Modpacks

Modpacks are groups of mods curated to work well with each other for a unique and tailored Minecraft experience. Generally, they provide an all-in-one package that contains the mods and configuration files needed for a particular setup.

To get started, choose Modpack from the create server menu. You can either download a pack through the built-in search or install one from a file.

Download a modpack

The easiest option is to select Download a Modpack and search for a pack directly in auto-mcs. The built-in search includes modpacks from both Modrinth and CurseForge.

Note

It’s recommended to install modpacks through this menu because auto-mcs filters them for server-side compatibility, and can track their versions for future updates. This way, you can be notified and update to a new modpack version easily, or even automatically.

Select a modpack, choose the release you want from the drop-down, and start the installation by clicking the download icon. auto-mcs will download the selected pack and prepare a new server using its Minecraft version and mod loader.

Install from a file

If you’ve already downloaded a modpack, you can select a local .zip or .mrpack file instead.

Caution

Be sure to download the server pack version of the pack specifically; most client-side modpacks will not work either due to the mods not being included, or will crash from including client-side only mods that the server can’t load. If auto-mcs detects a client pack, it will offer to search for a server pack instead. Most Modrinth modpacks support both server and client installation from the same .mrpack file. On CurseForge, however, there’s usually a separate server-pack download:

If a modpack crashes during startup, see Troubleshooting add-ons for identifying incompatible mods and reading the errors.

• .mrpack files are Modrinth modpack archives. They include metadata describing the Minecraft version, mod loader, and required files.
• .zip files are commonly used for CurseForge exports and server packs. auto-mcs can recognize several packaging formats, including packs with manifests, installer configuration, or launch scripts.

Select the archive and continue. You don’t need to extract it yourself; auto-mcs will unpack the contents and inspect the available metadata.

How it works

When installing a modpack, auto-mcs attempts to determine the correct Minecraft version, mod loader, and loader build from the archive. This includes support for Forge, NeoForge, Fabric, and Quilt packs.

For recognized formats, it can read the Modrinth or CurseForge manifest, download the required files, and install the appropriate server software and Java runtime. If the archive doesn’t contain a standard manifest, auto-mcs can also inspect launch scripts, configuration files, and mod filenames to determine the required setup.

The application then prepares the server configuration and creates an initial back-up. Some packs may require additional setup, and files that aren’t available for automatic download may need to be installed manually. Some packs also include a README, which will be presented in a popup after installation if detected.

Note

This process is intended for creating a new server from a modpack, not importing an existing modded server. If you already have a working server with worlds and configuration you want to keep, use Import a Server instead.

After installation

Once the modpack is installed, auto-mcs will open it in the Server Manager. From there, you can launch the server, manage the installed mods, configure settings, and create or restore back-ups as you would with any other server.

Updates

Modpacks downloaded through auto-mcs’s built-in Modpack Manager can be tracked for new releases. Imported .mrpack files generally support updates too, as long as auto-mcs can identify the original pack and its version on Modrinth. Some CurseForge .zip and server packs don’t include enough metadata to identify their exact release, so automatic update detection isn’t always possible.

For supported packs, open Settings in the Server Manager and find Updates. When a newer release is available, select Update to the displayed version, or enable Automatic updates. auto-mcs downloads and installs the new modpack as a whole, instead of updating each mod separately, and creates back-ups during the process. The server must be stopped before updating.

Note

If the modpack can’t be identified, Automatic Updates is unavailable. You can still update it manually using Update from ‘.zip’ and selecting a replacement .zip or .mrpack archive