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World safety

How to back up a Minecraft world

Make a recoverable copy before updates, mods, or experimental settings.

Updated 2026-07-274 min read
Before you start

Close the world before copying its files. A partial copy made while saving can be inconsistent.

  1. 01

    Exit the world

    Return to the title screen and let the save finish.

  2. 02

    Use the built-in copy

    When available, choose Edit or Settings and create a copy of the world.

  3. 03

    Store it separately

    Keep a dated backup outside the active saves directory.

  4. 04

    Test restoration

    Open a duplicate occasionally to confirm the backup is usable.

Sources and further reading

Minecraft Help: game data and storage

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