How to Install Plugins on Your Minecraft Server
Learn how to install plugins on your Minecraft server using the Plugin Manager or manual upload.
Plugins add new features to your Minecraft server — from economy systems and permission managers to mini-games and anti-cheat protection. This guide covers two ways to install plugins: using the built-in Plugin Manager or uploading them manually.
⚠️ Warning: Plugins only work on plugin-compatible server types like Paper, Spigot, or Purpur. They will not work on Vanilla, Forge, or Fabric servers. If you need to change your server type, see our version guide.
Using the Plugin Manager
The easiest way to install plugins is through the XGamingServer panel's built-in Plugin Manager.
Open Plugins
Log in to the XGamingServer panel, select your Minecraft server, and go to Plugins in the sidebar.
Choose a provider
Use the Provider dropdown to select where to search for plugins:
| Provider | Description |
|---|---|
| Modrinth (default) | Large open-source plugin repository |
| CurseForge | Popular modding platform |
| Hangar | PaperMC's official plugin repository |
| Polymart | Premium and free plugins |
| SpigotMC | The original Spigot plugin repository |
Filter your search
Narrow down results using the filter bar:
- Plugin loader — Filter by Bukkit, Paper, Spigot, Folia, Velocity, BungeeCord, etc. (Modrinth only). The loader and Minecraft version are auto-detected from your running server.
- Minecraft version — Filter to a specific version (e.g., 1.21.4).
- Page size — Show 10, 25, or 50 results per page.
- Search — Type a plugin name to search.
Install the plugin
Click the download icon on a plugin card. A dialog opens where you can select the plugin version from a dropdown. Click Install plugin.
The plugin is installed to /home/container/plugins.
Restart your server
Go to Console and restart your server for the plugin to load.
Managing Installed Plugins
Viewing Installed Plugins
Click the "Installed Plugins" button in the top-right corner of the plugin browser. This opens the installed plugins page showing all plugins currently on your server with their version numbers.
Updating a Plugin
If an update is available for an installed plugin, an update arrow appears on the plugin card.
- Click the update arrow.
- Confirm that the old file will be deleted and the new version installed.
- Click Update Plugin.
- Restart your server.
Removing a Plugin
- Go to the Installed Plugins page.
- Click the trash icon on the plugin you want to remove.
- Confirm the deletion.
- Restart your server.
Manually Installing Plugins
If the plugin you need isn't in the Plugin Manager, you can upload plugins manually. Find plugins on sites like Modrinth, Hangar, or SpigotMC.
Download the plugin
Download the plugin .jar file from a trusted source.
Open the Files manager
Go to Files and open the plugins folder.
Upload the plugin
Upload your .jar file.
Restart your server
Restart your server.
💡 Tip: Use SFTP for uploading multiple or large plugin files. It's faster and more reliable than the browser uploader for bulk uploads.
Configuring Plugins
Most plugins create configuration files in the plugins folder after their first run:
Generate config files
Start your server once with the plugin installed to generate config files.
Stop your server
Stop your server.
Edit the configuration
Go to Files → plugins → PluginName folder. Edit the configuration files as needed.
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