How to Install a CurseForge Modpack on Your Minecraft Server
Setting up a modpack by hand means matching the Forge or Fabric version, copying hundreds of mod files and picking the right Java. On Lobby Maker the Mods tab does it for you: paste a link to the modpack's file, and the panel installs everything.
Installing a modpack replaces your server's files, and it can replace the world too. Make a backup first (Backups tab) — especially if there is a world you want to keep.
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1. Copy the modpack's file link
1. Find the modpack on curseforge.com. 2. Open its Files tab and choose the version you want — usually the newest release. 3. Copy the address of that file's page. It looks like this:
https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/modpacks/example-pack/files/1234567It has to be the link to one file (ending in /files/ and a number), not the modpack's main page.
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2. Install it from the Mods tab
1. Open your server in the panel (My game servers → Server Panel) and go to the Mods tab. 2. Paste the link into the field and let the panel analyze it — it shows which modpack and version it found. 3. Start the installation. The panel downloads the modpack's mods, the matching mod loader and the server files. 4. When it has finished, go to the Console tab and Start the server.
The first start of a modpack is slow: big packs can take several minutes to prepare the world. Wait until the console prints the Done line before joining.
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3. Give the server enough memory
Modpacks need far more RAM than vanilla Minecraft:
| Modpack | RAM |
|---|---|
| Light (up to ~100 mods) | 4–6 GB |
| Medium (100–200 mods) | 6–8 GB |
| Big "kitchen-sink" packs (300+ mods, like All the Mods) | 8–12 GB |
If the console shows OutOfMemoryError, or the server freezes when players explore, the pack needs a plan with more memory.
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4. Match the Java version
Every Minecraft version needs a particular Java, and the wrong one stops the server right at start (often with UnsupportedClassVersionError in the console):
| Minecraft | Java |
|---|---|
| 1.8 – 1.16.5 | Java 8 |
| 1.17 | Java 16 |
| 1.18 – 1.20.4 | Java 17 |
| 1.20.5 and newer | Java 21 |
You change it on the Startup tab under Docker Image (Java 8, 11, 16, 17, 21 and 25 are available). The newest Minecraft versions may need Java 25 — if Java 21 fails, try it. Restart after changing it.
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5. Players: install the same modpack
Every player needs exactly the same modpack and version on their computer:
1. Install the CurseForge app. 2. Find the same modpack, choose the same version in its Files tab and install it. 3. Launch it, open Multiplayer → Add Server and enter your server's address from the Address card on the Console tab.
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Common problems
"Mismatched mod list" or "missing mods" when joining. The player's modpack version differs from the server's. Both must use the same file from the modpack's Files tab.
The Mods tab doesn't accept the link. You copied the modpack's main page instead of a file link — see step 1.
The server crashes at start with a mod error. The last lines in the console name the mod. Check the modpack's page for known issues, or install the previous version of the pack.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I add extra mods to a modpack? Yes — upload the mod's .jar to the mods/ folder in the Files tab. It must be made for the same mod loader and Minecraft version, and every player has to add it too.
Can I switch to another modpack later? Yes — back up, then install the other pack from the Mods tab the same way.
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Don't have a server yet? Rent a Minecraft server on Lobby Maker — it is ready in about a minute, and modpacks install from the Mods tab as shown above.