PaperMC is a Bukkit/Spigot-based Minecraft server software. As compared to Spigot, Paper also improves Minecraft’s performance, reduces lag, and provides a much better Minecraft server experience overall. We don’t recommend starting a Minecraft server unless you’re using a Paper server jar because it’s a much better experience. Paper is the best way to host a Minecraft server, not only can you can get all of the features that Vanilla Minecraft Servers have, but you can also add Spigot/Bukkit plugins and Paper plugins.

Paper is a fork of the Spigot Minecraft Server that aims to improve performance while also correcting gameplay and mechanics faults. There are various features, bug patches, exploit preventions, and significant speed gains in Paper that are not included in Spigot. Another keynote, paper fixes hopper and chest lag, as well as reduces Redstone lag too. It also has a built-in anti-Xray.

How to Make a Paper Server in Minecraft

Paper employs a more user-friendly patching system that reduces the amount of work required of server administrators. It’s still DMCA-compliant because it doesn’t distribute the Minecraft Jar but instead applies a binary patch when the game starts. Hence, it provides a better user experience with the same technology concepts.

So, let’s talk about how to start a Paper Minecraft server so that you can start getting the most out of your Minecraft server!

1. Download PaperMC

The first and foremost step is to download the Paper.jar file. You can use this link to get to the official PaperMC download page:

Once, you get to the download page, click on the blue number button beneath “Build” to download the latest recent build of Paper. The build number, however, resets with each new Minecraft version (1.18.2, for example). As a result, your build number can be lower or higher depending on the latest situation. To make sure that you get the latest version, always click on the number at the very top.

As you click on the blue button, the Paper.jar file will be downloaded at the bottom left corner of your browser (in the case of Chrome). You may need to keep/save the file depending on your browser.

2. Create a Folder for your Server

As the Paper server jar is now downloaded, you will need to create a folder to host your server. You are recommended to do this on your desktop because it is more convenient. You can name this new folder as “Minecraft-Server” (or whatever you want just make sure you don’t accidentally lose it). Next, transfer the recently downloaded .jar file to this folder (you can find the file in your downloads folder). Now, rename the file to paper.jar so that our batch file works properly.

3. Create run.bat File

After you’ve placed your PaperMC file in its own folder, you’ll need to create a file in order to use it. So, now you need to create a new text document with notepad, by right-clicking anywhere on the screen, then selecting “New”, and then “Text Document”. 

Next, open the text document, and type the following as it is:

java -Xmx2048M -Xms2048M -jar paper.jar nogui

PAUSE

Now, once you have pasted the above code into the notepad document, click on the “File” button on the top left corner, and then select “Save As”. This will then open up the save dialogue box where you need to save the file as “run.bat”. Also, change “Save as type:” from “Text Documents” to “All Files”. Now, you can click save. You can now close all the Notepad documents that were open. You can also delete the text documents as now you have created the “run.bat” file.

4. Run the Server and Accept the EULA

Now that you’ve finished creating the “run.bat” file, double-click on it. When you do this, a CMD box will appear, do some actions, and then instruct you to press any key to proceed. The command prompt will close when you do this. (If any error occurs in running the “run.bat” file, it may be because you don’t have the correct version of Java. So, you will need to install the latest Java version, in our case that is Java 17) 

Now, you’ll see that several files and text documents have emerged in your Paper server folder by accident. You will need to open the “eula.txt” file in Notepad by clicking on it. Next, simply find the line that says “EULa=false” and replace it with “EULA=true”. This indicates that you agree to the Minecraft EULA, so make sure you’ve read and accepted it before proceeding. After that, click on the “File” button on the top left corner of the notepad, and then select the “Save” button.

5. Run the Server again and Download everything

After accepting EULA, you will once more need to double-click the “run.bat” file. Everything else on the server will subsequently download as a result of this. This could take a few minutes on the server. Just keep an eye on the CMD till it reads “Done”. You can now type “Stop” and push enter when it finally says so. The server will then be shut off. 

In the Paper Minecraft server folder you created before, you should now have a slew of various folders and files. You and anyone else on your network, assuming you are in the same house, can now connect to your server using the IP address “localhost”. All you have to do now is start the server.

6. Find Your IPv4 Address & Default Gateway

Your server is now up and running, but there are still a few things you need to accomplish before you can play with other people online. To begin, you must first open your command prompt. Go to the “Start Menu” and search for “CMD” in the search box. You will see a program appear, and you will need to right-click on it and choose “Run As Administrator”.

Now, simply put “ipconfig” into the command prompt after it has been opened. This will cause a slew of random data to appear at the command prompt. Once it’s done, find your IPv4 address and default gateway. To make your server publicly accessible, you’ll need both of these numbers. Make a note of them by copying them to a notepad document or simply leaving the CMD open. You can proceed once you have these figures.

7. Log in to your Router

You will need to log into your router at this point. Simply type your default gateway as a webpage into your browser to accomplish this. On your screen, a login box will display. You will need to input the username and password for your router here. (Note that this is not the same as your wifi password).

8. Port forward your Router

It’s time to port forward your router now that you have logged in. Once you have found the right location, it’s actually rather straightforward. Look for terms such as “Port Forwarding,” “Apps & Gaming,” and “Single Port Forward,” among others. It could also be in the “advanced” or “security” sections of your router, so look around until you locate it. 

It’s time to port forward now that you have identified the port forwarding area of your router. You will need to create a new port forward with 25565 as the starting/internal port and 25565 as the ending/external port. The protocol needs to be “UDP/TCP”, “UDP & TCP”, or “Both”. You will need to make sure that both TCP and UDP protocols are selected, regardless of whatever option you choose. This is the IPv4 address that we discovered earlier for your IP address. Save the port forward when you have entered all of the information.

9. Launch into your Server

Now all you need to do is start your server. To do so, return to the folder you made in step 2 and double-click the “run.bat” file you made in step 3. The server will start up after a command prompt window appears. Simply start Minecraft, select “Multiplayer”, and then “Direct Connect” in the bottom center of the screen to join the server. Enter your IPv4 address here, then click “Join Server”. Now, you will be able to access your PaperMC server.

Note that if you want your friends or relatives to play on your server, they must use your public IP address to do so. Simply click here, and your public IP address will appear in the center of the screen. Invite your friends to join your server using this IP address. Check to see if your port forwarding was done correctly if your friends are having trouble connecting using your public IP. If they still can’t connect, turn off the firewalls on your router and PC. This is not advised, however, it may allow your friends to join if they are unable to.

10. Install some Paper Plugins and Play!

It is kind of meaningless to create a Paper server if no plugins are available. So, you might want to install some plugins and enjoy playing Minecraft.