How to Add Resource Packs to a Minecraft Server

Adding a resource pack to your Minecraft server lets you push custom textures, sounds, and visuals directly to players the moment they join — no manual installation on their end required. Your resource pack needs to be hosted at a direct download link, added to your server.properties file alongside a SHA1 hash, and kept under the server’s size limit or players will never actually receive it.

This guide will walk you through hosting your resource pack file, generating the correct download URL and hash, and configuring your server so the pack loads automatically when players connect.

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Step 1: Host Your Resource Pack File

Minecraft requires a direct download link to your resource pack zip file — you cannot upload it directly to the server. The easiest way to get a compatible link and SHA1 hash is through MCPacks, a free hosting service built specifically for this.

To host your resource pack with MCPacks:

Download your resource pack .zip file from your preferred site (e.g. Planet Minecraft, CurseForge).
Visit MCPacks in your browser.
Drag and drop your resource pack zip into the upload box and complete the human verification. Note the 95 MB size limit — most packs will be well under this.
Click Upload. MCPacks will process your file and provide you with:
- A download URL
- A SHA1 hash
Copy both values — you will need them in the next step.

Step 2: Add the Resource Pack to Your Server

With your download link and SHA1 hash ready, you now need to add them to your server.properties file.

Through the Physgun Gamepanel

Navigate to your Minecraft server in the Physgun Gamepanel.
Go to Configuration > File Manager and open server.properties.
Find the following two fields (they will be blank by default):
```
resource-pack=
resource-pack-sha1=
```

Paste your values in:

resource-pack=https://mc-packs.net/get/your-pack-url-here
resource-pack-sha1=yourhashhere

Save the file and restart your server.

Through a VPS or Self-Hosted Server

Open server.properties in your server’s root directory using any text editor.

Find and update the same two fields:

resource-pack=https://mc-packs.net/get/your-pack-url-here
resource-pack-sha1=yourhashhere

Save the file and restart the server.

Step 3: Test That the Pack Loads

Once your server is back online, join it and check whether the resource pack activates. On first join, players may see a prompt:

“This server recommends the use of a custom resource pack. Would you like to download and install it?”

Players need to click Yes to apply the pack. If you want to make the pack mandatory, add the following line to server.properties:

require-resource-pack=true

With this set, players who decline the pack will be disconnected from the server.

Troubleshooting

Pack is not downloading for players

Double-check the download URL is a direct link to the .zip file, not a web page.
Confirm the SHA1 hash matches exactly — a mismatch will cause the client to reject the pack silently.

Pack exceeds the size limit

MCPacks has a 95 MB cap. If your pack is larger, consider optimizing textures or splitting the pack.

Textures are not applying in-game

Make sure the resource pack zip is structured correctly with a pack.mcmeta file at the root.
Restart the Minecraft client fully after downloading to clear any cached pack data.

If you continue to have issues, open a support ticket and our team will take a look.