Installation Tutorial

Do you want to add mods to your Minecraft game? This guide shows what truly works. You need Java Edition first — Bedrock Edition will NOT work. Mods can transform vanilla Minecraft into anything you imagine: new creatures, dimensions, mechanics, and more.
Good news: Mojang recently began removing code obfuscation, making modding easier than ever. No more decoding cryptic code. In this tutorial, we’ll explain how to safely download mods, install mod loaders, and get everything working properly. If you’re planning to play with friends or run large modpacks, you may also want to look into what to look for in minecraft hosting to ensure smooth performance.

But before doing anything else:

✔ Back up your worlds
✔ Create separate profiles for different Minecraft versions

This keeps your vanilla saves safe while you experiment with mods and different setups.

What You Need Before Installing Mods

1. Make Sure You Have Java Edition

Bedrock Edition doesn’t support mods due to its different architecture.
Open the launcher — the title bar will tell you which edition you’re using.

2. Back Up Your Worlds

Copy your entire saves folder to a safe location.
Mod conflicts can destroy worlds, and recovery is often impossible.

3. Create a Separate Profile

Go to Installations → New, name it something like
“1.20.1 Modded”, and select the desired version.

4. Launch the Profile Once

Before you install anything, open the profile once so the game downloads necessary files.

Choosing Your Mod Loader: Forge vs Fabric

Mods cannot run on vanilla Minecraft, so you need a loader.

Forge

• Established since 2011
  
• Thousands of supported mods
  
• Required for most large modpacks
  
• Ideal for older versions (1.12.2, 1.16.5)
  

Fabric

• Lightweight and fast
  
• Updates quickly after new Minecraft releases
  
• Preferred by performance mods like Sodium and Iris
  
• Great for newer versions (1.19+)
  

Summary:

• Choose Forge if you want established mods or large modpacks
  
• Choose Fabric for performance and new-version compatibility
  

Both loaders automatically create a mods folder.

Installing Minecraft Forge

1. Go to the official Forge website.
   
2. Download the installer for your exact version (e.g., Forge 1.20.1).
   
3. Launch the .jar file → choose Install Client → OK.
   
4. Locate your mods folder:
   
   • Windows: %appdata%\.minecraft\mods
     
   • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/mods
     
   • Linux: ~/.minecraft/mods
     

If the folder is missing, create a new one named mods (lowercase only).

Troubleshooting

• Java not found? Install Java 17.
  
• Antivirus blocking installation? Add a temporary exception.
  
• You’ll know it worked when Forge appears in the launcher.
  

Launch the Forge profile once before adding mods — this finalizes setup.

Installing Fabric Loader

1. Go to the official Fabric website.
   
2. Download the installer and choose the correct Minecraft version.
   
3. Run the installer.
   

Important

Fabric requires the Fabric API (separate download).
Get it from Modrinth or CurseForge and place it in the mods folder.

Fabric automatically creates the mods folder on Windows at:
%appdata%\.minecraft\mods

Why Choose Fabric?

• Sodium boosts FPS up to 3×
  
• Iris handles shaders better than OptiFine
  
• Updates arrive within days of new releases
  
• Perfect for modern modding and performance-focused setups
  

Your Fabric profile will appear in the launcher immediately after installation.

Finding and Downloading Safe Mods

Use only trusted platforms:

• CurseForge
  
• Modrinth
  

Both scan uploads for malware. Avoid sites offering “exclusive” or “premium” mods — they often contain viruses.

Check Compatibility

If you run 1.20.1, the mod must say 1.20.1 — not 1.20 or 1.19.4.
Close versions are not compatible.

Also check for required dependencies. Some mods require additional libraries.

Version mismatches cause instant crashes.

Installing Your First Mod

1. Download the .jar file from Modrinth or CurseForge.
   
2. Do not unzip it.
   
3. Move it into your mods folder.
   

Quick Access

• Windows: Win+R → %appdata%\.minecraft\mods
  
• Mac: Finder → Cmd+Shift+G → ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/mods
  
• Linux: ~/.minecraft/mods (press Ctrl+H to show hidden folders)
  

If the folder doesn’t exist, create one named mods (lowercase).

Launch

Start your modded profile.
You should see a Mods button on the main menu.

If it’s missing:

• Wrong version
  
• Missing dependencies
  
• Incorrect mod loader
  

Crash reports will specify the exact issue.

Managing Multiple Mods

Running many mods can hurt performance. Here’s how to optimize:

1. Increase RAM Allocation

In the launcher:
Go to More Options and change JVM arguments:
-Xmx2G → -Xmx4G (light packs)
-Xmx6G to -Xmx8G (heavy packs)

2. Resolve Conflicts

If two mods change the same systems, Minecraft crashes.
Check crash logs — they name the faulty mod.
Disable mods one at a time to identify conflicts.

3. Keep Versions Consistent

Mixing mods for 1.20.1 and 1.20.2 will always cause crashes.

4. Optional: Subfolders

You can create testing subfolders, but Minecraft still loads everything inside the mods directory.