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Reset your Minecraft server or start a new world

Published on 3 October 2026

Want a fresh start on your Minecraft server? You have three options: make a new world and throw the old one away, make a new world and keep the old one, or wipe the entire server. Which one fits depends on what you want to keep. Whichever you choose, make a backup first, because deleting is final.

First: make a backup

Open Backups and click Create Backup, so you can always go back if you change your mind. The details are in Create and restore a backup.

New world, old one gone

  1. Stop your server.
  2. Open Worlds. Your current world has the Default label.
  3. Click the bin icon next to that world and confirm with Delete World.
  4. Want a specific seed? Enter it as level-seed in server.properties, for example through Configs. Leave it empty for a random world.
  5. Start your server. Minecraft generates a new world with the same name.

Since Minecraft 26.1 the Nether and the End live inside your world folder, so they reset too. On an older version, also delete the world_nether and world_the_end folders.

New world, old one kept

This is the safest route. Stop your server and change level-name in server.properties to a new name, such as world2. Start your server: a new world appears and the old one stays put. To switch back later, click Make default next to your old world under Worlds. Keep an eye on your storage, because every world counts towards it.

Wipe everything

Want plugins, settings and player data gone as well? Open Versions, pick your software and version, and turn on Delete Server Files. Turn on Accept EULA and click Change Version. Every file on your server is deleted and the server is installed again, as fresh as a newly baked cake. Your backups are kept.

What about Bedrock?

On a Bedrock server your world sits in the worlds folder. Stop the server, delete your world’s folder in File managers and start again. The folder name is the level-name in server.properties.

Plugins that remember places, such as land claims or homes, may still point at the old world after a reset. Clear that data or reset the plugin too. Stuck? Open a ticket. Need a spare server for testing? Have a look at Minecraft server hosting or Bedrock server hosting.

This guide replaces a Dutch CakeHosting knowledge base article from 2019.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a deleted world back?

Only if you have a backup of it. Restore it under Backups. Without a backup, a deleted world is gone.

Do my plugins stay when I only reset the world?

Yes, only the world disappears. Plugin settings stay, but data that points to places in the old world will no longer be right.

How do I choose my own seed?

Set level-seed in server.properties before the new world is created. A seed only affects a world that hasn’t been generated yet.

Can I reset only the Nether?

Yes. Stop your server and delete just the Nether folder. On 26.1 and later that’s dimensions/minecraft/the_nether inside your world folder; on older versions it’s world_nether.

More questions? See all frequently asked questions

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