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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesYes—you can move Minecraft from one PC to another, but signing in on the new computer does not normally transfer local worlds by itself. Install the same Minecraft edition, sign in with the Microsoft account that owns the PC version, then transfer the world separately: copy the save folder for Java Edition, export and import an .mcworld file for Bedrock Edition, or use Realms when you cannot access the save folder.
Make a backup before opening the world on the new PC. Java and Bedrock worlds are different formats and cannot normally be moved between editions by simply copying files.
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First, check whether you use Java or Bedrock
Open the Minecraft Launcher and look at the edition you start:
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| Launcher label | Edition | Normal transfer method |
|---|---|---|
| Minecraft: Java Edition | Java Edition for Windows, macOS or Linux | Copy the world folder from the Java saves directory |
| Minecraft for Windows | Bedrock Edition for Windows | Export and import an .mcworld file, or use an available cloud/Realm option |
Java worlds contain files such as level.dat and are not directly compatible with Bedrock. Bedrock worlds use different storage and are not directly compatible with Java. Minecraft describes the editions and their differences in its Java and Bedrock comparison.
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- DELUXE COLLECTION — Includes Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition, three Bedrock add-ons, three exclusive Character Creator items, and 700 Minecoins.
- CREATE YOUR WORLD — Build whatever you imagine in an infinite world that’s unique in every playthrough.
- EXPLORE AND CRAFT — Discover biomes, resources, and mobs, then craft your way through a sandbox world filled with surprises.
- SURVIVE THE ADVENTURE — Face mysterious foes, travel across exciting landscapes, and venture into perilous dimensions.
- PLAY TOGETHER — Play cross-platform with friends in Bedrock Edition on console, mobile, and PC, or join community servers in Java Edition on PC, Mac, and Linux. Online console multiplayer requires a platform-specific subscription (sold separately).
What transfers—and what does not?
A PC-to-PC move can mean several different things:
- One local survival or creative world.
- All worlds in your local save list.
- A modded Java instance and its dependencies.
- A Bedrock world with behavior and resource packs.
- A Realm or server world.
- A world converted between Java and Bedrock.
Moving the world is not the same as cloning the entire Minecraft installation. Screenshots, keybindings, launcher profiles, mods, shaders, resource packs, server settings and other files may need separate handling.
Before transferring anything
- Open the world on the old PC and confirm that the latest progress is present.
- Save and quit to the title screen.
- Close Minecraft and the Launcher completely.
- Make a separate backup. Copy the original rather than cutting or moving it.
- Use a trusted transfer method, such as a USB drive, external drive, network share, cloud storage or direct PC-to-PC transfer.
- Keep the old-PC copy until the new world has loaded and been thoroughly checked.
Also note the Minecraft version. A newer version can upgrade a world when it opens, while a world saved by a newer version may not safely open in an older one. Java snapshot and preview worlds deserve extra caution; back them up and keep them separate from worlds used in stable releases. Mojang has warned that experimental versions can damage or alter worlds (Java snapshot guidance).
Transfer a Java Edition world from PC to PC
On the old computer
- Quit the world, close Minecraft and exit the Launcher.
- Open the Java world-save folder. The standard locations are:
- Windows:
%APPDATA%.minecraftsaves - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/saves - Linux:
~/.minecraft/saves
- Windows:
- Find the folder for the world you want to move. If you are moving every Java world, copy every folder inside
saves. - Copy the complete world folder to your USB drive or other transfer location.
Do not copy only a few files from inside the world. The entire folder is required. A custom Launcher, third-party launcher or separate game directory may use a different saves location. Check that launcher’s configured game directory if the standard path is empty.
On the new computer
- Install the official Minecraft Launcher from Minecraft’s download page.
- Sign in with the same Microsoft account used to purchase the PC edition. Existing owners generally do not need to buy the PC edition again when installing it on another compatible PC; verify ownership through the official Minecraft Java & Bedrock for PC page.
- Start Java Edition once, then quit. This creates the normal game directory.
- Open the new PC’s Java
savesdirectory. - Paste the copied world folder into it.
- Start Java Edition, select Singleplayer and look for the world.
If you transferred every world, back up the destination saves folder before combining the folders. Do not overwrite destination worlds unless you have a copy of them.
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- ULTIMATE COLLECTION — Includes Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition, five Bedrock add-ons, five exclusive Character Creator items, and 1000 Minecoins.
- CREATE YOUR WORLD — Build whatever you imagine in an infinite world that’s unique in every playthrough.
- EXPLORE AND CRAFT — Discover biomes, resources, and mobs, then craft your way through a sandbox world filled with surprises.
- SURVIVE THE ADVENTURE — Face mysterious foes, travel across exciting landscapes, and venture into perilous dimensions.
- PLAY TOGETHER — Play cross-platform with friends in Bedrock Edition on console, mobile, and PC, or join community servers in Java Edition on PC, Mac, and Linux. Online console multiplayer requires a platform-specific subscription (sold separately).
If the Java world does not appear
- Confirm that you launched Java Edition, not Minecraft for Windows.
- Check that you used the correct game directory or Launcher profile.
- Make sure the world is not nested incorrectly, such as
savesWorldNameWorldName. - Confirm that the world folder contains
level.dat. - Extract the folder if it is still inside a
.ziparchive. - Repeat the copy from a closed, complete backup.
- Check whether the world requires a particular mod loader or mod set.
Transfer a Bedrock world with an .mcworld export
For Bedrock on Windows, an .mcworld export is usually preferable to manually copying the game’s internal database. It is designed for world sharing and is less dependent on installation-specific Windows package paths.
On the old PC
- Open Minecraft for Windows.
- Select Play and find the world.
- Open the world’s edit or settings screen, commonly using the pencil/edit control.
- Choose Export World, then save the resulting
.mcworldfile to a USB drive, cloud folder or other transfer location.
Bedrock menu labels can vary between releases, so look for the export control in the world’s edit screen if the wording differs.
On the new PC
- Install Minecraft for Windows through the official Launcher.
- Sign in with the same Microsoft account.
- Copy the
.mcworldfile to the new PC. - Double-click the file. Minecraft should import it.
- Open Play and find the imported world in the local-world list.
- Rename the imported copy if you want to distinguish it from the original.
Advanced fallback: manually copying Bedrock files
Bedrock for Windows has traditionally stored worlds under a package-specific com.mojang directory, commonly resembling:
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →%LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesMicrosoft.MinecraftUWP_8wekyb3d8bbweLocalStategamescom.mojangminecraftWorldsTreat this only as an advanced fallback. Microsoft Store, Launcher, Preview and other installations can use different package identifiers or storage arrangements. World folders may have opaque names rather than the visible world name, and copying while Minecraft is open can create an incomplete or corrupt database. Export an .mcworld file whenever the control is available.
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Use Realms when you cannot access the save folder
Realms can act as an intermediary between two PCs signed in to the same account. It is useful for remote transfers or for readers who do not want to locate local files, but it is a paid subscription and is unnecessary for a one-time USB or export/import transfer.
Upload from the old PC
- Create or open a Realm.
- Use the Realm’s world-slot controls to replace a slot with the local world.
- Wait for the upload to finish.
- Sign in to the same account on the new PC.
Download or preserve the existing world in that slot first if it matters, because replacing a slot can overwrite its current contents.
Download on the new PC
- Select Play.
- Open the Realm’s slots screen.
- Select the relevant slot.
- Choose Edit World.
- Choose Download World for the current world, or open Backups and download a previous backup.
- When the download completes, choose Let’s Go!
The downloaded Realm world becomes a local world that can be played offline. Realms backups are not a permanent archive: Mojang warns that they are not retained indefinitely. See the official Realm world replacement and download instructions.
Bedrock Windows cloud backup and synchronization
Newer Bedrock Windows builds describe cloud backup and synchronization for Windows worlds. This is version-dependent rather than a universal guarantee: availability, menu names, account behavior, storage limits and upload status can vary by installed build and rollout stage.
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If the feature is available in your copy of Minecraft, confirm that the world has finished uploading or synchronizing before opening Minecraft on the new PC. Keep an independent exported .mcworld backup anyway. Current information is documented in the Bedrock changelog and related Bedrock release information.
Move a modded Java world
Copying only a modded world’s save folder is often insufficient. Missing mods can remove blocks, items, entities or machines, and opening and saving the world in vanilla Minecraft can make recovery harder.
Record and transfer
- Minecraft version.
- Mod loader and version: Forge, Fabric, NeoForge or another loader.
- Every mod and compatible version.
- Required libraries and configuration files.
- Resource packs and shader packs.
- Launcher profile and custom game-directory settings.
- The complete world folder.
For a third-party Launcher, the save may be inside that launcher’s instance directory rather than %APPDATA%.minecraftsaves. Inspect the instance’s configured game directory. Recreate the original instance on the new PC, install the matching dependencies, copy the world into that instance’s saves folder, and test a backup copy first.
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Move a world between Java and Bedrock
Java-to-Bedrock and Bedrock-to-Java migration is a conversion task, not a normal PC-to-PC file copy. Back up the original and never overwrite it during conversion.
Minecraft’s Creator Tools page identifies Chunker as free, open-source community software that can convert worlds between Java and Bedrock on Windows, macOS and Linux. It is not a Mojang or Microsoft product. Use its current documentation and target-version choices.
Even after conversion, test carefully. Differences can affect:
- Redstone behavior and commands.
- Entity and villager data.
- Inventories, player data and maps.
- Advancements versus achievements.
- Resource and behavior packs.
- Custom dimensions.
- Mods and modded blocks.
- Nether and End data.
Load the converted result as a test copy before treating it as your new master world.
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A server world is not necessarily stored in the ordinary local single-player save folder.
- Hosted server: stop the server, create a server backup, then download the world through the host’s control panel or file manager. Transfer it only after confirming the edition and Minecraft version.
- Self-hosted server: stop the server and copy the server’s world directory and relevant configuration files.
- Realm: use the official Realm download-world workflow rather than looking for Realm files in local storage.
Troubleshooting missing, old or corrupted worlds
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| World does not appear | Wrong edition, folder or game directory | Confirm the Launcher label, check the configured directory and verify the folder contains the expected files |
| Empty or old world | Wrong copy or incomplete transfer | Close the game and recopy from the latest closed backup |
| Missing modded content | Mods, loader or packs are absent or incompatible | Restore the backup and recreate the original modded instance |
| Bedrock import fails | Incomplete or invalid .mcworld file |
Re-export the world and transfer the new file |
| Realm world is missing | Wrong account or Realm slot | Check the Microsoft account, selected slot and Realm download screen |
| World crashes | Version, snapshot, preview or mod incompatibility | Stop using the copy, restore a backup and match the original environment |
| World reports corruption | Incomplete copy or damaged save | Preserve the original, test a duplicate, and restore the newest known-good backup |
For Java, a backup may contain level.dat_old or other recovery material, but do not replace files blindly. For Bedrock, use a clean export or Realm backup where available. Avoid repeatedly opening and saving the only copy.
Complete the migration
After the world opens on the new PC, check more than its name in the world list:
- Recent builds and the spawn point.
- Player inventory and ender chest.
- Chests, farms and redstone machines.
- Villagers and other entities.
- Nether and End access, including important locations.
- Resource, behavior, data and texture packs.
- Mods, shaders and custom dimensions if applicable.
- Multiplayer or LAN access if you use it.
Keep the old-PC copy and the new backup until these checks are complete.
Quick Recap
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