Mods get updated for bug fixes, new features, and support for newer Minecraft versions. Applying those updates is usually simple, but a few precautions keep a routine update from turning into a broken world.
Back up first
Before updating anything, back up your world folder and your current mods folder. Most hosting panels offer one-click backups; if you are self-hosting, just copy both folders somewhere safe. If an update goes badly, this is what lets you roll back in seconds instead of losing progress.
Step 1: Check the new version's compatibility
On the mod's Modrinth or CurseForge page, confirm the new file still targets your server's exact Minecraft version and loader. Mod updates sometimes coincide with a Minecraft version bump, which means every other mod in your mods folder needs to support that same new version too, not just the one you are updating.
Step 2: Remove the old jar first
Delete the old version of the mod's jar from the mods folder before adding the new one. Leaving both in place is a common cause of "duplicate mod" crashes, since the loader tries to register the same mod ID twice.
Step 3: Add the new jar and check dependencies
Drop the new version in, and check whether its dependency requirements changed, a mod update occasionally bumps its minimum required version of Fabric API, Cloth Config, or a similar shared library. Update those too if the mod's page says so.
Step 4: Restart and watch the log
Restart the server and check logs/latest.log for errors. A successful update shows the new version loading cleanly with no missing-dependency or version-mismatch warnings.
Updating an entire modpack at once
If you are bumping every mod in a pack together (for example, following a modpack's official update), update the loader itself first (Forge, NeoForge, or Fabric) if the new pack version requires it, then replace all mod jars in one pass rather than mixing old and new versions across a restart. A version checker can confirm exactly what your server reports after the update completes.
If something breaks
Restore from the backup you took in step zero, then update mods one at a time instead of all at once, restarting and checking the log between each. This isolates exactly which specific mod update caused the problem instead of guessing across a dozen changes at once.
Making updates painless
Tick Hosting's panel includes one-click backups and a file manager for swapping mod jars without SSH, so testing an update, and rolling it back if needed, takes seconds. Available on every plan, including the free tier. Get started on Tick Hosting's plans page.