Multi-Version Support: Letting Old Clients Join

This doc covers letting players on older Minecraft versions join your newer server using ViaVersion and ViaBackwards.

QUICK ANSWER

Search and download ViaVersion on your panel's Plugin section. After that, restart your server.

Fact

Blocks below y=0 or above y=255 are invisible and can't be interacted with on clients older than 1.17, this is a client side limitation that will never be fixed.

Fact

ViaBackwards only covers roughly 4 to 5 major versions back. For 1.8 or 1.9 clients you need ViaRewind too, and combat will feel like the newer version's mechanics, not classic 1.8 PvP.

Before you start

Paper, Purpur, or Spigot only.
Restart needed after install.
ViaBackwards needs ViaVersion loaded first or it won't start.

Steps

1Open your Server's panel
2Locate Plugins on sidebar.
3Look for Searchbar and write "ViaVersions.
4Click on Install Button.
5After installing, restart your server.

Version range

ViaVersion lets newer clients onto an older server. ViaBackwards does the reverse, older clients on a newer server, covering roughly 4 to 5 versions back. Going down to 1.8 or 1.9 needs ViaRewind too, and combat will feel like the newer version, not classic PvP.

What breaks on old clients

Blocks below y=0 or above y=255 stay invisible on clients older than 1.17, that's permanent. Newer items and blocks get swapped for the closest match with a lore note, a mace might show as an iron sword. Some sounds on newer content won't play. Older clients can also desync on certain inventory clicks, and custom client mods can break the remap entirely.

Verify

Have an old client join, Console should log their real version. Check an item that's newer than their version, it should show a substitution with a lore note, not crash them.

If it doesn't work

ViaBackwards won't load. ViaVersion is missing or loaded after it, confirm both jars are there and restart again.
Newer client still can't connect. ViaVersion has a max version it supports, update to the latest build.
Remap breaks mid session, usually a client mod sending odd packets. Turn on debug in ViaVersion's config to see which packet fails.
Weird errors after updating. Delete plugins/ViaVersion/cache and restart.

Do I need both plugins, or just ViaVersion?

Both, if you want older clients joining a newer server. ViaVersion alone only lets newer clients join an older server. ViaBackwards depends on ViaVersion and won't load without it.

Will items and blocks look wrong on old clients?

Newer items get swapped for the closest older equivalent with a lore note, a mace might show as an iron sword. It's a visual substitution, not a crash.

← PreviousFix connection timed out