How to Install Plugins on Your Minecraft Server

What is a plugin?

A plugin is an add-on installed on the server that gives it new features - economy, land protection, minigames, anti-cheat and much more. Your players do not have to install anything, they can join with a completely normal Minecraft client.

Plugin or mod? Plugins run on server software such as Paper, Spigot and Purpur. Mods (Forge, Fabric and NeoForge) require both the server and every single player to have the same mod installed. The two types cannot be mixed.

Requirement: Your server must run Paper, Spigot or Purpur. A plain Vanilla server does not support plugins. If you are unsure which software your server runs, you can check it in the Potionhost control panel or ask our support team.

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Step 1 - Download the plugin from a safe source

Always use one of the well-known platforms:

Source	Address	Note
Hangar	hangar.papermc.io	The official PaperMC platform
Modrinth	modrinth.com/plugins	Modern site with good version filtering
SpigotMC	spigotmc.org/resources	The largest selection and many classics

Important: A plugin gets full access to your server. Never install .jar files from random Discord servers, YouTube descriptions or unknown websites.

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Step 2 - Check the version and dependencies

Make sure the plugin supports the same Minecraft version as your server. A plugin built for 1.20 rarely runs flawlessly on a 1.21 server.

Also check whether the plugin requires dependencies - other plugins such as Vault or PlaceholderAPI. They have to be installed as well, otherwise the plugin disables itself on startup.

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Step 3 - Upload the file to the plugins folder

1. Log in to the Potionhost control panel and select your server.
2. Open Files and enter the plugins/ folder in your server root directory.
3. Upload the .jar file directly into plugins/.

The file has to sit directly in plugins/ - subfolders are not loaded.

If your download is a .zip file, extract it first and upload the .jar file found inside.

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Step 4 - Restart the server

Go to Console in the control panel and restart the server. Plugins are only loaded when the server starts up.

Do not use /reload. The command looks convenient, but it often leaves plugins in a half-loaded state and is a classic cause of strange errors and lost data. Restart instead.

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Step 5 - Verify that the plugin is running

Type plugins in the console, or /plugins in-game:

• Green name = the plugin is loaded and active
• Red name = the plugin failed - find the error message in the console

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Configure the plugin

The first time the plugin starts, it creates its own folder under plugins/PluginName/, usually containing a config.yml.

1. Open and edit the file under Files
2. Save your changes
3. Restart the server, or use the plugin own reload command if it has one

YAML is sensitive to indentation. Always use spaces - never tabs.

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Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
The plugin is not on the list at all	The .jar file is in a subfolder	Move it directly into plugins/
Unsupported API version	The plugin does not match your MC version	Download a matching version
Invalid plugin.yml or Unknown plugin	The file is a mod, or the download is incomplete	Download a proper Paper/Spigot plugin again
Missing dependency	A required plugin is missing	Install the dependency mentioned
The server crashes on startup	Two versions of the same plugin are present	Delete the old .jar file
Config changes do nothing	The server was not restarted, or the YAML is invalid	Restart and check the indentation

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Good advice

• Install one plugin at a time so you know exactly what went wrong if something fails.
• Take a backup before installing bigger plugins.
• Keep your plugins updated - especially after a Minecraft update.
• A few well-chosen plugins perform better than 60 half-used ones.

Cannot get a plugin to run? Send us the error message from the console in a ticket and we will take a look.