How to Add a Custom Map to a Minecraft Bedrock Server

To add a custom map to a Minecraft Bedrock server, rename the map's .mcworld to .zip, extract it, and upload the folder into worlds/ so level.dat and the db folder sit directly inside worlds/<MapName>/. Set level-name in server.properties to that exact folder name and restart. Packs inside the map load with it. Adventure maps also need gamemode=adventure with force-gamemode=true. A .mctemplate must first be turned into a world on your device.

What you can and cannot add

What goes where

The packs travel inside the world folder, and Bedrock Dedicated Server loads them from there. You do not need to copy them to the server's root resource_packs or behavior_packs folders.

Before you start

• Back up the server's current world. You are switching worlds, not deleting one, but a backup costs nothing.
• Check the version. The map page usually says which Minecraft version it was built for. The server can be newer than the map, not older.
• Read the map's rules. Many adventure and parkour maps ask for a game mode, difficulty or render distance. Note them now.

Step 1: Get a .mcworld

• You have a .mcworld: go to Step 2.
• You have a .mctemplate: open it on Windows, iPhone, iPad or Android so Minecraft imports it. Choose Create New and pick the imported template from the list to make a world from it, load it once, then go back to the menu, edit the world and choose Export World. You now have a .mcworld.

A template is a blueprint for new worlds, not a world itself, so the server cannot load it directly. This is the trap that stops most people who download maps from creator sites.

Step 2: Unzip it into one clean folder

Rename MapName.mcworld to MapName.zip and extract it. A .mcworld stores its files at the top level, so depending on your unzip tool you may get the files loose or inside a folder. Either way, end up with one folder, ideally a short name without odd symbols, like SkyIsland, that contains level.dat and db directly:

worlds/
  SkyIsland/
    level.dat
    levelname.txt
    db/
    behavior_packs/
    resource_packs/

If the server finds worlds/SkyIsland/SkyIsland/level.dat, one folder too deep, it does not see a world and makes a brand new one.

Step 3: Upload and point the server at it

1. Stop the server.
2. Upload the folder into worlds/. Maps can be large, so SFTP is more reliable than a browser upload.
3. In server.properties, set level-name=SkyIsland, matching the folder name exactly, capitals included.
4. Start the server and join.

Step 4: Experiments and game mode (the gotcha)

Two settings decide whether a map plays the way its creator meant, and neither one is where people look.

Experiments live in level.dat. Many maps with custom mobs, items or scripts need experimental toggles such as Beta APIs. They are saved inside the world's level.dat, and the server has no setting or command to turn them on. If the map page says it needs experiments, open the world on your device, turn them on under Experiments, load it once, export again and re-upload. Maps that shipped with experiments on keep them.

Game mode comes from the server, not the map. gamemode in server.properties is the mode for new players, and force-gamemode=false keeps the mode saved in the world. For an adventure map, set both so nobody can break the puzzles:

level-name=SkyIsland
gamemode=adventure
force-gamemode=true

Also set difficulty to what the map asks for. If the map uses commands in chat, allow-cheats=true may be needed; command blocks themselves are controlled by the commandblocksenabled game rule.

Common problems

• Server makes a brand new world: level-name does not match the folder name, or level.dat is one folder too deep.
• Custom mobs, items or scripts missing: the map needs experiments that were never turned on in its level.dat, or its packs were moved out of the world folder.
• Players spawn in survival on an adventure map: set gamemode=adventure and force-gamemode=true, then restart.
• "Outdated server" when joining: players are on a newer Minecraft than the server. Update the server.
• Map loads but textures look vanilla: players declined the resource pack. Set texturepack-required=true. See how to add a resource pack to a Minecraft Bedrock server.

Custom maps on GamezServers

On a Minecraft Bedrock server from GamezServers, upload the map over SFTP (login in Settings) or in the file manager, which can also extract a zip on the server or download a map from a link straight to it. Set World name and Game mode in Settings, since the panel writes those into server.properties on start, and add force-gamemode=true to the file yourself. Click Backup first. For your own worlds, see how to upload a Minecraft Bedrock world to a server.

FAQ

Where do custom maps go on a Bedrock server?

In the worlds folder, as a folder holding level.dat and db. Then set level-name to that folder's name.

Can I put a .mctemplate on a Bedrock server?

Not directly. Create a world from the template on your device, export it as .mcworld, then upload that.

Why is my Bedrock map missing its custom mobs?

It probably needs experimental features, which are stored in level.dat. Turn them on in the world on your device, export it and upload it again.

Can I use Marketplace maps on a dedicated server?

No. Marketplace maps are licensed to your account and are meant for your own devices and Realms, not for copying to servers.