How to install mods in Minecraft Java Edition
Complete guide to installing mods in Minecraft Java Edition on Windows, macOS and Linux: what a mod loader is, how to pick one, where the mods folder lives and how to avoid the most common errors.
Installing mods in Minecraft Java Edition takes three steps: install a mod loader, copy the .jar files into the mods folder and launch the game with the loader's profile. This guide covers each step and links to the specific guide for each loader.
1. Understand what a loader is
Minecraft does not load mods on its own. You need a loader, a program installed on top of the game that loads mods at startup. The four main loaders for Java Edition are:
| Loader | When to pick it |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Lightweight, updated quickly after each game release. Most performance and utility mods use it. |
| NeoForge | A Forge fork for modern game versions. Many large tech and magic mods use it. |
| Forge | The veteran loader. Still releasing for new versions and has the largest library of older mods. |
| Quilt | Compatible with most Fabric mods. Smaller community. |
A mod is built for a specific loader. A Fabric mod does not work on Forge and vice versa, unless the author publishes a version for each. On MINEMODS every page lists the compatible loaders and you can filter the catalog by loader and version.
2. Pick your Minecraft version
Mods only work with the game version they were built for. Before downloading anything, decide which version you will play. If you want a specific mod, check which versions its page lists. If you play on a server, use the server's version.
3. Install the loader
Follow the guide for the loader you chose:
When done, the official Minecraft launcher shows a new profile named after the loader. Launch the game once with that profile so the mods folder gets created.
4. Find the mods folder
The folder is inside the game's data folder:
- Windows:
%APPDATA%\.minecraft\mods(paste%APPDATA%\.minecraftinto the Explorer address bar). - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/mods(in Finder, Go menu, Go to Folder). - Linux:
~/.minecraft/mods.
If it does not exist, create it or launch the game once with the loader profile.
5. Copy the mods
Download the mod's .jar for your version and loader and copy it into the mods folder without unzipping it. Many mods also need a library: on Fabric almost all require Fabric API; on Quilt, Quilted Fabric API; others need specific libraries that the mod page lists as dependencies. If one is missing, the game tells you which one at startup.
6. Launch and check
Open the launcher, select the loader profile and press Play. On the main menu you will see a Mods button (NeoForge and Forge) or the list of loaded mods if you use Mod Menu (Fabric and Quilt).
Common errors
- The game crashes at startup. Usually a mod for another version or loader. Remove the last mod you added and try again.
- Missing dependency. The error message names the missing library. Download it for the same version.
- The file is a .zip. Mods are
.jarfiles. If your browser renamed it, change the extension back; if it really is a zip, do not extract it into mods: the .jar is usually inside. - Back up your worlds before installing mods that change the world (biomes, dimensions). If you remove them later, those parts of the world can break.
Safety
Download mods only from trusted sources. On MINEMODS every hosted file is verified, scanned and published with its SHA-256 hash so you can check it is exactly the reviewed file. If a mod asks you to disable your antivirus or run another program, do not install it.