How to upgrade existing Minecraft worlds to newer versions

Minecraft has been around for over a decade and has managed to grow and evolve. Tons of new features and updates have been added, and for those players who have been working on the world for a while, they may want to add some of these new features to their world.

While players can certainly make a new world, sometimes it's much better to upgrade an existing one to the new version, giving players a fresh take on a familiar world. But how exactly do players upgrade their existing worlds to the latest Minecraft version? Read on to find out.

---

How can players upgrade their existing Minecraft worlds to a newer version

The game has come a long way since its first release, with countless new blocks, mobs, and biomes added for fans of the series. While building on an older version can have some benefits, sometimes players want to see all the game offers. If this is the case, updating the game is easy and can be done in a few steps.

However, players will need to ensure that they are careful and backup their world in case - to prevent anything from happening to it if it becomes corrupted.

Players can follow the steps below to get started:

Minecraft Java Edition

1) Players must open the game and head to the Singleplayer tab.

2) Next, select the world that will be updated to the new version. Click on the Edit tab.

3) *Important* Click Make Backup to ensure the world is backed up.

4) Close the game and reopen it with the new version update applied.

5) Join the world to be updated.

6) Select I know what I'm doing! When the prompt appears.

Once these steps are followed, the world should load in the new version with brand-new chunks for the new update. Those who wish to locate their backup can find it in the Open Backups Folder inside the Minecraft game.

---

Minecraft Bedrock Edition

Unlike Java Edition, Minecraft Bedrock Edition usually automatically downloads game updates. It is always a good idea to back up Bedrock Edition, as it is prone to bugs that may corrupt worlds. After installing the latest version of Minecraft Bedrock, follow these steps to back up your world and play it.

1) Open the game and select the Play button.

2) Find the world that needs to be updated and click the Edit button (the tiny pencil) to the right of it.

3) *Important* Go down to the bottom of the menu and find the Copy World button. Select this to copy the world in the game - or select Export World to save the world to another location.

4) Join the world after backing up the world - if done correctly, the world should now be updated, as Bedrock Edition keeps things updated automatically.

After loading into the world, players should notice that they now have the new chunks and features added to their game for the new version, and they can experience their favorite worlds with all the exciting additions.