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For the easiest supported-game setup, find the project in the CurseForge app and click Install. To save a standalone file, open the project on the CurseForge website and use its Files section or Download file manually option, if available. The app’s Install button may hand the job to the app rather than save a file, and the right installation steps depend on the game and content type.
Before you download: check the game and file
CurseForge hosts different kinds of content, including individual mods, modpacks, addons, maps or worlds, resource packs, data packs, custom content, server files, and exported profiles. They are not interchangeable: a Minecraft mod goes in a different place from a data pack, and a modpack export ZIP is not installed like a single mod.
Before choosing a file, confirm:
- Game and edition: Make sure the project is for your game and the edition you use.
- Game version: The newest file is not necessarily the right one. Match the version you intend to play.
- Modloader: For Minecraft, check whether the file requires Forge, Fabric, NeoForge, Quilt, or another supported profile. A mod built for one loader may not work with another.
- File purpose: Check whether it is a client mod, server file, map, resource pack, or other content.
- Dependencies and release channel: Read the project’s instructions and required dependencies. CurseForge labels files Release, Beta, or Alpha; availability in the app can vary by type and settings.
If you are unsure which version or loader to choose, use the project’s description and Files list rather than assuming the latest file will work.
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Download and install with the CurseForge app
The app is usually the simplest choice for supported games, particularly Minecraft modpacks and managed mod profiles. It can organize content in a game profile instead of leaving you to locate and maintain files yourself. CurseForge currently lists Windows 10/11, macOS 11 or later, and Linux with official Ubuntu distributions as supported platforms; Windows has Overwolf and standalone app versions. Game and feature availability can vary by platform. See CurseForge’s app setup guide.
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- Install and open the official CurseForge app.
- Select the game you want to mod. If it is not detected, open Settings, choose +, then try Scan computer for games or Manually add a game.
- Open Discover or Browse, then search for the project.
- Open the project and select Install.
- If prompted, choose an existing profile or create one with the appropriate game version and loader.
- Wait for the installation to finish, then launch the game or profile from the app.
For Minecraft, the app can install a mod into a new or existing profile and may detect the mod’s game version and loader. You can change profile settings when needed. For a modpack, go to Browse → Modpacks, select the pack, and click Install; after it creates the profile, launch it from My Modpacks. The current steps are documented in CurseForge’s Minecraft modpack guide and Minecraft profile guide.
For The Sims 4, the app workflow is Browse, find the mod, and select Install; installed content appears under My Mods. See the Sims 4 app guide.
Download a file from the CurseForge website
- Open the official CurseForge website and choose the relevant game.
- Search for the project and open its page.
- Read the project description and check the version, loader, dependencies, and file purpose.
- Choose the route you need: Install or Install via app to hand off installation to the app, or Files / Download file manually to select and save a file when those options are available.
- If downloading manually, save the file and follow that game’s installation instructions. Do not extract every ZIP automatically: some are meant to be imported as ZIP files.
Button names and placement can differ by game, project, and website interface. For example, CurseForge’s Hytale instructions describe using Install via app or its adjacent dropdown for Download file manually; files are also available through the project’s Files tab. See the Hytale installation guide.
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On a Minecraft modpack page, clicking Install commonly opens the CurseForge app through a browser link. If you want an ordinary file instead, look for a manual download in the project’s file list. For a pack you intend to use in the app, leave the browser prompt enabled to open CurseForge and let the app install the profile.
Minecraft: install the downloaded content correctly
Individual mods
For a manual mod install, download the file for the exact Minecraft version and loader you use, install or select the matching profile, and put the mod file in that profile’s mods folder. Then launch Minecraft with that same profile. CurseForge supports Forge, Fabric, NeoForge, Quilt, and Vanilla profiles, but individual mods do not necessarily support every loader or game version.
CurseForge-managed profiles use a dedicated modding directory by default, not necessarily the standard .minecraft folder. The documented defaults are:
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- Windows:
C:Users[user]curseforgeminecraft - macOS:
/Users/[user]/Documents/curseforge/minecraft/ - Linux:
/home/[user]/Documents/curseforge/minecraft
Use the folder for the profile you are launching; if you have changed the app’s location or created a custom profile, its folder may differ. The Minecraft setup guide covers profiles and locations.
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Install a listed modpack through the app when possible: open Browse → Modpacks, pick the pack, and click Install. From the website, click Install and allow the browser to open CurseForge. To import a pack shared as an exported CurseForge profile, use the app’s Import function with its export ZIP or profile code. A profile code is valid for seven days. This import workflow is for CurseForge profile exports, not arbitrary ZIPs containing a mod, map, or data pack. See CurseForge’s import and export instructions.
Data packs
A Minecraft data pack belongs to a world, not the usual mods folder. For a new world, CurseForge’s guide describes adding the ZIP through Minecraft’s Data Packs screen. For an existing world, put the pack in that save’s datapacks folder. Follow the data-pack guide for the in-game steps.
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Maps and resource packs
Use the project’s instructions to identify the correct destination. Maps or worlds and resource packs are not installed in the same folder as traditional mods; do not place them in mods just because they came from a modding site.
The Sims 4: manual installation
For a manual install, downloaded Sims 4 mods normally go in the game’s Mods folder:
- Windows:
C:Users[user]DocumentsElectronic ArtsThe Sims 4Mods - macOS:
Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods/
Place .package and .ts4script files in Mods. Lots and households use the Tray folder instead. In the game, open Options → Game Options → Other, enable Enable Custom Content and Mods and, for script mods, Script Mods Allowed, then restart the game. Follow the Sims 4 manual installation guide for file-specific details.
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Other games: follow their own installation method
CurseForge is not a single installer for every game. Hytale projects may offer app installation or a manual file download; check the project’s own instructions and Hytale guide. Terraria mods require tModLoader: CurseForge’s guide says to download and extract the mod, then place it in Documents/My Games/Terraria/tModLoader/Mods/ on Windows. Terraria maps use the Worlds folder, not the Mods folder. See the Terraria instructions.
If the download or install does not work
| Problem | What to check or try |
|---|---|
| The website’s Install button does nothing | Confirm the CurseForge app is installed, click Install again, and allow the browser to open the CurseForge link. If the project offers manual download, use that instead. |
| A Minecraft mod is not detected or crashes | Check that the game version, loader, profile, and mods folder all match. Confirm required dependencies are installed and that you downloaded a client mod rather than a server file. |
| A Minecraft file is missing from the app | Check the website’s Files list and release type. Alpha files generally do not sync to the app by default, and Beta files depend on the relevant setting. |
| A ZIP will not import | Make sure it is an exported CurseForge profile ZIP. Individual mods, worlds, and data packs are not profile exports; install them using their own method. |
| The game does not show downloaded content | Verify the file type and destination folder, and check any in-game content or mod settings. Some games require a restart. |
| A download fails or appears incomplete | Retry, check available storage and app permissions, and review whether security software or a firewall is blocking the download. Recheck that you selected the right file for the game. |
| A Minecraft installation or launch fails | For certain download failures and error codes, CurseForge recommends the app’s repair function. Consult its Minecraft troubleshooting guidance. |
| CurseForge links do not open on Linux | Deep links may not work by default with the Linux AppImage. CurseForge identifies AppImageLauncher as a helper; see its Linux troubleshooting guide. |
Download safely
Use the official CurseForge site or app, and check the project author, filename, version, dependencies, and community reports before installing. Hosted files are subject to the platform’s project and moderation systems, but that is not a guarantee that every file is risk-free. Privately shared modpacks may include files not hosted by CurseForge. If the app warns that a pack contains external files, choose CurseForge Files Only if you want to exclude them, or cancel if you do not trust the pack. Do not run an unfamiliar executable simply because it came inside a shared pack; see CurseForge’s shared-pack security guidance.
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