A .mcworld transfers Bedrock world data to a matching Bedrock Dedicated Server. Before uploading, check the save version, packs and archive structure, and keep the original world separate. A Java file does not become a Bedrock world just by renaming it.

From the left: keep the original world, create a working copy, transfer it to the target server and check the result.
From the left: keep the original world, create a working copy, transfer it to the target server and check the result.

First Determine the Right Server Type

This guide applies to Mojang's Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS). It does not describe an automatic transfer to PocketMine-MP or any Java conversion. Both distinctions matter: the same Bedrock client does not mean that every server implementation reads your saved world unchanged.

Note the version with which the world was last saved, as well as any required behavior and resource packs. If you are still deciding which software you need, read BDS or PocketMine-MP.

Secure the Source and Check the Export

Create a separate backup of the existing world. If the Bedrock client you use offers Export World, use it to create a .mcworld. Not every platform offers the same file access. Use an export method documented for your device and test a copy locally before replacing anything on the server.

A .mcworld is an archive containing Bedrock world data. An unpacked BDS world folder contains, among other things, level.dat and db. A Java world does not gain Bedrock format by renaming the ZIP to .mcworld. The Microsoft documentation on Chunker describes conversion as a separate process with limitations; it is not needed for a normal Bedrock-to-BDS import.

Also check the target server: create a backup and note the currently active world. Use a new, unique name for the import. The Backup Guide describes the full scope of a backup.

Import in the Bedrock World Manager

  1. Open the BDS server and its world management.
  2. Select Upload World.
  3. Select the verified .mcworld archive and a new target name such as island-import.
  4. Note the size limit shown in the form and the processing notes.
  5. Start the upload and wait until it completes. Then check the entry in the world list and which world is active.

If a name already exists, choose a new name. Do not overwrite the only world that has worked so far. If an error message appears, note the wording and the processing step instead of repeatedly triggering the same import in parallel.

Manual Route for Complete World Folders

For a manual transfer, stop the BDS process completely. Copy the entire unpacked world folder via SFTP into worlds/. A simple example looks like this:

worlds/
  island-import/
    level.dat
    db/

The matching configuration value is:

level-name=island-import

Microsoft describes this mapping in the BDS introduction and the configuration reference. Avoid an additional wrapper layer between island-import and the actual world data.

Add-ons Are Part of the Check

Keep the pack files belonging to the world and their references together. If content is missing, check pack versions and dependencies. Do not install Java JARs as a substitute. A successful connection does not confirm that behavior packs or scripts work completely.

If a world uses experimental features, explicitly check their support on your BDS version. Do not change the server version, pack selection and world files at the same time while investigating an import error.

Accepting the Save

Connect with a matching Bedrock client using the address shown in the panel and the port given there. Compare known structures, dimensions, inventories, containers and important add-on functions. Then check the intended permissions with a normal account.

Make a non-critical change and verify it after a clean stop and restart. If the wrong landscape appears, first check the world name and folder. If only pack content is missing, examine the packs instead of deleting the world folder.

FAQ

How do I go back after a failed import?

Stop the candidate and use the unchanged old world again with its previous configuration. If you have replaced further files, restore the matching backup state as a whole.

Why is the world visible locally but not on BDS?

Check upload completion, version, target name, folder root and the startup console. Working locally does not yet prove that the server loads the right file.

Can I upload a Java map instead?

Not as a direct Bedrock import. Use a suitable Bedrock edition or examine a conversion separately on a copy. Do not assume that all data will be fully preserved.

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Checking an Import Against the Right Data Structure

In the unpacked working archive, verify that the actual world folder contains level.dat and the Bedrock data area db. An additional wrapper layer can hide a world import. For the test, choose a unique new world name and then check buildings, known coordinates and pack contents. If only add-on functions are missing, examine their dependencies instead of recreating the whole world. Note the last Bedrock version used; a world that has already been updated cannot be reliably repaired by a simple software downgrade. If errors occur, return to the backed-up original and the matching version.