How to install a modpack in Minecraft: CurseForge, Modrinth, Prism

A modpack is a ready-made set of mods, settings and a mod loader for one Minecraft version. The official Minecraft Launcher cannot install one, so use a launcher that can: the CurseForge app, the Modrinth App or Prism Launcher. Each one installs the right version, loader and mods for you. Modpacks are a Java Edition feature: Bedrock Edition uses add-ons instead.

Download a launcher only from its official site: curseforge.com, modrinth.com or prismlauncher.org. You still need to own Minecraft: Java Edition and sign in with your Microsoft account.

1. Install the CurseForge app and pick Minecraft in the list of games.
2. Open the modpack search and find the pack you want.
3. Click Install. The app downloads the Minecraft version, the mod loader and every mod of the pack.
4. Click Play. The first start takes longer while the game files are set up.

1. Install the Modrinth App and sign in with your Microsoft account.
2. Click the compass icon in the left bar to open the discover page, then look through the modpacks.
3. Click Install on the pack. When it is done, the pack's page opens.
4. Click Play.

Got a .mrpack file from a friend or a server? Click the plus icon in the left bar, choose From File and pick the file.

1. Install Prism Launcher, open Accounts and add your Microsoft account.
2. Click Add Instance.
3. In the left column, pick CurseForge or Modrinth, search for the pack, choose its version and click OK.
4. Select the new instance and click Launch.

To install a pack file you already have, choose Import in the same window and pick the .zip or .mrpack archive.

Some CurseForge authors block downloads by other launchers. Prism then lists those mods with a link to each one. Open the links and download the files: Prism watches your Downloads folder and ticks each mod green when it finds it. Click OK once every mod is found.

Large packs stutter or crash with too little RAM. Use the amount given on the pack's page, often 6 to 8 GB, and never more than about half of your PC's memory. The menu names below are those of the English interface.

• CurseForge app: Settings (gear at the bottom left), Minecraft, Java Settings, Allocated Memory. For one pack only: My Modpacks, the three dots on the pack, Profile Options, Custom RAM Allocation.
• Modrinth App: Settings (gear at the bottom left), Default instance options, Memory allocated. The default is 2,048 MB.
• Prism Launcher: Settings, Java, Maximum memory allocation. For one pack only, open Edit on that instance.

How to pick the right amount is explained in how to allocate more RAM.

To join a modded server, install exactly the same pack version as the server. Another pack version, or a mod added on one side only, makes the connection fail. If you host the server yourself, start from how to run a Java server and use the server files the pack author provides.

• Wrong Java version. Each Minecraft version needs its own: Java 25 for 26.1 and later, Java 21 for 1.20.5 to 1.21.11, Java 17 for 1.18 to 1.20.4, Java 16 for 1.17, Java 8 for 1.16.5 and older. The launchers pick it for you; if you set a Java path by hand, check it first.
• Crash right after the start. Open the instance folder and read logs/latest.log or the newest file in crash-reports. The last lines usually name the mod that failed.
• A mod you added yourself. It must match the pack's Minecraft version and loader: a Fabric mod does not load in a NeoForge pack. Remove it and start again. The loaders are compared in how to install NeoForge or Forge.
• Freeze on the loading screen. Raise the memory by 1 GB and close other apps.