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It depends on your edition and device. Reinstalling is usually safe only if your worlds are copied somewhere outside the game’s data. The one case where you can lose worlds for certain is manually deleting the Minecraft data folder, which Minecraft Help says removes saved worlds. So back up first, then reinstall.
Where your worlds are stored, by edition and device
Minecraft keeps worlds in different places depending on whether you play Java Edition or Bedrock Edition, and on which device you use. The table below lists the locations and backup routes Minecraft Help documents. Find your row before you uninstall anything.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Java Edition on Windows | The .minecraft folder under %AppData%Roaming |
Copy the world data out of the folder before any manual deletion | Deleting the .minecraft folder removes saved worlds |
| Java Edition on macOS | The .minecraft folder under ~/Library/Application Support/ |
Copy the world data out of the folder before any manual deletion | Deleting the .minecraft folder removes saved worlds |
| Java Edition on Linux | The ~/.minecraft folder |
Copy the world data out of the folder before any manual deletion | Deleting the ~/.minecraft folder removes saved worlds |
| Bedrock Edition on Android, File Storage Location set to External | Android/data/com.mojang.minecraftpe/files/games/com.mojang/minecraftWorlds |
Copy the minecraftWorlds folder or individual world folders to a computer or another Android device over USB |
Worlds sit outside the app and can be copied before reinstalling |
| Bedrock Edition on Android, File Storage Location set to Application (default) | Inside the Minecraft app data | Not available as separate files to export; Minecraft Help points to Realms for transfer | Not stated as recoverable after reinstall; treat as unprotected until copied elsewhere |
| Bedrock Edition on iPhone or iPad | The games folder inside Minecraft’s Files location |
Copy the games folder with Finder on a Mac; iCloud can also back up the folder |
Copy the folder before removing the app |
| Realms (Java or Bedrock) | On Minecraft’s servers | Realms worlds are backed up automatically; a copy can be downloaded | Download a copy before making changes |
| Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch | Platform-managed storage | Platform-specific cloud-save guidance linked from the Backup & Restore hub | Not stated; check the matching platform’s current guidance |
Java Edition: back up before deleting the data folder
On Windows, macOS, and Linux, uninstalling the game program is a different action from deleting its data. Minecraft Help’s manual uninstall instructions describe deleting the .minecraft folder, and that folder holds your saved worlds, screenshots, and other files. Minecraft Help says it highly recommends visiting its Backup & Restore section before you uninstall, so you can save your worlds, inventory, progress, and other data you want to keep. The Java uninstall guide is at Manually Uninstall Minecraft: Java Edition.
To keep your worlds before reinstalling:
- Fully close Minecraft Java Edition and the launcher.
- Open the
.minecraftfolder for your system:%AppData%Roamingon Windows,~/Library/Application Support/on macOS, or~/.minecrafton Linux. - Copy the
savesfolder, which holds your world folders, to a location outside.minecraft, such as your Documents folder. Copy other folders you want to keep, such as screenshots, as well. - Open the copied folder and confirm that each world folder you care about is present before you delete anything.
- Only then reinstall or remove the old
.minecraftfolder.
Minecraft Support cannot recover files once they are deleted, so a copy made beforehand is the only reliable protection.
#1 Best Overall
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
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Bedrock Edition on Android: check the storage location first
Android Bedrock worlds depend on the File Storage Location setting. Minecraft Help describes two options. Application is the default. Worlds and progress are stored inside the app’s data, and they are not available as separate files you can export. External stores world files outside the app in a documented folder. External does not necessarily mean an SD card. Check which setting you use in Minecraft before you uninstall.
If your worlds are set to External
- Connect your Android device to a computer with a USB cable.
- On the phone, set the USB connection to File Transfer (MTP) mode.
- Open
Android/data/com.mojang.minecraftpe/files/games/com.mojang/minecraftWorlds. - Copy the whole
minecraftWorldsfolder, or the individual world folders you want, to your computer or another Android device.
Scoped storage and permissions on newer Android versions can limit access to the Android/data folder. If you cannot see the folder, the file transfer will not work until you resolve the permission issue on your device.
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If your worlds are set to Application
Minecraft Help says Application-stored worlds are not separately available to export as files. If you need to keep an Application-stored world, use Realms to transfer it, or check the Android storage article on Minecraft Help before you remove the app. Do not assume a reinstall will restore these worlds.
If you are removing files to fix an installation error
Minecraft Help recommends backing up worlds before removing Minecraft files to fix Android installation errors. Its troubleshooting guide, Remove Minecraft Files to Fix Android Installation Errors, warns that files may also appear at /games/com.mojang/minecraftWorlds. Do not delete that location or the Android/data location until you have checked both and copied any worlds you need. The Android backup procedure is at Save a Backup of Minecraft: Bedrock Edition Worlds on Android.
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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.
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- 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).
Bedrock Edition on iPhone and iPad: copy the games folder
Minecraft Help’s iPhone and iPad backup article describes a Mac-based copy and an iCloud route. For the Mac method:
- Connect your iPhone or iPad to your Mac with a cable.
- In Finder, select the device in the sidebar.
- Open the Files tab and expand the Minecraft folder.
- Copy the
gamesfolder to your desktop or another location.
Minecraft Help also says iCloud can be used to back up the games folder. Treat either method as a backup copy you have made, not as a guarantee that reinstalling the app will restore your worlds automatically. Confirm that the copy is complete before you remove the app. The full guide is titled “Save a Backup of Your Minecraft: Bedrock Edition Worlds on Your iPhone or iPad.”
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- Makes a great gift for kid, teen, adult and family game nights with 2 to 10 players ages 7 years and older, especially Minecraft and video game fans.
Realms: automatic backups and downloadable copies
Minecraft Help says Realm worlds are backed up automatically for both Java and Bedrock. If you can access a Realm, you can download a copy of the world into your single-player All Worlds list. Download a copy before you make changes, including before you reinstall. This protects the Realm world only. It does not apply to worlds that exist only on your device. The steps are in the Java guide, Download a Realms world in Minecraft: Java Edition, and the Bedrock guide, Download a Realms World in Minecraft: Bedrock Edition.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Consoles: check the platform’s cloud-save guidance
Minecraft’s Backup & Restore hub links to separate cloud-save guidance for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox. Minecraft Help does not establish, in the material available here, that every console world syncs to a cloud save or that it restores in every reinstall scenario. Read the current guidance for your console before you delete or reinstall anything, and do not rely on a cloud save until you have confirmed it covers your worlds.
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Before you reinstall: a checklist
- Identify your edition and device, and find your row in the table above.
- Copy every world you want to keep to a location outside the app or the data folder.
- Open each copy and confirm the world folders are present.
- Download any Realm worlds you need.
- Check the console cloud-save guidance if you play on Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch.
- Only then uninstall, delete the data folder, or reinstall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Minecraft Support recover worlds I deleted by mistake?
No. Minecraft Help states that Minecraft Support cannot recover deleted files. If you deleted a Java world by removing the .minecraft folder or lost an Android world with no copy, you should not expect Support to restore it. Recovery depends on whether you already have a copy elsewhere, such as a backup you made with the steps above, or a Realm world that was backed up automatically.
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