How to Install Minecraft Mods

Minecraft is a sandbox block game where you can play with the blocks present in the game. Released in 2011, Minecraft was originally made in JAVA programming. The Java edition that is still running now is a single-player edition where you can play the game and create new things to add to the game. That's where the mods come into effect. Mods are a programming file that you can add to your Minecraft game to enhance the quality of the visuals and add different creatures like dragons, mules, etc to make the gameplay more interesting.

The Minecraft Engine is a custom-made engine that the creator built from scratch in JAVA programming. Therefore, it's easy to add these mods into your gameplay. But, it's important to note that the advanced mods are only for the JAVA version on PC. These are the ultimate game-changing mods that are fully functional and provide a better range of features. There is still a feature available in the Bedrock edition, but these are more of an “add-on” rather than a fully functional entity.

How to Install Minecraft Mods

Minecraft Mods are a community-based addition, where the player can enhance their gameplay by inserting different features that are suited for their playstyle. For example, if you want to improve your current visuals, you can choose the visual mod and insert it into the game to make it look more aesthetic. There are lots of mods you can choose from that not only provide you with more aesthetics but also allow you to insert different creatures in the game.

The mods are not directly affiliated with the publisher. But, as of now, due to the increased popularity of mods in the Minecraft community, the publishers have accepted the use of Mods in the game. While the use of Mods isn't illegal, there might be some mods that can come under copyright violation; therefore, choose your mods carefully while downloading. Here's how you can install the Minecraft Mods on your PC:

Step 1: Check Your Minecraft Version

The Minecraft Mods can be added easily in the JAVA edition of the game due to its versatility. While you can add the Mods in the Bedrock edition, they are often limited and work more as a rendered pack. Their limited abilities make the JAVA version more accessible due to its adaptability to the mods. They are fully functional in the former.

Step 2: Install Java

You can find the JAVA edition on the official Minecraft site. Once you've opened the site, download the JAVA version you want to add the mods to.

Step 3: Install Minecraft Forge or Fabric

To run the mods, you need to install a mod loader. The most popular ones are Forge or Fabric. Follow the steps below to download the mods loader:

To install Forge

Go to the official website of Forge on Minecraft.forge.net, select the version you want to download. Run the installer after it's downloaded and click on the "Install client" option. Once the launcher is started, select the “forge” profile.

For Fabric:

You can download this mod launcher from the official launcher fabric.net. Download the launcher and choose the version you want to install the mod of after running the app. You have to install the Fabric API mod from here for the app to work completely.

Step 4: Download Mods

There are several trusted websites that let you download the mods. The most popular ones will be Cursed Forge and Modrinth. Make sure you download the files ending with ".jar". These files are Java archives that let you store multiple data in one encrypted file to add to your Minecraft game. Once the zip file is downloaded, don't open or extract the files. Just leave it as it is.

Step 5: Place Mod Files Into the Mods Folder

To locate your folder, press Windows + R on normal PCs to open the command shell or open Bash on MAC. Type “%appdata%\.minecraft” for Windows and “~/Library/Application Support/minecraft” and you'll be able to locate the Mod Folder in the options.

Once you locate the folder, copy your Downloaded Mod Zip file to the mod folder. if you are using Fabric instead of Forge, make sure that your previously downloaded Fabric API is also copied into the same folder.

Step 6: Launch Minecraft with Forge or Fabric

• The next step to having mods is starting your Launcher you downloaded before.
• Use a standard launcher for launching the mods.
• Select the profile on the bottom left corner of Forge or Fabric, click the icon, and look for the version of Forge or Fabric you chose to install the mod in.
• Once you locate the right profile, click on it. There will be a green Play button appearing on your screen.
• Once the game of Minecraft loads, check if the Mods are working or not.
• You can do this by clicking on the “mods” button, which will automatically appear if you are using a mod launcher like Forge or Fabric.
• Click on the button, and you will see all the installed Mods.
• You can now enter any world and test the new mods to see if they're working or not.

In case you don't see the button or can't find the Forge or Fabric button at the start, go back to the procedure and check if you've missed a step or not. There might be a problem occurring if you don't follow the steps.

You can also install limited packages for Bedrock Edition. For mobile phones, there are various trusted mod loader apps on the Play Store that directly import themselves into the game. You will just have to activate the “behavioral pack” in the world you created. Same for pc, except you'll have to install the mods with “.macaddon” as an extension, which could be incorporated in the same way mentioned above for JAVA. Similar to the phone version, create or edit the world and click on behavioral packs to activate the limited mods.

Tips for Installing Minecraft Mods

Although the Mods are legal for Minecraft, it's important to note that some of them can be dangerous or faulty. It's possible that you can get viruses or shady, jumpy links, or your world can crash altogether due to some faults too. Therefore, here are some of the tips that you can follow while installing the Minecraft Mods, and afterwards:

• Always download the mods from a trusted site like Cursed Forge or Modrinth. Try to avoid unsafe and shady links, as they can cause problems and possibly have a virus.
• While downloading the mods, make sure you're downloading the correct version. A mode made for 1.20.1 will only run in this version. If you try to run other versions of mods, it might lead to the game crashing or the mod not showing up in the first place.
• Don't insert bulks of mods all at the same time. The mods can crash your game. If you insert all of them, you'll never know the faulty mods. So, it's better to insert the mods one at a time and test every single time so you'll know the defective one.
• It's a smart idea to keep your world backed up. Sometimes, mods can break the world if they're removed from the game. Therefore, it's a good idea to save your world's progress.
• Make sure to always install a reliable Mod Loader, since it makes your work much easier.