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How To Install Modpacks On Your Minecraft Java Edition Server

Learn how to install and update modpacks on your Minecraft server using the modpack manager or manually.

In this guide, we will show you how to install a modpack on your Minecraft server. We recommend installing modpacks to a fresh Minecraft server to avoid possible conflicts.

To connect to modded servers, we recommend using the CurseForge App to install modpacks to your local Minecraft client.

Installing Modpacks

  1. Log in to the GhostCap Panel and select your Minecraft server.
  2. Go to Tools → Modpack Manager.
  3. Select the modpack and version you want.
  4. Enable Format and click Install.
  5. Start your server.
Danger

If you wish to keep a copy of the current world on your server, make sure to download a backup before deleting! This installer does NOT create a backup of your world.

Updating an Existing Modpack

If you already have a modpack installed and want to update it to a newer version, follow these steps for a clean update.

  1. Log in to the GhostCap Panel and stop your Minecraft server.
  2. Download a backup from your server, manually or with our backup feature.
  3. Go to File Manager and delete the following folders for a clean installation:
    • libraries
    • mods
    • scripts
    • kubejs
    • config
  4. Install the updated modpack using the steps above, WITHOUT enabling Format.
  5. Start your server.
Tip

Not all modpack updates require the deletion of all these folders. At minimum, delete libraries and mods prior to updating. The key is to remove old mod and library files to prevent conflicts with the updated version.

Manually Installing Modpacks

We recommend using CurseForge to find and install modpacks to your server and game client. Modpacks on CurseForge normally have a separate download for servers. This guide is suitable for most cases.

  1. Log in to the GhostCap Panel.
  2. In the sidebar, go to Advanced → Server Actions → Install Different Edition.
  3. Select the compatible version and edition of your modpack and click Format.
  4. Use SFTP to upload the Modpack.zip to your server's home directory.
  5. Once uploaded, in File Manager, click the three dots to Decompress your Modpack.zip.
  6. Start your server.
Tip

Uploading a .zip is preferred as it's faster, but you can also upload everything uncompressed if you're having trouble. Normally, you'll only need the mods and configs folders uploaded.

Troubleshooting

Here are the most common issues you may run into when installing mods to your Minecraft server. We recommend following these in order.

Immediate Crashing

This may be because the server is using an incompatible Java version. Try these steps:

  • Double-check that the server .jar file is set correctly in Server Options.
  • In Server Options, change the Java version and restart your server. You may need to try this a couple of times. Automatic works for 99% of cases.
  • Make sure the upload was successful. Files larger than 1GB need to be uploaded using SFTP.

Version Compatibility

Some modpacks won't have a premade server download and will need additional configuration. The easiest way to solve this is:

  • Check the modpack's compatible mod loader and version on its download page.
  • Make sure your Minecraft server has the correct game version installed if the modpack didn't include a .jar file.
  • Mod loaders such as Forge and NeoForge are different. While they may have similar names, they are NOT cross-compatible.

World Generation Crashing

Larger modpacks WILL require more resources. If your server is crashing when trying to generate the world:

  • Check System → Audit Logs or watch your resources. If this is the issue, you will need to upgrade your server.

Connection Refused

If you've just manually installed a modpack and can't connect to your server, and your error message is just "connection refused" with no information:

  • Restart your server.
  • Make sure you've installed the modpack to your own game client.
  • Ensure you're connecting with the correct IP address.
  • If you're still unable to connect, reach out to us on Discord.

Mismatched Mods

Mods in modpacks will also need to be installed locally to your game client. If you have problems such as mismatched mods when trying to connect:

  • Download the missing mods.
  • Delete them from your game and server files then try again.
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