the mod that’s missing, for example Fabric API.
  • Not enough memory. Big modpacks need far more than plain Minecraft. See how much RAM a Minecraft server needs.

Still choosing a pack for your group? Read Running a modpack server with friends or have a look at our modpack servers.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose my world if I install a modpack?

Not with Delete files off. Still make a backup first, because a modded world can break when you switch packs or versions.

Can I update a modpack to a newer version?

Yes: install the same pack again and pick the new version. Make a backup first and ask your friends to update their pack too.

Do plugins still work when I use mods?

No. Fabric and NeoForge run mods, not plugins. See also Install plugins on your Minecraft server.

My modpack isn’t listed. What now?

Try another Provider. If it isn’t anywhere, download the creator’s server pack and upload it over SFTP. Stuck? Open a ticket.

More questions? See all frequently asked questions

Related articles