plugins getting reset when updating to server

when i am updating my NopCommerce 4.20 site to the servers, all my theme settings and plugins are getting reset, what to do? I am currently replacing all the files i get from the publish folder to my server.

Please help me with this issue. any help will be much appreciated. Thank you

You should not upload any file in the \App_Data folder.

Except for plugins specified in \App_Data\plugins.json file, the settings are in the database.  Are you updating your database in any way?

I shouldn't update anything in App_Data, i will try that. No i am not updating anything the database