The Tool Desk
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Move the mod file into the active mods folder
- Check the mod’s requirements. Confirm it is for Minecraft Java Edition and matches the Minecraft version and mod loader you plan to use. A mod made for one version or loader may not work with another.
- Open the game directory. For a standard Minecraft Launcher setup, use the path for your operating system:
- Windows:
%appdata%.minecraftmods - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/mods - Linux:
~/.minecraft/mods
- Windows:
- Create the folder if needed. If the active game directory has no folder named
mods, create one with that exact name. - Move the mod. Place the downloaded
.jarfile inmods. Don’t extract the file unless the mod’s own instructions specifically tell you to. - Launch the matching profile. In the Minecraft Launcher, select the profile for the loader the mod requires—such as Fabric—then start the game.
These paths describe the standard setup; a third-party launcher or custom game directory may use a different location. Consult that launcher’s documentation to find the directory for the profile you are playing.
Check loader compatibility and dependencies
The folder alone does not make a mod compatible. Check the mod’s page for its supported Minecraft version, required loader, and dependencies. For example, Fabric documentation says most Fabric mods require Fabric API; install any required library in the same active mods folder. Requirements vary by mod, so follow its listed instructions.
Keep separate setups organized by using distinct launcher profiles or game directories when you use different Minecraft versions or loaders. That helps avoid launching a mod with an incompatible profile or placing files in a different setup’s folder.
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If the mod does not appear or work
- Check the directory. Make sure the file is in the
modsfolder belonging to the game directory used by the selected profile. You may have more than one Minecraft folder, especially if you use a custom directory or another launcher. - Check the profile. Start Minecraft with the loader the mod was built for, rather than the unmodded profile or a different loader.
- Check versions. Verify that the mod supports both the Minecraft version and loader version in your profile.
- Check dependencies. Install any required libraries, such as Fabric API when a Fabric mod calls for it.
- Check the launcher’s instructions. If you use a third-party launcher, use its documentation to confirm the active game directory and profile settings.
Download mods only from sources you trust, as the Fabric Documentation Team advises in its Installing Mods guide. For the documented Java Edition procedure and folder paths, see that guide; CurseForge also explains compatibility checks and common installation problems in its Java Edition mod installation guide.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Java Edition mods are not Bedrock add-ons
The .jar-file procedure here is for Java Edition mods. It does not explain installing add-ons for Minecraft Bedrock Edition, which uses a different system.
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