How to update your Terraria server and hold a version

Your server updates itself every time it starts, while its version setting is latest and Auto-update server is on. Those are the defaults. After a Terraria update, restart the server and it installs the new build before it comes up. Your worlds, settings, mods and plugins are not touched.

What each type updates

The Console shows what happened, in lines that start with [pnh-update]:

• Updated to and the build, Worlds and serverconfig.txt were not touched. (Terraria Vanilla)
• TShock and the version installed. Plugins built for older TShock versions may need an update too.
• tModLoader and the version installed. Mods made for the previous release may need an update too.
• is already installed. Nothing to download. when there is nothing new.

If the download fails, the server starts on the build it has and tries again next time.

After a Terraria update

1. Restart the server, for example with Restart at the top of the page.
2. Check the Console for the [pnh-update] line.

Players update Terraria through Steam, so the server needs to keep up: Players get a version mismatch on your Terraria server. A daily restart keeps it current by itself: How to schedule backups and restarts for your Terraria server.

Hold a version

1. Open Settings, Game Settings.
2. Type a version number in the version setting, for example 1.4.4.9 or 1449 for Terraria, a TShock release such as 6.2.1, or a tModLoader release such as 2026.08.3.0.
3. Restart. The Console says the version is pinned, so it is left as installed.

Pinning keeps the server on the build it has now. It does not install the version you typed. To install a specific version, use Edit Server Type on Overview, keep the same type and pick the version at the Version step. Untick Delete my existing files and start clean (recommended). to keep your world. See How to switch your Terraria server to TShock or tModLoader.

On tModLoader, a preview release for players on Steam's preview branch is installed the same way: the Version step lists the previews too.

Auto-update server, under Show advanced (1), turned off does the same as a pin: the server stays on what it has. The Console says Automatic updates are off. Starting on the installed build.

Go back to automatic updates

Set the version to latest, switch Auto-update server on, and restart.

Good to know

• An older server build cannot open a world saved by a newer Terraria: Your Terraria server stops because the world is from a newer version.
• In the Console, version prints the running Terraria version on Terraria Vanilla.